[Endoperez]

Smiths-thugs! That sounds like a great idea.


A rainbow with N4 E4 S4, A3 F3 D3, W2 would be able to do the same stuff as N4 E4 S4 A4 F4, D3 W3, given few extra turns and gems after constr 6. It will take few more turns and little more gems to get there, but it will save you some design points. I don't have Dominions here, so I can't test if it's necessary or not. Details:

A3E4: even a single Staff of Elemental Mastery will help you boost all the elemental paths, and you need A4 to forge Air boosters. On the other hand, the pretender will have the paths to forge Ring of Wizardry and the F/W Staff of Elemental Mastery, so as long as you get enough gems A3 would be enough... You really do want those Air boosters, because with two boosters an Air-random-plus-empowerment Smith can forge Staves of Elemental Mastery for half the normal price, so I could see A4 as well. It would also let you forge Staff of Storms much earlier if you need it.

F3D3: A single Flaming Skull will get you access F4 and Flaming Helmets, and furthermore, Flaming Skull and Flaming Helmet on a Fire-random Smith will let you forge Flaming Helmets for half-price. Death 3 is much better than D2 for bootstrapping into Death as well.

W2: Since you'll get F4 (as I explained above), just forge the two Water boosters to access W/F Staff of Elemental Mastery. If you need any higher Water, you could summon Naiads or Kokythiads, who are also good for the Death. You might miss some Water 3 sites, though.


Is the artifact sceptre that gives +3 Death magic one-handed or two-handed? If it's one-handed and MA Ulm gets to Constr 8 early, the Death-empowered Smith could change from half-priced Flaming Skulls to half-priced Standards of the Damned...