[Endoperez]

You want Petrification, from Alteration 7. It's an Earth 5 spell. Most of your Master Smiths are Earth 2, can forge Earth Boots to get up to Earth 3 and cast Summon Earthpower to get up to Earth 4. You could spend an extra gem for every Petrify you cast, but that would become very expensive very quickly.

So, how can you get that last level of Earth?
All-magic boosters: Ring of Wizardry (S6) or Robe of the Archmagi (A5B5)
Elemental boosters: Staff of Elemental Mastery (E4A4 or F4W4) or an artifact
an additional Earth booster: Blood Stone (B3E2) or an artifact

Keeping in mind that Blood is easier to get into that other paths and that Blood Stone actually generates Earth gems, and you can see why Blood Stone is clearly the best choice for Ulm. To learn more, go to the stickied strategy guide, search for MA Ulm and find the Blood Stone thread.



Other than that... A group of about 15 non-Black Plate infantries of Ulm can take surprising number of independents. If you're lucky, you can conquer four or five provinces in three turns' worth of battles and started building your first fortress. I'm not yet sure whether Order or Luck is better. Taking even Turmoil 1 means that you don't get enough gold to recruit fully and build a fort in turn 3 or 4, but on the other hand, Luck gives you bucketloads of gems and your Master Smiths absolutely need them.


I think the key to successful Ulm has to be empowering Master Smiths. A Water-empowered Smith can forge himself a Water Bracelet, making him F1W2E2 and letting him forge Staves of Corrosion (fires Acid Bolts), Boots of Quickness, Jade Armors and other fun stuff. A Death-empowered Smith can forge Flaming Skulls for so cheap basically all your smiths are F2, and then they can cast Phoenix Power and they are Fire 3. A Nature-empowered Smith can make Fever Fetishes and then start generating the Fire gems. And Blood-empowered Smiths, of course, are essential to both boost your Smiths and to generate more Earth gems.


Your pretender is important. My pretender design project is still underway, but I suggest taking at least Blood for getting the economy rolling. After that, you have several choices. Astral - for Starshine Skullcap, Crystal Coin, Rings of Sorcery and Wizardry? Fire/Death/Nature, for fever fetishes and flaming skulls? Water/Nature, for summoning W3N3 Naiads and forging Clams? Fire/Water or Air/Earth for Staff of Elemental Mastery? I'm trying to build a rainbow that can fill multiple roles, but specializing might be more efficient.