[Psientist]

Trick One:

I've discovered a funny little trick you can do with mercenaries.

1. Hire a mercenary. Give it defensive buffs so they are more likely to not kick the bucket easily - armor, rings of regen, etc. Don't give any offensive buffs or weapons!

2. If you can make it, forge a stone idol and give it to them.

3. Have them declare themselves your prophet.

4. Stop paying them!

What happens is they are quickly hired up by enemy nations, and then sit safely converting enemy provinces to your dominion. Even if they are used against you, they will still be busy converting candles to YOUR dominion.

Downside (bug?): eventually, the AIs stop paying any given mercenary. If they aren't hired for long enough, they go away permanently... AND YOU DON'T GET TO DECLARE ANOTHER PROPHET because the last one never died.

But the "stone idol" trick seems to have no real downside against AIs.

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Trick Two:
1. Forge a bunch of unpleasant cursed items, with no real offensive capabilities like "slave collar".

2. Give them to a bunch of cheap commanders (or commanders you're ready to get rid of, like feebleminded or soon-to-die from disease). Script them to attack rearmost or something similar. Put them way at the front lines.

3. Send those accursed commanders into battle against an enemy province (not one with a fortress) where enemy heroes, gods, or prophets are camping, skewing the odds against yourself.

4. You will lose the battle horribly... but enemy commanders will "find" those cursed items, get cursed, and lose an item slot. Hopefully a KEY enemy commander or hero... even pretender!

Downside: those items can come back. Keep lots of cheap extra commanders in your decks, and your key commanders with full item slots.

Thought for a little game spice - mod a special unique cursed item that has no benefits at all but is sort of a "hot potato" for players to try to give to each other! (e.g., "Amulet of Giant Albatross")