MA Abysia: The Burninator Flies Again

[ano]

Here's probably what I'd take (not exactly, of course, because it requires testing):

Abysia, Middle Era
Master Lich (Body 180, 5 hits)
Magic: Air 4 Water 3 Death 5 Nature 4
Dominion 7
Scales: Order 3 Productivity 1 Heat 3 Misfortune 2 Magic 3
Dormant

Versatile immortal archmage that will find most sites you can't find and forge most things you can't forge. Thistle maces on indy shamans that you need a lot will allow to cast Haruspex. OTOH, good scales and Magic 3 turns your salamanders into good researchers and makes indy tribe shamans very effective in that.
Regular archmage is also an option, of course.

Taking an awake pretender means spending 150 design points. I understand when they are invested into heavy expansion or some strategic advantage but I don't understand spending 150 points on some particular strategy (that may or may not work well - remember Highlander game?) while sacrificing most other things. That's my vision.