Rainbow Mages Worth It?

[LordArioch]

Generally rainbow mages aren't very powerful. If the only mage that can find, say, water magic sites is your pretender, and he's a rainbow mage so he has some low water skill (1-2)...who's going to spend the water gems?
Do you really plan on using your rainbow god to cast level 2 water ritual spells? It's better to focus on a one magic type your nation has or maybe two you don't that will complement your existing magic well.

Unless you're Ashen empire ermor or something...then enjoy the best rainbow mage/supercombatant/lord of the undead you can create. That's half the fun.

[SurvivalistMerc]

Try the ghost king. He only costs 20 to open new paths and summons his own stealthy guards.

Gems can be converted via alchemy or used to empower. What do I do if I have a serious excess of water gems? Empower my pretender, craft some water items, and summon a queen of elemental water. Gems are never worthless.

I really enjoy rainbows. Sure...they have some drawbacks. But Dominions is a game of tradeoffs. And I think the RB is pure joy in SP.

It's up to your playstyle. If you can handle sinking the points and playing with the type of playstyle that means playing with a Rainbow go ahead.

In competitive MP, you should shy away from them except for extreme circumstances (superfast research, superlow independants, or superhigh Magic Sites)

Otherwise you are waiting too late in the game to be effective and unless you get left alone, you will fall to the first one you go to war with.

[Jam3]

I assume a rainbow mage is one trained in all schools? JC. Also can't you increase the skill with empowerment so you wouldnt neccessarily be stuck at 2 water all game.

You can, but Empowerment is in general a waste of gems. Water is an easy skill to increase. Robe of the Sea is (Water 3) and Water Bracelets (Water 1) are easy forging items to get higher up on the food chain.

Water also has the very useful Voice of Tiamat spell (if you have a decent number of water provinces on the map)

A Rainbow is one who has many magical paths, but not always "all". Fire and Earth are common, because you can Alchemize their gems, while Air has great items to forge. Astral is always good, and Nature has quite a few good items as well.

Rainbows are used for gem searching moreso than spell casting. Most spells they are regulated to are summons that summon a more focused unit that can stay in it's speciality element.

[void]

a ALL-4(but blood 0) Pretender is a funny one ^^
80% chance when you searching, sometimes you will find 3+ sites in an action.
it's so lovely...

Rainbow Pretender is a great smith too, with a omnipotent pretender, you can arm your combatants with lots really queasily equipment...

[PDF]

I'm a RM adept
I just think they're cooler, and more fun to play.
In SP they add to the challenge too, in MP they must be protected, but offer interesting diplomacy options, 'cause you'll have a use for any type of gems or item building ability : trade !
And you aren't stuck with low path level neither : don't empower (too costly), but build magic enhancing items of all kinds ! Those are generally available at Cons4 with path3 or Cons6 with path1. In the end your RB can have whenever he needs it level 5 in any path, cast potent spells or build powerful items.

OTOH I've been disappointed with "SC Pretenders" : bad research at start, not generally needed for early expansion, and too often getting afflictions or even get killed in battles ... High level magic don't give a big advantage until you have a good research.
Plus you have to invest heavily on them (items), it's too much in the same basket. Path9 blessings need heavy design investment, and are good for nations with many good sacred units, but ain't that much powerful with other nations.
Immortals are cool however, and some creatures such as Ghost King are a good compromise.