Finding an appropriate Communion Slave

[tinkthank]

Thanks sir.
Why not rely on Forge of Ancients? (Dispell?)
Like your avatar btw.

[General Tacticus]

If you find a library, you can use sages with a random in astral as communion slaves, and let the others carry your research, but it is still no ideal.

Do you really need communion slaves with Tien Ch'i anyway ? Empowerment / magic raising items / reinvigoration items can be enough to cast your battle spells without communion...

[Nagot Gick Fel]

Originally posted by tinkthank:
Thanks sir.
Why not rely on Forge of Ancients?

Just for the same reason you can't rely too much on MotW for your communion slaves: you don't know beforehand if you'll find enough earth sites to have a chance to cast it.

(Dispell?)

That too, or a stronger Forge of the Ancients from another nation, or having your caster killed.

Like your avatar btw.

Looks like something really went wrong when they took this photograph of myself.

[tinkthank]

Right thanks.

@Tacticus: Yes and no. I want them to be able to cast the 1-gem 100+ fatigue spells (flaming arrows, arrow fend, wind guide) -- they *can* cast these with item-boosts, but a communion will let them cast these and then do other stuff too since they wont go immediately unconcsious.

[Taqwus]

Lizard shamans (1S/1N for something like 110 au), Crystal Mages (2S/2E) from the Crystal Citadel site come to mind. Lizard provinces are probably much more common than the Citadel. They also let you annoy your opponents by cursing their SCs.

[geo981010]

There are a bunch of special site mages that might fit the bill - Enchanters, Mages of the Metal Orders, Sorceresses, and the Cystal Mages like Taqwus mentioned. But they are pretty rare...

For summonables, the Lamia Queens (15 Nature gems, 7/16 have Astral) or Spectres (10 Death gems, 15/64 have Astral) work, and there's an equal chance for blood on either of them. Not too cheap and by themselves these mages are good at nether darts, but cheaper than a Coutyl!

Alternately, if you get a Mage with a random in Blood, you can cast Hellpower if you are feeling really risky

Blood however is a PITA since you have to keep them supplied with slaves. Blood magic in battles is pretty much more hassle than it is worth in 95%+ of the time (ok, except for a couple of late ones and Bind Heart!). I'd love a blood item that attracts slaves each turn to make this less of a micromanagement chore to do...

[ February 18, 2004, 15:59: Message edited by: geo981010 ]

[tinkthank]

Thank you, people.
Actually I am doing ok with Matrixes on Masters of the Dead. One Celestial Master with an earth pick is all I need for 2-4 Matrixes.