Involuntary Shape Shifting and Items...?

[NTJedi]

Agrajag said:

That's not entirely true.
First of all, if the deathmatch takes place very very early in the game, it could be worthwhile to send good commander to take the trident, ........

Well if you're only playing against two AI opponents this can work. Usually the single player games I do have at least 7 AI opponents... thus sending any good commander during early game is still suicidal since one or more opponents could be a dragon, wyrm, lich or some other powerful pretender.

Agrajag said:
Second, since the AI seems to send his pretender to the death match (and more often than not - quite weak pretenders), it may be wortwhile to send in a powerful thug or SC to kill the pretender and cripple the AI a bit.

I've never seen weak little mage pretenders sent into the death match... and I've played many games. There's so many opponents already attending the death match that your SC will do little or no effect for the results. Whether you send someone or not all of them will die except one. And the one which wins will most likely never meet your SC. As a test see how often you win the death match early game against 10 AI opponents... after a few of these tests you'll see it's better just to sit in the stadium and watch the results.

[Endoperez]

Especially as only one of the contestants can survive. Even if the AI did send an expensive mage, or even a mage pretender, it would probably be killed by the other AIs.

[Wish]

don't look at deathmatches as a way to gain a trident. look at it as a way to kill the AIs commanders, and sometimes their pretenders.

[Agrajag]

NTJedi said:
I've never seen weak little mage pretenders sent into the death match... and I've played many games. There's so many opponents already attending the death match that your SC will do little or no effect for the results. Whether you send someone or not all of them will die except one. And the one which wins will most likely never meet your SC. As a test see how often you win the death match early game against 10 AI opponents... after a few of these tests you'll see it's better just to sit in the stadium and watch the results.

Weak little mages? No.
Very expensive (and very weak) priests? Yes.
Propehts? Yes.
Combat-Useless pretenders (like the Great Mother)? Yes.
Also, if you saw an AI enter his pretender into the deathmatch, you can easily slay it in the next deathmatch by preparing the proper counter. (especially since the AI tends to send his pretenders with almost no magical items and "badly scripted")

[NTJedi]

Agrajag said:
Weak little mages? No.
Very expensive (and very weak) priests? Yes.
Propehts? Yes.
Combat-Useless pretenders (like the Great Mother)? Yes.
Also, if you saw an AI enter his pretender into the deathmatch, you can easily slay it in the next deathmatch by preparing the proper counter. (especially since the AI tends to send his pretenders with almost no magical items and "badly scripted")

Why even risk the life of a good commander when it will probably be killed by one of the other AIs ? Whatever you send into the deathmatch will most likely have little or no effect during early game because of the pretenders and prophets sent by the AI.

[Ygorl]

It might be sub-optimal strategy, but that doesn't mean it's not fun!
Look at it as a chance to craft an assassin without the burden of needing stealth, and using only materials immediately at hand. I admit, I rarely do it, but it can be fun.
A sweeter pot would definitely help. If I remember, though, victory also nets you 100 XP or so, which is a nice little bonus for a thug.

[Wish]

in early game, and maybe even in late games, victory usually comes with fame.