Vampires?

[Nerfix]

Actually, no, you couldn't. It took a mix of paths that would allow buffs that could be afforded by rare few pretenders, namely VQ, GK, rainbows and nagas.

VQ was naturaly ethereal and that alone is a huge bonus against troops without magic weapons. Alteration 2 (60 research points in Dominions 2) would allow her to cast Stoneskin (armor), Mirror Image (drastic decrease on chance of getting hit) and Quickness (def/attack bonuses and two actions per turn). If you took a smitter of Fire with her and researched Enchament 1 you could cast Fireshield and effectively do damage while defending. And this isn't particulary expensive in design points or magetime.

The Ancient Olm cannot do all the VQ could potentially do because he has harder time getting the multidute of magic paths. You'll be paying through your nose to get a 1E 1W (and Quickness was nerfed) 1/2 A and the Olm is not Ethereal to start with like VQ was. You seem to ignore how good ability being ethereal is, especially when that can be topped with a damage shield, mirror image, stoneskin and so on. High HP is not that helpful, especially since Olm is easy to gang on and gets no recuperation or regeneration. Oh, you seem to ignore that VQ was and is IMMORTAL meaning that she could joyously ignore the possibility of death in friendly dominion AND afflictions!

And I don't get what being a Blood power has to do with VQ's since their best potential abilities (low pathcosts thus magic versatile thus the buff mishmash, life drain from the start, flying, stealth, immortality and etherality) has nothing at all to do with Blood magic. In fact you're propably better off ignoring her starting blood and death magic.

I do agree that VQ was nerefed to oblivion now.