The Ghost King

[Norfleet]

The GK really doesn't play to Arcoscephale's strengths: Priestesses can't remove afflictions for undead units such as the GK, so you'll still have to pursue conventional affliction removal aggressively.

I'd suggest more air, as it improves the defensive effectiveness of Mirror Image, less Water, as water magic is mostly useless past level 2 (Quickness(1), BoW(2)), and more Death. Don't be afraid to take some negative scales to kick loose more points.

[AhhhFresh]

Originally posted by Norfleet:
The GK really doesn't play to Arcoscephale's strengths: Priestesses can't remove afflictions for undead units such as the GK, so you'll still have to pursue conventional affliction removal aggressively.

I'd suggest more air, as it improves the defensive effectiveness of Mirror Image, less Water, as water magic is mostly useless past level 2 (Quickness(1), BoW(2)), and more Death. Don't be afraid to take some negative scales to kick loose more points.

Ah, didn't know that Priestesses couldn't heal undead...

You'd forgo Fire 2, to put more points into Death and Air?

Though I guess you quickly run out of slots for scripting spells... so more paths has a diminishing returns affect for SC useage.

[Gandalf Parker]

I like Ghost King with blood nations. Give him a Black Heart and he makes a freaking good assassin

[Blitz]

The GK really doesn't play to Arcoscephale's strengths: Priestesses can't remove afflictions for undead units such as the GK, so you'll still have to pursue conventional affliction removal aggressively.

Crud. That was the whole idea. I just played a whole game against the AI where my GK never picked up one affliction. Guess that was just luck. I guess that explains why my Wraith Lord never healed either heh.

Why Water 3, though? Is it for site searches/clam hoarding? Because I would think knocking that down to 1 and bringing Fire up to 2 (Phoenix Pyre)... would make him more of a force against other SC's in the late game... and cost almost exactly the same amount (gotta love 20 point paths).

Well the idea was that if the GK died somehow it wouldn't be completely useless. I'm kind of used to a "half rainbow" mage with arco (F3 W3 E3 A3 S5), this was my attempt at a hybrid SC/Rainbow without totally destroying scales.

But losing the affliction removal really changes things. I'd probably be better off with a Wurm or a Nata if I went the SC route. Sadly this all but closes the death path when playing Arco. Ironic that my favorite race (Arco) and magic path (death) are not compatible.

[Norfleet]

Originally posted by Blitz:
Guess that was just luck. I guess that explains why my Wraith Lord never healed either heh.

Wraith Lords are immortal and automatically heal afflictions. If yours didn't heal, it was probably either one of the sticky ones, like Never-healing wound, and/or you were unlucky.

Sadly this all but closes the death path when playing Arco. Ironic that my favorite race (Arco) and magic path (death) are not compatible.

Arco and death are not incompatible. They just lack any special synergy as of 2.11. The Ghost King is still a valid choice....it's just not inherently synergistic with Arco's healing ability, and you will still have to pursue conventional affliction removal.