Poll: Most useful path of magic?

[The Panther]

In the late game, astral is the most essential school. To win any major battle, you want lots and lots of astral mages. The more, the merrier. Nothing else in equal numbers can really stand up to this. I learned this in spades with both my MP games that went past turn 100.

Plus there is Wish...

[FrankTrollman]

Sushiboat Said:
With Clams, the end use is Astral spells, so Water magic is playing only a supporting role. Does anyone play a Pretender with Water 9 and no Astral in a non-Astral nation? It sounds like a tough row to hoe.

How many people play with a Water 9 pretender just for the blessing? I've seen people seriously suggest a Water 9 Son of Niefel or Moloch for Vanheim, Marignon, Jotunheim, and Mictlan. I've seen people seriously suggest an Earth9/Water9 pretender for Pythium, Tien Chi, Marignon, and Man. Some of those are Astral nations, but some of those aren't. In every case, the goal is to get 2 actions per round out of Sacred troops or Leaders (or both).

A better question would be: how many people play with a Water 4 pretender in a nation with no Astral? In that case, I've still seen it. A Super Combatant Deit with no Water usually can't go under water, which makes him a weak military threat. Furthermore, a Water-free SC can't quicken themselves, which means that they either have to wear Boots or Armor made by another Water Mage, or they have to suck. Quickness is worth it just for the bonuses to attack and defense skills, the fact that it grants a whole set of extra attacks is just gravy.

Water is often presented as being somehow equivalent to Fire or Air as a blasting magic. It's not. Water doesn't get a decent Evocation until Evocation 4, and that only works under water. Water doesn't get a decent Evocation that works on land until Evocation 5, and that takes 3 Water to use (but Falling Frost is very good if you ever get people who can use it).

No. Water is and always has been about Construction (Clams, Boots of Quickness, Swords of Swiftness, Bottles of Living Water) and Alteration (Quickness, Frozen Heart). But in those arenas, it is very good. By the time you get Alteration 6, Atlantian PD is really deadly (Quickness, Frozen Heart, Frozen Heart, Frozen Heart, Frozen Heart). And that's where Water shines.

As far as weak sister colors, I'm going to have to say Nature. Vine Ogres have their day, but what is Nature supposed to do after that? Feed the real monsters that are provided by other powers?

-Frank

[Oversway]

Nature:
Regeneration Items and Spells
Reinviguration Items and Relief
Gift of Health
Charm
Vine Ogres
Lamias
Fairy Queens
Manakins, Mandragoras, Haunted Forest
Curse
Berserk
Poison


It is actually pretty good I'd say.

[RibbonBlue]

Nature rocks, charm, lamais, call of the wild for early game for free wolf preduction early game. Gift of health, a bunch of really nice rituals, swarm is a useful spell as well. I like nature cause of their really nice rituals and decent battle magic.

[Sandman]

Fire and water are notably inferior to the other six.

Nature has a full house of useful buffs/debuffs AND a good selection of summons, as well as a handful of spells that mimic the abilities of other schools (eagle eyes, protection, panic).

[Huzurdaddi]

I think people have been playing with Zen's mods quite a bit. How soon we forget the power of Cloud Trapeze, Storms and Wrathful Skies.

[Manuk]

Holy: you get holy avenger (??????)

does anybody else thinks this spell is useless?

[Saber Cherry]

Manuk said:
Holy: you get holy avenger (??????)

does anybody else thinks this spell is useless?

Holy Avenger is useless 99% of the time.

The 1% is on your Neifel Jarl supercombattant =)

[Saber Cherry]

FrankTrollman said:
How many people play with a Water 9 pretender just for the blessing? I've seen people seriously suggest a Water 9 Son of Niefel or Moloch for Vanheim, Marignon, Jotunheim, and Mictlan. I've seen people seriously suggest an Earth9/Water9 pretender for Pythium, Tien Chi, Marignon, and Man. Some of those are Astral nations, but some of those aren't. In every case, the goal is to get 2 actions per round out of Sacred troops or Leaders (or both).

1.5 per round. But it is cumulative with Quickness. I took W9 as Marignon once, very effectively for the mages, but it was not great on flagellants in that game. Probably helped the Knights of the Chalice but I built few as my money went to Witch Hunters and xbows.

A better question would be: how many people play with a Water 4 pretender in a nation with no Astral? In that case, I've still seen it. A Super Combatant Deit with no Water usually can't go under water, which makes him a weak military threat. Furthermore, a Water-free SC can't quicken themselves, which means that they either have to wear Boots or Armor made by another Water Mage, or they have to suck. Quickness is worth it just for the bonuses to attack and defense skills, the fact that it grants a whole set of extra attacks is just gravy.

No... quickness on an SC is not at all essential. It is good on undead SCs, but I avoid it on live SCs due to fatigue, as quickness makes it almost impossible to overcome with reinvig items. Even my Ice Devils never cast Quickness if they get an artifact weapon rather than a Bloodthorn.

As far as weak sister colors, I'm going to have to say Nature. Vine Ogres have their day, but what is Nature supposed to do after that? Feed the real monsters that are provided by other powers?

-Frank

No nation should be without Nature, excepting Ermor. I build loads of Druids every game and they are always too busy (generally forging) to research. In addition to Oversways', Eagle Eyes (the air version always ends up on archers instead of the mage!), supply items, and dragonflies... Nature has no killer evocation (foul vapors stinks, if you pardon the pun), SC, or artillery but it is still exceptionally useful. I'm not claiming it is a strong path, but it does have many good (support) uses.

[High_Priest_Naresh]

fire is cool!
it gives all fire commanders the abilities to have more units in thier army