Who are the most powerful pretenders?

[Xietor]

Master Lich is good in a big game. It cannot be targeted. He is not big, or flying. He has a zero encumbrance when casting, and has 3 misc slots.

Though he cannot fight like the Lich, or ctis immortal lizard lich, he starts with 3 dominion, rather than 2, and magic paths are 20 instead of 40.

And he is better against an attack than a combat sc, assuming the attack is backed with many mages. As my pretender in perpetuality for ma ctis, he was devastating with banefire/shadow blast. Since he has low hps, i always take air magic for air shield and eventually a shield of valor(seeking arrow).

In Eh II i started him with 5s and 5d, and a couple other paths. With 5 s and immortal, he can magic duel enemy s mages without fear. And with 3 slots, he can wish without the need for empowerment. In fact with robe magi he can reach s 10 without empowerment, and be quite potent with master enslave
without the need for a communion.

instead of using a wish for magical power, the ML really benefits from a wish for power to give him durability.

[elbnar]

I'm partial to:

Cyclops - good ol' faithful
Natty - too bad she's not available to more nations
Great Enchantress - rainbow mage for magic-weak nations, plus bonus pearls
VQ - undead pretenders are too vulnerable without immortality

[moderation]

Hmm, I'm glad everyone has given such interesting responses. But one thing mystifies me: what is a Natty?

[Endoperez]

Nataraja, most likely.


Out of the human-ish rainbows, Great Enchantress is clearly the best. The others' abilities just don't compare with 1 free pearl per turn.

[Edi]

Not just the 1 free pearl, but she has two paths to start with and those two are earth and astral, which are always useful and especially as a combination.

[Endoperez]

Edi said:
Not just the 1 free pearl, but she has two paths to start with and those two are earth and astral, which are always useful and especially as a combination.

CB gives other humans similar starting paths, but also gives the Enchantress etherealness. Even without it she'd be worth it for the pearl.

[Edi]

Haven't checked the CBM out yet, because I've had more than enough to do with all the other stuff and my non-Dominions activities. If it's anything like the Dom2 CBM, the pretenders at least will be far superior to the base game. The sorceress actually did have etherealness in Dom2, so it's just been returned to normal, as it were.

What I meant was that in addition to the pearl, she had better paths than any of the other rainbows, so she was a complete nobrainer.

[chrispedersen]

Endoperez said:
Nataraja, most likely.


Out of the human-ish rainbows, Great Enchantress is clearly the best. The others' abilities just don't compare with 1 free pearl per turn.

????

What about man's arch druid - 2 nat gems a month at 35 cost..

[Lingchih]

Prince of Death or Cyclops. For reference, see the current Team Game. All of the experienced players have either a PoD or a Clops.

I would love to have the Dragons be better SC pretenders. I personally love to take a Dragon, but there always seem to be better choices available.

[Endoperez]

chrispedersen said:
????

What about man's arch druid - 2 nat gems a month at 35 cost..

The druid riding a unicorn? I didn't remember his special. I haven't been playing Man.