The Ghost King

[cleveland]

The Ghost King is a nice choice for a nation that doesn't need a strong bless, could use an awake SC, needs magic diversity, and benefits from high dominion. A nation like MA Ulm.

Some modest magic (Air2 for Mistform & Cloud Trapeeze, N2 for Personal Regeneration & Resist Elements, E1 for Ironskin & Iron Will, S1 for Personal Luck (EDIT: as triqui points out, this makes him vulnerable to Astral Duels...better to skip the Astral & forge him some luck instead, he's got the slots) , W1 for Quicken Self, D3 for an eventual Soul Vortex) and Dom10 for Awe are yours for just Drain3, Cold2.

Forge a Black Steel plate on turn 1, equip & send him to solo weak indies on turn 2...Alt1 [(Air Shield)(Barkskin)Attack Closest] takes all but unlucky Heavy Cav.

Alt3 [(Mistform)(Ironskin)(Quicken Self) Attack Closest] still beats any elephant rush. Relegate him to site searching detail when your finished expanding, Cloud Trapeeze him for counter-raiding.

Dom10 spreads that Ulm-friendly dominion fast: Drain3 means your Ulmish knuckleheads actually survive the occasional mind burn, & Cold2 amplifies his frost aura.

With an awake SC, you can divert your funds to making those beautiful guardians to counter the bless-rushers.

One-shot ANWSDE site searching + cheap Ulmish forging rates + full slots = long-term usefulness.

Works well for quite a few other nations too, but MA Ulm makes for a nice example. Most other nations will need to wait until turn 2 to forge the Black Steel Plate, so just have him research Alteration on turn 1.