Re: Poll: Most useful path of magic?
 

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.

Re: Poll: Most useful path of magic?
 

I voted for astral.

has some nice SC buffs - astral weapon/shield, body ethereal (4 early game), luck and very important twist fate.
Has some strong battle field spells such as doom, enslave mind, astral tempest.
Good summons (imo), I always find the harbringer and the angels good usage. With the right items and spell scripting they can be used as SCs. especially vs. death/blood thugs. And let's not forget abomination.
And good rituals useful for spying, assassination.
And last not least is wish.
I find it to be a complete spell school.

Re: Poll: Most useful path of magic?
 

I voted Astral, with Death and Air being very close behind. My reasoning for Astral is simply its versatility: Astral offers a very wide array of spells, ranging from Gateway/Teleport to amazing buggs (Will of the Fates). Astral also offers Antimagic and the Amulet of Antimagic, virtual lifesavers when fighting an Astral nation... and Astral also gives the Astral Focus, to go the other way around.

Add to that the Rings of Sorcery and Wizardry to get your other paths up and running (the Ring of Sorcery is especially nice, and not *too* expensive still), and it has to be Astral for me.

Re: Poll: Most useful path of magic?
 

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...

Re: Poll: Most useful path of magic?
 

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

Re: Poll: Most useful path of magic?
 

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.

Re: Poll: Most useful path of magic?
 

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.

Re: Poll: Most useful path of magic?
 

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).

Re: Poll: Most useful path of magic?
 

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.

Re: Poll: Most useful path of magic?
 

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

does anybody else thinks this spell is useless?