Re: Best Magic Path Synergies?
 

Blood and astral are a good combo. Astral by itself has many good spells, both battlefield(soul slay, astral geyser, master enslave, communions), and out of it (wish, strands, etc...). Blood sort of has all sorts of spells which would fit in other categories, only they are cheaper by virtue of using blood slaves. Plus, with astral you get the nifty send horror spells. It might be interesting to use astral corruption as well, albeit it will force you to focus on blood spells.

I think that taking blood in the pretender is not a good idea, through, as the bless is very bad, and you can boost blood easily thanks to the high ammount of slaves you´ll get.

If anything, I´d include enough blood dots to break into blood if you dont have native blood hunters. Otherwise just boost your god's power through mass human sacrifice.

In fact, here is an idea: take a SC pretender with a blood nation, and when his SCness starts to be challenged, turn him into the uber-blood god through mass empowerments.

Re: Best Magic Path Synergies?
 

I think people tend to overemphasise the amount of blood slaves you can drag in each turn. A well run blood economy can certainly produce a lot, but setting up that economy is no easy task when you're being raided, need gold for upkeep and other duties, don't have masses of efficient blood hunters etc.

Empowering a unit from nothing to high level in blood isn't as wasteful as doing it in another path of course, but it is still pretty crazy.

Re: Best Magic Path Synergies?
 

Some of my favourite combos for magic

1. Earth/Fire Magma eruption!
2. Astral/Death Nether darts!
3. Fire/Death Banefire!
4. Astral/Nature buff bot beyond compare

Re: Best Magic Path Synergies?
 

I also want to add that it's a real shame there are so few water/fire mages, because the water/fire spells are cool and actually pretty good. Acid spells can do a horrible amount of damage for their level and cost.

Re: Best Magic Path Synergies?
 

It's nice for Oceania coming out of the water. The amber mages even have nature for better aim.

Re: Best Magic Path Synergies?
 

EA Atlantis?

All Basalt Kings as well as a better than 1/4 of all Mages of the Deep can craft them. Additionally, Atlantis has the appropriate gem income in their capital and the ability to craft hammers - again using gems from their capital. Construction 4 and you are set to go.

Re: Best Magic Path Synergies?
 

Air/Earth:
1. Cloud Trapeze then Mistform and Rain of Stones, or EarthQuake, Bladewind, Destruction...
2. Fog Warriors then Rain of Stones
3. Mistform and Ironskin, or other protection buff
4. Summon Earthpower, Thunderstrike
5. Aim, Bladewind
6. Enchant Gargoyle
7. Staff of Elemental Mastery

Re: Best Magic Path Synergies?
 

Water/Nature:
Bog Beasts! :D

More seriously, how about Astral/Water?

• Personal Buffs! Body Ethereal + Personal Luck + Astral Shield + Quicken Self + Breath of Winter
• You know all of those beefy water summons: Krakens, Sea Serpents, Asp Turtles, Sea Trolls, oh my? Buff them, too! Ethereal Asp Turtles! Lucky Sea Trolls!
• Abominations!
• Underwater Mind Hunters that can't get shot by Seeking Arrows, toasted by Flames from the Sky, or sickened by Leprosy
• Um ... hold on a second....
• There are two nifty Astral/Water artifacts: Trident from Beyond & Nethgul.
• Did I mention Abominations yet?
• Power of the Spheres + Falling Frost (or Ice Strike, or Frozen Heart) spam
• That's all I got for now.

I guess it's not great synergy, but there are a few possibilities.

Re: Best Magic Path Synergies?
 

I only want to reiterate that Fire/Water is in one of the most high powered combos in the game :)

Acid spells are VERY good for their cost and level. Acid Rain can be crazy. The Staff of Corrosion competes with Standard of the Damned for favorite quickened spell slinger item. The only reason these spells don't get more air time is because so very few nations can actually use them.

And actually, I nominate Shinuyama as best nation for making an artillery out of Staves of Corrosion. They have natural F/W gem income, so they don't need to bootstrap one, and 1/4 of mages can naturally craft the staves. Lastly, they have one of the best line-up of commanders for acting as spell slinging artillery (ie. muiltiple high precision commanders, some who can buff themselves with quickness and some who have no magic at all which is actually good in this situation because then there is no worry they will try to cast some other spell.)

This is on top of the other great item available through this combo.

I guess my rating would be:

1. F/W
2. E/S
3. A/N or A/E

Re: Best Magic Path Synergies?
 

Thanks for the tips about Fire/Water (=Acid) to you guys. Apparently, I really underestimated this combo. Possibly due to its rarity :D

I'll find a way to give it a try into an SP.