Pythium in Dominions III
 

In Dominions II, Pythium was my strongest nation. I have not dared trying it
in Dominions III. Any mage worth of the name starts with old age, and the
really powerful ones start with advanced old age. Has anyone played them
to any extend? I do not remember even seeing the nation in a multiplayer game.

If they have become so unattractive that they are no longer a viable choice,
maybe something should be done?

Re: Pythium in Dominions III
 

Angels of fury.

Re: Pythium in Dominions III
 

The national angelic summons(mainly the seraphs and angels of fury) are very powerful and a growth scale and/or n4 bless+shrouds of the battle saint on important mages can pretty much handle old age.

Re: Pythium in Dominions III
 

I know this isn't the end-all of power discussions, but the Victorious Nation Sticky shows Pythium to tie for first in MA at two wins, and tie for second overall behind Caelum. I think you don't see them often because they only exist in MA, the least popular age. They're also doing quite well in the game that I'm playing (Casual PBEM).

The "old age has killed my nation!!" argument doesn't hold in my opinion; I've lost my share of sages and Lore Masters with a Death 3 domain, but it doesn't stop me from using them.

Re: Pythium in Dominions III
 

The N4 bless + shrouds still requires sending your important mages into combat regularly, though, right? And that doesn't heal old age afflictions.

(My biggest annoyance with old age is the loss of precision.)

-Max

Re: Pythium in Dominions III
 

The N4 bless+shroud is just to keep them from dying to disease.

Re: Pythium in Dominions III
 

No, a regenerating unit doesn't suffer disease damage, even while not in combat. If the unit gets damaged somehow else, you have to get him into combat to *heal* him, but he won't die.

Re: Pythium in Dominions III
 

I am doing fine with old sauromancers, but they are not as old as the Arch Theurgs.
I guess I'll give good old Pythium a try ;-)

Re: Pythium in Dominions III
 

they get the angels, AND they get the perfect set up for an army stealing pretender.

Re: Pythium in Dominions III
 

I was one of the players that used Pythium to win and they are solid. Probably one of my favorite nations, still. They are still weak in the mid-game, as in Dom2, but as other have said here: their national Angel summons are quite good. Harbingers make incredible thugs with only minimal eq. Angels of Fury are great anti-troop SCs.

As for old-age in particular, I didnt find it to be crippling. I cant remember what sclaes I used but the old age was managable. Occassionally one of my arch theurgs would get a disease. But that was just his cue to Teleport directly to the front and start fighting. Not many problems, otherwise.

Re: Pythium in Dominions III
 

I second Ironhawk's statement, and am also the second to use Pythium to win http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Pythium was always my favorite nation ever since dom-I and that hasn't changed at all. If anything, there's more to like about it in Dom-III what with the wondrous thematic angels (that IIRC only Marig. can summon as well). IMO, Old age adds some spice to the decision of which mages to recruit so you get more varied armies and besides, I think old age isn't really an issue for pythium in dom-III (Based on my personal experience in SP and MP its effect is negligible).
Harbringers absolutely rock and I've found combined teams of them with angels of fury to be neigh impossible to stop.

My only gripe is that Pythium is only MA and I know for sure I'll be very happy if/when IW adds EA and LA Pythium.

Re: Pythium in Dominions III
 

I've taken to using Gandalf's Single-Age Mod (with adjusted capitalization). Maybe I'll give Pythium a try.

I also like the suggestion of making a LA Pythium with sacred hydras.

-Max

Re: Pythium in Dominions III
 

the way I see it:

IA pythium is sauromatia. (for the most part)

ermor splits, and part of that split takes over sauromatia and becomes MA pythium.

Later, I think, in LA pythium and marignon have combined. (which is why marignon gains the angel spells, I imagine.)

Re: Pythium in Dominions III
 

MA Marignon also has the angel spells.

It would be pretty simple to make the DomII-nation "Pythium Serpent Cult", with human mages wearing c'tissian masks and with sacred hydras and serpent cataphracts. The nation was very weak in DomII, especially when compared to normal Pythium, but might fit LA of DomIII.