[Chris Byler]

Originally posted by olaf73:
I have only played three nations, so keep that in mind.

Why do people think Pythium is overpowered? The javelins look good on paper, but mine miss a ton or do no damage. Plus they usually only get 2 throws off, if that, before someone locks them up in melee. And, as straight melee troops they seem crappy compared to Ulm and Jotunheim, the other nations I have played with.

Along the same lines, what is the general concensus for which nations are top of the heap, middle of the pack, and bottom of the barrel in terms of power?

Thanks
olaf

What makes Pythium strong isn't its army - which is only average. It's the mages. Communion, communion and more communion makes every mage fight at 2-3 levels above his actual power - and they're among the most powerful in the game to start with.

It may be that part of their reputation is still based on Dom I where air magic and combat summons (and especially Air Elementals) were too powerful compared to other things you could do with magic. Pythium was very well set up to take advantage of mass Air Elemental summoning. Now that this costs gems it is something to be used sparingly (although still very effective), so Pythium has to put some actual troops in the field now and risk having them get within reach of an enemy's weapons.

But they still have the cheapest researcher in the game (80 gold sacred), the cheapest communion slave in the game, one of the most powerful priests and mages in the game, strong Astral magic (you don't Magic Duel them, they Magic Duel you), good regular troops and no particular weaknesses. (Their cavalry is cold blooded but they don't rely on it - and it's also poisonous and the serpents keep fighting after their rider is killed.) Oh, and Hydras, too.