[PvK]

(I wish I would learn to NEVER use web forms to enter long Messages. Whenever IE screws up and forgets my entire message, I get so peeved... argh.)

The fiends seem plenty tough and cheap to me (and you just need to give a +1 Blood Power item to a 40-gold Mictlan Priest to use them instead of a high priest). However it would be nice if they had a unique national demon rather than a Fiend of Darkness, just for er, flavor. It's true though that I don't think the other low-level Mictlani blood summon options compare. Fiends, and Soul Contract Devils, are the best.

Chris, I meant to write that Fiends were probably better than Cross Breeding (not than blood summons, which was a typo that as you pointed out, made no sense).

My game uses the Smoking Mirror. I don't think you need the fountain bonus, though it would be useful. I think you just need to put a cheap-o Mictlan priest in every 3-7K population province (set 70-80% taxes), preferably each with a sanguine dousing rod, and with cheap-o leaders or scouts ferrying their slaves around, there is enough blood to do evil things.

Getting and using the blood liberally answers all the problems. Cheap-o Mictlan Priests and dousing rods are the way they get cheap blood slaves. Then they use slaves to get sabbath, and blood boosting items so they can cast Bowl of Blood, Hellbind Heart, Blood Lust and Agony.

The High Priests do seem quite expensive, but it might be because once you learn the tricks, Mictlan doesn't need a lot of gold, so this is an appropriate and balancing disadvantage. Those priests do offer great variety, especially combined with the national heroes (which give death, astral, nature, and even a bit of air and unholy!).

PvK

[ February 01, 2004, 19:13: Message edited by: PvK ]