[Arryn]

Another thing that I forgot to mention in an earlier reply on the subject of why I didn't/wouldn't choose another path, like air, for the Wyrm. Utgard begins with no air gem sites, nor mages with air. Once the game advanced sufficiently to the point where the SC might want to cast a spell that needs gems, or craft an air item, the SC couldn't without consuming large numbers of gems in alchemy conVersions. Or worse, having to personally go search for air sites. The point of using an SC pretender is to have the SC fight. If the SC is off doing something else, then its best abilities are wasted, IMO.

I'm sure that some may argue that having an SC doing site searches isn't wasted time. I'd like for them to explain how site-searching is not a less efficient use of the SC, when that SC could be grabbing more provinces, expanding the nation's gold base and spreading dominion faster?

If you take a pretender who cannot use the theme's gem resources, you are not taking full advantage of the strengths of that theme. This is why much as I like water for a pretender, I've learned to temper my enthusiasm for it when playing Jotun. Only the Jotun Niflheim theme has a water site, and I dislike the mage choices of that theme. It's my least-favorite Jotun theme.