[Micah]

Keep in mind that magic 3 will lower your banish resistance (the research may well be worth it though, I'm not ermor savvy). In any case, trying to fight outside your dominion if you see any armies of priests would be advantageous if you've got a high magic scale, although the astral bless will help out plenty regardless.

I believe sacred serpents don't lend themselves to a bless strat because they're horribly craptastic units on the whole.