[thejeff]

Even more than the site-searching use of a Rainbow Pretender, I go for being able to forge the boosters.

Ring of wizardry is nice, but expensive and overkill on your Smiths. What I'm looking for are the cheaper boosters so I can cast more site-searching spells. Fire and Death for Flaming Skulls. Death 2 for Skull Staffs, and Revenants to use them. Nature 2 for Thistle maces for indy witch doctors. Astral for skull caps. And usually 4 air for bags/winged helmets. No need for earth on the pretender. Bloods easy to empower if you find blood hunters.

Once I start sending Smiths out to battle, I try to make sure they've all got Earth boots. At 2 gems each, why not. If I've got the gems, I'll replace their armor with robes of missile protection partly to reduce encumbrance. With 3(or 4) base + Earthpower (and it's reinvig) they can get off quite a few Blade Winds. More Magma Eruptions, but that hurts your own troops.

Troll Kings make good (if expensive) thugs.