[atul]

There is a time one could use such a trick.

Namely, if your neighbour rushes you with his early expansionist pretender. And even then it's not foolproof, after all awe tends to stop barbarians and archers don't pack the punch. Anyway, with little research done you should have something better than Thau1 spells, but if that's not viable, credible threat of cursed and horror marked pretender could keep your neighbour away. Just don't count on it actually helping if you push for the war....