[Torin]

I would say that its better to do your own setup taking ideas from Baalz's guide.
Perhaps tweaking the magic on your pretender to gather the points to bigger dominion score. Lesser earth? more sacred units.
Perhaps going to somewhere else instead of construction to have some battlemagic earlier.

On the other hand I see this as a strategy as a gamble that you will not
be rushed so early to see the benefits of quicker research.

Other choice is to do the usual sacred units rush instead while doing a slower chase of constructing skulls.