[WraithLord]

You can only recruit hunters from capital. I wouldn't spend design points to bless a capital only unit. A minor bless can work b/c usually you can get it as a side effect of SC/rainbow pretender. More than that is not required for hunters. I'm not arguing that they are not good or overpriced. I'm saying regular spider can carry the day for Machaka in early game. Don't forget that you will want your riders to die so that you get no upkeep so the regular spiders are also 0 upkeep - what's not to like.

That said, Machaka is not competitive and no FF factory hurts them a lot. I think 1 extra D/E/F/N pick on their mages is a good boost for them. Their mages, not spiders or armies are their real power.