[Fantomen]

I've tried that actually. But the items + the need for extra gems + the tendency to rout when transforming ends up making them unreliable and cost ineffective. If you could get the pyre/vortex combo going without afflictions and other hassles then it might be worth it, but I only managed that with a success ratio of about 50&, not good enough. It works to a degree, but is it worth it?

A hunter lord with lycan amulet and girdle gives a lot more bang for the buck if you want a raider.

Frontline damage casters/buffers with some gear for survival seems to be the role of black sorcerors.

I also found them great for casting earthquakes since they are guaranteed to survive it.

How about the regular spider commanders, can they be thugged out somehow?