Let's talk about Pythium

Belcarl · #1 October 13th, 2006, 05:59 AM

I just got the game delivered last night (7 days to sweden), so I'm still fairly new to Dom3, although I have played Dom2 extensively.

I picked up one of my favourite old nations from Dom2, Pythium. Thinking that a communion based Grand Theurg strat, with a solid infantry block of Principes and some Thugs sounded like a grand idea.

Early and mid game I'm struggling though. Mainly because my Grand Theurgist seems to have a lifespan of 5-20 turns before old age kills them off. And no, I don't have any death scales, growth 1 infact. A pretender with 4N also

That pretty much maims any none air/water evocation branches for Pythium, since the other theurgist only gets AWS if I remember right. Unless you want to invest 50+ fire gems into the young theurgist with empowerment +boost items.

So, can old age be countered with Regen items, and/or Gift of Health? Otherwise it feels like Pythium really needs to beeline for Construction 6 forge items produced by the pretender pretty early. After getting Thaum 1, and Evoc 2 atleast (enough for communion and Lightning bolt).

Or maybe I'm just to stuck in my old ways, I used to empower GT with fire, earth and death to level 1, and then boost them up with communion slaves to be able to cast almost any evocation spells I wanted on the battlefield. Now it feels like it's a one shot 50+ gems investment that I will lose in the next 10 turns no matter what.

Principes/Triaries/Emerald guard + Thugs with cheap items (10-20 gems costs) seems to work out as planned though. Should be able to hold the field until lvl 7+ summons and SC comes along in the late game I think.

Hydras I only use as an attrition force, 1-3 large escorted by a trainer and some small ones to make huge poison dents into large none undead low hp forces. Dunno if its worth the gold compared to the standard Legion army though. I don't mix those two, because of the poison.

My problems might be more general then to just Pythium though, since the main problem is aging.

Jack_Trowell · #2 October 13th, 2006, 07:29 AM

I'm still stuck with the demo, so didn't try pythium yet, but if you must take the path to empowerment, you can empower your GT with nature 1, il should give him 25 more years lifespan, and remove the "old age" status (of course, do it before getting any affliction if you can).

About Gift of health, if I remember what others have already said, yes it's supposed to prolong life and remove age afflictions (while even "heal" orders of arco don't)

Endoperez · #3 October 13th, 2006, 07:38 AM

Increasing the old age limit removes afflictions that are directly related to old age. I'm not sure about afflictions caused be disease caused by old age, but I quess they would stay even if the disease disappeared when the old guy "got better".

Tyrian · #4 October 13th, 2006, 11:57 AM

Gift of Health is very efficient to protect from the death and affliction caused by old age. Whith death 2, you can use twiceborn but I don't test this.

Nerfix · #5 October 13th, 2006, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Tyrian said:
Gift of Health is very efficient to protect from the death and affliction caused by old age. Whith death 2, you can use twiceborn but I don't test this.

Twiceborn works as long as you die in your own Dominion.

PDF · #6 October 13th, 2006, 12:52 PM

Pythium mages can't cast Twiceborn...It may be a good strat for Bakemono though !
I can't see any other effective measure than GoH. Maybe we should adapt to a less powerful Pythium due to the fact that the big mages are less effective on the battlefield and die quickly.

About heal from Arco priestesses (and Faerie Queens) ; are you sure they don't remove afflictions from old age ? It's a pity if true ...

Shovah32 · #7 October 13th, 2006, 01:22 PM

If you give boots of youth to a commander suffering from old age will he keep getting afflictions?(he will remain old but wont age so im not sure) If he dosnt get afflictions then that should work.

Nerfix · #8 October 13th, 2006, 01:22 PM

Quote:

PDF said:About heal from Arco priestesses (and Faerie Queens) ; are you sure they don't remove afflictions from old age ? It's a pity if true ...

They mostl ike don't as I remember an entry on the dev log that said Arco priestessed no longer heal old age afflictions...

Endoperez · #9 October 13th, 2006, 02:32 PM

19th mar
* Loading of precreated gods is now implemented.
* Arco priestess cannot heal old people.

Thanks for making me check that page. Check 'Surprise!' thread for more info!

Belcarl · #10 October 13th, 2006, 04:04 PM

Thanks for the answers.

I've been toying around some more with Pythium. With a Nature Empower + a thistle mace (+1N) you can keep 1 or 2 GTs alive for summoning and forging duty for 25-30 more years before they hit old age. Thats 60N gems invested per GT.

I haven't tried the twiceborn, but it might actually be a good idea for a GT battlemage. 50 Death gems for level 1, then lend a Skull staff from the vault for the Twiceborn spell. So 60 death gems, plus a one time cost of 10 gems for the skull staff that can be put on a Summoning death mage next turn.

Does a mage keep any items if it dies and then is ressurected with twiceborn?

The Late game combat strategy seems to lean upon relying on the Angels instead of your mages. The Harbringer is 3A and the angel of the host gives you a 4F3H Angel. Together with a crystal matrix and some Communion slaves Pythium can still bring good late game evocation spells to the field.

To get there one will need to invest in some different magic paths with the pretender to get Banes, Wights, Drakes or scorpion beasts to bring some killing power to the Legions of Principes that is going to the slaughter. Pythium used to be a bit slow to get rolling, now I have a feelign that they will not be powerful before they can start summoning angels.