Race Designs & Strategies

[Vorkosigan]

Here are a few race designs & strategies for newcomers to Dominions 2. As I am a veteran of 1 whole multiplayer game, my ideas could be completely wrong or idiotic so please criticize to your heart's content. Other race designs and strategies are most welcome.

ARCOSCEPHALE (base theme)

Pretender: Nataraja
Magic: none
Scales: 3 Order, 3 Production, 2 Misfortune, 3 Magic
Dominion: 7
Castle: Wizards Tower
Other: Ceremonial Faith
Pts left: 5

Prophet: Priestess
Key Troops: Hypaspists (strat move 2), Astrologers, Mystics
Key Spells: Mind Burn, Paralyze, Soul Slay, Enslave Mind

Research: Constr 2 (goodies for Nataraja), Thaum 2 (Mind Burn), Conj 5 (Akashic Record), Constr 6 (starshine skullcap, banner of northern star), Thaum 3 (Teleport), Thaum 4 (Paralyze), Thaum 5 (Gateway, Soul Slay), Thaum 6 (Enslave Mind, Imprint Souls)

Notes: Magic is key. Research like crazy. Astrologers are capitol-only, so build Mystics elsewhere. Remember that priestesses can heal battle afflictions. Build enchanted swords for the Nataraja as soon as possible.


VANHEIM (base theme)

Pretender: Allfather
Magic: F4, A4, W4, D4
Scales: 3 Order, 3 Sloth, 1 Cold, 2 Misfortune (could benefit from 1 Magic)
Dominion: 7
Castle: Wizards Tower
Pts left: 5

Prophet: Vanjarl
Key Troops: Van, Vanjarls, Dwarven Smiths
Key Spells: Lightning Bolt, Orb Lightning, Mistform, Shockwave

Research: Alt-3 (Mistform), Evoc-2 (Shock Wave, Lightning Bolt), Constr 4 (Staff of Storms), Evoc-5 (Orb Lightning), Evoc-6 (Wrathful Skies), Ench-5 (Thunder Ward)

Notes: Research to Alt-3 and send the Allfather out to kill. Build a second Wizard’s Tower asap. Build as many Van as possible every turn. Convert your earth gems to gold. Give a Staff of Storms to each army. An alternate research strategy is to push for Conjuration 7, 8 and 9 asap. Conj 7 gives Air Queens and Wraith Lords, Conj 8 gives Earth Attack, which every dwarf with earth boots can cast, and Conj 9 gives Tartarian Gate, which the Allfather can cast with some effort. An alternate pretender design is to take Water-9, which is an excellent bless effect for the Van.


MACHAKA
(this is a variation of a design I found here, so credit belongs to xxxxxxxx)

Pretender: Virtue
Magic: A4
Scales: 3 Order, 3 Prod, 2 Heat, 2 Growth, 2 Misfortune, 3 Magic
Dominion: 6
Castle: Wizards Tower
Pts left: 5

Prophet: Voice of the Lord
Key Troops: Archers, Hoplites, Sorcerors, Black Sorcerors
Key Spells: Flame Arrows, Mass Protection

Research: Ench-4 (Flame Arrows), Conj-1 (Vinemen), Constr-2 (Ivy Crown, Dwarven Hammer), Constr-4 (Thistle Mace, Earth Boots), Conj-3 (Vine Ogres, Phoenix Power), Thaum-2 (site searching), Constr-6 (Skull of Fire, Lightless Lantern), Alt-6 (Blindness, Mass Protection), Evoc-3 (Magma Bolts), Evoc-6 (Magma Eruption)

Notes: Build Hoplites backed by archers, with a Black Sorceror casting Flame Arrows (requires 1 fire gem per cast, if the Black Sorceror doesn’t have 3 Fire you’ll need Phoenix Power or an extra fire gem). If you get 2 Death, cast Black Servants (Conj-1) and put a fever fetish on each. Have the Servants follow your armies around. Alternate research strategies: push for Alteration-6 quickly (mass protection is amazing, requires 3 Nature and 1 nature gem). Construction 7 is a good target as well (Forge of the Ancients is really fun with Machaka).


CAELUM (base theme)

Pretender: Ghost King
Magic: A4, W1, E3, D4
Scales: 3 Order, 3 Sloth, 3 Cold, 2 Misfortune, 3 Magic
Dominion: 9
Castle: Wizards Tower
Pts left: 3

Prophet: Seraphine
Key Troops: Seraphs, High Seraphs, Mammoths, Wingless
Key Spells: Quickness, Lightning Bolt, Orb Lightning, False Horrors, Frozen Heart, Wrathful Skies

Research: Alt-3, Evoc-2 (Lightning Bolt), Alt-6 (Frozen Heart, False Horrors), Evoc-5 (Orb Lightning), Evoc-6 (Wrathful Skies)

Notes: After Alt-3, Send the Ghost King out to run amuck. Build Wizards Towers. Build Seraphs and High Seraphs as fast as possible, as they are your primary offense. Expand with Mammoths & Wingless, at a 1:4 ratio. An alternate strategy is to build Caelian Archers, park them at the back of the battlefield, and cast Wind Guide (requires a Seraph and 1 air gem per cast). To distract the enemy, scatter individual archers around the battlefield so the enemy pingpongs around killing them while the main force cuts them to ribbons. (Credit to xxxxxxx for this really fun strategy).

[PDF]

Interesting.
Why do you always take Wiz Tower as castle ? I usually find them too costly in design, and go either for a cheap Watch Tower or Mausoleum, an "administrative" 80 pts-castle, or a sturdy 60-pts Hill Castle. Maybe I miss something ?

[Vorkosigan]

I actually really like Watchtowers and Mausoleums, but I'm not sure how good they are in multiplayer, so I went for the Wizards Tower instead. Anything that takes > 2 turns to build or costs > 300 gold is too expensive and too slow for my taste.

My Abysia design uses Watchtowers, but I was reluctant to post it because it is a bit odd.

ABYSIA (base theme)

Pretender: Ghost King (yes, I'm insane)
Magic: 3A, 3W, 3E, 3D, 3B
Scales: 3 Order, 3 Production, 3 Heat, 3 Death, 2 Misfortune, 3 Magic
Dominion: 7
Castle: Watchtower
Pts left: 1

Prophet: Anathemant Salamander
Key Troops: Abysian Infantry (w/morningstar), Warlock Apprentice, Demonbred
Key Spells: Bind Devil

Research: Alt-3, Blood-3 (Bind Devil), Constr-4 (Sanguine Dowsing Rod), Blood-5 (Ice Devil), Constr-6 (equipment for IDs)

Notes: Build Warlock Apprentices as fast as possible, send 3 per province with pop 6k-8k to bloodhunt, set taxes to 0. At Blood 3 build Demonbred, have them cast Bind Devils. at Blood 5 have Ghost King summon Ice Devils. Alternatively, get Constr-2, build a Dwarven Hammer then build Soul Contracts. Constr-6 gives you Blood Thorns, which are essential for your IDs.

[Kel]

Vorkosigan said:
I actually really like Watchtowers and Mausoleums, but I'm not sure how good they are in multiplayer, so I went for the Wizards Tower instead.

Watchtowers are probably one of the most used fortifications in my MP experience.

My Abysia design uses Watchtowers, but I was reluctant to post it because it is a bit odd.

ABYSIA (base theme)

Pretender: Ghost King (yes, I'm insane)

GK is *very* common these days, even with Abysia. I use either GK or VQ with the occasional PoD w/Aby.

- Kel

[Vorkosigan]

ERMOR (Ashen Empire)

Pretender: Ghost King
Magic: 2F, 3A, 2W, 3E, 7S, 6D, 2N
Scales: 3 Turmoil, 3 Sloth, 3 Cold, 3 Death, 3 Luck, 3 Drain
Dominion: 10
Castle: Ermorian Citadel
Pts left: 0

Prophet: Censor
Key Troops: Dusk Elder, Archbishop
Key Spells: Burden of Time, Foul Air

Research: Alt-3, Constr-4 (skull mentor), Thaum-5 (Burden of Time), Thaum-6 (Foul Air), Ench-2 (Revive King), Ench-3 (Raise Skeleton, Raise Dead), Ench-4 (Behemoth)

Notes: On turn 2 summon a Dusk Elder. Have the DE summon Archbishops as fast as possible. Have the Archbishops set to Summon Longdead Horsemen. After Alt-3, send the GK to take provinces and site search. Have your prophet build temples in the first few provinces he takes (money permitting). Temples increase the number of undead you get.

The AI is not capable of dealing with Ermor, so even vs Impossible opponents it's a cakewalk. But very very fun!

[Boron]

Your ermorsetup is SP only imo .
Taking drain with ermor is risky .
Archbishops for reanimating longdead horses are too expensive .

Dominion 10 is imo not necessary 8 is enough .
My research goals with ermor are :
1. conjuration 6
2. construction 6
then whatever i need .

Conjuration 6 gives you spectres , the best researchers for ermor + they give you lots of random magic paths so they can do a lot of forging as well .
Construction 6 gives you water bracelets to start clamhoarding with your W spectres you got meanwhile .

If you cast burden of time / foul air in a mp game you will have the whole map quickly against you . And those 2 spells don't have a huge effect in 2 or 3 turns and they will get dispelled very soon so if they Last longer then 3 turns i would extremely wonder .

My typical ermor ghostking is about like this :

Castle : ermorian castle
Dominion : 7
Sloth 3 , death 3 , turmoil 3 , cold 3 , magic 3 , luck 3

3F 3A 3W 4E 4S 4D 4N as paths .

This way i find like 90% sites , need only 1 booster to cast GoH , Lichcraft , Call wraithlord , forge of the ancients .
In lategame with a ring of sorcery , ring of wizardy and other boosters he can do almost any spell .
For wishing you need only to do 1-2 empowerments as well ( 1 if someone traded you a robe of the magi ) .

[Vorkosigan]

Fascinating. I have never tried the Spectres; I'll have to give them a shot. I like the drain for the improved magic resistance, but yeah in multiplayer it would be a dumb idea. Wouldn't 4S be risky, or is Magic Duel overrated?

To be honest, I wouldn't dare take Ermor in multiplayer, simply because I'd be willing to bet Ermor is target #1 in most games without some unbelievable diplomacy.

[PDF]

Vorkosigan said:
...
Notes: Build Warlock Apprentices as fast as possible, send 3 per province with pop 6k-8k to bloodhunt, set taxes to 0. At Blood 3 build Demonbred, have them cast Bind Devils. at Blood 5 have Ghost King summon Ice Devils. Alternatively, get Constr-2, build a Dwarven Hammer then build Soul Contracts. Constr-6 gives you Blood Thorns, which are essential for your IDs.

Blood Thorns ? I largely prefers Hell Swords : more damage (so more drain), fire protection, plus Berserk+3 so you can pair your IDs without fear of rout !

[Nagot Gick Fel]

PDF said:

Blood Thorns ? I largely prefers Hell Swords : more damage (so more drain), fire protection, plus Berserk+3 so you can pair your IDs without fear of rout !

Hell Swords are ideal on low-end Thugs who can't buff themselves and/or you recruit en masse (eg, Jotun Herses). A Blood Thorn might be better on an Ice Devils: (1) it makes more sense to give full equipment to an expensive SC and the Blood Thorn allows him to wear another weapon or a shield, (2) ID have plenty of STR and ATT already so the marginal extra damage from the Hell Sword isn't that important, and (3) with a Hell Sword there's still a chance your ID will go berserk before casting Quickness and/or Breath of Winter.

[archaeolept]

well, hell swords are cheaper, and, it is true, the blood thorn is pretty sucky as a weapon - good enough against chaff, but not what you want if you end up in a duel w/ another SC.

but blood thorns are ideal for Magoth and Bifrons who both need time to cast a full complement of buffs and who can include astral weapon amongst them; making the blood thorn a rather frightening drain weapon