Pythium (MA) strategy

[Xietor]

N 4 is crucial. but not for battle.

[vfb]

N4 is not only great for keeping your old mages alive with shrouds, it's also a nice bonus on your angels to reduce the chance of afflictions.

[Torin]

wouldn't just be easier to get growth scale or ring of regen?
I can see using with angels, but then you must survive till you get those.

[ano]

Growth scale is needed definitely, however even with growth your mages will get diseased and die. To prevent this taking pretender with nature for making shrouds is a good solution.
As for making rings of regen... Where do you expect to get N2 fast enough to prevent your 380g mages from dying by the middle of year 2?
Moreover, I just don't see a problem in taking pretender with nature.

[vfb]

Pythium has load of pearls, and Acolytes to craft S1, but no nature income to start, and not even any N1 mages, never mind N2. Shrouds are half the price too.

Growth scales do help, but at 380 gold a pop, it's nice to have a backup plan.

[Agrajag]

Torin said:
maybe a death blessing to the battle magic damage do afflictions.

Are you implying that the death blessing increases affliction chance of battle spells as well?
Has this been confirmed?

[thejeff]

The lesser death blessing works for everything: melee, ranged weapons, battle spell and I believe overland spells as well.

The D9 death weapons effect is only for melee weapons.

[Aezeal]

in MP is a imprisoned pretender such a bad choice? noone advices that

BTW
wouldn't an enchantress with 4E 4N 1S and one extra pearl/turn be usefull
or a sphinx with 3s 4E 4N
(that would leave all scales and dominions the same)

[Shovah32]

Imprisoned pretenders can be used, but you need a very strong early and mid game if you want to make use of them generally.
A combat pretender who is imprisoned probably wont appear until there are alot of SC counters around - and of course wont be able to defend against rushes.
An imprisoned mage pretender intended to diversify magic will often be a little too late to have the sort of impact you would really want on your versatility.

[Ironhawk]

Coming to the thread late but here's my take on Pythium:

1) Pretender - more or less a bless chasis for your angels. So choose paths appropriate for that. Earth will also help your mages/communions.

2) Troops - Principes and Velites are quite adequate for initial expansion. They are superior to almost all the indy troops. Body Ethereal + Hold and Attack is a common trick for early Pythium.

3) Mages - Buy as many Arch Theurgs as you can. They are cap only and the key to a lot of your strategies. Theurgs are good for researching and can be pressed into combat if you need them.

4) Research - Long term goal is always Conj for angels. For the short term, if you are facing high value single target enemies (like Eles or Giants), you want Thaum immediately. If facing regular troops you want communions and some Evoc.