Well, I just discovered something interesting while playing against the AI.  Bane Lords are easily dispatched by any nature mage with a gem.  No resistence, 50 pts damage, flat out dead.  Well, unless you've invested in a ring of regeneration or lycanthrope amulet, but then you're short an amulet of luck or antimagic.
Once again a promising strategy gets crushed... it seems that every strategy has its counter. 
