Well, if you're willing to research Construction 6 to get the Water Bracelet (needs 5 water gems, +1 water), then any water-1 mage can forge a bracelet and then start making clams. Best combined with access to an Earth-3 (well, earth-2 + earth boots, say) to make dwarven hammers.
Arco has good elemental access, although the Golden Era theme will have problems getting enough astral/death unless it empowers. Base Arco should be better. Tien Chi has very good access to water magic for a land nation, but will have trouble getting Astral-4 (well, astral-3 plus starshine, or astral-2 plus starshine plus crystal coin) and death on the same caster.
Lamia queens have a good chance to get astral/death, for a pure-nature summons, but will need significant boosting to get to 4S/1D.
As for Ether Gate, they're spiffy although the Lord could use some armor (if you're favoring Earth for dwarven hammers for more efficient clams, pause to build something like Boots of Stone for nil-encumberance protection) and the troops do eat, unlike assorted other summons.
Re: Ether Gate
Threaded Mode