Guide: MA Oceania - OMG, I think I've done it

[Baalz]

Well, to each his own I suppose, but the way I look at it is like this - would you rather have a transformed capricorn or a non-transformed? Low MR is certainly a significant drawback, no doubt. However, you get two huge benefits: +1 to all your magic paths and no upkeep. I've highlighted the compounding nature of the no upkeep benefit (which, if you continue to do it does generate a never ending stream of free mages from a gold point of view as long as you're pumping nature gems in), but I think those of you complaining that transformed capricorns are useless in combat are failing to appreciate how crippled they are out of the water by default.

In the left corner two 1w 2n mages, and a 2w 2n mage with good MR. In the right corner a 2w 3n 1e, 3w 3n, and 2w 3n 1a mages with low MR. In exchange for the low MR you have picked up spells from falling frost to rust mist to freezing mist (hint: did I mention you struggle with damage outlay by default?) and everybody is spamming charm, poison cloud, stream of life not to mention the forging and ritual benefits (like, say the dragon master + ice drakes I mentioned). Yes, low MR is a big penalty, but your mages are next to worthless without it anyway. When you add to that the benefits from having no upkeep your choice is really more like: those 3 high MR, low magic capricorns or 10 low MR guys with the higher paths. Low MR or no, it seems like a no-brainer to me who I'm bringing to battle (most of the time) *despite* the obvious drawbacks.

There are many situations where having a low MR is a critical weakness, but there are plenty when it's not even if your opponent knows your weakness. March against Ulm or Caelum or Man or Eriu etc. with lots of decoys (ice drakes, dark vines, etc) and that low MR is not going to be the end of the world. Plus, if you're fielding many more mages due to lack of upkeep you can certainly still come out ahead after some casualties from the low MR.