Best (for the price) recruitable commander?

[tinkthank]

All good stuff here.

I would also like to suggest the Star Child, slightly less expensive but pretty versatile. Not sacred, however. Think Marignon might have him beat there.

One of my Favorites is a high-end model. Coming in at 10 gold cheaper than a Demonbred, which is of course itself a fine investment, the S&A C-Master is a flying sacred jack-of-all-trades, and gets *7* magic paths (FAWWS??). Note that the DB only gets 4 (while being, of course, a MUCH better leader and quite a bit tougher too). Considering that a Arch-Theurg also gets 7 paths but costs 380 and has to teleport his flabby tuchus around, the C-Master is a bargain.

[Peter Ebbesen]

Originally posted by tinkthank:
One of my Favorites is a high-end model. Coming in at 10 gold cheaper than a Demonbred, which is of course itself a fine investment, the S&A C-Master is a flying sacred jack-of-all-trades, and gets *7* magic paths (FAWWS??). Note that the DB only gets 4 (while being, of course, a MUCH better leader and quite a bit tougher too). Considering that a Arch-Theurg also gets 7 paths but costs 380 and has to teleport his flabby tuchus around, the C-Master is a bargain.

Of course, he has to be, given the quality of the basic S&A units.

But yes, S&A lives and dies with its Celestial Masters - possibly the most magically diverse theme in existence. Seven fairly useless troops and four different powerful sacred priest-mages.

[fahdiz]

I don't know about "best", but my favorite recruitable commanders (this week ) are:

Tuatha, Vanadrotts, and Priest Kings (especially when the PK is your Prophet as well).

On the first two, Glamour comes in awfully handy, and their air magic complements this very well. The Tuatha can cast all sorts of valuable wide-area-of-effect Nature spells, summon up Firbolgs in the off-season, and has a javelin for stray infantry. As for the Vanadrotts, they are powerful (though expensive) sacred priest/mages, they get Blood (which is fun as Van) and they can also serve as summoning stations for all kinds of air-based goodies.

I never have my Tuatha nor Vanadrotts die due to projectiles in SP. Not to mention the fact that their Stealth values are incredibly handy.

Priest Kings can lead a townload of troops right from the get-go, and when prophetized can cast Fanaticism and Divine Blessing until the cows come home. Plus, mid-late game, they can be Improved Cross Breeders while they're waiting for something else to do.

[ March 18, 2004, 18:30: Message edited by: fahdiz ]

[Patrik]

I don't know if independent commanders are 'allowed' here, but if they are, sages are easily first on my list. Depends on nation and magic scale of course, but IMO the spread is from 'very good buy' to 'vital'.
If I conquer a province with a library, building a lab (and eventually a fortress) is almost always my number one priority.

/Patrik

[tinkthank]

Originally posted by Peter Ebbesen:

quote:

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Originally posted by tinkthank:
One of my Favorites is a high-end model. Coming in at 10 gold cheaper than a Demonbred, which is of course itself a fine investment, the S&A C-Master is a flying sacred jack-of-all-trades, and gets *7* magic paths (FAWWS??). Note that the DB only gets 4 (while being, of course, a MUCH better leader and quite a bit tougher too). Considering that a Arch-Theurg also gets 7 paths but costs 380 and has to teleport his flabby tuchus around, the C-Master is a bargain.

Of course, he has to be, given the quality of the basic S&A units.

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Heheh too true! Too true! Makes me want to cry sometimes, I love S&A so much otherwise. Now I usually go Wiz Tower and build forts anywhere decent troops are.

[Sandman]

I find Vaetti hags to be of exceptional value when playing Jotunheim. They cost 55 gold, get a random pick in sorcery, and are stealthy. They're efficient researchers, and you can do all sorts of useful stuff with their magic pick. Astral ones can cast arcane probing and act as communions slaves. Death ones can cast dark knowledge and reanimate dead. Nature ones can forge some handy items, and blood ones can go hunting.

[atul]

Originally posted by Peter Ebbesen:
Of course, he has to be, given the quality of the basic S&A units.

Sometimes I wish people would stop disrespecting those guys. Really, they perform their intended function very well indeed - they die. Where you guys think the pre-researched spell summon dispossessed spirits come from? Yeah, sure, "revered Ancestors"...



After two months playing one MP with S&A I've started to regard the spirits as one national unit among others. Isn't de facto true, I know, but they can be used so extensively by S&A.

Originally posted by Peter Ebbesen:
But yes, S&A lives and dies with its Celestial Masters - possibly the most magically diverse theme in existence. Seven fairly useless troops and four different powerful sacred priest-mages.

You can say that again. Especially if you survive long enough to research construction 6. Who needs a rainbow pretender when you can buy a CM for 250 gold and use items to boost any path to the level required? Levels 4 or 5 are easily reachable in any path bar blood, and there aren't many spells you couldn't cast with mages that powerfull.