Which pretender design is best...?

All your mages can cast quickness already. (They all start with 1 Water).

Earth of at least 4 (if you are looking for a Blessing) would work well. Though depending on your points.

I agree that initially bowmen will be critical, but as a practical matter, starting with 5 clustered provs, it didn't seem to increase output so enormously as to be worth the trouble.

Well all your opponents are going to start with 5 provinces too, right? What's going to stop them from building troops? You can't rely early game on having an adequate enough research or gem income to counter masses of troops (Imagine say, Man with Longbows).

Growth doesn't impact the early game much at all, and if you can't survive the early game, the late game doesn't matter especially if you have 17 other conflicting dominions. But that is my personal stance. Since you have access to Nature Mages, you don't have to, in reality, worry about not being able to make winebags/cauldrons if you need supply.

[ February 10, 2004, 21:17: Message edited by: Zen ]