Finding an appropriate Communion Slave

[Nagot Gick Fel]

Originally posted by tinkthank:
Thanks sir.
Why not rely on Forge of Ancients?

Just for the same reason you can't rely too much on MotW for your communion slaves: you don't know beforehand if you'll find enough earth sites to have a chance to cast it.

(Dispell?)

That too, or a stronger Forge of the Ancients from another nation, or having your caster killed.

Like your avatar btw.

Looks like something really went wrong when they took this photograph of myself.

[tinkthank]

Right thanks.

@Tacticus: Yes and no. I want them to be able to cast the 1-gem 100+ fatigue spells (flaming arrows, arrow fend, wind guide) -- they *can* cast these with item-boosts, but a communion will let them cast these and then do other stuff too since they wont go immediately unconcsious.

[Taqwus]

Lizard shamans (1S/1N for something like 110 au), Crystal Mages (2S/2E) from the Crystal Citadel site come to mind. Lizard provinces are probably much more common than the Citadel. They also let you annoy your opponents by cursing their SCs.

[geo981010]

There are a bunch of special site mages that might fit the bill - Enchanters, Mages of the Metal Orders, Sorceresses, and the Cystal Mages like Taqwus mentioned. But they are pretty rare...

For summonables, the Lamia Queens (15 Nature gems, 7/16 have Astral) or Spectres (10 Death gems, 15/64 have Astral) work, and there's an equal chance for blood on either of them. Not too cheap and by themselves these mages are good at nether darts, but cheaper than a Coutyl!

Alternately, if you get a Mage with a random in Blood, you can cast Hellpower if you are feeling really risky

Blood however is a PITA since you have to keep them supplied with slaves. Blood magic in battles is pretty much more hassle than it is worth in 95%+ of the time (ok, except for a couple of late ones and Bind Heart!). I'd love a blood item that attracts slaves each turn to make this less of a micromanagement chore to do...

[ February 18, 2004, 15:59: Message edited by: geo981010 ]

[tinkthank]

Thank you, people.
Actually I am doing ok with Matrixes on Masters of the Dead. One Celestial Master with an earth pick is all I need for 2-4 Matrixes.

[PhilD]

Originally posted by geo981010:
There are a bunch of special site mages that might fit the bill - Enchanters, Mages of the Metal Orders, Sorceresses, and the Cystal Mages like Taqwus mentioned. But they are pretty rare...

There's this site that I found twice so far, which gives you a free lab, Fire and Astral gems, and lets you recruit Magi and High Magi (I believe): the basic has Fire 1, Earth 1, Astral 1, and the High has Fire 2, Astral 2, Earth 1.

Each time, it was with a nation with good archers, but little access to Fire magic for Flaming Arrows, but if you're looking for Communions Slaves, the Magi at 90 are OK, and they can all forge the Crystal Slaves/Matrices anyway; all you need provide are the Earth gems, since the side gives some Astral.