Newbie Question about Desert Tombs

[Scott Hebert]

Originally posted by tinkthank:
Small follow up here:

~snip Poison Slinger angst~

I personally don't use them, mainly for the reasons you give. Unless you can give them Poison Immunity, you're probably going to lose a couple of them each battle. Too much investment for too little return, for me.

Last question: What schools/spells do you research? I think the only spell I can think of offhand with death and fire is Banefire -- is that it? Do you rush for it? Is it good? I figure I would need construction soon to make Skulls o Fire -- with fire, I suppose one goes Evocation.

As I believe I posted elsewhere, rush Enchantment to level 6. The main benefit of Thaumaturgy for Death is Terror, which you already start with. (Side note: Biggest advantage of taking high-Death pretender with Desert Tombs is wide-area Terror.) So that's not a priority. Conjuration would be good, except that most/all of your death gem income will be going towards summoning your Unholy priests. So that's not good, either. The other good school to research is Enchantment. It gets you Reanimation (which is completely overshadowed by your priests), and more importantly, the Raise Dead spells. However, at Enchantment-5, you get Pale Riders (which, I'm told, can be useful), and at Enchantment-6, you get Banefire Archers. Banefire Archers are superior to your Poison Slingers in almost every way imaginable.

My vote for early Research with Desert Tombs is Enchantment. As an added bonus, if you take a Nature pretender, Gift of Health is Enchantment-5. The other school you really do want to research is Construction, for what I think should be obvious reasons.

But what good is Evocation with death??

Evocation gets a few good combat spells in Evocation. Probably the best is Nether Darts (which requires Astral too), but Shadow BLast can be powerful, if you put death gems on your mages.

What good is Thaumaturgy without Astral?

Thaumaturgy is good for site-searching spells (though not in Death), Terror (which you already have), and Wither Bones. If you research Thaumaturgy for anything, it probably should be Wither Bones.

So basically, I am confused as to a good research strategy.
And the poison slingers. Heheh, thanks.

I hope this helps.

[ June 15, 2004, 14:03: Message edited by: Scott Hebert ]

[tinkthank]

Hey thanks, all helpful stuff here.

Im still trying to get Poison Slingers to work with an undead fodder screen. Having minor amounts of success.

I wish there were an Air buff spell which increases the range of missile troops (alteration).

Further follow-up questions:

1. Any tips on getting Empoisoners to successfully assassinate (primarily: early game; NOT with super-duper gear)?

2. Any tips on offensive spells, and who to use them with? I love Sauromancers, but dont get much use out of the others.

3. Holy vs Unholy: Does it matter who blesses whom? It seems there are some nice choices of sacred units here -- are there also unholy troops I havent found yet?

4. Scales and Blessings: Does anyone think it is unwise to go for at least astral 4? I like the magic resistance, what do you say?

[Reverend Zombie]

Originally posted by tinkthank:
Hey thanks, all helpful stuff here.


Further follow-up questions:

1. Any tips on getting Empoisoners to successfully assassinate (primarily: early game; NOT with super-duper gear)?

I have success scripting them to cast raise dead.

[tinkthank]

Originally posted by Reverend Zombie:

quote:

---

Originally posted by tinkthank:
Hey thanks, all helpful stuff here.


Further follow-up questions:

1. Any tips on getting Empoisoners to successfully assassinate (primarily: early game; NOT with super-duper gear)?

I have success scripting them to cast raise dead.

---

Hm ok -- but that requires D2, so you will need at least construction 4 first before enchantment 3, right? At what turn can you get that?

[Scott Hebert]

Well, just a thought, but have you tried Skull Talismans? Presuming your Pretender has any Death magic, you could have an Empoisoner working from turn 2 (first assassination on turn 4).

[Reverend Zombie]

Originally posted by tinkthank:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Reverend Zombie:
I have success scripting them to cast raise dead.

Hm ok -- but that requires D2, so you will need at least construction 4 first before enchantment 3, right? At what turn can you get that?

---

Ooops. I meant the "animate skeleton/dead" that raises just one undead at a time, is available at encantment 1.

[ June 16, 2004, 18:30: Message edited by: Reverend Zombie ]

[tinkthank]

On a side question: The Keeper of the Tombs is a level 2 priest but not sacred -- is that intentional? I cant think of any other unit like that offhand that has priestly abilities but is not able to be blessed him/herself.