Lower level summons?

[PvK]

I made good use (for my own standards) of drakes, scorpion beasts, prides of lions, wights, etc.

Hoarding or using now depends on the situation: how soon I need things, what else I need the gems for, which free casters I have available, research expectations, opponents, number of gems available, etc.

I think many of these are good for early-research situations. I agree that later in the research tree, there are summons which are fairly easy to summon which tend to be better and not much more expensive.

My current mod effort in progress makes the more powerful high-research items more difficult to cast in terms of expense and magic power required. I'm really liking the results so far.

PvK

[Oversway]

Just glancing through Edi's excellent unit reference, and here are some low level summons that appear to not be used too often.

Corpse Construct
Various Animals (from Summon Animals)
Bog Beast
Various Drakes
Kithaironic Lion
Lumber Construct
Bane
Scorpion Beast
Shade Beast
Revenant

[The_Tauren13]

Code:

---

             Vine Ogre      Lumber Construct



Cost            1N             5N



Magic Path      3N             3N



Research      conj 3         const 5



Hit Points      53             60



Protection       5             12



Morale          50             50



Magic res.       5             12



Encumbrance      0              0



Strength        18             20



Attack          12              8



Defense          3              7



Move(map/ap)  2/12           3/ 7



Attacks       2 fists        1 fist



Differing     Forest         Magic Being, Lifeless,

 abilities     Survival       Never Heals

---

I can't imagine ever getting a construct for 5 times the cost, and that doesnt even take into account an ivy crown...

[Huzurdaddi]

The Lumber Construct is lifeless. That is worth something sometimes. But for x5 the cost? No thanks I'll go with the vine ogre.

However comparing anything to Vine Ogres is usually a no brainer. It is very hard to beat their price/performance.

[Sedna]

Mound Kings have been mentioned already as a useful ferry, but I am wondering if anyone has ever really exploited their unique characteristic: 4 strategic movement. Outisde of Vastnesses and horrors, I think these are the only summons which can move 4 provinces, and the cost is minimal: 3 death gems and 1 death required to summon.

This has to be insanely useful in some situation. Of course, they are hindered by not having feet, and thus are difficult to equip for flying (Stymphalian Wings and Magic carpets are possible), and there aren't any fast (4 movement troops) for them to lead across great distances. But you could easily summon a small squad, and send them places where you foe knows nobody can reach in one turn. The only question is what the best gear for them is...

[Chazar]

Bog Beasts are available for C'tis Miasma as starting spell, but I could not find a good use for them. They die pretty easily, but you cannot stack them with C'tis troops either, for Miasma is lacking 100% poison proof units and 50% resistance does not help at all against the bog beaste poisoneous aura.

Of course, one could stack them with VineOgres, but VineOgres are bad for Miasma, since they become diseased and suffer full from the effect (neither having a cold blooded, swamp survival or undead flag).

Maybe they are useful if they are buffed with some protection - or does anyone know some cheap meatshields that are both miasma & poison proof?
(Raise Dead, of course, but Miasma's Marshmasters need SkullStaffs for spamming it...)

[Oversway]

does anyone know some cheap meatshields that are both miasma & poison proof?

Constructs? Claymen or clockwork horrors perhaps? Not that either are all that cheap.

[PvK]

Sedna said:
Mound Kings have been mentioned already as a useful ferry, but I am wondering if anyone has ever really exploited their unique characteristic: 4 strategic movement. Outisde of Vastnesses and horrors, I think these are the only summons which can move 4 provinces, and the cost is minimal: 3 death gems and 1 death required to summon.

This has to be insanely useful in some situation.

As Mictlan, I used them to express-ferry blood slaves. Adds speed and reduces micromanagement.

PvK

[The Panther]

As for saving gems for higher level summoning spells, I try to do this as much as I can.

Earth - Mechanical men are vastly superior to clockwork horrors as well as pretty much any other earth summons. You can't always wait for this, as your neighbors often times interrupt grand plans!

Death - The death summons are so very powerful at the higher levels, that I also like to hoard those for a rainy day. Unless you consider Bane Lords to be a lower level summons, as I tend to use that one a lot. Black Servents are very good for fever fetishes, clams, and exploring.

Water - Not very useful for summons. I suppose getting the sea troll kings is done just for the one water gem income per turn and the attached water skill to build clams. That hardly counts, though, for the goal is usally clams and not troops here. The sea trolls themselves are useful fodder, of course, but the fact that you have to pay them upkeep renders them practically useless.

Nature - pretty much everybody I know uses the ivy crown for monthly ritual vine ogres, one of the best bargain summoned troop in the game. Later, the fairy queens are good for the healing ability.

Air - I usually save up the 45 gems for draconians. The leaders can summon more, which is very nice. And they fly, which is a HUGE bonus. The hawks have the gigantic disadvantage that you have to pay them upkeep.

Fire - I don't summon fire much, for the gems are typically better used to convert to money for buying more mages.

Blood - Devils, devils, and more devils. Is there a better low-level summoned troop for the gem cost than a devil? I don't really know of one. Oh, and the ice devils and arch devils too. They are still devils, though. Don't foget soul contracts also, if your neighbors leave you alone.

Astral - Are there any astral summons worth casting other than those high-level abominations that require 25 gems? I don't really know of any.

[Verjigorm]

I find the Revenant to be a very useful summon in high Magic dominions. They can be summoned relatively cheaply to add a great deal to your research bar without the single commander per state per round limit and they don't require maintainance gold. Spectres are better, but that's no 3rd level 2D summon.