Poll: Most useful path of magic?

[ioticus]

Vicious Love said:
I voted astral, but I might just have well have voted death. Either air or blood would be a very, very close third. The qualitative gap between the top 4 and bottom 4(particularly fire) is a bit more clear-cut.

Why Astral? Just curious.

[Oversway]

Water mages that cannot cast Falling Frost just pick their noses or cast Breath of Winter and kill all your other commanders.

They forge clams, hate it or love it.

Frozen heart is a decent spell for less than w3 once you get to high research levels.

Really water isn't all that bad. I don't think its much worse than fire, in fact.

I think I'll go astral too. Gives you access to other paths (air and fire from summons, plus path boosters). Good buffs (luck, body ethereal, astral weapons), good offense spells (lots of armor negating). Plus wish if you are playing unmodded game. It is even better in combination with other paths (for example, death=nether darts, water=clams,abominations) but overall its the most useful.

[Manuk]

ioticus said:

Why Astral? Just curious.

1) if you clamhoard you spend 1-1 not 2-1.
2) battle mages with clams will do powerful spells requiring gem-burning endlessly.(others have to be supplied).
3) High level astral are the best around.
4)Achasic Record

low level astral is less than average (no summons-have personal luck and body ethereal and amulet of luck but not much more.)

[FrankTrollman]

I voted Earth. It gives you money, even in the post-apocolyptic universe that Ermor is attempting to afflict on the world. It saves you gems on forging in any of several ways. It raises the protection of those who have it, and the blessing is absolutley vital for sacred mages.

It protects the user from the assassination spells designed to actually kill immortal pretenders. Earth is great to have for your character, it's great to have for your economy, and it even has one of the better Assassin spells under its belt (Earth Attack).

There just isn't any way that Earth isn't totally awesome.

---

Water is good though. Isn't it odd that the people who complain about the uselessness of Water also complain about the overpowered nature of the Clam strategy? Spending Water Gems is something which is trivial to do as fast as you get them for any Water Power as soon as you get Construction 2 until the end of time.

-Frank

[sushiboat]

FrankTrollman said:
Water is good though. Isn't it odd that the people who complain about the uselessness of Water also complain about the overpowered nature of the Clam strategy? Spending Water Gems is something which is trivial to do as fast as you get them for any Water Power as soon as you get Construction 2 until the end of time.

With Clams, the end use is Astral spells, so Water magic is playing only a supporting role. Does anyone play a Pretender with Water 9 and no Astral in a non-Astral nation? It sounds like a tough row to hoe.

[WraithLord]

I voted for astral.

has some nice SC buffs - astral weapon/shield, body ethereal (4 early game), luck and very important twist fate.
Has some strong battle field spells such as doom, enslave mind, astral tempest.
Good summons (imo), I always find the harbringer and the angels good usage. With the right items and spell scripting they can be used as SCs. especially vs. death/blood thugs. And let's not forget abomination.
And good rituals useful for spying, assassination.
And last not least is wish.
I find it to be a complete spell school.