Summons to build a strategy around....

[SlipperyJim]

Shovah32 said:
Arguably the best assasination spell? Can you argue with my annointed of rhuax being killed by over 400 vengeful spirits(damn vengance of the dead - killing maenads with falling fires wasnt such a good idea) .

I said arguably, and we're arguing!

Seriously, Vengeance of the Dead is great, but it has two limitations. First, you need to punch through the target commander's MR. Second, it's only a real killer against commanders who have killed a lot of people.

(And using VotD against a combat mage is brutal, by the way. Using it against a "strategic artillery" mage who kills over long distances with Flames from Afar, Murdering Winter, and other army-blaster spells ... even better!)

Meanwhile, that gigantic Earth Elemental can kill almost anyone. He isn't stopped by MR. He doesn't care about how many people you've killed. And your bodyguards will probably just get trampled....

"It can't be bargained with. It can't be reasoned with. It doesn't feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And it absolutely will not stop, ever, until you are dead."

The only targets that are too tough for Earth Attack tend to be SCs or some pretenders. Sacred Statues, for example. That's when Infernal Disease becomes my favorite assassination spell.

[Rytek]

vengance of the dead is nasty, but you do get a saving roll against it.

[Lazy_Perfectionist]

Nationals? MA Agartha. Well its in enchantment, not conjuration, but Attentive Statues followed by another school or two, followed by Enliven Sentinels, etc.

I've had 10 Attentive Statues take out 70 independents, without support. I've also had them intsa-gibbed when I didn't properly protect my magic leadership, and a stray arrow gibbed the only mage on the battlefield. They do have that drawback of being never healing outside of labs, but on the plus side, your dominion can double their hitpoints.

[Shovah32]

SlipperyJim said:

I said arguably, and we're arguing!

Seriously, Vengeance of the Dead is great, but it has two limitations. First, you need to punch through the target commander's MR. Second, it's only a real killer against commanders who have killed a lot of people.

(And using VotD against a combat mage is brutal, by the way. Using it against a "strategic artillery" mage who kills over long distances with Flames from Afar, Murdering Winter, and other army-blaster spells ... even better!)

Meanwhile, that gigantic Earth Elemental can kill almost anyone. He isn't stopped by MR. He doesn't care about how many people you've killed. And your bodyguards will probably just get trampled....

"It can't be bargained with. It can't be reasoned with. It doesn't feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And it absolutely will not stop, ever, until you are dead."

The only targets that are too tough for Earth Attack tend to be SCs or some pretenders. Sacred Statues, for example. That's when Infernal Disease becomes my favorite assassination spell.

Honestly i was just being silly(prefer earth attack/infernal disease myself) but good points .

[Crafty]

Yeah, I use Earth attck, very cool spell.And yes the elemental royalities are good.

But A lot of the sugguestions here (Tarrasques etc) are very high level right? I play medium maps mostly now, so waiting for lv 8-9 spells are a bit slow.

I'm more in the market for good summons at lv 6 or below (lv 6 seems to be where they get really good)
They don't have to be game breakers of course, just standout good ones.

I could be wrong but the very low level conjurations are just good for dark knowledge, the various "Summon X powers" for battlefield casting.

[Methel]

Level 6 summons?
Id go for EA or LA Mictlan.
Those flying jaguars tear through anything the ai will throw against you.

[Rytek]

One of my favorite nations is LA Atlantis. I use the winter wolves with them alot. They make good flankers for the ice armored atlantians which have 75% cold resistance. Add in some ghosts and banes and you get a very tough force.

[Meglobob]

I like, 'free stuff', which is basically anything that can summon (useful) allies.

A few have already been mentioned but:-

Wraithlord can summon 1 ghost/month. Its not too hard to get 5-10 wraithlords summoning 5-10 ghosts/turn.

Mound Fiends can reanimate free undead.

Call of the Wild Werewolf can summon 3 wolves/turn.

Faery Queen can summon 3 sprites/turn.

The 2 fire kings can summon magma men/fire elementals.

Water Queens can summon water elemental/ernyies.

Draconian Chief can summon 1 Draconian.

Also it easy to spam vine ogres, corpse men and remember to cast carrion reanimation after big battles.

[Baalz]

Oh, you missed the best one Bob:

Onaqui (?sp?) the Mictlan national summon who auto spawns holy beast bats (number dependent on dominion) every turn. With a good blessing they're more than worthwhile, and they auto summon so the Onaqui (a not insignificant mage) can do something other than "summon allies".

[Meglobob]

Baalz said:
Oh, you missed the best one Bob:

Onaqui (?sp?) the Mictlan national summon who auto spawns holy beast bats (number dependent on dominion) every turn. With a good blessing they're more than worthwhile, and they auto summon so the Onaqui (a not insignificant mage) can do something other than "summon allies".

What a game, after 9 months playing, I had no idea this existed! Cheers Baalz.