Summons: Your thoughts.....

[HoneyBadger]

I think all the...shall we say "less cost-efficient" summons deserve a boost. You're not only spending the gems, you're spending the mage for a turn that could have been used for research, etc. Summons should be worth summoning, even if they're niche-national troops have a lot more room for superfluous "themed" units than summons do, especially non-nationals.

[FAJ]

I really like the blood summoned SCs like arch devils and ice devils. The heliophagii are nice for diversifying magic too.

I am trying to figure out how to spend extra fire gems late game. In a current game I have near 900 and gain 60+ a turn. I havent found a good use for them, so I have been splurging on seasonal spirits. But they really are lackluster for their cost. I remember when summer lions used to be worth the cost.

I also like mass summons like animals, cross breeding and undead. A nice way of building up instant chaff when under seige.

[NTJedi]

FAJ said:
I am trying to figure out how to spend extra fire gems late game. In a current game I have near 900 and gain 60+ a turn. I havent found a good use for them, so I have been splurging on seasonal spirits. But they really are lackluster for their cost. I remember when summer lions used to be worth the cost.

If you're battling undead Purgatory is good for a strong domain. Fire gems can always be alchemized into gold if you have good or great units which can be purchased in mass numbers. Empower fire mages so they can travel with archer type armies to provide an extra punch via 'flaming arrows'.

[Baalz]

NTJedi said:
Empower fire mages so they can travel with archer type armies to provide an extra punch via 'flaming arrows'.

Better yet, empower thugs/SCs. Slap on a flame helm (which helps your protection anyway) and now you can phoenix pyre (and fire shield, resist fire if that helps). Very nice combo with soul vortex, on say a wraith lord. Heck, empower a second time with fire and stay in dominion for a heck of an imortal kamakazi with stock equipment. 80 fire gems isn't *that* bad considering you don't need to forge any equipment and it beats the heck out of alchemizing.

[Shovah32]

Umbrals. These guys, avaliable to all eras of Agartha iirc, are extremely good for their price. High health, ethereal, life stealing undead are one thing. But when you throw in national mages that can cast darkness and marble warriors or army of gold/lead and it's something else.

[Lazy_Perfectionist]

However, Umbrals can't be central to your strategy as Middle Era Agartha, IMO. Only national mage capable of summoning them is the capital-only Oracle. If they've got the spare time, its a very good use of their summon, but unless you get (onyx?) amazons or the right independent mages, it just costs way too much to get going as a central part of your strategy. Quite a bit more viable in LA or EA.

[Shovah32]

I've not have much experience with MA Agartha but you're probably right. Still, it's nice to be able to use 'em.

[Jazzepi]

I think the point of umbrals in a setting like you're describing is to cast Gift of reason onto them and make them into cheap, powerful, thugs.

Jazzepi

[Meglobob]

Yea, HoneyBadger has got it spot on. Most summons are not worth it because you are getting 1 or 2 units/per turn and missing out on RP's.

Its nearly always better to save your gems/blood slaves and research a higher level summon spell.

Sombre has gone through a load of summon spells and suggested generally increasing there numbers you get per casting.

[HoneyBadger]

I'll go along with Sombre, but if it weren't for the max unit limitation, I'd suggest having more summons come with leaders, or secondary units atleast, just for the sake of interest.