Which nation for a newb's first MP game?

[earcaraxe]

Originally Posted by Kobal2

I wouldn't recommend TC for a beginner, as playing them well requires a really in-depth knowledge of the magic system since they're so all over the place and can basically do everything. I still can't play them for beans, at least

In my opinion one doesnt have to play a nation "well" to play with it or enjoy playing with it. If its a nation with a lot of options it means only there is a lot of room for improvement. I agree with kobal (if i understand correctly his intention) in stating that it might be easier for someone to enjoy a game with less options at hand than TC's, but its best to try it for oneself: one of my friends started playing with EA TC and MA TC, and its his fav nation still so far, otoh my favourite is MA Abysia in part because of low magical and troop diversity (which is still enough for most situations to win games for me)

[Kobal2]

Originally Posted by earcaraxe

In my opinion one doesnt have to play a nation "well" to play with it or enjoy playing with it. If its a nation with a lot of options it means only there is a lot of room for improvement.

True enough. The wheel of the Tao of the Newb has many spokes

My own roadmap was to start playing with nations who did one or two schools of magic very well, to get a working notion of what these schools did (both on the field and in the forge) - Fomoria for Air and Death, then Kailasa for Earth and Astral (though that one was over right quick. Finalgenesis ! ), LA Mictlan for Blood and Water. And now Shinuyama, for Fire and to see what one can do when one cannot rely on ridiculous sacreds to bulldoze the early opposition.

That felt right for me. And of course, I also learned a bunch from the people who murdered me horribly.
But I suppose a more "sink or swim" approach with TC or Bogarus (or LA Pythium ) could work too. I just think it could be frustrating, or would have been for me perhaps.

The only real don't that I see is LA Ermor (and to a lesser extent, MA Ermor and LA C'tis), because they just play so differently from everyone else, the lessons you learn from them cannot be readily applied to other nations and games. That, and the micro will make your brain asplode .