What is the best pretender for Ulm?

[Jack_Trowell]

It's only a good or bad prenteder depending of wich use you want to make of him :

Sometimes you will want to use the same magic on your pretender as what you get on your national mages because you're sure to have a starting income of gems for those magics (moreover, your national mages will be able to search for more sites)

Other times you will instead prefer to use other magics, as you did, in order to eitheir get a good blessing, or get access to some spells/units or items not usually available to your nation : it will be harder to find air sites or cast air spells with only your pretender having air magic, but later in the game this might give you access for exemple to the Air Queens, that's 3 unique units that can make good SC (super combattants), and each one is a powerful air mage.

Astral has its uses too : akashic record can improve your gem income by finding all sites on your provinces, and some of the most powerful items are astral (ring of sorcery and ring of wizardry for exemple, but also the classic ring of luck, amulet of antimagic, ...)

Of course some pretenders will be easier to play that others, but whatever configuration you choose might be useful anyway (you could even have a pretender with no magic (or just its starting magic), and use the points to by a combattant prentender (a wyrm for exemple) and very good scales and/or dominion.

You will then be able to recruit (and maintain) easily very large national armies.

[SCKnight]

It was 6 for both Air and Astral. BTW, does having a magic drain domain affect my prophet and pretender?

[Endoperez]

Master Smiths can research without Drain malus. The ability is unique to them, and pretenders or prophets who don't start with it aren't immune to it. Master Alchemist might be immune to Drain, like Master Smiths.

[SCKnight]

So, what's the best way to use a Virtue for Ulm in order to be successful?

[quantum_mechani]

Use her to expand on her own after forging some black steel equip for her. High dominion to boost awe makes it less risky. Also, don't bother with astral, it costs a ton and doesn't make her much better.

[SCKnight]

So, instead of Astral, go with something else, like Earth or Nature?

[quantum_mechani]

No, extra paths are very expensive for the virtue, and don't improve her lot. If you want more versatility, pick a different chassis.