ME Arcocephale Strategy Guide

[Xietor]

In Epic Heroes II I am having good result with the Master Lich, imprisoned, with the following scales/paths:

3 order, 1 sloth, 1 cold, 3 growth, 1 magic.

5s 4d 2e 2a 2n.

With the 3 misc slots, the ML can wish without being empowered. Being immortal, he can magic duel enemy mages without fear. Having 4 death allows the summoning of banelords, and also allows the casting of higher level d spells and summons with boosters.

Since the master lich is lifeless, 4d also allows him to cast drain life without carrying a d booster.

2 earth allows for summon earth power, and the earth/air combo allows the forging of either the shield of valor or the silver hauberk, one of which is a necessity for the 5 hp master lich to survive seeking arrows.

2 air gives arcos site searches it otherwise does not have.
And in combination with the nature magic, allows the forging of the coveted rainbow armor.

2 nature allows the forging of a n1 booster, so your priestess can forge n2 items such as rings of regeneration, eye shields, vine shields amulet of resilience etc.

On a big map, 3 growth is important to income when the game reaches turn 80 or so. Still need income for castles, labs, pd, etc.

3 order, even with the 1 cold, 1 sloth, allows for the gold
and resources to expand with 20 resource cost elephants. The high resource cost infantry units are not overly favored by me due to high encumbrance, low damage weapons, and slow movement. Just need enough to mix in with the elephants to boost morale.

I had an early war and won without my pretender, against MA Ctis who had an awake pretender. Arocs mages are good early with research down the thaum line to 4, and evoc 2 for solar rays.

Teleporting in a bunch of mages before a key battle to spam mind burn, solar rays(against undead) and paralyze is a nice advantage.

So MA Arcos. can deal with an early war without its pretender(who is only potent after many combat spells are researched and with some equipment).