What's your favorite summoning spell?

[Wrana]

For thug commanders I will also vote for Wraith Lord. Though I also like Air Queens. Spectral Mage is excellent to provide access to any paths. Faerie Queen is invaluable as it provides healing.
As for troops I liked Pale Riders until they were moved to higher research level. Another good troop are Claymen I think. Iron Dragon at higher levels.
And - currently - Buried in the Ice!! Even troopers are almost thugs, while shamans have good path access & may be turned into very good thugs indeed. Not ethereal, though.. But this mass of good troops is worthy just the same..

[Tyrant]

Troops: Banefire Archers and Crushers
General Leader: Bane Lord
National Leader: Angel of Wrath

[Agema]

As a general rule, I find the national summons rather better than the all-access summons for the gem cost, although they aren't necessarily the best summons.

Personally I love Sea King's court. They're certainly far superior to the Earth magic landlubber troll court. The sea trolls are only mediocre fighters and weakly armoured, but their huge HP and regeneration make them hard to kill. The Sea King himself is not only a great thug, but has W3 and spawns W gems.

As I see it, you get 20 trolls easily worth a gem apiece, and the remaining 35 is a fair cost for an magic level 3 thug-quality mage, a harbinger being comparable.

[JimMorrison]

But ye get no meese!

[sum1lost]

Mandahas for sheer battlefield brutality.

I also LOVE faire court for branching out magically, although lamia queens are pretty damn good for this too.

[Slobby]

moundfiends!

[QXel]

First, an introduction.

I only play SP, and mainly, well, ONLY for FUN. I'm not a maniac of 'The Ultimate Tactic' or 'The Ugly But Very Efficient Micro-Management For Winning With Minimum Losses And Ascend All The Time' way of playing.

So it is. Now, let's see what I like to summon ...

For troops :

I really like ghosts and pale riders
And longdead archers, but not easily accessible (F & D is not a common combination).

Also scorpion men for Abysia. And so, scorpion beast sometimes, when I'm not playing Abysia and want some exotic in my army
Sirrush are cool too.

And sometime I like to crossbreed or animals summoning when I'm in need for some cannon fodder
Although vine ogres 'en masse' are usefull in early game against indies or small enemy army.
Great lions from pride of lion are a quick way to have a fast rear attacker squad when you're lacking cavalry (or gold to buy it). But a bit expensive at 25 gems.

The classic : call of the wind > cheap paratroopers, and a fast flying gem-carrier, even misc. magic items carrier, like cauldron of brood and so.

I also like the trolls, with a preference for sea ones. Although I like the moose knights Totally useless, but very cool concept indeed !!!

I like the storm demons, for all the sparkles they do

For commanders (excep all the unique summons, obviously) :

My prefered are spectral mages to help magic diversity if needed.

I like Ivy Kings & Treelords, Sleeper (Firbolg), Naiad and the Kokythiads from Stream from Hadès.