H2 priests: Why, when, how?

[Gregstrom]

Yes, it does depend. That's why I said 'often'.

By the way, in the short term the 2 H1 priests are less likely to affect enemy dominion than the single H2 priest (36% chance of no change, as opposed to 30%). And if you're worried about cost effectiveness, a temple plus two H1 priests costs rather more than a single H2 priest.

[Jarkko]

Originally Posted by Gregstrom

And if you're worried about cost effectiveness, a temple plus two H1 priests costs rather more than a single H2 priest.

That is hardly a fair comparison, is it? Compare a H2 vs two H1 priests with no temple present, and you are at least in the correct ballpark The H2 priest btw becomes more effective under those conditions if there are 3 or more hostile candles.

But as has been pointed out already, if you could recruit a H2 priest, you would usually be able to recruit a H3 priest (or mage) instead (unless there H3 priest is capital only). And H3 priests are way nicer (Smite in addition to SoC) than H2 priests, which further limits their usefullness.


I wonder how useful H2 priests would in general be as thug chassis with some nice bless. I wonder how far for example C'tis High Priests would get with their ~10 HP Slap on some armour and a weapon, cast bless and holy avenger, while being buffed by Shamans (Body Etheral, Luck) and wade in

[Endoperez]

Originally Posted by Jarkko

I wonder how useful H2 priests would in general be as thug chassis with some nice bless. I wonder how far for example C'tis High Priests would get with their ~10 HP Slap on some armour and a weapon, cast bless and holy avenger, while being buffed by Shamans (Body Etheral, Luck) and wade in

That could work sometimes, but many nations also have sacred mages. C'tis Shamans, as an example.

[Jarkko]

Originally Posted by Endoperez

That could work sometimes, but many nations also have sacred mages. C'tis Shamans, as an example.

Yeah, but the Shamans aren't H2 priests. In fact, they are not priests at all

[Endoperez]

Originally Posted by Jarkko

Yeah, but the Shamans aren't H2 priests. In fact, they are not priests at all

Sorry for not being clear. I meant that, as Shamans can be blessed as well, it's more effective to recruit 110gp sacred mages to research and thug than 100gp H2 priests to preach and thug. This also applies for some other nations' choices about thug chassis: MA Ulm is one (Priest Smith or Black Priest?), MA Jotunheim uses either the Jarls/Herses or Skratti for thugging and not the H2 priests, etc. I'm open for suggestions, I could be missing something.

[Sombre]

The real cost of an H2 priest is usually not building a national mage for a turn.

[Gregstrom]

Too true. I can only think of one site that gives them as recruitables.

[Fantomen]

A thug/sc chassis with H2 gets holy avenger which is a good buff sometimes. Like on the Marble oracles for example.

[Gregstrom]

I have to admit the only time I'd normally buy H2 mages is if I'm going to be fighting Ermor or a similarly undead-wielding nation. Otherwise, indy H1 priests do most of what I'd want (unless I found a High Temple or whatever the site is called - I'd exploit one of those for everything it's worth).

[Wrana]

To bless your sacreds?