Nagas and other "lost" pretenders

[Nerfix]

In Dominions I there is some Pretenders that just aren't wortwhile. Lord of the Nigth, Mother of Lions, Dragons and (from what i have read) Nagas, and "Rainbow Mages" to some extent. What have you done to make these Pretenders worthwhile.
I am also concerned that will the RB Mages become even less usefull, even if their cost has been reduced, because bless effect is now dependant on your starting magic, and it requires minium 4 to get an effect from a magic path.

[Kristoffer O]

Johan made a comment on this earlier in the forum (the RB is worthwhile). Other pretenders have been remade. We hope that they are balanced.

[Nerfix]

Ok, now i'l just have to wait...

[Pocus]

you know Nerfix, when I first saw your signature, I thought you would change it every day so that we can check the dom II progress page without having to goes there.

I must say I'm rather sad to see that you are not updating your sig at all. Shame on you.

[Nerfix]

Pocus, i will update my sig if i find anything as hilarious as those two pieces of text...

And why did you derail this thread?

[Psitticine]

I tend towards liking pretenders with very strong magic in one or two skills rather than having it spread about, but I have tried the jack-of-all-trades type enough to know that approach works OK.

Magic paths give benefits to the mage itself (which includes pretenders) for even 1 point of power in that path. If your pretender is intended to function as a combat unit, I think the accumulated benefits for having many paths nicely offsets the fact your blessings won't be as potent.

The reason I usually take a very high level in one path plus a medium-high level in a second path is because I love the super-spells and do enjoy the second-tier blessing effects you can only get from having a starting power of 9+ in a path. It's a taste thing, though, not an "I'll never win if I don't do it this way!" thing.

I do, however, think that you wouldn't be getting as much out of a diverse pretender if he/she/it wasn't on the front lines, actually using those boosted stats. If you tend to have your pretender hanging about the home province, casting spells, enchanting stuff, and so forth, then I think focus rather then diversification is what pays off more.

I haven't played as a Naga, but Dragons are just too much fun. I haven't played the cost-analysis game to see if they are worth the price compared to others, but their breath attacks, transformations, and the fact their really-strong-in-one-path natures fit my play style means that they are worth it to me.

[Nerfix]

How much Nagas and their magic picks cost in Dominions II?

[PvK]

I've been playing a dragon in Doms I, and have no complaints. I was stuck in a two-way stalemate when my two enemies started coming at me with their pretenders.

Incidently, one enemy pretender was a very deadly naga who, although her army was being repeatedly smashed by mine, would then lay waste to my high-quality troops, who would overrun her and chop at her. The troops caused her several severe afflictions eventually, including the loss of both eyes, but she still laid waste to scores of my elite heavy-armored Ulm infantry, because she cast SOUL VORTEX at the start of the battle, so as they all mobbed her, they died very quickly. That set me back years of game time in progress, and tipped the scales against me...

... until I sent in my own pretender, in dragon form, with "attack commanders" tactics, and gobbled her up. Did it again when she came back. Did the same thing against the other attacking pretender. Dragons are quite potent. My dragon is also #1 or #2 in the hall of heroes, through laying waste to enemies in combat.

Perhaps a human player would have a trick I don't know to take out a dragon?

PvK

[Nerfix]

Well, Dragons do have huge physical stats, but they have only misc slots and they can't use magic in their Dragon form.

[PvK]

Ya, the poor little thing. (burp)