Alright now that I'm done, and I've had a chance to think about it.

I'd either go all out for a bless effect or I wouldn't play IF.

Since Black Templar already have high protection (24) I wouldn't really worry about that. They have lower hit points (15) and other minimal stats 13 str, 11 att, 10 def, 10 mr.

My choice would be either to go for a Water, Fire, or Nature blessing of 9.

Nature
+3 Berserk and Regen/Poison resist nets you with a Templar with 3 hp Regen a turn (out of 15) 27 Prot, 16 str, 14 att, 7 defense.

Fire
+4 Att and Flaming weapons (8 AP damage). That means 15 att and 3 Attacks first round 2 attacks second round with 8 AP damage included.

Water
+4 Defense and Quickness (50%). That means 14 Def, 5 attacks first round, 4 attacks second round.

Now those don't really mean anything unless you decide how you are going to use your Black Templar. they are too expensive to make a majority of your force, and considering the investment into a Bless Effect they have to be able to stand up to summons as you will have only clockworks and maybe some crusher/Iron Dragons late in the game. Even if you invested in 9 Astral you'd only get +3 MR for a total of 13 so you are still weak against magic.

You can chance it and take Water9 and use your templars as rear killers and hope to get a commander if not tear up archers.

Be safe and take Fire9 and use your templars to kill summons, though you are going to have a problem with fire summons.

Play the stat game and go Nature9 and hope that high protection will save you enough each round for you to regen.

None of them look very promising and for that reason it's hard to play IF. Maybe if the Priests had Drain immunity like the smiths; but as it is; they are IMO useless for anything but sermoning.

And no matter which I took I'd take Order 3, Production 3, Misfortune 3, and Drain 1 (at minimum) and a Castle. With such expensive Sacreds, you are probably not ever going to be able to make more than 4 or 5 a turn.

[ December 19, 2003, 03:21: Message edited by: Zen ]