Tips for Agartha

[legowarrior]

I'm starting my first mp game soon with ME Agartha. I would like tips, but I have one question right now. What is best in life?

Besides that question, Agartha, Turmiol/Luck, or just keep it neutral on both?

[ghoul31]

attentive statues are nice at the beginning of the game.

Marble oracles are awesome. Make lots of these

And petrify is great at killing enemy SC's

[legowarrior]

This game is without CBM.

[ghoul31]

you still get all of those things without CBM

[Torin]

Agartha has this undead immortal pretender if you want an early thug.
If you want to use statues a research pretender, the great sage with some magic added, is good. Turmoil Luck for additional gems.
Ive not played this nation in MP but those 2 could do.
Oh, and a minor fire bless its good for your statues so they dont miss the blows. They are strong enough to do damage.

[legowarrior]

I have my pretender all picked out, but since the game is starting soon, I don't want to say more about it. I read through many of the guides, but they contradict each other often. The map is medium sized, but I'm wondering if the gain in gems to get some non earth magic right away is worth it, especially consider the great loss in money.

[Kobal2]

If the game isn't using CBM, then you won't be able to rely on your golems and statues much. The reason is, a large portion of your Earth income is going to go into Dwarven Hammers if you want to keep up with the other players in the long run. Sucks, but there ya go.
Focus on D and Umbrals instead, they're underpriced in vanilla.

If I were you, I'd start blood hunting with scouts early, then make Blood Stones by the cartload. These'll both let your mages cast more betterer battlefield support (and make your logistics easier), and give you an E surplus so that you can at least summon some Marble Oracles, who really are nice.

Endeavour to get Umbrals quick, they're really good and underpriced in vanilla.

Your go-to spell in early battles is not Magma Bolts or Blade Wind or anything like that: it's Earth Meld. Your Oracles are sturdy enough to be positioned near the frontline, so the range shouldn't matter too much. Stuck soldiers have zero defence, which lets your giants hit them. And what those lack in Attack they more than make up in sheer ooomph when they do connect. The good news is, it's on the way to Darkness, which is what your Pale and Ancient Ones (and Umbrals !) really, really want to fight under at all times.

You'll also want to plan how you're going to setup your Tartarian factory in the late game - whether you're going to go the Wish way (for the Chalice) or the Nature way (for Mother Oak => Gift of Health).
Nature is probably better IMO, since your sacred giants can take advantage of the regen from the bless, it's in Alteration (which is your top priority school) and it's a path your national mages lack, but it also depends on who else is in the game - if Pangea is in for example, they'll probably cast and lock it before you can. If I were you I'd still take at least N5D1 on an awake god - N5 for the Oak, D1 to summon Lamia Queens later, those'll make your inroads into Blood that much easier (as well as being able to wear the Jade Mask for one more tart summoner, too).

[legowarrior]

Cool. I hate having to go blood magic, but you have to, you have to.