Is growth scale must in a long game?

[ywl]

Originally posted by Jasper:

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Originally posted by ywl:

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Originally posted by Jasper:
Growth +3 is certainly no where near as mandatory as Order +3 and Misfortune +3, which is both more powerfull and cheaper.

I don't use this combo. I'll see how bad I'll do in my game.

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I'm curious to hear the outcome, but there are so many other factors involved in multiplayer (e.g. opponent skill, faction mathup, multiplayer dynamics, etc.) that it will be difficult to tell what effect anyone particular thing has had on how well you do, especially since you can't easily try the same scenario with a different Pretender.

IMHO the relative benefits of scales are much more easily compared in single player games, where you can more carefully control the environment.

For me it was as simple as comparing Order 3 + Misfortune 3 Pangaea, vs. the same Pretender with Turmoil 3 + Luck 3. This should be biased towards T+L, as Pangaea gets extra beneft from both, but for my test O+M was far more effective.

L+T in my experience can keep up with O+M, but only if you get extraordinarily lucky.

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I don't like negative scales in general. So, I don't usually go with Turmoil and it's more a choice of O-0/L+3 or O+3/L-0. I think the rational choice should be the order+3.

But, I like the randomness of luck events - just love feeling lucky . When fancy striked me or when the nation doesn't need too much gold, I would go with Luck+3. Sometimes, a random animist (got two as Tien Chi the other day ) or air-mage could go a long way for your game. Not to mention a few lucky positioning of castles or temples...

Who knows? In Dom 1, I once got a "Ring of Sorcery" from a luck event! And I've heard of a story getting a "Soul Contract" from another player! These items worth more than the loss of a thousand gold income for non-astral or non-blood nation.

But, the bottom line remains: it's just a game. I don't mind playing against "conventional wisdom" for the fun of it .