Race Designs & Strategies

[Vorkosigan]

Here are a few race designs & strategies for newcomers to Dominions 2. As I am a veteran of 1 whole multiplayer game, my ideas could be completely wrong or idiotic so please criticize to your heart's content. Other race designs and strategies are most welcome.

ARCOSCEPHALE (base theme)

Pretender: Nataraja
Magic: none
Scales: 3 Order, 3 Production, 2 Misfortune, 3 Magic
Dominion: 7
Castle: Wizards Tower
Other: Ceremonial Faith
Pts left: 5

Prophet: Priestess
Key Troops: Hypaspists (strat move 2), Astrologers, Mystics
Key Spells: Mind Burn, Paralyze, Soul Slay, Enslave Mind

Research: Constr 2 (goodies for Nataraja), Thaum 2 (Mind Burn), Conj 5 (Akashic Record), Constr 6 (starshine skullcap, banner of northern star), Thaum 3 (Teleport), Thaum 4 (Paralyze), Thaum 5 (Gateway, Soul Slay), Thaum 6 (Enslave Mind, Imprint Souls)

Notes: Magic is key. Research like crazy. Astrologers are capitol-only, so build Mystics elsewhere. Remember that priestesses can heal battle afflictions. Build enchanted swords for the Nataraja as soon as possible.


VANHEIM (base theme)

Pretender: Allfather
Magic: F4, A4, W4, D4
Scales: 3 Order, 3 Sloth, 1 Cold, 2 Misfortune (could benefit from 1 Magic)
Dominion: 7
Castle: Wizards Tower
Pts left: 5

Prophet: Vanjarl
Key Troops: Van, Vanjarls, Dwarven Smiths
Key Spells: Lightning Bolt, Orb Lightning, Mistform, Shockwave

Research: Alt-3 (Mistform), Evoc-2 (Shock Wave, Lightning Bolt), Constr 4 (Staff of Storms), Evoc-5 (Orb Lightning), Evoc-6 (Wrathful Skies), Ench-5 (Thunder Ward)

Notes: Research to Alt-3 and send the Allfather out to kill. Build a second Wizard�s Tower asap. Build as many Van as possible every turn. Convert your earth gems to gold. Give a Staff of Storms to each army. An alternate research strategy is to push for Conjuration 7, 8 and 9 asap. Conj 7 gives Air Queens and Wraith Lords, Conj 8 gives Earth Attack, which every dwarf with earth boots can cast, and Conj 9 gives Tartarian Gate, which the Allfather can cast with some effort. An alternate pretender design is to take Water-9, which is an excellent bless effect for the Van.


MACHAKA
(this is a variation of a design I found here, so credit belongs to xxxxxxxx)

Pretender: Virtue
Magic: A4
Scales: 3 Order, 3 Prod, 2 Heat, 2 Growth, 2 Misfortune, 3 Magic
Dominion: 6
Castle: Wizards Tower
Pts left: 5

Prophet: Voice of the Lord
Key Troops: Archers, Hoplites, Sorcerors, Black Sorcerors
Key Spells: Flame Arrows, Mass Protection

Research: Ench-4 (Flame Arrows), Conj-1 (Vinemen), Constr-2 (Ivy Crown, Dwarven Hammer), Constr-4 (Thistle Mace, Earth Boots), Conj-3 (Vine Ogres, Phoenix Power), Thaum-2 (site searching), Constr-6 (Skull of Fire, Lightless Lantern), Alt-6 (Blindness, Mass Protection), Evoc-3 (Magma Bolts), Evoc-6 (Magma Eruption)

Notes: Build Hoplites backed by archers, with a Black Sorceror casting Flame Arrows (requires 1 fire gem per cast, if the Black Sorceror doesn�t have 3 Fire you�ll need Phoenix Power or an extra fire gem). If you get 2 Death, cast Black Servants (Conj-1) and put a fever fetish on each. Have the Servants follow your armies around. Alternate research strategies: push for Alteration-6 quickly (mass protection is amazing, requires 3 Nature and 1 nature gem). Construction 7 is a good target as well (Forge of the Ancients is really fun with Machaka).


CAELUM (base theme)

Pretender: Ghost King
Magic: A4, W1, E3, D4
Scales: 3 Order, 3 Sloth, 3 Cold, 2 Misfortune, 3 Magic
Dominion: 9
Castle: Wizards Tower
Pts left: 3

Prophet: Seraphine
Key Troops: Seraphs, High Seraphs, Mammoths, Wingless
Key Spells: Quickness, Lightning Bolt, Orb Lightning, False Horrors, Frozen Heart, Wrathful Skies

Research: Alt-3, Evoc-2 (Lightning Bolt), Alt-6 (Frozen Heart, False Horrors), Evoc-5 (Orb Lightning), Evoc-6 (Wrathful Skies)

Notes: After Alt-3, Send the Ghost King out to run amuck. Build Wizards Towers. Build Seraphs and High Seraphs as fast as possible, as they are your primary offense. Expand with Mammoths & Wingless, at a 1:4 ratio. An alternate strategy is to build Caelian Archers, park them at the back of the battlefield, and cast Wind Guide (requires a Seraph and 1 air gem per cast). To distract the enemy, scatter individual archers around the battlefield so the enemy pingpongs around killing them while the main force cuts them to ribbons. (Credit to xxxxxxx for this really fun strategy).