Alexander's ever-expanding Tome of Knowledge

[apoger]

CHILLING

Everything I said about incinerate pretty much goes for the spell Frozen Heart as well.

This is the cold Version of incinerate. It does less damage, however it has less fatigue cost and requires much less skill.

You only need water-1 for frozen heart!

This is a great way to make any water-1 mage very useful.

Playing Atlantis? Those Initiates of the Deep are Frozen Heart casters for a mere 60 gold!

Playing Caelum and your enemy has lightning protection? Show them that you have another way to make them cry.

Hey! Any mage that can cast Frozen Heart can also cast quickness. Why not spread the pain even faster?

Yes getting to Alteration-6 is a pain... but it's worth it.

[apoger]

THE ARCHERS BEST FRIEND


The only offensive fire spell besides incinerate that I really like is Flaming Arrows.

It takes a gem, and researching Enchantment-4 might not be very synergistic with your other needs, however this is a fantastic way to crank up your damage potential.

This makes any archers/crossbows you have into death dealing machines. They'll carve swaths straight through armored enemy ranks.

Your enemies will stare dumbfounded as they mumble "I just got my *** kicked... by shortbow".

If you are playing Abysia, Marignon, Machaka, or Mictlan I suggest that you consider making a research beeline for this spell. Yes, this spell also works on sling bullets and javelins.

Be careful of enemies using storms, as this will ruin your day.

[apoger]

SAY HELLO TO MY LITTLE FRIENDS


As always I'm on the lookout for techniques that allow me to raid behind enemy lines.
One of my favorite tricks is to send in mages that cast summoning spells. I call these mages "Summons Raiders".

The best Summons Raiders get deep into enemy territory. Usually this is done by spell or by flying. Once in a blue moon I use stealthers.

Some of the classic Summons Raiders are:

Harab Searpahs : Flying in and casting Raise Skeletons
High Seraphs : Flying in (or Cloud Trapezing) and summoning Air Elementals
Demonbred : Flying in and summoning Fire Elementals
Arch Theurgs : Teleporting in (or Cloud Trapezing) and summoning Air Elementals
Crones : Cloud Trapeze in and summoning Air Elementals and/or casting Howl

This is hardly a comprehesive list. Many mages that have astral-2 can be given a Starshine Skull cap for teleporting, and any mage that can do summons can be given winged boots for flight.

If you expect missile fire from the troops you are engaging, make sure your closest mage can take an arrow (or two) or you risk a rout.

Most summonings are harder in Dom2 than in Dom1, but this method of fast land grabbing is still worthwhile even if it costs gems and endangers mages. Polish up this technique and you'll be deadly in multiplayer.

[apoger]

DEMONBREEDING


Abysia has hard choices to make in choosing it's magic paths. One of the paths that I am fond of utilizes the Demonbred mages.

First play Abysia in whatever way you find to be best for your style.
Add in the Demonbred strategy as lightly or as heavily as you feel the game warrents.

Make 5-10 Warlock Apprentices.
Have them do your research. First do whatever needs to be researched to help your god. Then research any combat spells you intend to use, if any. Then research blood to level 3.

Once you have done the research send the blood mages out to 7-12K population provinces. Lower the taxes to 0% and start hunting for blood slaves. Only place about 5 hunters per province. If unrest gets out of hand, either patrol the province with troops, or rotate the hunters to a fresh province (crop rotation). As long as unrest is low, the blood income should be pretty good.

If you have the gold, make labs in the hunting provinces for easy slave pooling. If you can't afford labs, then make a scout (or three) and have them run around moving the slaves.

Always consider making ordinary scouts and adding them to the blood hunt. They don't do very well, but they are dirt cheap and will provide a reasonable amount of slaves considering the cost.


From this point on make Demonbred mages at the capital.

The Demonbred have the correct skill to cast Bind Devil. They also have the command skill to lead devils, and can fly. This makes them perfect devil squad leaders.

Have the Demonbred start binding devils. If you run dry on slaves have them aid in the hunt.

Devil production should ramp up fairly fast. There is however a few turns where you have some mages, some demonbred, some devils, and you wonder why exactly are you doing this. After a while (about the time you are making 7-10 devils per turn) you will suddenly find that you have some serious devil power.

At this point much will depend on the circumstances of the game. If nothing pressing is happening you can continue building up demonbred and devils. If it's time to fight, send out some demonbred leading packs of devils.

If you have been reading these strategies you will have already seen that I am an advocate of raiding my enemies. Devil squads are awesome raiders. Once production gets going you will be able to send out a demonbred with 10+ devils every turn. Shotgun these squads all over your enemies territory. Then concentrate them for big fights and fort assaults. The mobility and strike power is very impressive.

Many players out there will compare this with other blood strategies, and rightly so.
The Devil Squad strategy is similar to the summoning of Hordes from Hell. I find the Hordes are a bit slower to get started and are a bit weaker. On the other hand the Hordes can be summoned anywhere. Plus they have greater numbers, which has benefits.

This strategy can also be compared to pumping out devils via the creation of Soul Contracts (as I'll discuss shortly). The contract route is a better investment over the long haul, but is weak at the start. The Devil Squad strategy provides firepower early, but is not a growing investment. Even though both techniques involve pumping out devils, they are effectively different paths.

One of the major distictions of the Devil Squad strategy is that the Demonbred act as a fast reaction force while the blood machine is ramping up. Remember the Demonbred fly, have slaves, and devils. If there is any trouble they can fly right out with whatever devils you have. The Demonbred can be very effective on the battlefield by casting Summon Imp. If you have done the research they may also be able to summon fire elementals or cast incinerate.

The Demonbred are expensive mages, however they are very flexible and mobile. The Devil Squads become explosive in the mid game. It's not uncommon for me to lash out with 5-15 squads at once.

I not saying this is an ultimate strategy, but it is a strong one that can get good results. Try it.

Frankly, I just love flying the devils around.

[apoger]

DEVILS O' RAMA


For everyone else that wants devils but who don't get Demonbred mages... there is my old friend the Soul Contract.

Do whatever blood hunting that works for your nation.

You will need a blood-5 mage and Construction-2 to make Soul Contracts.
It is a cursed item and it will horror mark the character you give it to.
Your goal is to get at least one if not more contacts made per turn.

The contracts produce one devil every turn.
Each contract costs 80 blood slaves.
Devils have a summoning cost of 7 slaves, so effectively it takes 11 turns for the contract to "pay off". After that it is effectively an income of 7 slaves per turn (in the form of a devil). It takes a while for the production to really take off. During this wait time you will have spent resource and won't have reaped benefits. This is the dangerous time for the Soul Contract strategy. It's a bit of a long term investment. If you can afford the time to ramp up for the payoff it is awesome. If you need power fast, convert your slaves into something that will get you power faster. Consider things with care when making long term plans.

Also keep in mind that you must have blood or death mages to lead the devils. This can be difficult for some nations to cultivate.

On the other hand, if you do manage to crank out a bunch of contracts and have the leadership... you will have a never ending stream of very potent troops. That can't be bad.

You might consider forging a Dwarven Hammer. This will allow you to make the contracts at a reduced cost. Don't ask me how a hammer helps make a blood soaked piece of parchment. It just does. Don't go crazy trying to get a hammer if it's hard for your nation. It's more important to expand your economy and work the blood magic. But if you can squeeze it in... get one.

Strangely Ulm has a major advantage when working this strategy. The master smiths start with a forge bonus, and can increase it further with a dwarven hammer.

Also consider that many players like using the Prince of Death pretender with Ulm. A POD with some Ulmish armor can be used as an early game Thug. The POD also is a flyer and can lead many devils. A shard of syngery for Ulm? You be the judge.

[apoger]

THE PERFECT STORM


This is one of the most abusive combo's in the game. It takes a bit of effort but it's worth it for the brutal effect.

Research Evocation-6 and Enchantment-4.

Locate and enemy army that you want dead...

Take two Air-3 mages.
Give one 3 air gems and the other 2.
Give both rings of Tamed Lightning.

Cloud Trapeze the mages to the enemy army. They arrive in the magic phase before the army can move.

Mage 1 casts Wrathful Skies.
Mage 2 casts Storm.

With no other nonsense this will often expose the enemy army to 3-4 turns of armor negating lightning strikes. The mages will eventually get smacked, but the damage done will be tremendous.

Afraid of flyers getting to the mages before Storms goes off?
Then get rid of mage 2. Research Construction-4 and make a Staff of Storms.
Send in one mage with the SOS and 3 gems (you can get away with 2 sometimes, but don't risk it).
Have that mage cast Wrathful Skies (then mistform and mirror image if you can).

What's that you say? Don't want to lose mages at all? Ok, just send in more air mages and have them cast air elementals. The air elementals will clog the enemy advance and will expose them to further rounds of lightning strikes.

Unless the enemy army can lightning proof itself, this technique will savage them.


If you don't have air-3 mages you can take a Titan pretender with a bunch of air skill. Pile on some magic items to beef the Titan up into a serious combat threat. Trapeze, Storm, Wrath, [defensive spells], and then either fight or cast orb lightnings. The Titan starts lightning proof, and can easily be cultivated into a instant army buster.


During the days of Dom1 I made quite a fuss about this combo being unfair, and I asked Illwinter to increase costs to fix it. Nothing has changed. I beg you guys to limit the distance on cloud trapeze, or make the SOS unique, and definitely raise the cost of wrathful skies! It's really not fun to be on the recieving end of this technique. Not at all...


PS- How long did you think I could go without complaining about something?

[apoger]

ATTACK OF THE CRONES


This is an expansion of the "Perfect Storm" from the Last post.

Play the nation of Man, and make Crone mages.

Add Snake Rings to all mages.

Wait for a Crone that comes with water skill.

Reserach Enchantment-5.

Do the attack just like "The Perfect Storm" from the Last post.

On entering battle send the the water crone also, and have her cast Foul Vapors.

Now the enemy will have to deal with a battlefield full of poison on top of the lightning.

What do you think the odds are that your enemy will be immune to both?
Probably pretty low.

[apoger]

LIZARDS GONE WILD!


Like C'tis? So do I.

Make lots of Elite Warriors and beat down some enemies.

As you expand research Alteration-6, Enchantment-6, and Thumaturgy-5.
Yes that's mucho magic, but it really sets you up nice.

Make 8+ Shaman (cheap, and make good researchers in a magic dominion).

Upon starting a battle;
Have 4 Shaman cast Communion Slave.
Have 4+ Shaman cast Communion Master.
Now the masters have Nature-3 and Astral-3 (not bad for cheapie lizards!).
Have the masters cast Growing Fury (Lizards Go Wild!) and Mass Protection (Wild Lizards need extra protection).
Have one master cast Relief x5.
Any extra masters can cast Paralyze or Soul Slay.

If you add in many extra masters, make sure you add in another slave (or two) and more Relief casters. Put on an extra Relief caster if fighting in the cold.

The Communion/Relief combo will keep the mages casting and the troops fighting (even in the cold). The beserk/protected warriors will kick butt, and the astral spells can take care of bigger opponents.


Don't like C'tis? You can do the same stunt with the Seithkona of Jotunhiem (Giants Gone wild! Goblins Gone Wild!).

[Gandalf Parker]

How about a comment on
THIEVES?

Blood magic 2 allows for Hellbind Heart. Other spells along the same line are possible.

Spells which summon commanders to you exist such as Wind Ride. Or giving the Black Heart to sneaky mages so they can become assassins.

You steal an enemy commander, get commanders you wouldnt normally have access to, get equip that the other guy spent gems on, and you leave large chunks of his army leaderless. Leaderless armys will rout from things like Call of the Wild or Call of the Winds, or even just a lone scout (a really funny sight)

If an assassin uses such a spell the newly converted commander will then attack his own troops in a fresh battle following the successful "assassination". Rinse-and-repeat until you snag the Last commander in a province and you will own that province no matter how large an army was there when the assassin walked in. Pick up some new blood slaves and sneak away to the next target.

[Nagot Gick Fel]

Originally posted by apoger:
DEVILS O' RAMA

For everyone else that wants devils but who don't get Demonbred mages...

You're writing Diabolists and Goetic Masters off too easily. Give them flying boots and you can use exactly the same tactic with Marignon/Diabolical Faith, except you can add some cheap Harlequins to the mix too.

An incentive to pick a Pretender with some air magic on your pretender, besides finding air sites and forging boots of flying, is the dreaded xbows/Flaming Arrows/Wind Guide combo.