ME Arcocephale Strategy Guide

[Twan]

Thanks.

@Xietor : Yes I forget to mention that Death on the pretender fixes the lack of thugs. On the other hand, the path is so easy to developp with a nation able to make rings of sorcery that you may count you'll have it at level 7 with any build (of course it's harder to cast well of misery and have a huge death income without a specialized god).

@fantasma : Yes order 3 luck 3 can be a good option but on huge maps only I think -you need a lot of provinces to reach 3 events a turn with normal chances ; luck 3 order 1 or 2 may give better returns- (can be used even without an immobile god, a scales monster can take it instead of some growth or prod).

Not tested a blood pretender with Arco. Considering the number of mages with earth it may be a good idea to take one able to forge blood stones (not as cost effective as clams for gem economy, and needing more efforts to be made, but one more boost in earth would make equiped e2 mystics excellent mages able to chain cast gifts from heaven or use spells like weapons of sharpness even out of communions).

Giving blood to my astral enchantress may be a good choice to have both earth and blood for stones, a little increased astral income, access to the powerful horror line of spells and easy wish for blood slaves in endgame.

[Xietor]

In Epic Heroes II I am having good result with the Master Lich, imprisoned, with the following scales/paths:

3 order, 1 sloth, 1 cold, 3 growth, 1 magic.

5s 4d 2e 2a 2n.

With the 3 misc slots, the ML can wish without being empowered. Being immortal, he can magic duel enemy mages without fear. Having 4 death allows the summoning of banelords, and also allows the casting of higher level d spells and summons with boosters.

Since the master lich is lifeless, 4d also allows him to cast drain life without carrying a d booster.

2 earth allows for summon earth power, and the earth/air combo allows the forging of either the shield of valor or the silver hauberk, one of which is a necessity for the 5 hp master lich to survive seeking arrows.

2 air gives arcos site searches it otherwise does not have.
And in combination with the nature magic, allows the forging of the coveted rainbow armor.

2 nature allows the forging of a n1 booster, so your priestess can forge n2 items such as rings of regeneration, eye shields, vine shields amulet of resilience etc.

On a big map, 3 growth is important to income when the game reaches turn 80 or so. Still need income for castles, labs, pd, etc.

3 order, even with the 1 cold, 1 sloth, allows for the gold
and resources to expand with 20 resource cost elephants. The high resource cost infantry units are not overly favored by me due to high encumbrance, low damage weapons, and slow movement. Just need enough to mix in with the elephants to boost morale.

I had an early war and won without my pretender, against MA Ctis who had an awake pretender. Arocs mages are good early with research down the thaum line to 4, and evoc 2 for solar rays.

Teleporting in a bunch of mages before a key battle to spam mind burn, solar rays(against undead) and paralyze is a nice advantage.

So MA Arcos. can deal with an early war without its pretender(who is only potent after many combat spells are researched and with some equipment).

[Twan]

Excellent choice. Except I'd perhaps prefer him with 3 luck instead of order (without a pretender able to forge magical economy items, the extra gems from luck + luck/growth migration events for the long term income may be better to take than gold only).

[Horst F. JENS]

this guide is excellent. reading it is really a joy.

[Xietor]

The problem with luck with an imprisoned pretender is you may get gems or other events instead of gold early. And you need the gold early for your elephants. And it is also possible,
despite the odds in your favor, of a bad event.

In the early game with an imprisoned pretender, I need the certainty of having the gold there to buy mages/elephants.