Newbie Questions

[Tuskerlove]

Okay, I've been pining to play this game for over 6 months now and I finally broke down and purchased it.

Some questions for the experienced players:

#1 How do I find, recruit or summon more elite leaders. It looks like you get one automatically after a few turns but I've run into problems fighting with my pretender god (battle afflictions that can't be healed) so I've been trying to use other leaders as generals and use my pretender god as a source of finding magic sites form province ot province. Is this a good or bad tactic?

#2 How do I create these artifactss and uber gear everyone is talking about. I have research all branches of magic equally for the 1st 75 turns and now have lvl 5 in all branches of magic. I'm uncertain what needs to be done to create the better equipment.

#3 If I have over 600 of each of the gems in the game does that mean I'm doing something wrong? I really haven't empowered anyone but my pretender god and I'm not certain if that is a good or bad idea.

#4 Why can't I build fortresses and raise province defense in the water?

#5 Re: Fortresses should I build them in every province or only in strategic areas? I have the Castle as a choice but I'm not certain how multiple fortresses benefit or hurt you when placed close together.

#6 Most annoying problem: How can I lose a battle with 100 troops against a neutral territory holding 4 units. One territory holds a mage and some other elite troops and I can't defeat them with my fully equipped pretnder god with over 100 troops (how can this be possible?)

Thanks for any tips/advice you might give me here

JD

[Graeme Dice]

Originally posted by Tuskerlove:
#1 How do I find, recruit or summon more elite leaders.

You summon them or purchase them depending on your nation.

It looks like you get one automatically after a few turns

The only way you'll get new leaders automatically is if you are playing one of the two non-default themes of Ermor, or get one of your national heroes. All other commanders must be recruited or summoned.

but I've run into problems fighting with my pretender god (battle afflictions that can't be healed)

They can be healed. The methods to do so are listed in the FAQ that can be found here.

[quote] so I've been trying to use other leaders as generals and use my pretender god as a source of finding magic sites form province ot province. Is this a good or bad tactic?[/QUOTE}

Whether this is a good or bad tactic really depends on what kind of pretender you've chosen.

#2 How do I create these artifactss and uber gear everyone is talking about.

You research construction, and tell your mages to forge items.

#3 If I have over 600 of each of the gems in the game does that mean I'm doing something wrong? I really haven't empowered anyone but my pretender god and I'm not certain if that is a good or bad idea.

It really means that you've just not been casting very many spells. Empowering tends to be extremely expensive, but since you appear to be swimming in gems you might want to do it.

#4 Why can't I build fortresses and raise province defense in the water?

You can't build fortresses there because you aren't either Atlantis or R'Lyeh. You can't raise province defense because your troops would drown underwater.

#5 Re: Fortresses should I build them in every province or only in strategic areas? I have the Castle as a choice but I'm not certain how multiple fortresses benefit or hurt you when placed close together.

Castles take their admin percentage of resources from friendly neighbouring provinces. If two neighbouring provinces have castles, then they do not get resources from each others' province.

#6 Most annoying problem: How can I lose a battle with 100 troops against a neutral territory holding 4 units. One territory holds a mage and some other elite troops and I can't defeat them with my fully equipped pretnder god with over 100 troops (how can this be possible?)

This question is absolutely impossible to answer without more information. I have no idea what nation you are playing, what your pretender is, what troops you actually had, what equipment you were using, where you placed your troops and what orders you gave them, and what kind of troops the independent province had.

[Taqwus]

Originally posted by Tuskerlove:
Okay, I've been pining to play this game for over 6 months now and I finally broke down and purchased it.

Some questions for the experienced players:

#1 How do I find, recruit or summon more elite leaders. It looks like you get one automatically after a few turns but I've run into problems fighting with my pretender god (battle afflictions that can't be healed) so I've been trying to use other leaders as generals and use my pretender god as a source of finding magic sites form province ot province. Is this a good or bad tactic?


You're -automatically- getting leaders? Hm. Are you playing Ermor, specifically Ashen Empire or Soul Gate?

In any province, you can recruit troops and commanders based on the locals that were there when the province was conquered. Feudal provinces (knights, longbowmen, heavy inf) for instance generally let you recruit the same. In provinces that never had indies (capital provinces), these don't exist.

If there's a fortress, you can recruit your national troops -unless- you're a water nation and the province is on land (exceptions for R'lyeh hybrids and star children on coastal provinces) or vice versa.

Certain magical sites also let you recruit more troops if you've found them. A Grey Tower won't let you recruit Grey Sages for instance if you don't yet know that it exists.

If you don't actually have national troops to recruit, and you're automatically getting leaders, you're probably playing one of the Dead Ermor themes. That's the way they work -- these get auto-generated troops (based on dominion and presence of castle, IIRC), plus you can explicitly order unholy priests to reanimate undead, plus you can order mages to summon troops (the usual magic tree, plus Ermorian-only summons) given the appropriate gems.

Using a pretender to search for sites can work. Note that all the magical paths (not holy/unholy) have spells that can locate all magical sites in the province within that path, e.g. Augury finds all fire sites in a province, while Dark Knowledge finds all death. These can be very cheap and possibly a better use of time since searching with a mage also requires moving, and is not guaranteed to be complete unless you have level 4 in the relevant paths. There's also the expensive Acashic Record that finds all magical sites including holy/unholy.


#2 How do I create these artifactss and uber gear everyone is talking about. I have research all branches of magic equally for the 1st 75 turns and now have lvl 5 in all branches of magic. I'm uncertain what needs to be done to create the better equipment.


(1) Research Construction.
At the beginning you can build trinkets. Levels 2, 4, 6, 8 let you build more powerful items.
(2) You need a mage with sufficient power in the relevant magical path or paths (max 2). For instance, a Ring of Wizardry will not even be listed for a mage who's not Astral 5 or more, and Elemental Armor requires at least 2 Earth, 1 Fire.
(3) Select mage in lab, and command him to forge an item. Base cost for each path is 5*2^{n-1} where n is the level requirement. For instance, that Elemental Armor requires 10 Earth, 5 Fire IIRC.

There are additional rules, such as the Construction-8 items are all unique and cannot be rebuilt unless destroyed (e.g. owner dies and nobody gets it), and certain commanders, items, spells and sites provide discounts.



#3 If I have over 600 of each of the gems in the game does that mean I'm doing something wrong? I really haven't empowered anyone but my pretender god and I'm not certain if that is a good or bad idea.


Eeek!

You could probably be summoning better troops with those, if not casting rituals or global enchantments or forging. For instance, Gift of Health is a lovely global. Heck, fire/earth gems can be readily turned into money if that's what you need.

Gift of Health, the Fairy Court summons, and the Chalice will all help you with afflictions, BTW.


#4 Why can't I build fortresses and raise province defense in the water?


You're a land nation. No land nation can deliberately raise province defense (T'ien Chi order dominion could automatically do so at one point, not sure if it still does), and if you want a castle there you'll have to take it, find it (magic site), or cast it (certain spells let you create fortresses, incl. one that's underwater).


#5 Re: Fortresses should I build them in every province or only in strategic areas? I have the Castle as a choice but I'm not certain how multiple fortresses benefit or hurt you when placed close together.


Depends on cost and reason. Too many castles can suck the resources out of neighboring provinces, but that may not be a problem to you. Going bankrupt would be, however.

If you have very very cheap low-admin castles, however, then you probably were planning on building hordes of them anyway for protecting your temples against raids, Ghost Riders etc.



#6 Most annoying problem: How can I lose a battle with 100 troops against a neutral territory holding 4 units. One territory holds a mage and some other elite troops and I can't defeat them with my fully equipped pretnder god with over 100 troops (how can this be possible?)


Possible. Bogus the Troll Raider and friends are fairly formidable, although they're not nearly as such against lifeless troops because that wraith sword won't heal Bogus then.

Fight with better troops, or better equipment, or better tactics, or if you must, with larger masses. Magic -- both in preparation (forging, summons) and battle -- can make a big difference, too.


Thanks for any tips/advice you might give me here

JD

Good luck and welcome aboard.

[Endoperez]

Originally posted by Tuskerlove:
Okay, I've been pining to play this game for over 6 months now and I finally broke down and purchased it.

Some questions for the experienced players:

I like to think I'm fairly experienced, but know that I am not very skilled, so don't read my words as if they were ultimate wisdom...

#1 How do I find, recruit or summon more elite leaders. It looks like you get one automatically after a few turns but I've run into problems fighting with my pretender god (battle afflictions that can't be healed) so I've been trying to use other leaders as generals and use my pretender god as a source of finding magic sites form province ot province. Is this a good or bad tactic?

Only one nation, Ermor, gets units and commanders automagically. (I think, Pangaea theme Carrion Woods might get them too). This depends on their dominion power, the higher the dominion the more units. Most other nation can recruit independent leaders if they don't want to recruit their national ones, and Ermor can summon cheap leaders like Revenant, Mound King (not sure of the name, Ench. 2 or 3) and Bane. Also, not all nations have equal commanders. Arcoscephale has Strategos able to lead 75 normal units, while Ermor's themes' commanders can only lead 25 living units. They can lead masses of undead, though, and Ermor themes do not need living troops as much as they need the gold that goes for their upkeep.

If you want to summon leaders, the above-mentioned units are pretty good at leading undeads, Nature summon Firbolg at Conjuration 5 can lead 75 living units and all mages can lead undead and/or magical units depending on their magics.

If you want to make Super Combatants (ie. commanders equipped to kill entire armies), Firbolg is one of the better unlimited ones, as are Wraith and Vampire Lords. The unique ones are wheer the fun begins, though: Ice Devils can be gotten early, have water magic and one even starts with immunity to fire and life-draining weapon. Blood also has Father Illearth, very powerful Demon Lords at level 9, Archdevils, Heliophagii (atleast one of them is stealthy!)... Conjuration has the elemental lords and ladies, except the above-mentioned Father Illearth. Tartarian Gates at, I think, Conjuration 9 gives you undead pretenders (undead manticore, titan, naga etc. with magic(s), but most of them come with afflictions like feeble-minded and/or as normal units.
[/QB][/quote]

#2 How do I create these artifactss and uber gear everyone is talking about. I have research all branches of magic equally for the 1st 75 turns and now have lvl 5 in all branches of magic. I'm uncertain what needs to be done to create the better equipment.

Better magical items can be made by researching higher i Construction. Levels 2, 4, 6 and 8 give you access to more powerful items. Only one artifact of a spesific name can exist at any give time, so you won't be able to forge two Embers or two Monolith Armors. Not even Wish can double them, it only snags them from the previous owner.

You propably shouldn't research all the magic schools at once. Can your national mages cast spells from, say, Thaumaturgy 4? Blood 5? If not, you shouln't have researched it. There are exceptions, but they all aim for higher-level spells around which you can build strategy around. Nether Darts for Jotunheim theme which gets Nornas and Seithkonas goes as a one great example. 14+ darts giving out good, armor negating damage AND feebleminding enemies they hit with 90-gp mages available from all castles that are able to cast them...

#3 If I have over 600 of each of the gems in the game does that mean I'm doing something wrong? I really haven't empowered anyone but my pretender god and I'm not certain if that is a good or bad idea.

You should use them for something. First you need something to use them for, though. Good idea would be to summon Elemental Kings of Earth and Fire with Queens of Air and Water, that should give you few more mages to play with. Other mage-summons from Conjuration include Mound Fiends, Lamia Queens, Faerie Queens, Wraith Lords and few others. Nice monsters to summon are Abominations at Conjuration 9, Iron Dragons at Construction 9, and generally all level 9 spells are a good choice. You could experiment with Wish if you have nothing better to do, and if you want even more gem income you could cast Acashic Record on all your provinces that you haven't searched already.

#4 Why can't I build fortresses and raise province defense in the water?

Your troops do not survive under water. You have to recruit indpendent troops that survive underwater to defend those provinces. The units that can be recruited from underwater are most obvious choice.
The most land castles cannot be built in water, except by a bugged event. Dark Citadel can, I think, but I'm not sure if land nations can build even that. It propably has something to do with getting plans and architects under water alive.

#5 Re: Fortresses should I build them in every province or only in strategic areas? I have the Castle as a choice but I'm not certain how multiple fortresses benefit or hurt you when placed close together.

Choice of style. In most occassions building forts everywhere is not the best possible choice, however, because it is so expensive. There have been some discussion about this, try searching for them.

#6 Most annoying problem: How can I lose a battle with 100 troops against a neutral territory holding 4 units. One territory holds a mage and some other elite troops and I can't defeat them with my fully equipped pretnder god with over 100 troops (how can this be possible?)

Undead troops are slaughtered by priests if they have time (ie. meat shield in front of them). Units haveing fists for weapons cannot hit through Black Platemails of Ulm, except for Crusher or Golem etc. Units without shield and low protection get massacred by archers. Look that battle and see what kills your units. This game has so many possibilities in which numbers do not mean a thing.

Hope this helps. Someone has propably beated me to it, read them first.

[Tuskerlove]

Wow,

I simply can't believe how well you people know the intricacy's of this game.

I am playing Ermor (I didn't recall the name ~ I'm at work) and I was having a problem beating Bogus the Troll Raider. Anyway, all the information you just gave me was incredibly helpful and I can't wait to get home and put some of it to use. Hopefully, I'll be ready to join in on some multiplayer games in a month or so.

Thanks again Graeme Dice, Taqwus & Endoperez for taking the time to answer my questions.

[DeaconBone]

Thanks for answering these questions folks it helps us trying to learn.

[Taqwus]

Regarding Bogus and company --
If memory serves, the mage repeatedly summons Phantasmal Wolves, Bogus tends to charge and lay waste with his Wraith Sword, and the others tend to matter much less.
Bogus comes with a wraith sword -- a two-handed weapon that drains life from its victims, so that if he fights living troops he simultaneously heals and reinvigorates himself while dishing out damage. Even against nonliving troops, he regenerates anyway as a Troll Raider but in that case he can be exhausted. His hit points are high, although not astronomic; if he gets Heroic Toughness (extra HP) he can have a LOT.
The magic of either undead Ermor theme is on the limited side, usually; death, death, more death, and low-powered randoms except on the pretender, until perhaps you reach Tartarians or use your pretender to summon elemental royalty etc. Disintegrate, Rigor Mortis, Nether Darts (req Astral), Shadow BLast, perhaps even lammashastas (a death rarity in that they fly -- but be warned that they'll attack you too) may help. If you can bring in multiple death mages repeatedly casting Drain Life (plus there's a two-handed banner that can be used to cast this) you should also be able to hurt them very badly. Bringing along a Totem Shield so that the troll gang will all end up Cursed may help as well; that'll bring their chance of afflictions to something more normal. Summons-wise, be warned that the wraith sword means that Bogus will have little difficulty hitting ethereal units.