Teach me how to use mages!

[Foodstamp]

I have been playing Dominions 3 nonstop and loving every minute of it. But to be honest, the arcane is very arcane to me.

I dabble in magic, summoning creatures from the conjuration line. My earth mages cast bladewind, and my wind mages cast lightning bolts, but I feel like the true power of magic in dominions eludes me.

My games against the AI atm usually result in me massing troops I have been creating since the beginning of the game and beating my opponents with superior numbers (and or) better troops.

I would love to branch out strategically and learn how to make mages that can truly rain death on my enemies, or groups of mages that can accomplish these goals.

So if you would, tell me what mage/spells you like to use to make a powerful mage or force of mages!

[UninspiredName]

Well, if you're using the demo the game doesn't really give you a chance to do much meaningful with magic, since most of the stuff is higher-level. (In fact, I'm convinced from reading the spell list that the really cool spells start coming at level 5.) I find the main key is experimentation. At the moment, I'm trying to create an army of pure dryads (Ethereal and Awe mean that few would dare hit them, or so my theory goes) using Call Wood Spirits and Gift of Reason.

As for mages that 'rain death', you'd be amazed at the destructive might of five mages casting Raise Skeletons, though that's all I really know as far as combat magic goes. Off the battlefield you can get a lot from casting Twiceborn on all of your Death Mages and sending them to suicide. That gives you Wight Mages, which can 'train' 8-10 undead units each for no cost each turn. Get five or so Wight Mages, and it adds up. Especially in the demo, mages aren't much on their own. A large chunk of mages that know Call of the Wild or Arouse Hunger can launch surprise attacks from halfway across the map. Blood Magic has some really powerful summons and really fun ways of messing with your foe, but none of that comes in until post-demo levels. Astral also has some really cool stuff, but again not in the demo. I don't really know anything about Fire, Water and Wind, (Though they seem pretty useless in comparison to the others) and only a bit about Earth. (Though they seem pretty solid)

Yes, I know, lots of 'in the demo's. I'd give you a wider range of information if I could.

[Foodstamp]

Thanks for the tips! I think I am looking more for strategies to blow stuff up than summoning. That is pretty much all I use magic for now is summoning and late game enchantments/armor crafting.

For once I would like to play a game where I mass mages and reign some sort of magical death on the battlefield.

[CharonJr]

Well, 5-10 mages who a casting Bladewind (Evo4, E3, 42 projectiles from each cast IIRC) with some precision are a sight to behold in the early age (due to fairly low armor on most troops).

CharonJr

[UninspiredName]

Blood Magic gets some sort of tough attack spells before the demo ends, but that's all I can think of aside from your generic attack spells. As for less attack-y options, Earth Magic has a spell that stops enemies from moving, and one that can boost the strength of an entire bunched-together army. I think they're Enchantment.

EDIT: Oh! How could I forget! There's a nature/death (I think) spell that causes a rain of toads to fall on any province, within the demo limits. Literally, raining death!

[Twan]

If you have the full game there are spells affecting the entire battlefield and doing dammage to non protected troops.

In example you can give a staff of storms to an air mage (or cast a storm spell) and make him cast resist lightning then wrathfull skies. It's the best spell if you want to see a mage destroying an entire army (but it will affect all troops not having a resistance against lightning, including yours).

There are also the same kind of spells in other paths, fire storm (use fire fend/warriors of muspelheim to protect your troops before casting it). Foul vapors for poison, grip of winter for cold (doing stun damage).

All these spells are the best way to win assymetric wars (especially against the AIs), a mage alone (or better with a little army of troops immune to his element) can with some gems destroy hundreds of unprotected soldiers.

[Agrajag]

Well, if you want to rain death on your enemies, just research some Evocation.
Try Nether Darts, its really fun

[Nerfix]

Banefire.

[KissBlade]

To use mages correctly, you must learn range and placement on battlefield accordingly. Then recognize how spells such as buffs target, for example, body ethereal seems like it only targets the caster but it actually effects troops close by as well. Then learn which ones are magic resistable, armor negating, etc. This way you can script the most effective spell against your armies accordingly. Different nation's mages fulfill different spell needs, for example, Ryleh focuses upon Soul Slay, Enslave Mind while remote assassinating with Mind Hunts and Dreams. Caelum uses Lightning Bolts and Falling Frosts, Ermor, Nether Bolt, Nether Darts, Summon skeletons. It's hard to just give one overall general strategy for mages other than evocation has the bulk of battle magic. However,battle magic isn't always the most important school to learn, just as often you'll need buff spells, summons, boosters, etc. Which nation have you been using currently?

[NickW]

I think the bottom line that a lot of new dom players don't get is that outside of a few very specific strategies there isn't much of a place for mages on the battlefield. Just tacking a mage onto an army without a plan is basically worthless, which is counterintuitive for people who are used to mages being badasses in other fantasy games.

Mages are generally only useful if you have a battle plan built around a specific spell or two, and a good supply of gems for the commander.