Earth

Earth is one of the eight Paths of magic, and one of the Elemental paths.

It is best known as a path with powerful buffs, both those that improve a large number of troops and self-buffs for thugs and supercombatants. Outside the battlefield, it has a variety of commonly-used powerful magic items as well as a line of rituals affecting forts.

Nations with strong Earth magic tend to use their magic as force multipliers, using their spells to buff troops and thugs which engage the enemy in melee, rather than relying on summons or direct damage.

There is a notable gap in utility between 1 and 2 mages. 1 mages can do little in combat; 2 mages can cast Summon Earthpower to become 3, which allows them to do many useful things (in particular cast excellent troop buffs).

Troop buffs:

• Strength of Giants can greatly increase the damage of a large number of troops. (Enchantment 3, 3, 40 fatigue)
• Legions of Steel likewise increases the protection of a large number of troops if they are wearing armor. (Construction 3, 3, 40 fatigue)
• Marble Warriors increases the natural protection of a large number of troops. (Alteration 6, 3, 100 fatigue and 1)
• Iron Warriors significantly increases the natural protection of one square of troops. (Alteration 5, 2, 40 fatigue)
• Weapons of Sharpness allows a large number of troops to cut through armor easily, but requires a powerful caster to use (Construction 7, 5, 20 fatigue)
• Iron Will increases a small number of troops' magic resistance (Thaumaturgy 3, 1, 20 fatigue)
• Army of Gold and Army of Lead (Alteration 9, 5, 300 fatigue, 3) greatly increase an entire army's protection and grant other resistances, but add vulnerability to lightning

Self-buffs:

• Ironskin (Alteration 3, 1, 20 fatigue) and Stoneskin (Alteration 2, 1, 10 fatigue) increase protection but decrease shock or cold resistance
• Temper Flesh gives physical resistance and fire resistance (Alteration 4, 1, 20 fatigue)
• Summon Earthpower (Conjuration 3, 3, 20 fatigue) gives reinvigoration and +1 to the caster's Earth path. This is cast by many earth mages to enhance further spellcasting and by thugs to grant reinvigoration.

Earth magic can do a variety of other things. Some notable spells are Earth Meld and Maws of the Earth (disable and damage enemy troops), Earthquake (battlefield wipe), Blade Wind (shred lightly-armored troops), and Petrify.

As with the other elemental paths, Earth can Summon Earth Elemental; earth elementals are often weaker than the other types because of their low mobility.

Earth has a series of rituals that affect forts. It can:

• Create forts (Wizard's Tower)
• Reinforce them (Iron Walls)
• Breach them (Crumble)

These spells are particularly useful in "crunch time" throne-rush situations.

Another notable Earth ritual is Earth Attack, a remote-assassination spell.

Earth has a few notable summons. The most commonly-used are:

• Summon Cave Grubs, to generate siege chaff
• Troll King's Court, which creates an army of trolls led by a Troll King, a physically-powerful 3
• King of Elemental Earth, which gives one of two unique 5 mages

Earth is also known as a forging path with a variety of useful items. A few standouts include:

• Dwarven Hammer, to make everything else cheaper
• Greatsword of Sharpness, a powerful anti-thug weapon
• Armor of Knights, cheap and strong armor
• Girdle of Might, a misc-slot reinvigoration item that also adds strength
• Main Gauche of Parrying, useful to make defense thugs
• Bracers of Protection, useful for increasing protection even more
• Earth Boots, an accessible earth booster
• Gate Cleaver, suitable for chopping up forts and protection-thugs alike

There are some very powerful crosspath forging options as well:

• Crystal Coin, Crystal Matrix, Slave Matrix, and Crystal Shield, in earth/astral
• Elemental Armor, Fire Brand, and Shield of Gleaming Gold, in earth/fire
• Dancing Shield in earth/air
• Kithaironic Lion Pelt, in earth/nature

Magic
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Schools	Conjuration • Alteration • Evocation • Construction • Enchantment • Thaumaturgy • Blood • Divine