Fire

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

It is considered not terribly versatile, since most fire spells focus on doing direct fire damage; not every problem can be solved by burning it, and the lack of utility and support can be a drawback. Because of its inflexibility, many players consider it one of the weaker paths. Still, Fire can be powerful – sometimes you really do just need to burn things.

Fire's booster items are the Flame Helmet and Skull of Fire (with a 11 crosspath). In battle, any 2 mage can cast Phoenix Power to add +1 for the battle; 1 mages can also make use of the spell with 1, either from their stockpile or from their Fire in a Jar.

Its gem-generating global is Eternal Pyre, notable for its high income (20/turn) and low research level.

Of course, Fire is rather limited underwater; not to the extent of Blood, but still quite significantly. Water mages can also make Fire spells 50% more fatiguing with the Rain spell, though only in "dry" provinces that aren't cold.

Fire is mostly useful for burning things, but many fire direct damage spells are seen by many players as overrated. Fireball, for instance, has trouble hitting moving targets and can be defeated by a combination of armor and modest fire resistance, but at most only damages one square. It can be useful in niche cases but falls far short of other damaging spells.

Genuinely strong ways to deal fire damage in battle are:

• Summon Fire Elemental, which makes a size 6 Fire Elemental that can deal an enormous amount of repeated damage on the front lines. (It is so much stronger than Falling Fires, despite being similar research level, that Falling Fires is rarely cast.)
• Incinerate, a fire anti-thug spell notable for its perfect accuracy.
• Pillar of Fire, a lategame spell that does so much fire damage to a single tile that it is useful even against things with fire resistance.
• Fire Storm, which can devastate an unprepared battlefield and rapidly clears chaffy summons from Horde of Skeletons and Creeping Doom.

Flames from the Sky is a devastating late-game fire ritual spell, capable of destroying armies outside of battle (when defensive spells and most bless effects are not active).

Fire has a few other notable effects:

• On-the-spot Extra Lives can be granted to a mage by having them cast Phoenix Pyre.
• Chaos and Rage can be instilled in the hearts of men through the Thaumaturgy school, generating massive Unrest via the Raging Hearts Ritual and making foes waste attacks on each other with combat spells.
• Thugs and other elite troops can be shut down with Blindness, making them unable to hit anything, though this has a somewhat-low range.

Fire has a number of staple items. Many players use a large number of fire gems on Lightless Lanterns, a strong midgame research booster that can slingshot you into 7's and 8's faster than opponents.

Other fire themes in items include:

• Fire protection (all kinds of things)
• Morale bonuses (Fire Plate, Dragon Helm, Red Dragon Scale Mail)
• Attack boost (Burning Pearl)
• Damage to undead and demons (Holy Scourge, Flambeau)
• Fire damage on attack (Fire Brand, Carmine Cleaver)
• Fire shield (Carmine Cleaver, Charcoal Shield)

Magic
Concepts	Blood Hunting • Communions • Empowerment • Gems • Items • Magic Sites • Research
Categories	Combat Magic • Ritual Magic • Notable Spells
Paths	Fire • Air • Water • Earth • Astral • Death • Nature • Blood • Holy
Schools	Conjuration • Alteration • Evocation • Construction • Enchantment • Thaumaturgy • Blood • Divine