From Dominions 5 Manual note on the inspiration for Vanheim, Helheim, Niefelheim, Jotunheim, Midgård, Vaettiheim, and Utgård:

These are all nations sprung from old Norse myth. The Poetic Edda and some later tales, combined with general conceptions of Iron Age Scandinavia, are the main sources. Vanir, Aesir and Giants are ancient antagonists in these myths. The Aesir, being perceived as gods, have been made pretenders in Dominions. Not that Vanir weren't, but they seem less so than the Aesir in most instances. As with most nations of supernatural origin, it seems fitting that their magic fades with each passing age as humans become more and more numerous. Niefelheim, Jotunheim, and Utgård are part of the history of a single nation through the ages.

Jotunheim is a nation of Jotun giants and Vaetti goblins. Their troops are all resistant to cold, but giant troops suffer from lightning vulnerability.

Jotunheim excels at thugging with their excellent Skrattir and they have a lot of sorcery access. Vaetti researchers and troops are recruitable in any forest. Setting up a blood economy with Jotunheim is relatively easy.

Jotunheim's expensive giant lineup may seem intimidating but the low attack density of giants is actually a liability. Combining Jotun and Vaetti troops can help improve on this weakness. Jotunheim doesn't have much access to elemental magic paths other than water and a tiny bit of air.

Being the descendants of Frost Giants, Jotunheim has a national preference for +2 cold. Their longdead Reanimation will mix in Longdead Giants with normal undead.

Races	Troops	Magic	Priests	Buildings
Frost Giants: Cold Resistance (15) Shock Vulnerable (5) Snow Move Unit Size 4 Vaetti Cold Resistance (5) Stealthy (40) Unit Size 1	Recruited Giant Heavy Infantry Sacred Giants Giant Werewolves Boulder-Throwing Siege Giants Vaetti Troops	3 (Uncommon 4, Rare 5) 2 (Uncommon 3, Rare 4) 3 (Uncommon 4, Rare 5) 3 (Uncommon 4, Rare 5) 3 National Summon 4 (Rare 5) (Requires 32 + 53)	2 Priests Dominion Spreads Cold (Max 1)	Giant Forts (castle) hold extra food

Jotunheim's cold preference clearly shows in their troop lineup. Most recruitable units come with a natural cold resistance and snow move, which gives a sizeable strategic advantage while fighting in cold. Worth noting is also the inherent weakness to shock for all giant troops. While Jotunheim's mages and communions can mitigate this weakness with Elemental Fortitude, the lack of significant earth and air magic leaves troops vulnerable.

Their troops break down into two branches. On one hand, Jotunheim has access to hard-hitting, durable size 4 giants. On the other hand, there are the Vaetti, who offer a high attack density as they are only size 1. Both branches complement each other and in general give the best result when combined, as the giants can deliver damage even through tough protection, while the Vaetti increase the overall attack density. However, the non-wolf riding Vaetti lack snow move and are only map move 10, whereas even the most heavily-armored Jotuns are map move 12 and have snow move. This means that Vaetti (on foot) can significantly slow down Jotunheim's armies, at least in friendly territory.

The priests are only mediocre, as Jotunheim has no access to 3 priests and, while not expensive they come without any special properties, although they are quite durable compared to human priests. Similarly, their commanders do not stand out, as the highest leadership commanders only have 80. Notable though is the Jotun Jarl for being an 1 Priest as well as a decent leader, enabling him to lead smaller groups of sacred units early on.

Jotunheim's mages are more focused on sorcery paths, gaining good access to Death, Nature and Blood Magic, and some Astral, while the Jotun Skratti adds strong water magic. Skrattir is also the star unit when it comes to the commanders of Jotunheim, as they perform very well in different roles. They are shapeshifters and gain 10% regeneration in werewolf form, which makes them very good thugs with some equipment. This ability also enables turbo communions, which is one of the strong suits of Jotunheim.

You get a large spread of Sorcery and Water paths.

Jotun Skratti and your Neifl Giants is your water access. The two main boosters grants 5/ 6 before communions.

Jarnvidja is your master Sorceror. She gets a wide random spread so uncommon paths, not about 3.

Astral is more common as 3 with Skullcap. or uncommonly 4. With Ether Lords being a more reliable.

Jarnvidja can make 3 / 4 with Skull Staff, and some rare crucomstance like often by Twiceborning, they can reach 6 with a Skullface

Get access to a lot of nature booster, starting with a 2 / 3. Can make Thistle Mace/Treelord's Staff, Moonvine Bracelet, and Armor of Twisting Thorns for a 6 / 7 Jarnvidja.

again Jarnvidja can be naturally 3 / 4, and get access to 4 different boosters.

You do have some summon to break into paths. Spectral Mage and Troll Shamans can get your foot wet in the earth for at lest the minimum purposes of forging.

Faery Queen Grants you Access to 3.

At the lategame one in 4 of the Heliophagus can get you to 4. and Tartarians Do Gain large access to paths.

Combat

• MA Jotunheim does not have any national combat spells.

Ritual

• Conjuration 3 2 for 13: Summon Glosos ( Gloso×9)
  Trampling, sacred, poisonous, stealthy boars with a heat aura. Trampling can counter some very high protection values like those of Ulm.
• Conjuration 3 2 for 8: Sloth of Bears ( Great Bear×7)
  Undisciplined animals with low attack density but a lot of strength. Makes decent siege chaff.
• Conjuration 4 2 for 15: Awaken Jotun Draugar ( Jotun Draug×3)
  Undead medium-heavy infantry with fear, very high hitpoints and a cold aura. Transforms into a size 5 Jotun Draug under 40 HP. Comparable to Wights; a bit more expensive, but the fear aura gives the Jotun Draugar significant utility when mixed into front lines.
• Conjuration 4 2 for 10: Brood of Garm ( Jotun Wolf×5)
  Giant, sacred, stealthy wolves with fear. Useful to supplement numbers during a early war, though Jotunheim has many other uses for nature gems.
• Conjuration 5 2 for 5: Summon Rimvaettir ( Rimvaetti×5+)
  Size 1 light infantry with a cold aura. Fairly gem and mage turn-efficient, can add extra fatigue threat to front lines.
• Conjuration 8 43 for 62: Summon Dwarf of the Four Directions
  Summons one of the four Dwarves of the Four Directions, powerful mages who have significant combat, ritual-casting and forging capabilities. Also increases the likelihood of hurricanes ravaging the world for each dwarf summoned. If all four dwarves are alive at once, then every battle takes place in darkness and under perpetual storm.

• Thaumaturgy 5 11 for 3: Seith Curse
  Inflicts curse on the target and the caster, countered by high magic resistance. Very expensive, but can cripple thugs/supercombatants.
  

• Blood 6 53 for 120 : Illwinter
  Cause the world to grow colder, increases unrest slowly, and enemies get raided by Niefel Giants and Jotun wolves. Allows Niefel Giants to be recruited from forts; 2 from the capital and 1 from any other fort.
• Blood 6 32 for 86: Winter's Call ( Niefel Jarl×1). Can only be cast if Illwinter is active.
  Summons a 3221100%
  10% Niefel Jarl. A good supercombatant chassis and eminently affordable with a decent blood economy.

Like EA Niefelheim and LA Utgård, MA Jotunheim can also make use of powerful Skratti turbo communions. Two Skratti Sabbath Slaves (maybe four or more for critical battles) can support several Gygja Sabbath Masters chain-casting Horde of Skeletons for near-infinite amounts of chaff. Skellyspam combined with Foul Vapors, Rigor Mortis and Relief (also in the Enchantment school!) make midgame Jotunheim communions difficult to fight without battlefield wipes (e.g. Fire Storm) or well-placed evocations. Have a master cast Elemental Fortitude and Personal Regeneration, and hit the Skrattir with Enlarge for extra durability, and use evocation bait to protect communion mages from being sniped.

Nature Skratti are particularly important for their ability to cast Foul Vapors (with a Thistle Mace), as well as providing access to the dreaded physmoss combo (Liquid Body + Mossbody). They can be made very difficult to kill with minimal gear, and can even wipe entire armies if they are unprepared for a mini Foul Vapors supercombatant.

• Construction 2 11 for 44 instead of 55: Duskdagger
  A strong counter-thug weapon due to its armor-negating properties and ability to cause Profuse Bleeding.

• Jotunheim natively has the ability to construct some useful gear for its Skratti thugs, though the lack of earth is somewhat limiting. Example gear might include: Vine Shield, Horror Helmet, Ranger's Boots/Boots of the Messenger, etc.

This is probably the most difficult section to get consensus for. Describe how strong the nation is during expansion, the early, mid and late game, and what makes it strong/weak at each of those points. This should give readers an idea of where the weaknesses of a nation lie (if they have not been shown already) and when to take advantage of a nation's strengths.

List some example expansion strategies here. If a strong bless or pretender is required then leave the specifics for the pretender section.

List some example pretender builds. Try to use the following format to keep authorship and pretender design rationale clear.

One obvious build for Jotunheim is an awake Irminsul with a regeneration bless. Your sacred units have big HP pools so regeneration works well on them.

Jotunheim has a pricey troop lineup so a good scales build can help you afford more. An obvious option would be some kind of imprisoned immobile which would allow you to take whatever kind of utility bless you need and have plenty left over for scales.

Dominions 5 Nation Overview - MA Jotunheim by Perun (2021)

Nations
Early Ages	Arcoscephale • Ermor • Ulm • Marverni • Sauromatia • T'ien Ch'i • Machaka • Mictlan • Abysia • Caelum • C'tis • Pangaea • Agartha • Tir na n'Og • Fomoria • Vanheim • Helheim • Niefelheim • Rus • Kailasa • Lanka • Yomi • Hinnom • Ur • Berytos • Xibalba • Mekone • Ubar • Atlantis • R'lyeh • Pelagia • Oceania • Therodos
Middle Ages	Arcoscephale • Ermor • Sceleria • Pythium • Man • Eriu • Ulm • Marignon • Mictlan • T'ien Ch'i • Machaka • Agartha • Abysia • Caelum • C'tis • Pangaea • Asphodel • Vanheim • Jotunheim • Vanarus • Bandar Log • Shinuyama • Ashdod • Uruk • Nazca • Xibalba • Phlegra • Phaeacia • Ind • Na'ba • Atlantis • R'lyeh • Pelagia • Oceania • Ys
Late Ages	Arcoscephale • Pythium • Lemuria • Man • Ulm • Marignon • Mictlan • T'ien Ch'i • Jomon • Agartha • Abysia • Caelum • C'tis • Pangaea • Midgård • Utgård • Bogarus • Patala • Gath • Ragha • Xibalba • Phlegra • Vaettiheim • Atlantis • R'lyeh • Erytheia