Original guide can be found here
This guide is significantly derived from the work of Telos’ guide for Dominions 4 path boosting which in turn has drawn upon Sector24’s guide for Dominions 3. That in turn was transcribed from occult ancient Sumerian stone carvings. Special thanks to Nunnullus and Althaea for additional suggestions and edits. Additional special thanks to youtuber Attica and their video Dominions 5 - Magic Path Boosting & Diversity Guide which talked about some stuff missed in v1 of this document. Red_Rob has written a similar guide for the game with the Dominions Enhanced mod.
For any typos or errors in path levels or gem values feel free to comment on the google doc. Anymore significant suggested alterations please submit via email at melficebelmont@gmail.com or discord at MelficeBelmont#1431
This guide is designed to point out the commonly available ways that magic paths can be boosted and suggest which ones are useful and viable. This means that using specific throne or site recruitment, national spells or items will not be discussed in this guide. Additionally, most things with less than a 10% chance of getting the paths needed will be skipped, since that list is rather extensive and getting them in a reasonable time frame is not guaranteed. Communions are a common means to boost paths in combat but there are guides specific to that feature so it will not be delved into in depth here either. Lastly, only relevant summons will be included so anything that requires a higher path access than it results in will be omitted.
Universal/Sorcerous/Elemental Boosters and other unique path boosting options
2-hand
Path: 4
4
Path: 4
4
Construction 6
Cost: 2525
Cost: 2525
Staff of Elemental Mastery
+1 Elemental paths
Good target for rainbow pretenders to forge.
Misc
Path: 3
1
Construction 6
Cost: 155
The Copper Arm
This doesn’t boost in of itself but potentially allows more boosters on a single mage, an example being in Nature with a Thistle Mace and a Treelord's Staff
Misc
Path: 6
Construction 6
Cost: 60
Ring of Sorcery
+1 Sorcery paths
Getting both a Ring of Wizardry and a Ring of Sorcery is generally too expensive in pearls to be reasonable for most games.
Misc
Path: 7
Construction 6
Cost: 80
Ring of Wizardry
+1 All paths
Getting both a Ring of Wizardry and a Ring of Sorcery is generally too expensive in pearls to be reasonable for most games.
Armor
Path: 5
5
Construction 6
Cost: 4040
Robe of the Magi
+1 All paths
5% Horror Mark chance
Two-handed
Path: 4
3
Construction 8
Cost: 2515
The Sword of Many Colors
+1 Elemental paths
Artifact
Misc
Path: 6
Construction 8
Cost: 60
The First Anvil
+1 All paths when forging items
Artifact
Ritual
Path: 4
Thaumaturgy 5
Cost: 20
Gift of Reason
Upgrade various units to commanders for access
Ritual
Path: 5
Thaumaturgy 7
Cost: 25
Divine Name
Upgrade various units to commanders for access
Global Ritual
Path: 5
Construction 7
Cost: 80
Forge of the Ancients
Global that gives your mages 20% forge discount & +1 to all paths when forging items.
Ritual
Path: 9
Alteration 9
Cost: 100
Wish
Capable of summoning various commanders or forging boosters. See Wish
Ritual
Path: 7
Conjuration 9
Cost: 10
Tartarian Gate
Various paths on great chassis, but with afflictions, insanity, and only 20% are commanders.
Misc
Path: 1
1
Construction 4
Cost: 55
Crystal Matrix
Makes a mage a Communion Master at the beginning of combat
Misc
Path: 1
1
Construction 4
Cost: 55
Slave Matrix
Makes a mage a Communion Slave at the beginning of combat
Shield
Path: 3
2
Construction 2
Cost: 1510
Crystal Shield
Casts Power of the Spheres at the beginning of combat
Combat spell
Path: 1
Conjuration 3
Cost: 1
Power of the Spheres
+1 all paths
Self buff. Will affect communion slaves.
Combat spell
Path: 3
Blood 3
Cost: 3
Hell Power
+2 all paths
Causes horror marks on casters
Self buff, will affect communions slaves
Fire is one of the hardest paths to break into, and one of the hardest paths to boost to high levels once you do break in. The Fire/Death crosspath really helps in getting into the higher paths of fire, or you can use the unique high-level blood summons a little later in the game. Without those, you can find yourself stuck at 2 or
3. All that being said, high-level fire is rarely a significant factor in the vanilla game.
Misc
Path: 1
1
Construction 6
Cost: 55
Skull of Fire
+1 Fire
Helmet
Path: 4
Construction 4
Cost: 25
Flame Helmet
+1 Fire
Misc
Path: 5
1
Construction 8
Cost: 405
The Staff from the Sun
+1 Fire
Artifact
Misc
Path: 3
Construction 8
Cost: 15
The Ruby Eye
+1 Fire
Artifact. Cursed.
Misc
Path: 4
4
Construction 8
Cost: 4040
The Forbidden Light
+2 Fire +2 Astral.
50% horror mark chance, cursed, horror assassinations regardless of horror marks and mindless status.
Artifact. Cursed.
Commander
Lab
Garnet Sorceress
Mage with 1
1
010%
Ritual
Path: 3
Conjuration 6
Cost: 30
Summon Flame Spirit
Summons an 3 Flame Spirit
Ritual
Path: 5
Conjuration 8
Cost: 50
King of Elemental Fire
Summons one of two unique mages: Pyriphlogos - King of Flames or Rhuax - King of Magma
One is 5, the other is
5
1
Ritual
Path: 3
4
Conjuration 8
Cost: 50
King of Banefires
Summons Antrax - King of Banefires a unique 4
3 mage
Ritual
Path: 3
1
Enchantment 6
Cost: 75
Hidden in Sand
Summons 1 or more Dust Priests, with 2
2
2
3200%
50%
50% with an army.
Needs a wasteland.
Ritual
Path: 4
2
Blood 7
Cost: 99
Bind Arch Devil
Summons 1 of 5 unique mages: Furcas - Arch Devil, Ethanim - Arch Devil, Buriol - Arch Devil, Magoth - Arch Devil or Igarak - Arch Devil.
4 out of 5 are 4
1 out of 5 is 3
3
Ritual
Path: 5
Blood 8
Cost: 111
Bind Heliophagus
Summons 1 of 4 unique mages.
1 out of 4 is the 4
3 Amaimon - Heliophagus
Ritual
Path: 8
Blood 9
Cost: 150
Bind Demon Lord
Summons 1 of 6 unique mages.
3 out of 6 are 4 with crosspaths,
1 out of 6 is 5
Misc
Path: 5
4
Construction 8
Cost: 4025
The Magic Lamp
Destroy to summon Al Khazim - Jinn, a 5
5
3
3 mage.
Is unsummoned if the Lamp is recreated.
Artifact
Combat
Path: 2
Conjuration 3
Phoenix Power
+1 Fire
Self buff. Will affect communion slaves.
Air is a difficult path to boost, though there are some options to get low access. 4 is needed to climb to high levels and the only out of path possibility for this is summoning with Bind Demon Lord. Faery Queen gets close with it's
3 but needs another +1 air to start climbing the ladder for which universal and elemental boosters can come in handy. High path air is quite significant with powerful battlefield spells (Fog Warriors, Mass Flight) and a few useful globals (e.g. Dark Skies). Storms, crystal gear, and communions can play a large factor in usage of air magic since the combat magic is so useful.
Helm
Path: 4
Construction 4
Cost: 25
Winged Helmet
+1 Air
Misc
Path: 5
Construction 4
Cost: 40
Bag of Winds
+1 Air
Misc
Path: 2
2
Construction 8
Cost: 1010
Tome of High Power
+1 Air +1 Astral
5% horror mark chance.
All ritual range +2.
Artifact. Cursed.
Commander
Lab
Deer Tribe Shaman
Mage with 1
010%
Commander
Lab
Crystal Sorceress
Mage with 1
1
010%
Commander
Lab
Bone Reader
Mage with 1
1100%
Ritual
Path: 5
Conjuration 8
Cost: 40
Faerie Court
Summons a Faery Queen, a 3
3 mage with a small entourage.
* This is exceptionally good, requiring no initial air for 3
Ritual
Path: 5
Conjuration 8
Cost: 50
Queen of Elemental Air
Summons 1 of 3 unique mages: Aella - Queen of Storms, Nephele - Queen of Clouds or Thuella - Queen of Thunder
All are 5
Ritual
Path: 8
Blood 9
Cost: 150
Bind Demon Lord
Summons 1 of 6 unique mages.
1 in 6, Pazuzu - Lord of the Plague Wind, is 5
3
4
Misc
Path: 5
4
Construction 8
Cost: 4025
The Magic Lamp
Destroy to summon a 5
5
3
3 mage.
Is unsummoned if the Lamp is recreated.
Artifact
Combat
Path: 1
Conjuration 3
Summon Storm Power
+1 Air while a Storm is in effect
Self buff. Will affect communion slaves.
Combat
Path: 4
Evocation 5
Cost: 1
Storm
Creates a Storm on the battlefield
Misc
Path: 5
Construction 6
Cost: 40
Staff of Storms
Cast Storm at the start of battle.
Global Ritual
Path: 5
Evocation 6
Cost: 70
Perpetual Storm
Every battlefield is affected by Storm while global is up.
Water is the easiest path to boost up high. With 2 it is pretty easy to ladder all the way up the path. Getting
2 can be easily achieved with death access and even empowering from
1 to
2 is affordable at 30
. Water as a solo path is not especially effective for land combat but has some excellent spells to support armies and thugs or counter specific threats. It goes without saying that underwater, water magic is king. Between water’s relatively low entry cost and utility it is almost always worth spending the time to break into the path to some degree or another.
Armor
Path: 3
Construction 4
Cost: 15
Robe of the Sea
+1 Water
Misc
Path: 1
Construction 6
Cost: 5
Water Bracelet
+1 Water
Misc
Path: 4
1
Construction 8
Cost: 255
Orb of Atlantis
+1 Water
Artifact
Misc
Path: 2
2
Construction 8
Cost: 1010
Trident from Beyond
+1 Water
Artifact
Commander
Lab
Ichtyid Shaman
Mage with 1
010%
Commander
Lab
Jade Sorceress
Mage with 1
1
025%
Commander
Temple, Lab
Merrow Druid
Mage with 1
1
1. UW recruit
Many undead and inanimate units can go UW
Some air items allow UW access
Ritual
Path: 3
1
Conjuration 5
Cost: 35
Contact Naiad
Summons a 3
3 Naiad with Homesickness.
Ritual
Path: 3
Conjuration 6
Cost: 22
Summon Spectre
Summons a 1
2100%
100% Spectral Mage.
Ritual
Path: 5
2
Conjuration 6
Cost: 25
Contact Lamia Queen
Summons a 2
1
2100%
100% Lamia Queen.
Ritual
Path: 3
Conjuration 6
Cost: 55
Sea King's Court
Summons a 3 Sea King with an army.
Expensive upkeep
Ritual
Path: 4
1
Conjuration 6
Cost: 40
Streams from Hades
Summons a 3
3 Kokythiad.
Unusual case in which a summon with lower paths than the summoning spell is useful due to combining Water boosters.
Ritual
Path: 5
Conjuration 8
Cost: 50
Queen of Elemental Water
Summons 1 of 3 5 mages: Limne - Queen of the Lake, Thalassa - Queen of the Sea or Bathusma - Queen of the Deeps
Must be cast Underwater.
Ritual
Path: 3
3
Blood 6
Cost: 88
Bind Ice Devil
Summons 1 of 6 unique mages.
1 of 6 is 2 .
3 of 6 is 3 .
1 of 6 is 3
3 .
1 of 6 is 3
2 .
Combat
Path: 1
Conjuration 2
Summon Water Power
+1 Water
Only functions Underwater.
Self buff. Will affect communion slaves.
Earth is only moderately difficult to achieve the highest paths in, with 2 hurdles, one at 1 to
2 and another at
4 to
5. The 2nd of these is not a major hindrance as some of the best buffs in the game don’t need higher than an
4 mage and extra gems. High earth paths are often taken on pretenders, simplifying the boosting process, since expanders benefit greatly from the innate buff to protection for having
4 or higher and the early self buffs available, and earth has some valuable bless options. The Blood-Earth crosspath really smooths out the difficulties of reaching high earth and they synergise also with some powerful summons. If one has any sort of native earth access there is very good reason to get at least medium earth access by late game for the powerful army buffs. Achieving
3 early can reward quite handsomely by allowing the forging of the extremely useful Dwarven Hammer.
Feet
Path: 2
Construction 4
Cost: 10
Earth Boots
+1 Earth
Misc
Path: 3
2
Construction 4
Cost: 1510
Blood Stone
+1 Earth
Armor
Path: 4
1
Construction 8
Cost: 255
Pebble Skin Suit
+1 Earth
Artifact. Cursed.
Misc
Path: 5
5
Construction 8
Cost: 4040
Atlas of Creation
+1 Earth +1 Astral +1 Nature
Artifact
Misc
Path: 2
2
Construction 8
Cost: 1010
The Tome of Gaia
+1 Earth +1 Nature
Artifact
Commander
Lab
Bear Tribe Shaman
Mage with 1
010%
Commander
Lab
Bone Reader
Mage with 1
1100%
Commander
Lab
Onyx Sorceress
Mage with 1
1
010%
Commander
Temple, Lab
Merrow Druid
Mage with 1
1
1. UW recruit
Many undead and inanimate units can go UW
Some air items allow UW access
Ritual
Path: 3
Conjuration 6
Cost: 22
Summon Spectre
Summons a 1
2100%
100% Spectral Mage.
Ritual
Path: 3
Conjuration 6
Cost: 55
Troll King's Court
Summons a 3 Troll King with an army.
Expensive upkeep
Ritual
Path: 3
Conjuration 6
Cost: 37
Forest Troll Tribe
Summons a 1
1
1100%
Troll Shaman with an army.
Expensive upkeep. Cheaper to cast than the Hidden in Sand/Snow
Ritual
Path: 5
Conjuration 8
Cost: 50
King of Elemental Earth
Summons 1 of 2 5 mages: Oreigenes - King of Mountains or Barathrus - King of Deeper Earth
Ritual
Path: 5
Conjuration 8
Cost: 50
King of Elemental Fire
Summons 1 of 2 mages.
1 of 2 is 5
1: Rhuax - King of Magma
Ritual
Path: 3
1
Enchantment 6
Cost: 75
Hidden in Sand
Summons 1 or more 2
2
2
3200%
50%
50% Dust Priest with an army.
Needs a wasteland. Expensive!
Ritual
Path: 3
1
Enchantment 6
Cost: 75
Hidden in Snow
Summons 1 or more 1
450%
50%
50%
50%
50%
50%
50%
50% Unfrozen Mage with an army.
Needs mountains, unreliable. Expensive!
Ritual
Path: 5
Enchantment 7
Cost: 35
Enchant Treelord
Summons 1 of 3 mages.
1 of 3 is 1
4
Ritual
Path: 3
4
Blood 7
Cost: 85
Father Illearth
Summons 1 of 1 unique 4
3 mage.
Ritual
Path: 8
Blood 9
Cost: 150
Bind Demon Lord
Summons 1 of 6 unique mages.
1 of 6 is 4
4
4 .
Misc
Path: 5
4
Construction 8
Cost: 4025
The Magic Lamp
Destroy to summon a 5
5
3
3 mage.
Is unsummoned if the Lamp is recreated.
Artifact
Combat
Path: 2
Conjuration 3
Summon Earthpower
+1 Earth
Self buff. Will affect communion slaves.
High path access for astral is one of the hardest to get without native high access or pretender access. 4 →
5 and
5 →
6 tend to be difficult leaps, generally needing either blood and a variety of crosspaths or some unique items and global or mix of the two. High astral can have some of the best payoff for reaching it since late game it has a few powerful tools that make it particularly threatening and it is helpful when boosting other paths. If designing a pretender with astral consider
6 or higher for both the help with the ring of wizardry and the protection it affords against magic duel. Additionally when taking a rainbow or blood pretender consider at least
4
4 for easy access to robe of magi. Even when it is not feasible to try for high astral access it can be worthwhile to go to some extra effort to get a few low astral mages since astral itself is counter to some of the tools in its kit.
Misc
Path: 2
2
Construction 4
Cost: 1010
Crystal Coin
+1 Astral
Misc
Path: 2
Construction 6
Cost: 10
Starshine Skullcap
+1 Astral
1-hand
Path: 3
Construction 8
Cost: 15
Dimensional Rod
+1 Astral
5% horror mark chance .
Artifact. Cursed.
Misc
Path: 2
2
Construction 8
Cost: 1010
Tome of High Power
+1 Air +1 Astral
5% horror mark chance.
Artifact. Cursed.
Misc
Path: 4
4
Construction 8
Cost: 4040
The Forbidden Light
+2 Fire +2 Astral.
50% horror mark chance, cursed, horror assassinations regardless of horromarks and mindless status.
Artifact. Cursed.
Misc
Path: 5
5
Construction 8
Cost: 4040
Atlas of Creation
+1 Earth +1 Astral +1 Nature
Artifact
Commander
Lab
Crystal Sorceress
Mage with 1
1
010%
Commander
Lab
Lizard Shaman
Mage with 1
1
Ritual
Path: 3
Conjuration 6
Cost: 22
Summon Spectre
Summons a 1
2100%
100% mage.
Ritual
Path: 4
1
Conjuration 6
Cost: 90
Ether Gate
Summons an 3
2
1100%
mage with an entourage.
Ridiculous amount of pearls for what you get. Unadvised for boosting.
Ritual
Path: 3
1
Enchantment 6
Cost: 75
Hidden in Sand
Summons 1 or more 2
2
2
3200%
50%
50% with an army.
Needs a wasteland. Expensive!
Ritual
Path: 3
1
Enchantment 6
Cost: 75
Hidden Underneath
Summons 1 or more 1
2
350%
50%
50%
50%
50%
50% with an army.
Needs cave. Hidden in Sand is more likely to get an 2. Expensive!
Ritual
Path: 3
3
Blood 6
Cost: 88
Bind Ice Devil
Summons 1 of 6 unique mages.
1 of 6 is 2 .
3 of 6 is 3 .
1 of 6 is 3
3 .
1 of 6 is 3
2 .
Ritual
Path: 4
2
Blood 7
Cost: 99
Bind Arch Devil
Summons 1 of 5 unique mages.
1 of 5 is 3
3
Ritual
Path: 8
Blood 9
Cost: 150
Bind Demon Lord
Summons 1 of 6 unique mages.
1 of 6 is 4
3
5 .
Misc
Path: 5
4
Construction 8
Cost: 4025
The Magic Lamp
Destroy to summon a 5
5
3
3 mage.
Is unsummoned if the Lamp is recreated.
Artifact
Combat
Path: 3
Conjuration 4
Cost: 2
Light of the Northern Star
+1 Astral
Applies to all astral mages on the battlefield
2-hand
Path: 4
Construction 6
Cost: 25
Banner of the Northern Star
Cast Light of the Northern Star at the start of battle
Combat
Path: 1
Conjuration 3
Cost: 1
Light of the Northern Star
+1 all paths
self buff (will affect communion slaves)
rementioned from universal due to how common it is for boosting combat path
Getting 5 access and above is a bit more difficult generally requiring empowerment, lucky Twiceborn, or a pretender of
4 or above. Getting up to
4 is reasonably simple from
2 or with
2
1 Stream of Hades or a little more expensive
2
1 Hidden in Sand. The
2
1 is especially useful with Streams from Hades allowing a mage with water boosters to summon a
3 mage using only water gems. Achieving
2-
4 allows for some of the best priced summons in the game in and out of combat so can be well worth the time.
2-Hand
Path: 2
Construction 4
Cost: 10
Skull Staff
+1 Death
Helmet
Path: 5
Construction 6
Cost: 40
Skullface
+1 Death
1-hand
Path: 6
Construction 8
Cost: 60
Sceptre of Dark Regency
+2 Death
Artifact
Misc
Path: 2
2
Construction 8
Cost: 1010
The Black Book of Secrets
+1 Death +1 Blood
Artifact
Commander
Lab
Wolf Tribe Shaman
Mage with 1
010%
Commander
Lab
Bone Reader
Mage with 1
1100%
Commander
Lab
Onyx Sorceress
Mage with 1
1
010%
Commander
Lab
Camazotz
Mage with 1
010%
Ritual
Path: 4
1
Conjuration 6
Cost: 40
Streams from Hades
Summons a3
3 mage.
Ritual
Path: 4
1
Conjuration 6
Cost: 90
Ether Gate
Summons an 3
2
1100%
mage with an entourage.
Ridiculous amount of pearls for what you get. Unadvised for boosting.
Ritual
Path: 5
2
Conjuration 6
Cost: 25
Contact Lamia Queen
Summons a 2
1
2100%
100% mage.
Ritual
Path: 3
Conjuration 6
Cost: 37
Forest Troll Tribe
Summons a 1
1
1100%
mage with an army.
Expensive upkeep. Cheaper to cast than the Hidden in Sand/Snow
Ritual
Path: 3
Conjuration 7
Cost: 22
Mound Fiend
Summons a 3
2 mage.
Ritual
Path: 3
4
Conjuration 8
Cost: 50
King of Banefires
Summons a unique 4
3 mage
Ritual
Path: 2
Enchantment 4
Cost: 5 x size
Twiceborn
Caster revives as a wight mage with 10% chance of +1 Death
Ritual
Path: 3
1
Enchantment 6
Cost: 75
Hidden in Sand
Summons 1 or more 2
2
2
3200%
50%
50% with an army.
Needs a wasteland. Expensive! Best of the three Hidden in… spells
Ritual
Path: 3
1
Enchantment 6
Cost: 75
Hidden Underneath
Summons 1 or more 1
2
350%
50%
50%
50%
50%
50% with an army.
Needs cave. Expensive!
Ritual
Path: 3
1
Enchantment 6
Cost: 75
Hidden in Snow
Summons 1 or more 1
450%
50%
50%
50%
50%
50%
50%
50% with an army.
Needs mountains. Expensive!
Ritual
Path: 5
Enchantment 7
Cost: 30
Lichcraft
Summons a 4 mage.
Ritual
Path: 3
3
Blood 6
Cost: 88
Bind Ice Devil
Summons 1 of 6 unique mages.
1 of 6 is 2 .
3 of 6 is 3 .
1 of 6 is 3
3 .
1 of 6 is 3
2 .
Ritual
Path: 5
Blood 8
Cost: 111
Bind Heliophagus
Summons 1 of 4 unique mages.
1 of 4 is 3
3
1 of 4 is 4
3
Ritual
Path: 8
Blood 9
Cost: 150
Bind Demon Lord
Summons 1 of 6 unique mages.
3 of 6 are 3 with crosspaths .
Misc
Path: 4
Construction 8
Cost: 25
Carcator the Pocket Lich
Summon a 5 at the start of battle
Like earth, nature is another path that commonly has high path access available from the get go due to the usefulness of it on expansion pretenders and also how commonly it is on the base chassis of immobile pretenders. Another thing going for high nature access is that indies with nature paths are ubiquitous so any nation should have no issue searching every province to at least 1. Nature offers several very useful combat spells that need a little higher access to use; Howl, Relief, and Mass Regeneration most notably.
1-Hand
Path: 2
Construction 4
Cost: 10
Thistle Mace
+1 Nature
Armor
Path: 3
2
Construction 4
Cost: 1510
Armor of Twisting Thorns
+1 Nature +1 Blood
Cursed
2-hand
Path: 5
Construction 6
Cost: 40
Treelord's Staff
+2 Nature
Misc
Path: 3
1
Construction 6
Cost: 155
Moonvine Bracelet
+1 Nature
Misc
Path: 5
5
Construction 8
Cost: 4040
Atlas of Creation
+1 Earth +1 Astral +1 Nature
Artifact
Misc
Path: 2
2
Construction 8
Cost: 1010
The Tome of Gaia
+1 Earth +1 Nature
Artifact
Commander
Lab
Bear Tribe Shaman
Mage with 1
010%
Commander
Lab
Deer Tribe Shaman
Mage with 1
010%
Commander
Lab
Wolf Tribe Shaman
Mage with 1
010%
Commander
Lab
Jade Sorceress
Mage with 1
1
025%
Commander
Lab, Temple
Jaguar Tribe Priest
Mage with 1
1
010%
Commander
Lab
Lizard Shaman
Mage with 1
1
Ritual
Path: 3
1
Conjuration 5
Cost: 35
Contact Naiad
Summons a 3
3 with Homesickness.
Ritual
Path: 5
2
Conjuration 6
Cost: 25
Contact Lamia Queen
Summons a 2
1
2100%
100% mage.
Ritual
Path: 4
Conjuration 7
Cost: 30
Awaken Ivy King
Summons an 3 mage.
Ritual
Path: 5
Enchantment 7
Cost: 35
Awaken Treelord
Summons 1 of 3 mages.
1 of 3 is 1
4
1 of 3 is 4
1
1 of 3 is 5
Ritual
Path: 5
Thaumaturgy 8
Cost: 35
Call the Worm That Walks
Summons an immortal 3
020%
mage
Ritual
Path: 8
Blood 9
Cost: 150
Bind Demon Lord
Summons 1 of 6 unique mages.
2 of 6 are 4 with crosspaths .
Combat spell
Path: 3
1
Conjuration 4
Strength of Gaia
+1 Nature, Barkskin, Regeneration, +4 Str.
Self buff. Will affect communion slaves.
Accessing higher blood via empowerment from 1 is relatively easy as slaves are more plentiful provided Sanguine Dowsing Rods are used.
1 and
2hunters have a 40% and 90% chance of finding slaves and an Sanguine Dowsing Rod gives +1 Blood for purposes of hunting. Empowering high path mages for access to blood crosspaths is also okay. Independent Blood mages are rare but one may prioritize Jaguar tribe priests when recruiting Nature indies for a small chance at blood.
Armor
Path: 5
Construction 2
Cost: 40
Armor of Souls
+1 Blood
Armor
Path: 3
2
Construction 4
Cost: 1510
Armor of Twisting Thorns
+1 Nature +1 Blood
Cursed
Misc
Path: 5
Construction 4
Cost: 40
Brazen Vessel
+1 Blood
1-hand
Path: 3
Construction 6
Cost: 15
Blood Thorn
+1 Blood
Armor
Path: 4
Construction 8
Cost: 25
Flesh Ward
+1 Blood
Artifact. Cursed
Misc
Path: 2
2
Construction 8
Cost: 1010
The Black Book of Secrets
+1 Death +1 Blood
Artifact
Commander
Lab
Garnet Sorceress
Mage with 1
1
010%
A single province of these can break a nation into blood in a big way
Commander
Lab
Camazotz
Mage with 1
010%
Commander
Lab, Temple
Jaguar Tribe Priest
Mage with 1
1
010%
Even a little blood can go a long way.
Ritual
Path: 5
2
Conjuration 6
Cost: 25
Contact Lamia Queen
Summons a 2
1
2100%
100% mage.
Ritual
Path: 4
1
Conjuration 6
Cost: 90
Ether Gate
Summons an 3
2
1100%
mage with an entourage.
Ridiculous amount of pearls for what you get. Unadvised for boosting.
Ritual
Path: 5
Enchantment 7
Cost: 35
Enchant Treelord
Summons 1 of 3 mages.
1 of 3 is 4
1
Ritual
Path: 3
4
Blood 7
Cost: 85
Father Illearth
Summons 1 of 1 unique 4
3 mage.
Ritual
Path: 4
3
Blood 7
Cost: 77
Curse of Blood
Summons an immortal 3
3 vampire
Ritual
Path: 5
Blood 8
Cost: 111
Bind Heliophagus
Summons 1 of 4 unique mages.
3 of 4 are 3 with crosspaths
1 of 4 is 4 .
Combat spell
Path: 3
Blood 3
Cost: 3
Hell Power
+2 all paths
Causes horror marks on casters
Self buff, will affect communions slaves
Holy is not really a fully realized magic path mostly just some curiosities. A big exception to this is the Bishop Fish which is noteworthy because it can claim thrones so given the ability to walk on land it adds some strategic versatility. I also want to point out that the Holy path increases in communion level just like the other paths which can be useful for combating undead or demonic hordes. Note that the commander must have a level in one of the other 8 paths to be a communion master even with a Crystal Matrix.
Order
Prophetize
Prophetize a 0-2 →
3 mage.
Prophetize a 3+ → +1 holy
2-hand
Path: 4
Construction 8
Cost: 25
Sword of Injustice
+1 Holy
2-hand
Path: 3
3
Construction 8
Cost: 1515
Sword of Justice
+1 Holy
Shield
Path: 3
2
Construction 8
Cost: 1510
Immaculate Shield
+1 Holy
Ritual
Path: 3
Conjuration 6
Cost: 15
Summon Bishop Fish
Summons a 3 aquatic mage.
Only usable underwater. Needs items to go on land.
Ritual
Path: 3
Conjuration 7
Cost: 28
Mound Fiend
Summons a 3
2 mage.
Ritual
Path: 3
Thaumaturgy 5
Cost: 5
Telestic Animation
Summons an immobile 2 mage.
Combat spell
Path: 5
Divine Channeling
+1 Holy for all friendly priests
Affects the whole battlefield.