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vanarus-guide [2026/08/01 13:32]
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vanarus-guide [2026/08/02 11:02] (current)
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| **Items**\\ | **Items**\\ |
| Construction 6 is the most important research priority for Vanarus due to the necessity of forging magic boosters. Otherwise, most mages do not have deep enough magic paths to cast powerful spells and rituals. Fire1 Vanabogs can forge a Skull of Fire, which can be used on an Empowered Fire2 Vyedun to forge Flame Helmet (or he can summon a Flame Spirit for the job). Old Bear Thunder can forge a __Winged Helmet__ and put it on to forge a __Bag of Winds__. Vyedmas can forge Water Bracelets and Water2 ones can put them on to forge a Robe of the Sea. An Earth/Blood Vanarusian Sage can Empower in Earth (1->2) to forge Earth Boots, then equip a Blood Thorn, Empower in Blood and forge a Blood Stone, which in turn opens up the ability to forge an __Iron Face__ for your Vanabog warrior-mages. Old Bear Thunder can Empower in Astral to forge a Starshine Skullcap. Baba Yaga can forge a Skull Staff and equip it to forge a Skullface. Old Bear Thunder, Baba Yaga and uncommon forest mages can forge a Thistle Mace, while Old Bear Thunder in particular can also forge a Moonvine Bracelet and put both of these on to forge a Treelord's Staff. A rare Blood3 Vanabog or an Empowered Blood2 one can forge a __Blood Thorn__, and it should not be too expensive to Empower in Blood again to forge an Armor of Souls and a Brazen Vessel if you need.__ Sanguine Dowsing Rods__ should be forged by any Blood mage to improve your blood hunting. With a Sanguine Dowsing Rod and a Blood Thorn equipped, a Blood1 Vanarusian Sage can replace a Vanabog, so the elf can make himself useful elsewhere. __Owl Quills, Skull Mentors and Lightless Lanterns__ are all easily available and are key for securing a research lead.\\ | Construction 6 is the most important research priority for Vanarus due to the necessity of forging magic boosters. Otherwise, most mages do not have deep enough magic paths to cast powerful spells and rituals. Fire1 Vanabogs can forge a Skull of Fire, which can be used on an Empowered Fire2 Vyedun to forge Flame Helmet (or he can summon a Flame Spirit for the job). Old Bear Thunder can forge a __Winged Helmet__ and put it on to forge a __Bag of Winds__. Vyedmas can forge Water Bracelets and Water2 ones can put them on to forge a Robe of the Sea. An Earth/Blood Vanarusian Sage can Empower in Earth (1→2) to forge Earth Boots, then equip a Blood Thorn, Empower in Blood and forge a Blood Stone, which in turn opens up the ability to forge an __Iron Face__ for your Vanabog warrior-mages. Old Bear Thunder can Empower in Astral to forge a Starshine Skullcap. Baba Yaga can forge a Skull Staff and equip it to forge a Skullface. Old Bear Thunder, Baba Yaga and uncommon forest mages can forge a Thistle Mace, while Old Bear Thunder in particular can also forge a Moonvine Bracelet and put both of these on to forge a Treelord's Staff. A rare Blood3 Vanabog or an Empowered Blood2 one can forge a __Blood Thorn__, and it should not be too expensive to Empower in Blood again to forge an Armor of Souls and a Brazen Vessel if you need.__ Sanguine Dowsing Rods__ should be forged by any Blood mage to improve your blood hunting. With a Sanguine Dowsing Rod and a Blood Thorn equipped, a Blood1 Vanarusian Sage can replace a Vanabog, so the elf can make himself useful elsewhere. __Owl Quills, Skull Mentors and Lightless Lanterns__ are all easily available and are key for securing a research lead.\\ |
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| As for items for combat, the possibilities are almost limitless. From __Vine Shield and Frost Brand__ for combatants, to __Flying Carpet__ and __Ring of Returning__ for Vanabog Wind of Death casters, to __Soul Contracts__ and Lifelong Protections for summoning infernal forces, to Skull Talisman/Handful of Acorns/Water Bottle for guaranteed retinue in assasination battles, and so on.\\ | As for items for combat, the possibilities are almost limitless. From __Vine Shield and Frost Brand__ for combatants, to __Flying Carpet__ and __Ring of Returning__ for Vanabog Wind of Death casters, to __Soul Contracts__ and Lifelong Protections for summoning infernal forces, to Skull Talisman/Handful of Acorns/Water Bottle for guaranteed retinue in assasination battles, and so on.\\ |
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| ==== Common points ==== | ==== Common points ==== |
| * Vanarus could benefit greatly from Turmoil 3 + Luck 3 + Magic 3 scales due to requiring several 1->2 Empowerments, production of magic boosters and early arrival of national heroes in order to realise its magic potential. However, taking these scales would almost completely remove their ability to field regular troops, making them rely on a powerful pretendere, magic items and summons. A more balanced approach would be Order 3 + Luck 3 + Magic 3.\\ | * Vanarus could benefit greatly from Turmoil 3 + Luck 3 + Magic 3 scales due to requiring several 1→2 Empowerments, production of magic boosters and early arrival of national heroes in order to realise its magic potential. However, taking these scales would almost completely remove their ability to field regular troops, making them rely on a powerful pretendere, magic items and summons. A more balanced approach would be Order 3 + Luck 3 + Magic 3.\\ |
| * In most cases, Vanarus needs to have a Growth scale of at least 1 in order to offset their blood hunting, unless in a small game.\\ | * In most cases, Vanarus needs to have a Growth scale of at least 1 in order to offset their blood hunting, unless in a small game.\\ |
| * Productivity scales have little effect on national unit generation for Vanarus due to their lack of heavy cavalry or heavily armored troops. The difference between Sloth 3 and Productivity 3 is a difference between producing 9 Chud Hirdmen per turn and 13 Chud Hirdmen per turn. Moreover, your non-capital forts are going to produce 7 Chud Hirdmen per turn under Sloth 3 //or// Productivity 3 because usually you will run out of recruitment points sooner than you will run out of resources. This gives you an opportunity to gain design points by lowering Productivity scale during Pretender creation. High Order and high Growth scales give much better benefits, because they increase resources and recruitment points at the same time, which is what you need, because Chud Hirdmen have a balanced resource/recruitment cost.\\ | * Productivity scales have little effect on national unit generation for Vanarus due to their lack of heavy cavalry or heavily armored troops. The difference between Sloth 3 and Productivity 3 is a difference between producing 9 Chud Hirdmen per turn and 13 Chud Hirdmen per turn. Moreover, your non-capital forts are going to produce 7 Chud Hirdmen per turn under Sloth 3 //or// Productivity 3 because usually you will run out of recruitment points sooner than you will run out of resources. This gives you an opportunity to gain design points by lowering Productivity scale during Pretender creation. High Order and high Growth scales give much better benefits, because they increase resources and recruitment points at the same time, which is what you need, because Chud Hirdmen have a balanced resource/recruitment cost.\\ |
| * Minimal resource cost of Chud Skinshifters means that you can use them to set up aggressive borders instead of clearing provinces around your capital during first turns of the game.\\ | * Minimal resource cost of Chud Skinshifters means that you can use them to set up aggressive borders instead of clearing provinces around your capital during first turns of the game.\\ |
| * If a Skinshifter becomes crippled, leave him in a province garrison for a few turns to recuperate, then bring him back into the army.\\ | * If a Skinshifter becomes crippled, leave him in a province garrison for a few turns to recuperate, then bring him back into the army.\\ |
| | * Your three types of stealthy mages can make taking your forts extremely difficult by summoning creatures during turns and casting spells from the backline during battles. If they are faced with an overwhelming opposition, they can safely sneak away to make the next fort very difficult to take as well. In order to produce a large amount of stealthy mages and have them cast many spells, much gold and many gems are required, which requires strong scales like Order 3, Growth 3 and Luck 3.\\ |
| * If your opponent is using a combatant Pretender, but doesn't have recuperation in their bless, has little to no Nature national paths and has no recruitable healers, you can kill their god with a Lady Midday. All she needs is land one hit to make her target diseased, and the enemy is doomed.\\ | * If your opponent is using a combatant Pretender, but doesn't have recuperation in their bless, has little to no Nature national paths and has no recruitable healers, you can kill their god with a Lady Midday. All she needs is land one hit to make her target diseased, and the enemy is doomed.\\ |
| * If you happen to have a surplus of Death gems due to random sites, consider investing into Likhos. If you send several of them into an enemy province at the same time and also cast unrest-causing spells such as Wrath of Pazuzu, they become hard to detect by conventional means due to high unrest and will also cause various bad events in enemy territory, which might result in them losing the province to independents or to you (due to the Oath-Bound attack random event). If you have Vengeful Water or The Wrath of God up, or use remote attacks or assassins, Likhos will be very difficult to patrol out while they devastate structures and population with events, as long as they sneak within enemy provinces with your dominion or in border provinces where they can safely retreat.\\ | * If you happen to have a surplus of Death gems due to random sites, consider investing into Likhos. If you send several of them into an enemy province at the same time and also cast unrest-causing spells such as Wrath of Pazuzu, they become hard to detect by conventional means due to high unrest and will also cause various bad events in enemy territory, which might result in them losing the province to independents or to you (due to the Oath-Bound attack random event). If you have Vengeful Water or The Wrath of God up, or use remote attacks or assassins, Likhos will be very difficult to patrol out while they devastate structures and population with events, as long as they sneak within enemy provinces with your dominion or in border provinces where they can safely retreat.\\ |
| * The spells you research, and their order, depends heavily on what happens during the game. Vengeful Water + The Wrath of God + blood sacrificing Alkonosts is powerful, but contradicts other strategies. The combination of Dark Skies, Wailing Winds and Blood Rain is also powerful, and Dark Skies is also the only thing that makes your Rusalkas any useful as seducers, but it will likely contradict the strategy of using Vengeful Water due to the high cost of upholding globals and due to the fact that Summon Rusalka has a steep cost of 16 Water gems. Overcharging your armies with buffs is also a strong strategy, but it is incompatible with other options such as casting globals due to the high cost of boosters, overcasting and Empowerment on which the buffing relies. Mother Oak is a useful and conveniently placed gem-generating spell which you should try to secure for yourself in most cases, but you probably should not waste gems or research on it if there is a Nature nation such as Pangea on the map. Picking a pretender who can cast Riches from Beneath will also greatly boost your ability to field large amounts of mages and troops, but such option is a lot less attractive when there are strong Earth nations like Ulm, Agartha or Vanheim on the map. Similarly, if you have a lot of death gems, you might consider focusing on researching Conjuration for undead armies and heavily-geared Tartarians, but if you do not, then your Death gems will be better spent for casting Wind of Death and Soul Vortex. If you have Drain+Luck scales, then you should create 10 initial Mound Kings to carry Soul Contracts (overall, you might want to have up to 20 Soul Contracts, depending on the size of the game), but the way to maintain Devil production differs depending on the gem income you happen to have. If you mostly have Nature gems, then you should recruit Vyedmas (hopefully with Nature2, but a booster item can help if not) and have them cast Transformation. This will give you mindless insects which can carry Soul Contracts without attracting Horrors, and also some powerful size 6 warrior-mages as an added bonus (luckily, your nation is pretty versatile in terms of making good equipment). If you instead happen to have a lot of Astral gems, then Wooden Construction followed by Divine Name (conveniently located in the same school and tier as Vengeful Water) is a better option than Transformation. If you have neither Astral nor Nature as your main income, you should try to make your Mound Kings last as long as possible by giving them a Ring of Warning (for 10 Oath-Bound bodyguards, or Fiends of Darkness, or Gelatinous Cubes for mages), a Spirit Helmet (for precise ranged attacks against ethereal) and a Sceptre of Authority (for keeping Mound Kings in place instead of rushing forward, as well as for damage that cannot be reflected with Float Cats' Damage Reversal), also Mirror Armor and a Lead Shield to resist magical attacks and Damage Reversal. If Transformation is not an option, you may aim for eventually casting Carrion Reanimation instead of Revive King in order to get mindless commanders to get Soul Contracts.\\ | * The spells you research, and their order, depends heavily on what happens during the game. Vengeful Water + The Wrath of God + blood sacrificing Alkonosts is powerful, but contradicts other strategies. The combination of Dark Skies, Wailing Winds and Blood Rain is also powerful, and Dark Skies is also the only thing that makes your Rusalkas any useful as seducers, but it will likely contradict the strategy of using Vengeful Water due to the high cost of upholding globals and due to the fact that Summon Rusalka has a steep cost of 16 Water gems. Overcharging your armies with buffs is also a strong strategy, but it is incompatible with other options such as casting globals due to the high cost of boosters, overcasting and Empowerment on which the buffing relies. Mother Oak is a useful and conveniently placed gem-generating spell which you should try to secure for yourself in most cases, but you probably should not waste gems or research on it if there is a Nature nation such as Pangea on the map. Picking a pretender who can cast Riches from Beneath will also greatly boost your ability to field large amounts of mages and troops, but such option is a lot less attractive when there are strong Earth nations like Ulm, Agartha or Vanheim on the map. Similarly, if you have a lot of death gems, you might consider focusing on researching Conjuration for undead armies and heavily-geared Tartarians, but if you do not, then your Death gems will be better spent for casting Wind of Death and Soul Vortex. If you have Drain+Luck scales, then you should create 10 initial Mound Kings to carry Soul Contracts (overall, you might want to have up to 20 Soul Contracts, depending on the size of the game), but the way to maintain Devil production differs depending on the gem income you happen to have. If you mostly have Nature gems, then you should recruit Vyedmas (hopefully with Nature2, but a booster item can help if not) and have them cast Transformation. This will give you mindless insects which can carry Soul Contracts without attracting Horrors, and also some powerful size 6 warrior-mages as an added bonus (luckily, your nation is pretty versatile in terms of making good equipment). If you instead happen to have a lot of Astral pearls, then Wooden Construction followed by Divine Name (conveniently located in the same school and tier as Vengeful Water) is a better option than Transformation. If you have neither Astral nor Nature as your main income, you should try to make your Mound Kings last as long as possible by giving them a Ring of Warning (for 10 Oath-Bound bodyguards, or Fiends of Darkness, or Gelatinous Cubes for mages), a Spirit Helmet (for precise ranged attacks against ethereal) and a Sceptre of Authority (for keeping Mound Kings in place instead of rushing forward, as well as for damage that cannot be reflected with Float Cats' Damage Reversal), also Mirror Armor and a Lead Shield to resist magical attacks and Damage Reversal. If Transformation is not an option, you may aim for eventually casting Carrion Reanimation instead of Revive King in order to get mindless commanders to get Soul Contracts.\\ |
| * If you get a Madman or a commander version of a Lumber Construct in an event, give them a Soul Contract. Since they are mindless, horrors will never come for them. If you get a Vampire commander in an event, give it gear and use it as an immportal raider.\\ | * If you get a Madman or a commander version of a Lumber Construct in an event, give them a Soul Contract. Since they are mindless, horrors will never come for them. If you get a Vampire commander in an event, give it gear and use it as an immportal raider.\\ |
| * Do not overlook Holy site searching. With your first Vanabog, and later with just a Gode, you can always hope to find a couple Ancient Temple sites with Astral income, which you need badly.\\ | * Do not overlook Holy site searching. With your first Vanabog, and later with just a Gode, you can always hope to find a couple Ancient Temple sites with Astral income, which you need badly.\\ |
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| //Research order//\\ | //Research order//\\ |
| Alteration 3 (Barkskin, Stoneskin, Quicken Self, Ironskin, Mossbody) -> Enchantment 2 (Personal Regeneration) -> Alteration 4 (Temper Flesh) -> Construction 6 (resistance rings, Soul Contract, Rod of the Leper King, Mistletoe Garland, Wooden Construstion spell, Vine Shield, Frost Brand, Ring of Regeneration, Winged Helmet, Winged Shoes, Flying Carpet, Crown of Bones, Storm Spool, Sanguine Dowsing Rod, Blood Thorn, Wraith Crown, Bag of Winds, Dragon Sceptre) -> Evocation 5 (Lightning Bolt, Arcane Probing, Thunder Strike, Earthquake) -> Enchantment 5 (Foul Vapors) -> Conjuration 4 (Summon Simargl, Summon Firebird, lesser elemental summoning spells, Revive Bane, Dark Knowledge, Voice of Apsu, Contact Alkonost, Send Vodyanoy, Summon Wyverns) -> Blood 2 (Bowl of Blood) -> Thaumaturgy 4 (Haruspex, Augury, Auspex, Gnome Lore) -> Alteration 5 (Mother Oak) -> Conjuration 5 (elemental summoning spells, Revive Bane Lord, Contact Naiad) -> Thaumaturgy 7 (Dark Skies, Vengeful Water, Divine Name) -> Evocation 6 (The Wrath of God) -> Alteration 8 (Transformation, Fog Warriors, Mass Protection, Wizard's Tower) -> Thaumaturgy 8 (Black Death) -> Conjuration 9 (Contact Cloud Vila, Contact Mountain Vila, Contact Leshiy, Enchanted Forests, Tartarian Gate) -> Construction 9 (Juggernaut Construction) -> Enchantment 8 (domes, Riches from Beneath, Earth Blood Deep Well, Gift of Health, Dragon Master) -> Evocation 9 (Celestial Rainbow) -> Enchantment 9 (Gift of Nature's Bounty) -> Blood 9 (Three Red Seconds, The Looming Hell) | Enchantment 2 (Reanimation, Revive King, Personal Regeneration) → Alteration 4 (Barkskin, Quicken Self, Stoneskin, Ironskin, Mossbody, Temper Flesh) → Construction 6 (resistance rings, Corpse Man Construction, Lightning Rod, Soul Contract, Rod of the Leper King, Mistletoe Garland, Wooden Construstion spell, Vine Shield, Frost Brand, Ring of Regeneration, Winged Helmet, Winged Shoes, Flying Carpet, Crown of Bones, Storm Spool, Sanguine Dowsing Rod, Blood Thorn, Wraith Crown, Bag of Winds, Dragon Sceptre) → Evocation 5 (Lightning Bolt, Arcane Probing, Thunder Strike, Earthquake) → Enchantment 5 (Claymen, Terracotta Army, Cloud Trapeze, Dispel, Horde of Skeletons, Twiceborn, Foul Vapors) → Conjuration 4 (Summon Simargl, Summon Firebird, lesser elemental summoning spells, Dark Knowledge, Revive Bane, Call of the Wild, Summon Wyverns, Send Vodyanoy, Voice of Apsu, Contact Alkonost) → Blood 2 (Bowl of Blood) → Thaumaturgy 4 (Augury, Haruspex, Auspex, Gnome Lore) → Alteration 5 (Invulnerability, Mother Oak) → Conjuration 5 (elemental summoning spells, Raven Feast, Contact Sea Trolls, Contact Naiad, Naiad Warriors, Contact Trolls, Revive Bane Lord, Contact Forest Trolls, Awaken Sleeper) → Thaumaturgy 7 (Dark Skies, Vengeful Water, Divine Name) → Evocation 6 (Storm, Wrathful Skies, The Wrath of God, Wailing Winds) → Alteration 8 (Frozen Heart, Soul Vortex, Transformation, Fog Warriors, Mass Protection, Wizard's Tower) → Thaumaturgy 8 (Black Death) → Conjuration 9 (Contact Cloud Vila, Contact Mountain Vila, Contact Leshiy, Enchanted Forests, Tartarian Gate, Enchanted Forests) → Construction 9 (Mechanical Men, Juggernaut Construction) → Enchantment 8 (domes, Riches from Beneath, Earth Blood Deep Well, Gift of Health, Dragon Master) → Evocation 9 (Wind of Death, Celestial Rainbow) → Enchantment 9 (Gift of Nature's Bounty) → Blood 9 (Curse of Blood, Blood Rain, Bind Arch Devil, Improved Cross Breeding, Bind Heliophagus, Three Red Seconds, The Looming Hell) |
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| //Situational Tactics://\\ | //Situational Tactics://\\ |
| //Research Order//\\ | //Research Order//\\ |
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| Alteration 1 (Distill Gold) → Enchantment 1 (Reanimation) → Blood Magic 1 (Bind Fiery Imps) → Enchantment 2 (Revive King) → Conjuration 2 (Summon Crocodiles, Summon Fire Ants, Summon Simargl, Summon Ogres, Summon Horned Serpents, Summon Killer Mantis) → Construction 2 (Corpse Man Construction, Soul Contract, Lightning Rod, Rod of the Leper King) → Enchantment 3 → (Claymen, Raise Skeletons) → Alteration 2 (Alchemical Transmutation) → Construction 6 (Vine Shield, Frost Brand, Ring of Regeneration, Winged Helmet, Winged Shoes, Flying Carpet, Crown of Bones, Storm Spool, Sanguine Dowsing Rod, Blood Thorn, Bag of Winds, Dragon Sceptre) → Conjuration 4 (Summon Firebird, lesser elemental summoning spells, Revive Bane, Dark Knowledge, Voice of Apsu, Contact Alkonost, Send Vodyanoy, Summon Wyverns, Summon Likho) → Blood 2 (Bowl of Blood, Bind Fiend) → Thaumaturgy 4 (Haruspex, Augury, Auspex, Gnome Lore) → Evocation 3 (Arcane Probing, Fires from Afar) → Enchantment 4 (Terracotta Army, Vile Water, Flaming Arrows, Cloud Trapeze, Twiceborn) → Conjuration 5 (elemental summoning spells, Awaken Sleeper, Revive Bane Lord, Contact Naiad) → Thaumaturgy 7 (Vengeful Water, Divine Name, Dark Skies) → Enchantment 6 (Dispel, Faery Trod, Horde of Skeletons, Foul Vapors, Trade Wind, Ziz, Enliven Statues, Heat from Hell, dome spells) → Blood 5 (Bind Storm Demon, Wrath of Pazuzu, Rain of Toads) → Alteration 7 (Transmute Fire, Earth Gem Alchemy, Manifest Vitriol, Transformation, Fog Warriors, Mass Protection, Phoenix Pyre) → Construction 9 (Mechanical Men, Juggernaut Construction) → Thaumaturgy 8 (Stygian Paths, Black Death) → Evocation 7 (Storm, Wrathful Skies, Wailing Winds, Fire Storm, Wind of Death) → Conjuration 9 (Enchanted Forests, Contact Cloud Vila, Contact Mountain Vila, Contact Leshiy, Tartarian Gate) → Evocation 9 (Celestial Rainbow) → Alteration 8 (Wizard's Tower) → Blood 9 (Three Red Seconds, The Looming Hell) | Alteration 1 (Distill Gold) → Enchantment 1 (Reanimation) → Blood Magic 1 (Bind Fiery Imps) → Enchantment 2 (Revive King) → Conjuration 2 (Summon Crocodiles, Summon Fire Ants, Summon Simargl, Summon Ogres, Summon Horned Serpents, Summon Killer Mantis) → Construction 2 (Corpse Man Construction, Soul Contract, Lightning Rod, Rod of the Leper King) → Enchantment 3 → (Claymen, Raise Skeletons) → Alteration 2 (Alchemical Transmutation) → Construction 6 (Vine Shield, Frost Brand, Ring of Regeneration, Winged Helmet, Winged Shoes, Flying Carpet, Crown of Bones, Storm Spool, Sanguine Dowsing Rod, Blood Thorn, Bag of Winds, Dragon Sceptre) → Conjuration 4 (Summon Firebird, lesser elemental summoning spells, Revive Bane, Dark Knowledge, Summon Wyverns, Voice of Apsu, Send Vodyanoy, Contact Alkonost, Summon Likho) → Blood 2 (Bowl of Blood, Bind Fiend) → Thaumaturgy 4 (Augury, Haruspex, Auspex, Gnome Lore) → Evocation 3 (Fires from Afar, Arcane Probing) → Enchantment 4 (Terracotta Army, Cloud Trapeze, Vile Water, Flaming Arrows, Twiceborn, Foul Vapors) → Conjuration 5 (elemental summoning spells, Revive Bane Lord, Awaken Sleeper, Contact Naiad) → Thaumaturgy 7 (Dark Skies, Vengeful Water, Divine Name) → Enchantment 6 (Dispel, Horde of Skeletons, Foul Vapors, dome spells, Heat from Hell, Trade Wind, Enliven Statues, Ziz, Faery Trod) → Blood 5 (Bind Storm Demon, Wrath of Pazuzu, Rain of Toads) → Alteration 7 (Transmute Fire, Manifest Vitriol, Earth Gem Alchemy, Frozen Heart, Soul Vortex, Transformation, Phoenix Pyre, Fog Warriors, Mass Protection) → Construction 9 (Mechanical Men, Juggernaut Construction) → Thaumaturgy 8 (Stygian Paths, Black Death) → Evocation 7 (Storm, Wrathful Skies, Wailing Winds, Fire Storm, Wind of Death) → Conjuration 9 (Contact Cloud Vila, Contact Mountain Vila, Contact Leshiy, Tartarian Gate Enchanted Forests) → Evocation 9 (Celestial Rainbow) → Alteration 8 (Wizard's Tower) → Blood 9 (Curse of Blood, Blood Rain, Bind Arch Devil, Improved Cross Breeding, Bind Heliophagus, Three Red Seconds, The Looming Hell) |
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| //Situational tactics//\\ | //Situational tactics//\\ |
| //Research Order//\\ | //Research Order//\\ |
| There are several paths, depending on your situation:\\ | There are several paths, depending on your situation:\\ |
| **Your troops are stronger than your enemy's:** Alteration 1 (Barkskin) → Construction 2 (Blacksteel Full Plate, Blacksteel Helmet, Blacksteel Tower Shield, resistance rings, Boots of Long Strides, Ranger's Boots, Weightless Tower Shield, Soul Contract, Rod of the Leper King, Thunder Whip) → Alteraion 3 (Stoneskin, Quicken Self, Mistform, Ironskin, Mossbody) → Enchantment 2 (Personal Regeneration) → Alteration 4 (Temper Flesh) → Construction 4 (Wooden Construstion spell, Ring of Regeneration, Amulet of Resilience, Boots of the Messenger, Vine Shield, Frost Brand, Crown of Bones, Winged Helmet, Winged Shoes, Flying Carpet, Storm Spool, Sanguine Dowsing Rod) → Alteration 7 (Transformation, Phoenix Pyre, Soul Vortex, Fog Warriors, Mass Protection, Marble Warriors) → Construction 6 (Blood Thorn, Iron Face, Bag of Winds, Armor of Knights, Bone Armor, Staff of Storms) → Conjuration 4 (Summon Simargl, Summon Firebird, Revive Bane, Dark Knowledge, Voice of Apsu, Contact Alkonost, Send Vodyanoy) → Evocation 3 (Arcane Probing, Mist) → Blood 2 (Bowl of Blood) → Thaumaturgy 4 (Haruspex, Augury, Auspex, Gnome Lore) → Evocation 6 (Storm, Wrathful Skies) → Conjuration 5 (Revive Bane Lord, Contact Naiad) → Thaumaturgy 7 (Vengeful Water, Divine Name) → Conjuration 9 (Contact Cloud Vila, Contact Mountain Vila, Contact Leshiy, Enchanted Forests) → Construction 9 (The Boots of Calius the Druid and other artefacts, Juggernaut Construction) → Enchantment 7 (domes, Gift of Health) → Evocation 9 (Celestial Rainbow) → Blood 9 (The Looming Hell)\\ | **Your troops are stronger than your enemy's:** Alteration 1 (Barkskin) → Construction 2 (Corpse Construction, Lightning Rod, Blacksteel Full Plate, Blacksteel Helmet, Blacksteel Tower Shield, resistance rings, Boots of Long Strides, Ranger's Boots, Weightless Tower Shield, Soul Contract, Rod of the Leper King, Thunder Whip) → Alteraion 3 (Quicken Self, Stoneskin, Mistform, Ironskin, Mossbody) → Enchantment 2 (Reanimation, Revive King, Personal Regeneration) → Alteration 4 (Temper Flesh) → Construction 4 (Wooden Construstion, Ring of Regeneration, Amulet of Resilience, Boots of the Messenger, Vine Shield, Frost Brand, Crown of Bones, Winged Helmet, Winged Shoes, Flying Carpet, Storm Spool, Sanguine Dowsing Rod) → Alteration 7 (Soul Vortex, Transformation, Phoenix Pyre, Fog Warriors, Mass Protection) → Construction 6 (Blood Thorn, Iron Face, Bag of Winds, Armor of Knights, Bone Armor, Staff of Storms) → Conjuration 4 (Summon Simargl, Summon Firebird, Dark Knowledge, Revive Bane, Send Vodyanoy, Voice of Apsu, Contact Alkonost) → Evocation 3 (Arcane Probing, Mist) → Blood 2 (Bowl of Blood) → Thaumaturgy 4 (Augury, Haruspex, Auspex, Gnome Lore) → Evocation 6 (Storm, Wrathful Skies) → Conjuration 5 (Revive Bane Lord, Contact Naiad) → Thaumaturgy 7 (Dark Skies, Vengeful Water, Divine Name) → Conjuration 9 (Contact Cloud Vila, Contact Mountain Vila, Contact Leshiy, Enchanted Forests) → Construction 9 (Mechanical Men, The Boots of Calius the Druid and other artefacts, Juggernaut Construction) → Enchantment 7 (Dispel, domes, Gift of Health) → Evocation 9 (Celestial Rainbow) → Blood 9 (Curse of Blood, Blood Rain, Bind Arch Devil, Improved Cross Breeding, Bind Heliophagus, Three Red Seconds, The Looming Hell)\\ |
| **Your troops are weaker than your enemy's:** Evocation 2 (shocking grasp, lightning bolt, shockwave) → Enchantment 2 (Personal Regeneration, Flying Shield, Breath of Winter) → Construction 2 (Blacksteel Full Plate, Blacksteel Helmet, Blacksteel Tower Shield, Bear Claw Talisman, resistance rings, Boots of Long Strides, Halberd of Might, Ranger's Boots, Weightless Tower Shield) → Alteration 4 (Barkskin, Earth Might, Stoneskin, Quicken Self, Ironskin, Mossbody, Ironskin, Temper Flesh, Shrink) → Construction 6 (Soul Contract, Rod of the Leper King, Boots of the Messenger, Ring of Regeneration, Amulet of Resilience, Winged Helmet, Winged Shoes, Wooden Construstion spell, Vine Shield, Frost Brand, Flying Carpet, Crown of Bones, Storm Spool, Sanguine Dowsing Rod, Blood Thorn, Iron Face, Bag of Winds, Spirit Helmet, Standard of the Damned, Rod of the Phoenix) → Evocation 6 (Arcane Probing, Thunder Strike, Mist, Storm, Wrathful Skies, Bane Fire, Wailing Winds) → Enchantment 6 (Foul Vapors, Grip of Winter) → Conjuration 4 (Summon Simargl, Summon Firebird, lesser elemental summoning spells, Revive Bane, Dark Knowledge, Voice of Apsu, Contact Alkonost, Send Vodyanoy) → Blood 2 (Bowl of Blood) → Thaumaturgy 4 (Haruspex, Augury, Auspex, Gnome Lore) → Alteration 5 (Bone Melter) → Evocation 8 (The Wrath of God, Murdering Winter, Pillar of Fire) → Conjuration 5 (elemental summoning spells, Revive Bane Lord, Contact Naiad) → Thaumaturgy 7 (Charm, Dark Skies, Vengeful Water, Divine Name) → Alteration 8 (Transformation, Curse of the Frog Prince, Fog Warriors, Mass Protection, Disintegrate, Polymorph, Liquify) → Conjuration 9 (Contact Cloud Vila, Contact Mountain Vila, Contact Leshiy, Enchanted Forests, Tartarian Gate) → Construction 9 (The Boots of Calius the Druid and other artefacts, Juggernaut Construction) → Enchantment 7 (Horde of Skeletons, domes, Gift of Health) → Evocation 9 (Celestial Rainbow) → Blood 9 (Hellbind Heart, Leech, Life for a Life, The Looming Hell)\\ | **Your troops are weaker than your enemy's:** Alteration 1 (Hand of Death, Earth Might, Barkskin) → Evocation 2 (Shocking Grasp, Lightning Bolt, Shockwave) → Enchantment 2 (Personal Regeneration, Flying Shield, Breath of Winter) → Construction 2 (Blacksteel Full Plate, Blacksteel Helmet, Blacksteel Tower Shield, Bear Claw Talisman, resistance rings, Boots of Long Strides, Halberd of Might, Ranger's Boots, Weightless Tower Shield) → Alteration 4 (Stoneskin, Quicken Self, Ironskin, Mossbody, Ironskin, Temper Flesh, Shrink) → Construction 6 (Soul Contract, Rod of the Leper King, Boots of the Messenger, Ring of Regeneration, Amulet of Resilience, Winged Helmet, Winged Shoes, Wooden Construstion spell, Vine Shield, Frost Brand, Flying Carpet, Crown of Bones, Storm Spool, Sanguine Dowsing Rod, Blood Thorn, Iron Face, Bag of Winds, Spirit Helmet, Standard of the Damned, Rod of the Phoenix) → Evocation 6 (Arcane Probing, Thunder Strike, Mist, Storm, Wrathful Skies, Bane Fire, Wailing Winds) → Enchantment 6 (Dispel, Foul Vapors, Grip of Winter) → Conjuration 4 (Summon Simargl, Summon Firebird, lesser elemental summoning spells, Revive Bane, Dark Knowledge, Voice of Apsu, Contact Alkonost, Send Vodyanoy) → Blood 2 (Bowl of Blood) → Thaumaturgy 4 (Augury, Haruspex, Auspex, Gnome Lore) → Alteration 5 (Incinerate, Bone Melter) → Evocation 8 (The Wrath of God, Murdering Winter, Pillar of Fire) → Conjuration 5 (elemental summoning spells, Revive Bane Lord, Contact Naiad) → Thaumaturgy 7 (Charm, Dark Skies, Vengeful Water, Divine Name) → Alteration 8 (Frozen Heart, Soul Vortex, Transformation, Fog Warriors, Curse of the Frog Prince, Mass Protection, Liquify, Disintegrate, Polymorph) → Conjuration 9 (Contact Cloud Vila, Contact Mountain Vila, Contact Leshiy, Tartarian Gate, Enchanted Forests) → Construction 9 (Mechanical Men, The Boots of Calius the Druid and other artefacts, Juggernaut Construction) → Enchantment 7 (Horde of Skeletons, domes, Gift of Health) → Evocation 9 (Celestial Rainbow) → Blood 9 (Hellbind Heart, Leech, Life for a Life, Curse of Blood, Blood Rain, Bind Arch Devil, Improved Cross Breeding, Bind Heliophagus, Three Red Seconds, The Looming Hell)\\ |
| **Your enemy can attack from multiple directions thanks to freespawn and/or stealth:** Alteration 1 (Barkskin) → Construction 2 (Blacksteel Full Plate, Blacksteel Helmet, Blacksteel Tower Shield, resistance rings, Boots of Long Strides, Ranger's Boots, Weightless Tower Shield, Thunder Whip, Stone Bird, Eye Shield, Fire in a Jar, Horror Helemt, Soul Contract, Rod of the Leper King) → Conjuration 1 (Black Servant, Summon Simargl) → Alteraion 3 (Stoneskin, Quicken Self, Mistform, Ironskin, Mossbody) → Enchantment 2 (Personal Regeneration) → Alteration 4 (Temper Flesh) → Conjuration 2 (lesser elemental summoning spells) → Construction 6 (Wooden Construstion spell, Ring of Regeneration, Amulet of Resilience, Boots of the Messenger, Vine Shield, Frost Brand, Crown of Bones, Winged Helmet, Winged Shoes, Flying Carpet, Storm Spool, Sanguine Dowsing Rod, Blood Thorn, Iron Face, Bag of Winds, Armor of Knights, Bone Armor, Staff of Storms) → Conjuration 5 (Summon Firebird, Revive Bane, Dark Knowledge, Voice of Apsu, Contact Alkonost, Send Vodyanoy, elemental summoning spells, Raven Feast, Revive Bane Lord, Contact Naiad) → Evocation 3 (Arcane Probing) → Blood 2 (Bowl of Blood) → Thaumaturgy 7 (Haruspex, Augury, Auspex, Gnome Lore, Vengeful Water, Dark Skies, Divine Name) → Evocation 6 (Storm, Wrathful Skies) → Enchantment 5 (Foul Vapors) → Alteration 7 (Transformation, Phoenix Pyre, Soul Vortex, Fog Warriors) → Construction 9 (The Boots of Calius the Druid and other artefacts, Juggernaut Construction) → Conjuration 9 (Contact Cloud Vila, Contact Mountain Vila, Contact Leshiy, Enchanted Forests) → Blood 9 (The Looming Hell).\\ | **Your enemy can attack from multiple directions thanks to freespawn and/or stealth:** Alteration 1 (Barkskin) → Construction 2 (Corpse Man Construction, Lightning Rod, Blacksteel Full Plate, Blacksteel Helmet, Blacksteel Tower Shield, resistance rings, Boots of Long Strides, Ranger's Boots, Weightless Tower Shield, Thunder Whip, Stone Bird, Eye Shield, Fire in a Jar, Horror Helemt, Soul Contract, Rod of the Leper King) → Conjuration 1 (Black Servant, Summons Crocodiles, Summon Simargl) → Alteraion 3 (Stoneskin, Quicken Self, Mistform, Ironskin, Mossbody) → Enchantment 2 (Reanimation, Revive King, Personal Regeneration) → Alteration 4 (Temper Flesh) → Conjuration 2 (lesser elemental summoning spells, Horned Serpents, Killer Mantis) → Construction 6 (Wooden Construstion, Ring of Regeneration, Amulet of Resilience, Boots of the Messenger, Vine Shield, Frost Brand, Crown of Bones, Winged Helmet, Winged Shoes, Flying Carpet, Storm Spool, Sanguine Dowsing Rod, Blood Thorn, Iron Face, Bag of Winds, Armor of Knights, Bone Armor, Staff of Storms) → Conjuration 5 (Summon Firebird, Dark Knowledge, Revive Bane, Send Vodyanoy, Voice of Apsu, Contact Alkonost, elemental summoning spells, Raven Feast, Revive Bane Lord, Contact Naiad) → Evocation 3 (Arcane Probing) → Blood 2 (Bowl of Blood) → Thaumaturgy 7 (Augury, Haruspex, Auspex, Gnome Lore, Dark Skies, Vengeful Water, Divine Name) → Evocation 6 (Storm, Wrathful Skies) → Enchantment 5 (Dispel, Foul Vapors) → Alteration 7 (Soul Vortex, Transformation, Phoenix Pyre, Fog Warriors) → Construction 9 (Mechanical Men, The Boots of Calius the Druid and other artefacts, Juggernaut Construction) → Conjuration 9 (Contact Cloud Vila, Contact Mountain Vila, Contact Leshiy, Tartarian Gate, Enchanted Forests) → Blood 9 (Curse of Blood, Blood Rain, Bind Arch Devil, Improved Cross Breeding, Bind Heliophagus, Three Red Seconds, The Looming Hell).\\ |
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| //Situational tactics//\\ | //Situational tactics//\\ |
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| //Research Order//\\ | //Research Order//\\ |
| Alteration 1 (Distill Gold) → Enchantment 1 (Reanimation) → Conjuration 2 (Summon Crocodiles, Summon Fire Ants, Summon Simargl, Summon Ogres, Summon Shades, Summon Horned Serpents, Summon Killer Mantis) → Enchantment 2 (Revive King) → Construction 2 (Corpse Man Construction, Lightning Rod, Soul Contract) → Enchantment 4 (Claymen, Raise Skeletons, Astral Shield, Create Revenant, Terracotta Army, Cloud Trapeze, Vile Water, Raise Dead, Twiceborn, Behemoth) → Construction 6 (Winged Helmet, Winged Shoes, Flying Carpet, Storm Spool, Frost Brand, Vine Shield, Ring of Regeneration, Sanguine Dowsing Rod, Bag of Winds, Blood Thorn, Dragon Sceptre) → Conjuration 4 (Summon Firebird, lesser elemental summoning spells, Bind Scorpion Beast, Summon Yetis, Revive Wights, Dark Knowledge, Awaken Vine Men, Call of the Wild, Summon Fire Drake, Summon Wyvens, Summon Gryphons, Send Vodyanoy, Voice of Apsu, Summon Ice Drake, Summon Cave Drake, Contact Alkonost, Summon Likho, Awaken Draugar, Summon Leogryphs, Summon Swamp Drake, Symmon Kithaironic Lion) → Blood 2 (Bowl of Blood, Bind Fiend) → Thaumaturgy 4 (Mind Burn, Augury, Teleport, Haruspex, Auspex, Gnome Lore) → Evocation 3 (Arcane Probing) → Conjuration 6 (elemental summoning spells, Summon Zmey, Raven Feast, Contact Sea Trolls, Contact Sea Trolls, Revive Bane Lord, Contact Naiad, Summon Manticore, Howl, Contact Forest Trolls, Summon Fire Snakes, Summon Great Eagles, Sea King's Court, Troll King's Court, Summon Ghosts, Forest Troll Tribe) → Thaumaturgy 7 (Leprosy, Dark Skies, Vengeful Water, Divine Name) → Blood 5 (Blood Feast, Bind Storm Demon, Wrath of Pazuzu) → Enchantment 7 (dome spells, Trade Wind, Dispel, Horde of Skeletons, Foul Vapors, Faery Trod, Heat from Hell, Grip of Winter, Enliven Statues, Ziz, Rigor Mortis, Carrion Reanimation) → Alteration 7 (Body Ethereal, Manifest Vitriol, Darkness, Transformation, Fog Warriors, Bone Grinding, Mass Protection) → Thaumaturgy 8 (Soul Drain, Stygian Paths, Black Death) → Evocation 7 (Storm, Wrathful Skies, Wailing Winds, Wind of Death) → Conjuration 9 (Contact Cloud Vila, Contact Mountain Vila, Contact Leshiy, Tartarian Gate, Enchanted Forests) → Construction 9 (Mechanical Men, Juggernaut Construction) → Evocation 8 (Astral Tempest) → Blood 9 (Curse of Blood, Blood Rain, Bind Arch Devil, Improved Cross Breeding, Bind Heliophagus, Three Red Seconds, The Looming Hell).\\ | Alteration 1 (Distill Gold) → Enchantment 1 (Reanimation) → Conjuration 2 (Summon Crocodiles, Summon Fire Ants, Summon Simargl, Summon Ogres, Summon Shades, Summon Horned Serpents, Summon Killer Mantis) → Enchantment 2 (Revive King) → Construction 2 (Corpse Man Construction, Lightning Rod, Soul Contract) → Enchantment 4 (Claymen, Raise Skeletons, Astral Shield, Create Revenant, Terracotta Army, Cloud Trapeze, Vile Water, Raise Dead, Twiceborn, Behemoth) → Construction 6 (Winged Helmet, Winged Shoes, Flying Carpet, Storm Spool, Frost Brand, Vine Shield, Ring of Regeneration, Sanguine Dowsing Rod, Bag of Winds, Blood Thorn, Dragon Sceptre) → Conjuration 4 (Summon Firebird, lesser elemental summoning spells, Bind Scorpion Beast, Summon Yetis, Revive Wights, Dark Knowledge, Awaken Vine Men, Call of the Wild, Summon Fire Drake, Summon Wyvens, Summon Gryphons, Send Vodyanoy, Voice of Apsu, Summon Ice Drake, Summon Cave Drake, Contact Alkonost, Summon Likho, Awaken Draugar, Summon Leogryphs, Summon Swamp Drake, Symmon Kithaironic Lion) → Blood 2 (Bowl of Blood, Bind Fiend) → Thaumaturgy 4 (Mind Burn, Augury, Teleport, Haruspex, Auspex, Gnome Lore) → Evocation 3 (Arcane Probing) → Conjuration 6 (elemental summoning spells, Summon Zmey, Raven Feast, Contact Sea Trolls, Contact Sea Trolls, Revive Bane Lord, Contact Naiad, Summon Manticore, Howl, Contact Forest Trolls, Summon Fire Snakes, Summon Great Eagles, Sea King's Court, Troll King's Court, Summon Ghosts, Forest Troll Tribe) → Thaumaturgy 7 (Leprosy, Dark Skies, Vengeful Water, Divine Name) → Blood 5 (Blood Feast, Bind Storm Demon, Wrath of Pazuzu) → Enchantment 7 (dome spells, Trade Wind, Dispel, Horde of Skeletons, Foul Vapors, Faery Trod, Heat from Hell, Grip of Winter, Enliven Statues, Ziz, Rigor Mortis, Carrion Reanimation) → Alteration 7 (Body Ethereal, Manifest Vitriol, Frozen Heart, Soul Vortex, Darkness, Transformation, Fog Warriors, Bone Grinding, Mass Protection) → Thaumaturgy 8 (Soul Drain, Stygian Paths, Black Death) → Evocation 7 (Storm, Wrathful Skies, Wailing Winds, Wind of Death) → Conjuration 9 (Contact Cloud Vila, Contact Mountain Vila, Contact Leshiy, Tartarian Gate, Enchanted Forests) → Construction 9 (Mechanical Men, Juggernaut Construction) → Evocation 8 (Astral Tempest) → Blood 9 (Curse of Blood, Blood Rain, Bind Arch Devil, Improved Cross Breeding, Bind Heliophagus, Three Red Seconds, The Looming Hell).\\ |
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| //Situational tactics//\\ | //Situational tactics//\\ |
| * On small maps, feel free to reduce Dominion 10 and Growth 3 in exchange for a better Productivity scale or a bless.\\ | * On small maps, feel free to reduce Dominion 10 and Growth 3 in exchange for a better Productivity scale or a bless.\\ |
| * If you are playing against opponents with strong sacreds, it is recommended to rush Alteration 1 and Evocation 2 or 3 at first. Continue to research Alteration and Evocation for powerful damaging spells as long as the threat persists.\\ | * If you are playing against opponents with strong sacreds, it is recommended to rush Alteration 1 and Evocation 2 or 3 at first. Continue to research Alteration and Evocation for powerful damaging spells as long as the threat persists.\\ |
| * Your three types of stealthy mages can make taking your forts extremely difficult by summoning creatures during turns and casting spells from the backline during battles. If they are faced with an overwhelming opposition, they can safely sneak away to make the next fort very difficult to take as well.\\ | * If harmful enemy dominion is not a concern, you may choose to design this pretender with a lower dominion score, and in exchange increase the Idol's level of Astral magic. This will save Astral pearls on Empowerment in late game and may allow you to cast Strands of Arcane Power in the late game. |
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| ==== Imprisoned Frost Father (WIP) ==== | ==== Imprisoned Frost Father (WIP) ==== |
