Many of the most useful units and commanders in the game aren't bought with gold; they are summoned with gems or blood slaves. These have a variety of different roles; units range from cheap patrol chaff (Pack of Wolves summoning Wolf) to elite shock troops (Demon Knights), and commanders range from humble scouts (Shadow Servant) to high-end mages (Queen of Elemental Air) and powerful supercombatant chassis (Wraith Lord).
As with some other kinds of spells, spells acquired earlier in research tend to be inefficient or sub-optimal compared to later ones. For example, Ogres are generally only worth summoning if a low-research nation needs to convert earth gems into an army urgently. On the other hand, later spells might be too niche, difficult, or impractical to use. Some other summons are a crucial part of a nation's strategy, such as Ozelotls.
Most commander summons create only one commander; most unit summons create several (sometimes scaling with the caster's paths).
This pages details non-nation-specific ritual summons which create permanent units; a separate page details combat summons.
The quantity of summons for some spells increases if the caster has excess paths over the base requirement for the spell. In such cases, the number of extra units per extra path level is noted.
Fire
Fire
Summon Fire Drake
Conjuration 4
2 • 6
Fire Drake × 1
Fire Drakes emit a "beam" of fire, which covers multiple squares and can deeply penetrates enemy ranks (or hit allies). Unfortunately, Drakes are slow, undisciplined, and vulnerable to Charm Animal. They are also cold-blooded, even though they breath fire. Drakes can be summoned in greater numbers by a Dragon Master, making them substantially cheaper and more turn-efficient.
Summon Flame Jelly
Conjuration 4
2 • 6
Flame Jelly × 10 + 1 per extra level Underwater Only.
Flame jellies have a fire Shield that works underwater for defense, and very high magic resistance. They attack with an AOE1 fire/poison attack. While ineffective against targets with fire resistance, massed flame jellies can be effective against an enemy using Mass Protection underwater.
Summon Summer Lions
Conjuration 5
3 • 20
Summer Lion × 5 + ½ per extra level
Like other seasonal spirits, these are ethereal, mindless, magic being, animals with spirit sight, high magic resistance, and modest seasonal variation in HP. Summon lions have a heat aura and have remarkably high HP for their size (55 HP in Summer; 33 in Winter).
Summon Fire Snakes
Conjuration 6
2 • 7
Fire Snake × 10 + ½ per extra level
An offense focused unit, with an AOE1 13 AP damage Fire Flare attack (not scaling with strength) and fangs inflicting 15 poison damage. These are often used as a fire gem dump, because they can very quickly destroy targets lacking fire resistance. They do better in Heat Scales, thanks to their Fire Power and heat aura. // // Like other snakes, they have very low defense skill (varying from 4 to 10 depending on temperature) and so their otherwise dangerous venomous fangs attack will often be prevented by repel. The repel issue can be greatly mitigated by fighting in hot provinces and using a high morale leader (or Growing Fury). They are undisciplined, but less vulnerable to Charm Animal than most other units with the Animal tag due to their high magic resistance.
Summon Flame Spirit
Conjuration 6
3 • 30
Flame Spirit × 1
A 3 mage with a retinue of 1d6 Will o' the Wisps. Commonly summoned by nations with limited access to break more deeply into fire magic. Vulnerable to cold damage and has no boots slot, which limits map movement.
King of Elemental Fire
Conjuration 8
5 • 50
One of:Pyriphlogos - King of Flames, Rhuax - King of Magma
Summons one of the Fire Kings, chosen randomly. Only one of each may exist in the world at once; casting this spell when both have already been summoned does nothing.
Rhuax is the better of the two for thugging, given his Earth Magic level and his higher toughness.
Fire/Earth
Bind Scorpion Beast
Conjuration 3
11 • 2
Scorpion Beast × 1
Scorpion beasts are size 6 beasts with with darkvision, good protection, and an impressive scorpion tail attack, which deals 35 poison damage if it pierces protection. These capabilities are offset by being undisciplined and thus hard to buff, and being an animal with only 5 magic resistance.
Terracotta Army
Enchantment 4
11 • 10
Terracotta Soldier × 10 + 1 per extra level
Clay pikemen that can be summoned quickly with . While their combat skills and hit points are worse than human infantry, the combination of mindless, spirit sight, fire resistance, poison resistance, immunity to Rigor Mortis, and physical resistances provide multiple reasons to summon these. Like the more durable Living Statues, they do not heal after battles.
Iron Gryphon
Construction 6
31 • 6
Iron Gryphon × 1
A durable statue with a fire ray attack which deals fairly high armour-piercing damage. They are immobile, however.
An early remote magic phase attack spell that can be used to snipe weakly-defended provinces (and unprotected mages in them) with a range of 5 provinces. Can be cast on friendly provinces instead to just summon the hawks for patrol strength. The Black Hawks have only one good attack (their first one), and the Great Hawk rarely fights, so can lose to 6 PD.
Summon Wyverns
Conjuration 4
2 • 3
Wyvern × 2
Wyverns are flying, cold-blooded animals with good poison resistance and shock resistance. In contrast with other drakes, Wyverns are disciplined and have good combat stats, but they don't get a breath weapon, having two melee attacks instead.
The second melee attack deals an impressive 50 Fatiguing poison damage if it deals actual damage and the target fails a magic resistance check. Their modest strength means this attack can have trouble piercing protection, though buffs like Strength of Giants, Enlarge/Army of Giants, and Weapons of Sharpness can solve that problem. Drakes can be summoned in greater numbers by a Dragon Master, making them substantially cheaper and more turn-efficient.
Summon Storm Drake
Conjuration 4
2 • 5
Storm Drake × 1
Storm Drakes are undisciplined flying animals with a chaining 'Drake Lightning' attack that deals AN damage.
Summon Gryphons
Conjuration 4
2 • 9
Gryphon × 10 + ½ per extra level
Gryphons are undisciplined, flyinganimals with high magic resistance, making them fairly similar to Wyverns, but are cheaper in gems.
Summon Spring Hawks
Conjuration 5
3 • 13
Spring Hawk × 5 + ½ per extra level
Like other seasonal spirits, these are EtherealMindlessMagic BeingsAnimals with Spirit Sight, high magic resistance, and modest seasonal variation in HP. Spring hawks have high combat skills (especially in Darkness) and are notable for their shock damage attack. While they are ethereal, the combination of no protection, low hit points, and low damage output limits their effectiveness when used unbuffed. One possible role for Spring Hawks is to counter enemy thugs with shock vulnerability (e.g., countering a thug who you expect to have negative shock vulnerability after casting Ironskin).
Contact Draconians
Conjuration 5
3 • 20
Draconian Chief × 1, Draconian × 30
Draconians are large flying cold-blooded humanoids with a poisonous bite. The Draconian Chief can summon more Draconians each turn via the Summon Allies order, making this spell one of the ways to invest gems to create a freespawn economy. This spell is also one of the most mage-turn efficient ways to generate siege strength.
Summon Great Eagles
Conjuration 6
3 • 8
Great Eagle × 10 + ½ per extra level
As size 9 birds, Great Eagles are extremely mobile flyers with decent combat ability and remarkably high morale and magic resistance. Great Eagles are frequently summoned for their impressive +10 bonuses to both siege and patrol strength.
Queen of Elemental Air
Conjuration 8
5 • 50
One of:Aella - Queen of Storms, Thuella - Queen of Thunder, Nephele - Queen of Clouds
Summons one of the three Air Queens; they're probably the best of the Elemental Royalty, due to their extreme mobility, and due to the demand for high-end Air battlefield spells like Mass Flight and Fog Warriors.
All three are mostly identical, but Thuella has the best combat power in exchange for lacking allies to summon; not that summoning allies is a great use of time for such powerful mages. All three have 5
Air/Earth
Watcher
Enchantment 5
31 • 5
Watcher
May cast underwater. Durable immobile unit with a very high damage lightning attack and very high Patrol bonus. Watchers are not commanders, so a commander with magic leadership must patrol in order to benefit from the patrol bonus.
Air/Death
Corpse Man Construction
Construction 1
11 • 1
Corpse Construct × 1
Corpse Constructs are undead units with high shock resistance and hitpoints, but 0 protection and abysmal skills in attack and defence. The number of constructs summoned by this spell can be boosted by equipping the summoning mage with a Lightning Rod (+3 constructs) and Storm Spool (+2 constructs), meaning it can be an efficient way to turn gems into HP and siege strength when set up correctly. The high base shock resistance of the Corpse Constructs make them useful chaff to protect a Wrathful Skies caster.
Air/Nature
Summon Amphiptere
Conjuration 3
21 • 3
Amphiptere × 1
A flying cold-blooded creature, superficially similar to a Wyvern. The Amphiptere is tougher, with special features on both attacks: "death poison" (35 damage) when its fangs pierce protection, and a 15 damage ranged poison spray attack. The combination of undisciplined, a rare cross path, and only being summonable one at a time means these are rarely used in any numbers. A potential use case is to embed within a flying raiding force as a counter to thugs.
Water
Water
Call Krakens
Conjuration 3
3 • 4
Kraken × 5 + ½ per extra level
Underwater Only. A huge beast with four armor piercing attacks for less than a gem each. A Kraken could be a strong combatant with enough buffs, but they suffer from a poor comparison with Summon Water Elemental as well as poor magic resistance.
Summon Ice Drake
Conjuration 4
2 • 7
Ice Drake × 1
Ice Drakes emit a "beam" of armor negating cold damage that lingers for a bit, capable of penetrating deep into enemy lines and freezing opponents with insufficient Cold Resistance. Ice Drakes are undisciplined, can inflict friendly fire, and have poor melee skills, so are best used in combination with undead or other cold-resistant allies. Drakes can be summoned in greater numbers by a Dragon Master, making them substantially cheaper and more turn-efficient.
Summon Sea Serpent
Conjuration 4
2 • 4
Sea Serpent × 1
Underwater Only. These enormous aquatic drakes are notable for having enormous hp, fear, and inflicting death poison if their fangs deal damage. As an undisciplined unit with high combat speed and modest protection, they are likely to die quickly unless supported by other undisciplined troops (like province defense). Beware nature mages: an 8 MR Animal is a prime Charm Animal target. Drakes can be summoned in greater numbers by a Dragon Master, making them substantially cheaper and more turn-efficient.
Contact Sea Trolls
Conjuration 5
3 • 10
Sea Troll × 10 + ½ per extra level
Sea trolls are excellent late-game blockers, with built-in regeneration (doubled underwater!), high hit points, and good magic resistance. Lacking the weapon and armor of the land Troll, they also lack its extreme fire vulnerability. Each sea troll has the upkeep of a 50 unit.
Summon Winter Wolves
Conjuration 5
3 • 6
Winter Wolf × 5 + ½ per extra level
Like other seasonal spirits, these are ethereal, mindless, magic beinganimals with Spirit Sight, high magic resistance, and modest seasonal variation in HP. Winter Wolves are notable for their high combat speed, AOE1 cold damage attack (similar to a Frost Brand) and large cold aura. Winter Wolves have modest HP and no protection (relaying on Ethereal for defense), but can very rapidly kill or freeze targets that are vulnerable to cold, either natively (Imp, Devil, Fire Elemental) or due to Marble Warriors
Summon Bishop Fish
Conjuration 6
3 • 15
Bishop Fish
Underwater Only. The Bishop Fish is the primary non-national 3 summon. With a Shambler Skin Armor or Amulet of the Fish, can be used on land for Divine Blessing and claiming Thrones. Bishop Fish lack a boot slot and have low map movement, so you need a Flying Carpet to boost their mobility.
Sea King's Court
Conjuration 6
3 • 55
Sea King × 1, Sea Troll × 15, Troll Guard x5
The Sea King is a powerful underwater troll with 3, good resistances, 15% regeneration (25% underwater), and the ability to generate a free water gem each month. While worth casting just for the Sea King, the army of Sea Trolls are solid troops who unfortunately have the upkeep of a 50+ unit.
Often part of climbing Water: a 2 Mage forges a Water Bracelet and casts this spell to summon the 3 Sea King.
Summon Asp Turtle
Conjuration 7
3 • 10
Asp Turtle × 1
Underwater only. An enormous aquatic trampler with very high natural protection and fear. While 13 magic resistance is far above that of the Kraken or Sea serpent, Asp Turtles suffer from being deeper in the research tree than both Charm Animal and Enslave Mind.
Queen of Elemental Water
Conjuration 8
5 • 50
One of:Thalassa - Queen of the Sea, Bathusma - Queen of the Deeps, Limne - Queen of the Lake
Underwater only. The water Elemental Royalty, all of these have 5, incredible underwater regeneration, recuperation, and built-in Liquid body, giving them the potential to be mighty underwater supercombatants (ideally with fluffers). Only the Queen of the Lake is naturally amphibious.
Vile Water
Enchantment 4
2 • 2
Gelatinous Cube × 1
Gelatinous Cubes are resistant to physical damage as well as most types of elemental damage. They can trample and swallow units smaller than them. Using them effectively requires care; they have incredibly low combat speed and no protection. However, they can be capable anti-thug units or even line combatants with the right buffs.
Water/Fire
Manifest Vitriol
Alteration 6
21 • 3
Green Lion × 1
Mages with the rare fire/water cross path can summon the mighty Green Lion. Like the Seasonal Spirits, Green lions are etherealmagic beings with spirit sight and excellent magic resistance. They are notable for their high precision armor piercing and corrosive ranged attack.
Water/Air
Summon Yetis
Conjuration 3
21 • 8
Yeti × 5 + ½ per extra level
Yetis are winter giants, surrounded by a cold aura. They are notable for being the strongest creature in Dominions with the Sticks and Stones attack, throwing two 19-damage projectiles per round with very low precision. These ranged attacks benefit fully from buffs like Strength of Giants and Army of Giants. Despite their resemblance to the great apes of Bandar Log, Yetis have high magic resistance and are not Animals.
Water/Earth
Summon Cave Cows
Conjuration 3
22 • 3
Cave Cow × 10 + ½ per extra level
Cave only. Cave cows are an inexpensive summon that can ruin the day of armored knights with their highly acidic spit, which deals 10 armor piercing damage (increasing to 17 with Enlarge and Strength of Giants) and corrodes armor.
Claymen
Enchantment 3
11 • 7
Clayman × 10 + ½ per extra level
Claymen are mindless constructs, notable for their built-in Regeneration and 20 damage hammer attack. With mediocre combat skills and low protection, they are primarily useful once defensive buffs like Fog Warriors are available.
Water/Death
Streams from Hades
Conjuration 6
41 • 40
Kokythiad × 1
May use underwater. A water mage with some death access can summon this amphibious33 mage using just water gems. The Kokythiad has high Fear, spirit sight, excellent magic resistance, and some invulnerability, but only human hit points. Useful for breaking into 3 and as a Stygian Rains caster.
Summon Catoblepas
Conjuration 7
32 • 12
Catoblepas × 1
Catoblepas are famous for their Gaze of Death attack, which deals 10 armor-negating damage in an enormous area (AOE 20; magic resistance negates) and thus can annihilate entire formations of low MR troops. Friendly fire can be a major problem, both with the Gaze of Death and the poison cloud that surrounds these deadly bulls. Mindless units like constructs and longdead are immune to the Gaze of Death.
Hidden in Snow
Enchantment 6
31 • 65
Various
Mountains and Highlands only. // Summons an army of tough undead. See Hidden in Terrain for details. |||
Water/Nature
Contact Naiad
Conjuration 5
31 • 35
Naiad × 1
Naiads are powerful amphibious 33 mages with many useful abilities, including stealth, Recuperation, and very high Awe and magic resistance. Naiads suffer from homesickness, and will die if away from their home province for long, but can be quite useful both for rituals and Foul Vapors. Homesickness can be removed using Transformation.
Naiad Warriors
Conjuration 5
31 • 18
Kydnid × 25
Kydnids are efficiently summoned amphibious troops, with decent skills, bronze gear and high Awe. With their low strength, they won't kill much, but they can be valuable as amphibious blockers and bodyguards.
Call Ancient Presence
Conjuration 9
54 • 15
Ancient Presence × 1
An enormous swamp monster with fear and 40% regeneration per turn, the Ancient Presence can devour whole any creature smaller than it (growing in strength as it does so). Unfortunately, comes as a unit, not a commander. While this monster has some physical resistances, it is much tougher when targeted by protection buffs and/or other fluffing.
A Naiad can summon this monster with Construction 7 boosters.
=====Earth=====
Earth
Summon Cave Grubs
Conjuration 1
1 • 5
Cave Grub × 10 + ½ per extra level
Cave only. An early game way to get a lot of siege strength given a 1 in cave province lab, Cave Grubs have an impressive 52 hit points, and a high damage bite attack that can corrode armor. Their slow combat speed is a feature: their poor combat skills and low protection mean they tend to die in melee, and their poor MR makes them a target for Charm Animal.
Summon Ogres
Conjuration 2
1 • 7
Ogre × 5 + ½ per extra level
Ogres are one of the game's most accessible summons. While their cold resistance is somewhat notable, their main use case is as a quickly massed source of 30 damage attacks in early game warfare.
Summon Cave Drake
Conjuration 4
2 • 4
Cave Drake × 1
Cave drakes are earth Drakes. A cave drake is a cold-bloodedanimal notable for its resistance to physical damage, with 22 protection and 58 hit points. Cave drakes have high strength but poor combat skills, so they combine well with immobilizing spells like Web and Earth Meld. Drakes can be summoned in greater numbers by a Dragon Master, making them substantially cheaper and more turn-efficient.
Summon Fall Bears
Conjuration 5
3 • 13
Fall Bear × 5 + ½ per extra level
Like other seasonal spirits, these are ethereal, mindless, magic beingsanimals with Spirit Sight, high magic resistance, and modest seasonal variation in HP. Notable for their built-in Regeneration and high HP, Fall Bears can be very effective blockers against targets without magic weapons, especially with protection buffs and/or Fog Warriors.
Contact Trolls
Conjuration 5
3 • 10
Troll × 5 + ½ per extra level
Trolls are an expensive but powerful troop summon, with high magic resistance, high durability, a very high damage great club, and built-in Regeneration. Especially with buffs, they can be quite strong in combat against opponents that are unable to exploit their high fire vulnerability. Note that unlike most summons, trolls have high gold upkeep.
Contact Hill Giant
Conjuration 6
3 • 3
Hill Giant × 1
Hill giants are enormous size 9 units with a remarkable 106 hp, a 42 damage great club, and the ability to swallow humans whole (50% chance each round). Both attacks are capable of killing units protected by Mossbody or Mistform, especially if you manage to cast Weapons of Sharpness on your fast and undisciplined giants. Their high HP will attract attract both friendly buffs and enemy evocations, which can be desirable at times, but beware Enslave Mind casters, who are almost guaranteed to exploit their 9 magic resistance.
Troll King's Court
Conjuration 6
3 • 65
Troll King × 1, Troll × 10, War Troll × 5, Troll Moose Knight × 2
The Troll King is a useful summon, often used as a thug chassis or a caster for big earth spells like Army of Gold and Weapons of Sharpness. He comes with an army of trolls, which is a great bonus but makes this spell more expensive than many other mage summons. Troll Kings are important for path-boosting earth magic, since an 2 mage with Earth Boots can cast this spell and then give the Troll king his boots to create a 4 mage. Note that unlike most summons, trolls have high gold upkeep.
King of Elemental Earth
Conjuration 8
5 • 50
One of:Barathrus - King of Deeper Earth, Oreigenes - King of Mountains
Clockwork soldiers are a mechanical version of human infantry, with high resistances to all elements and high protection. They fatigue out very quickly (-15 reinvigoration), and thus will actively fight for at most 7 rounds of battle. All constructs are mindless and have spirit sight, though clockwork troops only have a few turns of activity after the casting time of Darkness would complete.
Clockwork Horrors
Construction 4
2 • 9
Clockwork Horror × 15 + 1 per extra level
Improves on the similar Clockwork soldier by having two attacks and higher combat speed (thus wasting less of their limited combat value moving).
Crusher Construction
Construction 4
3 • 10
Crusher × 1
The Crusher is a tough blocker, with high hp, protection, and pierce/slash resistances. Consider fluffing your Crusher with defensive spells like Mossbody and Body Ethereal. Its very low combat stats mean that it will primarily crush targets that have been immobilized by spells like Earth Grip or Web.
Mechanical Men
Construction 6
2 • 15
Mechanical Man × 15 + 1 per extra level
Mechanical Men are similar to Clockwork Soldiers in having very high resistances to elemental magic, without the reinvigoration penalty. Their direct combat ability is modest, with just 8 hit points and human level combat stats, but they have some of the best resistances of any troop in the game.
Siege Golem
Construction 8
3 • 15
Siege Golem × 1
Similar to a Crusher but with a large siege bonus, better resistances, and duel Shatterfist attacks (basically a built-in Smasher). Siege golems compete with both Crumble and Gate Cleaver as ways to transform into siege strength. They are quite durable, with high hp, protection, and elemental resistances, but comes as a unit (not a commander), and their modest magic resistance makes them a target for spells like Disintegrate.
Enliven Statues
Enchantment 6
3 • 20
Living Statue × 10 + 1 per extra level
Living Statues are substantially better combatants than Mechanical Men, but lack the elemental resistances and do not heal between battles. All constructs have spirit sight, and Living Statues in particular have high attack/defense stats, which means they have very high relative stats in Darkness.
Earth/Fire
Iron Dragon
Construction 8
42 • 25
Iron Dragon × 1
Durable fire-breathing unit with full elemental resistances, trample, fear, and a fire breath attack. mindless and thus immune to spells like soul slay, but the low MR for a late game summon means it will be targeted by spells like Disintegrate.
Earth/Air
Enliven Gargoyles
Enchantment 5
31 • 12
Gargoyle × 10 + ½ per extra level
May cast underwater. With this rare cross path, you can summon a group of durable flyers with two attacks and similar attributes to the Living Statue. Because of their built-in physical resistances and small size, gargoyles can be efficiently buffed with AOE 1 spells like Mossbody to create very durable flyers.
Earth/Water
Summon Cave Crab
Conjuration 3
11 • 4
Cave Crab × 1
Cave only. Cave Crabs are undisciplined amphibians with very high natural protection and a single 25 damage, armor piercing claw attack. While their combat skills are unremarkable, their darkvision allows them to fight effectively in caves and other dark places. Cave Crabs are animals with extremely low magic resistance.
Earth/Nature
Iron Pigs
Alteration 6
31 • 9
Iron Pig × 10 + ½ per extra level
Iron Pigs are essentially undisciplined size 4 animal tramplers with Ironskin precast, including the shock vulnerability. While their low morale and magic resistance are certainly weaknesses, each can kill a large number of smaller chaff like Swarm bugs, skellyspam, or independent humans, as long as they don't run into anything size 4 or larger, which they will ineffectually attempt to bite. Just 3 of them can beat 6PD against common PD types. For Marverni, this spell summons size 5, sacred Iron Boars instead.
Juggernauts are very durable size 10 sacred construct, notable for being a unit (not a commander!) that spreads dominion like a temple. With Divine Name, they become 3 for claiming Thrones. They are one of the slowest units in the game, and thus their trample ability is of limited use.
Telestic Animation
Thaumaturgy 4
3 • 5
Telestic Animate × 1
Cheap 2 immobile priest statue. One of the very few units with Innate Spellcaster, though you'd need to empower in a magic path in order to use innate caster for much.
Astral/Water
Call Abomination
Conjuration 9
52 • 15
Abomination × 1
A big monster that needs point buffs to survive late-game battles, but is an artillery weapon that fires an AOE instant death Mind blast (Magic Negates).
Comes too late game to be the most useful thing to spend pearls on.
Astral/Earth
Golem Construction
Construction 6
32 • 35
Golem × 1
May cast underwater. Golems are one of the defining summons of the late game, because they are a durable mindless astral mage. Mindless mages cannot be targeted by Magic Duel, making Golems the preferred caster for important battlefield spells like Antimagic, Doom, and Will of the Fates when fighting a nation with far more astral access than you. Mindless mages are also immune to Soul Slay, Charm, Enslave Mind, and similar spells.
These features, combined with the ability to move during the Magic phase with a Starshine Skullcap, make golems an important late game thug chassis despite their low combat skills. While 2 offers limited buff options, golems can be geared, fluffed, or (at great expense) empowered for use as a thug against armies.
Golems have a key role during Astral Corruption and the Cataclysm, because horrors do not hunt mindless mages.
Astral/Death
Summon Ether Warriors
Conjuration 5
31 • 15
Ether Warrior × 3
May use underwater. Ether Warriors are skilled, magic half-giants armed with Moon Blades. They are well-armored, and all of them are ethereal, amphibious, and possess spirit sight. They perform better in Magic scales, too. Summons two additional warriors if cast in a province with an open Ether Gate (see below), bringing the cost per-warrior from 5 down to 3.
Ether Gate
Conjuration 6
41 • 90
Ether Lord × 1, Ether Warrior × 15
May use underwater. The Ether Lord has 321100%, potentially granting great magic diversity though at a steep cost.
Overcasting this spell will keep the Ether Gate open for longer, allowing you to cast Summon Ether Warriors more efficiently.
Call the Eater of the Dead
Conjuration 8
44 • 50
Eater of the Dead × 1
Essentially an Ancient Presence with better ramp-up between battles, due to its Trample-and-Swallow method of feeding and its Corpse Eater trait, but worse initial stats and a Disease aura.
The Eater gets progressively more powerful as it eats more, up until it becomes the Unfettered and turns against you.
===== Nature =====
Nature
Summon Animals
Conjuration 1
2 • 10
Various animals × 30 + 2 per extra level
Summons 30 animal chaff of varying types and quality, heavily dependant on the terrain. Generally more gem and mage turn efficient than other spells that summon animals, especially if cast in a swamp or underwater.
Vine men are chaff with low combat stats and some HP. They are notable for not being inanimate, having 50 morale, and their resistances to poison, blunt and pierce damage. The effectiveness of this spell scales with the Ivy Lord ability, which is most easily obtained by forging an Ivy Crown or summoning an Ivy Lord.
Awaken Algae Men
Conjuration 2
1 • 1
Algae Man × 4
Underwater only. Algae Men are very similar to Vine Men, but are amphibious, have less HP and much more protection.
Pack of Wolves
Conjuration 2
1 • 2
Wolf × 15 + 1 per extra level
Wolves are a very cheap animal summon. As fast undisciplined units that are substantially weaker than many PD troops, their combat effectiveness is typically limited to serving as a distraction. A popular use case is as early game patrol chaff for blood hunting.
Summon Horned Serpents
Conjuration 2
1 • 4
Horned Serpent × 10 + ½ per extra level.
Wasteland only. Horned serpents are easily massed undisciplinedcold-blooded animals with a poisonous bite. While 29HP, 11 protection, and 14 attack skill may seem impressive, these trade poorly with many basic units, including basic province defense. The primary issue is their 7 defense, which means that their attacks will be very often be prevented by repel. One might think that their 13 morale would make that a non-issue, but checks to attack despite a successful repel are penalized by how much the defender won the repel check by, which will usually be a lot.
As a result, Army of Giants will significantly improve their damage output against troops with length 0 or 1 weapons, if you can manage to target them with it despite their lack of discipline. Their low cost, high attack skill, high MR, and 15AN poison mean they can still have a useful role as a tool against some elite targets lacking high poison resistance, or, heavily buffed, as chaff in in late game battles.
Note that these can be summoned more efficiently by casting Animal Horde in a swamp province.
Summon Killer Mantis
Conjuration 2
2 • 5
Killer Mantis × 10 + ½ per extra level
The Killer Mantis has the rare combination of being both a magic being and an animal. They are notable for having two decent attacks and unbreakable morale.
Call of the Wild
Conjuration 3
4 • 9
Werewolf × 1, Wolf × 30
Technically a remote attack, this spell can be cast in friendly territory as a remote summon. Gives half as many wolves outside forests. Less efficient as a summoning spell than Pack of Wolves, but the Werewolf can summon 3 wolves per turn. It takes ten months for the werewolf to produce an equal amount of wolves per nature gem, assuming the spell was used in a forest.
Summon Leogryphs
Conjuration 4
2 • 12
Leogryph x10 +1/lv
Leogryphs are fast, undisciplined animals with high attack skill and two attacks. Unlike many animals, they have decent magic resistance.
Awaken Vine Ogres
Conjuration 4
3 • 3
Vine Ogre x2
Vine Ogres are inexpensive mindlessmagic being plants with an impressive 55 hit points. Because of their low cost, they can be cost-effectively used in many ways, including as siege chaff, evocation bait, blockers, or soul vortex batteries for powerful death mages. Spell scales with the Ivy Lord ability, which is most easily obtained by forging an Ivy Crown or summoning a Vine Lord.
Spirits of the Wood
Conjuration 5
3 • 8
Woodland Spirit x10 +1/lv
Woodland spirits are fragile homesickethereal spirits with high awe and 20% regeneration, but unfortunately no protection. Their attack permanently steals strength (magic resistance negates). They are moderately effective blockers against foes lacking magic weapons or having low morale; with powerful buffs (such as Fog Warriors), they might be able to block foes lacking magic weapons for a very long time.
A superhuman commander with magic weapons, including 30 magic Javelins that keep them busy.
Of course, many mages who can summon Sleepers are superhuman themselves, and have better prospects as thugs due to spells like Personal Regeneration. Still, the Sleepers see use as leaders of troops; each has 120 Leadership, 80 Magic Leadership, and 40 Undead Leadership.
Forest Troll Tribe
Conjuration 6
3 • 37
Troll Shaman x1 • Forest Troll x15
The Troll Shaman is the highlight of the Tribe, boasting 111100%, and the ritual is rather cheap if you also need the Forest Trolls. If you only care about breaking into Death, know that there's only a one-in-three chance of getting a 2, which is required for summoning additional Death Mages.
Contact Forest Giant
Conjuration 6
3 • 2
Forest Giant x1
A lesser Giant who can't pick foes up and swallow them whole, though it still does enough damage with each strike to punch through Mossbody and Mistform. Just comparing to the Hill Giant, the Hill Giant has over 60% more HP, 33% less Defense, and the same chance of getting flipped by dastardly slavers.
Contact Lamias
Conjuration 6
3 • 5
Lamia x5 +1/2 lv
descrip
Animal Horde
Conjuration 7
4 • 15
100 animals
Summons 100 animal chaff of varying types and quality, heavily dependant on the terrain. Significantly more gem and mage turn efficient than other spells that summon animals, especially if cast in a swamp or underwater.
A Giant 3 mage with the HP of someone one Size category taller, not to mention the physical resistances to everything except for swords. He's also a high-level Ivy Lord, of course, and he counters other Nature nations' animal hordes with his Animal Awe. He does not have a head slot, however, for his Ivy Crown forbids the wearing of protective headwear.
Faerie Court
Conjuration 8
5 • 40
Faery Queen x1 • Sprite x15
The draw of this ritual is the Faery Queen, a flying33 mage who doubles as a Disease Healer. She doesn't offer deeper Nature access, except through Blood-assisted booster chains in nations like Sauromatia or Early/Late Mictlan (the latter of which has a national alternative), but only a few would turn down her Air magic. At the very least, she's a Miraculous Cure All Elixir that also does other things.
The Sprites are dodge-tanks (SIZE 1 AND 20 DEFENSE) whose only attacks dump 100 Fatigue on their targets, though they're vulnerable to Evocations (and Tramplers) and lacking in Morale.
Awaken Tarrasque
Conjuration 9
6 • 25
Tarrasque x1
A super tough regenerating dragon with a big poison cloud.
Comes too late in research to be useful, as you would prefer a fully slotted super-combatant chassis at Conj 9
Wooden Construction
Construction 5
3 • 3
Lumber Construct x1
Poorer Golem. If you get one during a random event, it's tradition to thug it out for good luck.
Awaken Treelord
Enchantment 7
5 • 35
One of:Treelord • Treelord • Dying Treelord
All Treelords are immobile, high-nature, Innate Spellcasters, around as tough as the most durable Idols (if their weakness to Fire is ignored). They all have retinues and three innate attacks, too, and they're all high-level Ivy Lords. However, all three have notable differences. One has 14 and boars, and raises Growth Scales locally. Another has 41 and Dire Wolves. The third has 5 and uses Swarm at the start of each battle for free, but is extremely old. Summoning in a densely-populated province will get the most out of the first two.
Poison cloud and ranged poison attack. Has decent HP, modest protection but low morale and extremely low magic resistance. Swimming and swamp survival. Ironically like all poison cloud units, it can sometimes kill more enemy units while routing or even being charmed due to enemy units amassing around.
Summon Swamp Drake
Conjuration 4
21 • 7
Swamp Drake x1
Swamp drakes are slow cold-bloodedanimals with a poison gas beam attack. Because of their poor combat skills and modest protection, they are best used in combination with poison immune troops, such as undead. Like Bog beasts, Swamp Drakes can be an effective way to field poison damage for nations with limited access to the poison cross path. Drakes can be summoned in greater numbers by a Dragon Master, making them substantially cheaper and more turn-efficient.
Nature/Earth
Summon Kithaironic Lion
Conjuration 4
31 • 5
Kithaironic Lion
descrip
Summon Manticore
Conjuration 6
21 • 5
Manticore
descrip
Nature/Death
Contact Lamia Queen
Conjuration 6
52 • 25
Lamia Queen
The mighty 212100% 100% Lamia Queen has an impressive 50% regeneration in both her humanoid and Serpent Queen forms, giving her substantial thug potential despite her modest hit points. High regeneration allows Lamia Queens to be used as turbo communion batteries with a Slave Matrix; the second form regenerates 14 hit points a turn even without buffs like Enlarge or Personal Regeneration, while the humanoid form can support almost a many with a Coral Blade to boost her hit points. Commonly summoned for the 47.5% chance to be a blood mage on nations without native blood access, with the other randoms being useful death or nature casters. Contact Lamias will summon 2 extra Lamias when cast by a Lamia Queen. All Lamias are cold-blooded.
Construct Manikin
Construction 3
11 • 9
Manikin x10 +2/lv
descrip
Construct Mandragora
Construction 6
21 • 10
Mandragora x5 +2/lv
descrip
===== Death =====
Death
Black Servant
Conjuration 1
2 • 5
Black Servant
An unusually stealthy scout. Useful if you need an amphibious scout or need a scout with spirit sight. Can be used as a stealthy light raider when equipped with an Amulet of the Dead.
Summon Shades
Conjuration 2
2 • 8
Shade x5 +1/2 lv
Shades are a weak ethereal summon, notable for their Steal Strength attack, which permanently consumes 2 points of the target's strength after a magic resistance check.
Revive Wights
Conjuration 3
2 • 20
Wight x5
May use underwater. Wights are elite undead troops, with good stats, heavy armor, cold aura, and a magic Bane Blade. While expensive at 4 each, they are a mage turn efficient way to turn gems into combat power. In the late game, Legion of Wights is much more economical.
Revive Bane
Conjuration 3
2 • 7
Bane
May use underwater. Banes are essentially a commander version of the Wight, notable for have 120 undead leadership (and thus able to do formations) with a morale bonus. They wield the 2-handed Bane Blade. They are one of the better early game options for a summoned thug chassis.
Summon Shade Beasts
Conjuration 4
3 • 15
Shade Beast x15 +2/lvl
May use underwater. Shade Beasts are ethereal hounds that are ineffective in daylight. In Darkness, they have 13 attack, 10 defense, and a 15 damage magic attack, making them decent midgame chaff for fighting enemy troops without any darkvision.
Spirit Mastery
Conjuration 5
1 • 4
Dispossessed Spirit x15+
May use underwater. These extremely cheap ethereal troops can be used like swarm bugs as as blockers against foes lacking both priests and magic weapons. They are one of the cheapest troop counters to elephants, as ethereal troops are resistant to tramplers, and their weak paralyzing attacks will quickly paralyze targets with log magic resistance.
Revive Bane Lord
Conjuration 5
4 • 12
Bane Lord
May use underwater. The Bane Lord is an upgraded size 3 version of the Bane, with the same gear and special abilities, but significantly better stats and more hit points. Like the Bane, a common use case is as a summoned thug or counter-thug chassis.
Summon Ghosts
Conjuration 6
2 • 14
Ghost x5 +1/2 lv
May use underwater. Ghosts are powerful ethereal spirits with a cold aura, fear, and an armor piercing life drain attack. Their 0 protection is a major weakness, but Ghosts can be deadly combatants when their protection is buffed, especially with offensive buffs like Quickness. Note that Ghosts can be summoned using a Wraith Lord turn as well as via gems.
Summon Spectre
Conjuration 6
3 • 22
Spectral Mage
May use underwater. Spectral Mages are 12100% 100% mages, with all the features of a Ghost chassis. They can be used as a thug, or as affordable summon for breaking into useful paths or crosspaths unavailable to a nation. Astral randoms can be used as a stealthy counter to an enemy making extensive use of Mind Hunt.
Summon Mound Fiend
Conjuration 7
3 • 28
Mound Fiend
May use underwater. Mound Fiends are 32 mages and reanimator priests, with all the features of a Ghost chassis. They are often used both in climbing Death magic and as a source of freespawn chaff.
Harvester of Sorrows
Conjuration 7
3 • 28
Harvester of Sorrows
May use underwater. A powerful undead spirit with a life drain attack. The lack of a body slot complicates using these as a thug, but its powerful fear aura means these can often rout light PD or low morale patrol chaff. Can be used as a Banevenom Charm to kill 10% of a province's population as an anonymous event every turn. Human opponents often find the use of reapers upsetting, which can lead to diplomatic consequences.
Call Wraith Lord
Conjuration 7
5 • 40
Wraith Lord
May use underwater. Wraith Lords are immortal3 mages. As ethereal commanders with excellent stats, a magic Bane Blade, a cold aura and fear, these can be easily used as a thug without any gear, often using Soul Vortex and Invulnerability.
While Wraith Lords are weaker death mages than the other immortal death magic summon (Lich), they respawn immediately after being killed, making them often worth the higher cost.
Wraith Lords can freespawn one Ghost a turn, and will curse whoever kills them.
Legion of Wights
Conjuration 9
6 • 30
Wight x20 +3/lv]
May use underwater. One of the mage's most efficient troop summoning spells, Legion of Wights is an efficient way to mass a small army of elite, easily buffed undead troops carrying magic weapons.
Tartarian Gate
Conjuration 9
7 • 10
Summons a Tartarian
Summons a powerful undead Titan, who can be powerful casters and supercombatants, if you can manage their afflictions and insanity. See the Tartarian Gate page for a complete description of this endgame spell.
Enchantment
Reanimation
Enchantment 1
1 • 3
Longdeadx10
May use underwater. Reanimates 10 permanent Longdead troops, which can be boosted to 12 by an Amulet of the Dead. For nations with special national Longdead types, many of the longdead created by this spell will be of those types. See Reanimation for details.
Revive King
Enchantment 2
2 • 3
Mound King
May use underwater. Mound kings are a cheap and mobile undead leader, notable primarily for their 80 undead leadership.
Create Revenant
Enchantment 3
2 • 9
Revenant
May use underwater. Turns Death gems into Researchers. Probably only needs some early game to spam death magic and dedicated death site searching.
Behemoth
Enchantment 4
3 • 7
Behemoth
May use underwater. An undead elephant. Decent MR and morale mean these do not share some of the weaknesses of other elephant units; low defense and protection mean that these perform substantially better with defensive buffs.
Pale Riders
Enchantment 5
3 • 10
Longdead Horseman x20+ 2/lv
May use underwater. A cheap and extremely mage turn efficient way to summon dangerous chaff, notable primarily for their high combat speed, light lance charge, and decent combat speed. With their low HP and average magic resistance, these are highly vulnerable to banishment spells.
Carrion Reanimation
Enchantment 7
3 • 10
Soulless x100 +2/lv
May use underwater. Transforms up to 100 corpses in the target province into Soulless. Most nations will get Soulless Warrior or Soulless, but many nations have special national versions; see Reanimation for details.
Ritual of Rebirth
Enchantment 7
4 • 15
Revives a hero as a Mummy
May use underwater. Ritual of rebirth resurrects one of your slain commanders who had a heroic trait via the Hall of Fame. Revived heroes can often be badly afflicted, but this can be an inexpensive way to summon a powerful mage. The mummy chassis has a decent HP pool, but poor combat stats, and is extremely vulnerable to fire magic as well as the Shatter spell.
Notably, resurrecting a dead Prophet with this spell is one way to get additional 3 priests to claim thrones. You don't get to pick which of your dead heroes is raised from the dead.
Lichcraft
Enchantment 8
5 • 30
Lich
May use underwater. Liches are immortal4 mages, useful both as raiders and as casters for major Death magic like Life After Death, Darkness, and Rigor Mortis. A Lich is cheaper and a more powerful mage than the Wraith Lord, but lack its melee combat abilities, and take 3 months to respawn if killed.
Since a Lich can summon both types of immortal death mages with just a Skull Staff, they are often a major goal when boosting death magic and one of the most important ways players spend in the late game.
Liches are highly vulnerable to fire.
Death/Fire
King of Banefires
Conjuration 8
34 • 50
Antrax - King of Banefires
One of the Elemental Royalty, Anthrax is notable for his unique AOE banefire attack and powerful Banefire shield, both of which inflict enough armor piercing damage to pierce nearly any amount of protection.
Reanimate Archers
Enchantment 6
21 • 5
Longdead Archer x10
Longdead archers shoot Banefire Bows, which like a Bane Blade, force targets they damage to pass a magic resistance check or suffer from Decay. Unfortunately, the bows only do 9 magic piercing damage, which can't be easily buffed. As the only generic summon with a magic bow, their best role is probably in shooting 0 protection ethereal spirits like air elementals and ghosts, where the decay effect is largely a friendly fire problem.
Death/Air
Ziz
Enchantment 6
32 • 4
Ziz
An undead version of the Great Eagle. More expensive and harder to mass, but the greater cost pays for complete elemental resistances, spirit sight, Storm immunity, and Fear. Summoning them requires a rare cross path, but they can absolutely change the outcome of battles by routing a key enemy mage whose position in the rear had been protected only be a Staff of Storms.
Death/Water
Leviathan
Enchantment 7
31 • 12
Leviathan
Underwater only, An enormous undead turtle with trample and fear. A significant upgrade on the Behemoth, with very high protection but only moderate combat speed.
===== Blood =====
Despite the high numbers, Blood slaves are fairly easy to collect and considered cheaper to spend then gems.
A main downside for A lot of Blood summon troops, is that you have to summon them one of time until you get to the late game horde versions.
In addition, Unique Demon commanders return to the summoning pool when killed.
Blood
Bind Shadow Imp
Blood 1
1 • 4
Shadow Imp
Cheap scouts that take mage turns instead of fort turns.
Bind Spine Devil
Blood 2
2 • 3
Spine Devil
Solid two poison attack chaff with high Prot and Poison barbs.
Bind Fiend
Blood 2
2 • 5
Fiend of Darkness
Sneaky Flyers with Darkness Power and two solid poison attacks.
One of:Pazuzu - Lord of the Plague Wind • Belphegor - Lord of Hell • Belial - Lord of Corruption • Buer - Goat Sun • Geryon - Monster of Fraud • Ashmedai - Prince of Lust
2 • 6
1 • 2
1 • 10
2 • 8
1 • 1
3 • 4
unit. 
3 summon. With a Shambler Skin Armor or Amulet of the Fish, can be used on land for Divine Blessing and claiming Thrones. Bishop Fish lack a boot slot and have low map movement, so you need a Flying Carpet to boost their mobility. 
5
1
