which mage unit should I pivot to?

[snuggleform]

I'm currently fighting against tough/bolstering dwarves, where I am using a Feudal (Alfed Elderstone) so I'm trying to avoid going physical damage due to the monstrous armor rating I will probably face.

My culture doesn't have any battle mages by default, and I'm not so sure which ones in the tomes are worth getting. The highest tier one I saw was a tier 4 battlemage called a transmuter but it unfortunately does physical damage which directly runs into the high armor rating the dwarves have.

I'm currently thinking either banshees or watchers (both have to be summoned which is a huge mana drain) but I'm open to any other suggestions. I'm past the point where I can choose evokers/pyromancers since that's a tier 1 tome choice and I'm way past that point now, so it's going to have to come from tome tier 3 or higher. I kind of like the watchers because that tome also comes with the Guided Projectiles which is a massive help against obscured units, but what do you guys think?

[アンジェル]

Originally posted by snuggleform:

which mage unit should I pivot to?
I'm currently fighting against tough/bolstering dwarves, where I am using a Feudal (Alfed Elderstone) so I'm trying to avoid going physical damage due to the monstrous armor rating I will probably face.

My culture doesn't have any battle mages by default, and I'm not so sure which ones in the tomes are worth getting. The highest tier one I saw was a tier 4 battlemage called a transmuter but it unfortunately does physical damage which directly runs into the high armor rating the dwarves have.

I'm currently thinking either banshees or watchers (both have to be summoned which is a huge mana drain) but I'm open to any other suggestions. I'm past the point where I can choose evokers/pyromancers since that's a tier 1 tome choice and I'm way past that point now, so it's going to have to come from tome tier 3 or higher. I kind of like the watchers because that tome also comes with the Guided Projectiles which is a massive help against obscured units, but what do you guys think?

My latest, also late game, favourite is the transmuter with her high chance to stun the enemies for 1 turn. After I have experienced it myself how devastating it can be getting stunned at turn 2 in combat, I am using it myself with great success. Those in combination with classic aoe casters and/or necromancers do their job splendidly.

[Gilmore]

Just be aware that bolster also gives magic resistance.

[Darkfireslide]

Watchers are good if you can afford the mana to maintain them, as they are 20 mana per turn each to upkeep. They have a 6 range single target damage+Stun which makes them quite scary.

You can actually still research a tier 1 tome, though. You just need to hit the "Tome Library" button or whatever and you can start getting them. Based on your existing affinities, you should look at:

Shadow: Tome of Cryomancy White Witches
Order: Tome of the Beacon Light Bringers (mind control)
Chaos: Tome of Pyromancy Pyromancers
Nature: Nymphs (forget the tome name) (mind control)
Materium: Grab Sundering Blades Enchantment from tier 1 tome
Astral: Evokers from Tome of Evocation

[snuggleform]

Originally posted by Gilmore:

Just be aware that bolster also gives magic resistance.

Err, right. But still, their Tough trait gives them +2 armor and generally their units have high physical defense to begin with, so I'd rather not tackle them with physical damage.

Originally posted by アンジェル:

Originally posted by snuggleform:

which mage unit should I pivot to?
I'm currently fighting against tough/bolstering dwarves, where I am using a Feudal (Alfed Elderstone) so I'm trying to avoid going physical damage due to the monstrous armor rating I will probably face.

My culture doesn't have any battle mages by default, and I'm not so sure which ones in the tomes are worth getting. The highest tier one I saw was a tier 4 battlemage called a transmuter but it unfortunately does physical damage which directly runs into the high armor rating the dwarves have.

I'm currently thinking either banshees or watchers (both have to be summoned which is a huge mana drain) but I'm open to any other suggestions. I'm past the point where I can choose evokers/pyromancers since that's a tier 1 tome choice and I'm way past that point now, so it's going to have to come from tome tier 3 or higher. I kind of like the watchers because that tome also comes with the Guided Projectiles which is a massive help against obscured units, but what do you guys think?

My latest, also late game, favourite is the transmuter with her high chance to stun the enemies for 1 turn. After I have experienced it myself how devastating it can be getting stunned at turn 2 in combat, I am using it myself with great success. Those in combination with classic aoe casters and/or necromancers do their job splendidly.

I don't like that the transmuters do physical damage. I guess their insane hp and sundering projectiles makes up for it, but then again they are also pricey af.

What undead units do you boost with your necromancers? What do you mean by classic aoe casters - evoker/pyro?

[MrLuckless]

Transmuter as stated is a solid one just for the stun alone, but I'd add that the Lightbringer can be downright evil. Slap a mass condemnation on a group of enemies then let the Lightbringers convert them with higher success now that their resistance is lower. BAM, free units provided by your opponent...to be used on your opponent. The Pyromancer/Magma Spirit are also good as there is a lot of spells and enchants that benefit from the burning effect.

[アンジェル]

Originally posted by snuggleform:

Originally posted by アンジェル:

My latest, also late game, favourite is the transmuter with her high chance to stun the enemies for 1 turn. After I have experienced it myself how devastating it can be getting stunned at turn 2 in combat, I am using it myself with great success. Those in combination with classic aoe casters and/or necromancers do their job splendidly.

I don't like that the transmuters do physical damage. I guess their insane hp and sundering projectiles makes up for it, but then again they are also pricey af.

What undead units do you boost with your necromancers? What do you mean by classic aoe casters - evoker/pyro?

Yep. Pretty much that, with raining fireballs upon the enemy and all the other area of effects stuff per element. When focusing on one element you might run into the annoyance I have experienced where I specialised in pyromaniac and the enemy who declared war on me came all with fire/burn immunity.

Undead wise mostly cannonfodder and some very strong specials. There is a hero skill which gives a chance to create undead from killing an enemy which triggers for me reliably often. I have overturned several "impssible battles" already by utilising that in combination with multihit and ricochet ranged weapon.

Undeads are so hard to kill, when you play them right, you either love or hate them.

[snuggleform]

Originally posted by MrLuckless:

Transmuter as stated is a solid one just for the stun alone, but I'd add that the Lightbringer can be downright evil. Slap a mass condemnation on a group of enemies then let the Lightbringers convert them with higher success now that their resistance is lower. BAM, free units provided by your opponent...to be used on your opponent. The Pyromancer/Magma Spirit are also good as there is a lot of spells and enchants that benefit from the burning effect.

Ahhhhh right I forgot about the condemn lowering status resistance angle. I guess it could be further enhanced by casting Blizzard or Cold Snap on armies right before battle too.

[Gaius]

The earliest OP caster IMHO is the Lightgringer, mind control at tier 2 is just HUGE. I don't know what's your starting culture or what you're aiming to unlock at T5, but it's not a heavy opportunity investment, and if you can go heavy on order the Shrine of Smiting is just BRUTAL once all your units have Faithful.

If you're going Nature, Nymphs are just amazing too, mind control, good damage, AoE heal, all in one, all while leveling towards druid of the Cycle and Horned God.

[アンジェル]

Originally posted by snuggleform:

Originally posted by MrLuckless:

Transmuter as stated is a solid one just for the stun alone, but I'd add that the Lightbringer can be downright evil. Slap a mass condemnation on a group of enemies then let the Lightbringers convert them with higher success now that their resistance is lower. BAM, free units provided by your opponent...to be used on your opponent. The Pyromancer/Magma Spirit are also good as there is a lot of spells and enchants that benefit from the burning effect.

Ahhhhh right I forgot about the condemn lowering status resistance angle. I guess it could be further enhanced by casting Blizzard or Cold Snap on armies right before battle too.

Insomnia Ritual ~

[snuggleform]

Originally posted by Paladin Dark:

Watchers are good if you can afford the mana to maintain them, as they are 20 mana per turn each to upkeep. They have a 6 range single target damage+Stun which makes them quite scary.

You can actually still research a tier 1 tome, though. You just need to hit the "Tome Library" button or whatever and you can start getting them. Based on your existing affinities, you should look at:

Shadow: Tome of Cryomancy White Witches
Order: Tome of the Beacon Light Bringers (mind control)
Chaos: Tome of Pyromancy Pyromancers
Nature: Nymphs (forget the tome name) (mind control)
Materium: Grab Sundering Blades Enchantment from tier 1 tome
Astral: Evokers from Tome of Evocation

Oh wow I didn't know you could go back to older tomes like that, fml.

[MrLuckless]

Originally posted by アンジェル:

Originally posted by snuggleform:

Ahhhhh right I forgot about the condemn lowering status resistance angle. I guess it could be further enhanced by casting Blizzard or Cold Snap on armies right before battle too.

Insomnia Ritual ~

"Insomnia ritual"
All-nighters w. monster energy? But really, I think you can do the same thing with the Nymphs as well since they also have a mind control spell, and is a T4 unit instead. Though it is a support and not a battlemage.

[アンジェル]

Originally posted by snuggleform:

Originally posted by Paladin Dark:

Watchers are good if you can afford the mana to maintain them, as they are 20 mana per turn each to upkeep. They have a 6 range single target damage+Stun which makes them quite scary.

You can actually still research a tier 1 tome, though. You just need to hit the "Tome Library" button or whatever and you can start getting them. Based on your existing affinities, you should look at:

Shadow: Tome of Cryomancy White Witches
Order: Tome of the Beacon Light Bringers (mind control)
Chaos: Tome of Pyromancy Pyromancers
Nature: Nymphs (forget the tome name) (mind control)
Materium: Grab Sundering Blades Enchantment from tier 1 tome
Astral: Evokers from Tome of Evocation

Oh wow I didn't know you could go back to older tomes like that, fml.

About the mana upkeeps ~ it is always so~so. Reminds me how people made fun of necromancers book before, but Desecrete Structures , which give +5 mana for a resource node, is worth gold. Especially since it is cheap to cast.

[snuggleform]

Originally posted by Gaius:

The earliest OP caster IMHO is the Lightgringer, mind control at tier 2 is just HUGE. I don't know what's your starting culture or what you're aiming to unlock at T5, but it's not a heavy opportunity investment, and if you can go heavy on order the Shrine of Smiting is just BRUTAL once all your units have Faithful.

Yeah maybe I should look into that. I just realized that Watchers are not considered racial casters so I miss a lot of racial buffs like astral blood.

[Gaius]

Originally posted by Paladin Dark:

Watchers are good if you can afford the mana to maintain them, as they are 20 mana per turn each to upkeep. They have a 6 range single target damage+Stun which makes them quite scary.

You can actually still research a tier 1 tome, though. You just need to hit the "Tome Library" button or whatever and you can start getting them. Based on your existing affinities, you should look at:

Shadow: Tome of Cryomancy White Witches
Order: Tome of the Beacon Light Bringers (mind control)
Chaos: Tome of Pyromancy Pyromancers
Nature: Nymphs (forget the tome name) (mind control)
Materium: Grab Sundering Blades Enchantment from tier 1 tome
Astral: Evokers from Tome of Evocation

Nymphs are tome of Fertility.

A good source to theorycraft:

https://minionsart.github.io/aow4db/HTML/NatureTomesUnits.html?type=nymph&

[アンジェル]

Originally posted by Gaius:

Originally posted by Paladin Dark:

Watchers are good if you can afford the mana to maintain them, as they are 20 mana per turn each to upkeep. They have a 6 range single target damage+Stun which makes them quite scary.

You can actually still research a tier 1 tome, though. You just need to hit the "Tome Library" button or whatever and you can start getting them. Based on your existing affinities, you should look at:

Shadow: Tome of Cryomancy White Witches
Order: Tome of the Beacon Light Bringers (mind control)
Chaos: Tome of Pyromancy Pyromancers
Nature: Nymphs (forget the tome name) (mind control)
Materium: Grab Sundering Blades Enchantment from tier 1 tome
Astral: Evokers from Tome of Evocation

Nymphs are tome of Fertility.

A good source to theorycraft:

https://minionsart.github.io/aow4db/HTML/NatureTomesUnits.html?type=nymph&

Mhm. That database is very useful. I recommend that.