Contents
Choosing Starting Hero
The optimal hero to start out is the mage. Why?
We want bad karma and that can easily built up by casting summon imp. Which incidentally helps a lot a mage to win battles.
A secondary option is a scout. Why a scout?
Diplomacy level 4 can be obtainable only by specialists scout, that is choosing archer as a specialty at lvl 10. With Diplo 4 a unicor can be tamed. More of this later.
Starting Turns
Before you start, the map that is better for the evil way is the one that gets you a province with goblins or with orcs on the first circle. That can lead to an alliance with them
The starting mage needs demonic magic lvl 1 for the imps. Necesary gem cost for that is at least 25, maybe more. requires altar and then you can build the demonic building.
In the meantime you can buy a tavern and maybe the upgrade. Pillage in case you want extra gold.
Then the next step is to get the holy magic lvl 1 to the heal spell. Since you cant buy healers (they are good guys) and also healing the mage lets you summon more demons. Because the summon hurts him.
To restock gems cast dark ritual in your provinces. The gem loot depends on the population of the province.
Level 1 Units
For the units that can protect the mage from attacks while he summons imps any can work.
Barbarians:
They are OP I dont like them so I never use them, but if you want efficiency they are good. If you buy shamen you can build the savage camp to have a repeatable province defense.
Thieves:
I use these primarily. They are horrible units but cheap. They can attack the enemies that are fighting the imps without suffering retaliation.
They can give you province defense without combining with any other unit. The building also combines with the bandit line and the assasins for various buildings that steal money from your opponents and eventually also the secret agents province defense.
Brigands:
This unit is efficient enough, mainly attacking. And they are useful also to combine with thugs to get the mob province guard. A very good protection. The earlier province defenders they give you by themselves is a bit stronger than the thieves’ one.
Shamen:
These dudes fire bolts and cast debuffs on your enemies. Because they cost gems they are not sinergic with the mage hero. But they shoot from a distance and that is compatible.
Eventually you can combine with the sorcerers to special buildings that add to gem income and some mage type province defense.
Archers:
I always get archers. Even if you dont buy a single archer, the building gives you the hunter’s camp. This building discounts the upkeep of units inside the castles. If you buy a hunters’ guerd in the castle that is an additional 50 % discount. perfect.
To protect inner provinces the hunters are the best PD you cant beat zero upkeep.
Demonic and Undead:
If your hero has necromancy skill you can keep any skeleton or zombie. This is thematic, because they are evil and also you can reinforce on the move. But you will get a gem upkeep with them and you need to get the actual summon skeleton or zombie battle spell in the first place.
For demonic units you will need the demonic building lvl 2 to get the spell that summon one, and can be a lvl 2 unit, either a fiend or a hound. Or the other option is the lvl 3 spell dark contract. more on that later.
Alliance wit the Evil Races
They both require you have bad karma and a stronger army than them. The karma is easy and the army can take a while, but since they are on the first ring it shouldnt take that long.
Goblins:
The mission you get is to kill elves. If you plan to do this do not clear adventurers until you get the mission. Even the weakest of the adventurers (3 units) get an elf.
The associated buildings are very good. +3 gold per swamp is very sweet, but the third building is debatable. You have a chance of them giving you an item but it is also annoying because you have to pay them for the chance.
The units themselves are sinergic. Goblins are the cheapest and if your mage wins by casting demons or undead the less you pay in upkeep the better. They can be sacrificed for demonic mages. And if they live long enough you can transform them into alchemists, a healer/spellcaster. What a treat. Also independant goblin provinces join you for free and you can keep the defenders.
Orcs:
The mission is to plunder provinces. You cant get an easier mission. The units themselves are stronger than other units you can get but require iron. The upgraded version of them are not fantastic. You get a special province defense that is very neat.
Independant orc provinces do not join for free.
Lizardmen:
These are not evil units, but neutral. So you can combine them with your army. They are better units than either orcs or goblins but the mission is harder to fulfill.
They give you the mission regardless. And independant lizard provinces join you for free. The mission to gain alliance is to kill 6 slugs. doable but difficult.
Break the Second Ring Spells
Unless you attack a second ring free settlement or bribe either them or the nomads. You will need to step up the game. The loot from sites around the first ring and probably a reward from the crystal will be needed to upgrade to lvl 2 spells.
Demonic Magic:
Summon fiend is much more powerful than summon imp. It drains the morale of the hero so one charge of inspiration cantrip to regain morale can solve that. Blindness is a solution for hard hitting enemies like executioners.
Death Magic:
If you went more the necromantic route, raise ghoul is a neat spell too. On top of that you get the death province defense that is very cool.
Elemental Magic:
Summoning gargoyles is more expensive in gems, but they fly and are immune to poison. Stone skin is a good thing that would combine with the fiends but not the gargoyles. The ritual gifts of the earth can give you extra income if you have access to mandrake (more expensive without).
Break the Second Ring Units
Lvl 2 units from the castle require a lot of investment. There are ways to cheat it.
Harpies:
These evil flyers are available if you find the site arpie’s nest. A cheap way to cheat lvl 2 untis in your army.
Gargoyles:
Available to recruit in sorcery stores. They are neutral and quite expensive, and they require gem upkeep.
Ghouls:
If you have the raise ghoul spell from the lvl 2 building and necromancy skill lvl 3 you can add them in your army even while on the move. They require gems to mantain but are already leveled up if you have summonning skill so sacrifizable.
Fiends and Hounds:
Summoned from the lvl 2 ritual chaos spawn. this spell may summon an imp instead. Why not. When you finally get your castle upgraded, the 2 evil units.
Thug:
Excellent melee unit, requires iron. Is also needed to get the mob camp.
Sorcerer:
Pretty good shooter and combines well with your summons because does not need to go near the enemy. Can get summon skeletons in a later upgrade. I think you can keep those skeletons if your hero has necromancy skill.
Higher Magics
Dark Pact:
There are events that give you a dark pact scroll. The events read something like this.
Your spies report that a local shaman in the province of [name] has been noticed practicing demonology. People have seen horrible creatures summoned from the Underworld itself.
- If you cast the ritual for 15 gems there is a chance they give you the spell.
- In battle if cast in one of your units it spawns a demon of the same lvl once the unit dies.
- If cast on a thief it spawns an imp, a thug spawns a fiend or a hound (lvl 2).
- lvl 3 gives you a flying demon and lvl 4 a Devil, one of the best units in the game.
How this comes into play? if you have a scout specializing in archer you can lvl up diplomacy to lvl 4 and then explore forests. If you get the event of the unicorn you can tame it if the hero has a lvl 3 slot empty. Fight a battle, cast dark pact, let the unicorn die, maybe to a sacrifice, and you cheated a lvl 3 demon in your army.
Reaching your city to recruit warlocks (lvl 4), then you can create Devils that are much more interesting.
Black Magic:
The event of the sacrifice of children, if you choose to sacrifice them you get a scroll of this lvl 4 spell. Pretty powerful thing you can get early.
You can sacrifice a cheap unit of course. But if you choose the mage-mage specialty and reach lvl 20 you can cast 2 spells in a turn. Upgrade the tower of magic to lvl 3 and get the word of power spell (unless you can get a scroll of it earlier). Same turn, gain controll of the strongest enemy unit. And sacrifice it to black magic.
Summon Golem & Summon Phoenix:
When the scroll stores give you a mission. one of them is to get a golem spell and another is ti summon a phoenix. of course scroll stores are best for a mage hero, good luck if you get them.
Mage Schools
Necromancy:
This skill and mage school is optional. You can get by with demonic. It combines well with summoning because the undead generated get more lvls of experience right away.
Elemental:
Combines well with summoning because of gargoyles, and at lvl 3 gives you mass slow that is very good, specially against monster guards.
Illusion:
Is necesary at lvl 3 to word of power if you go with a mage’s double spell. If you are not a double caster then you need the lvl 4 version enslave mind.
Wizardy:
Can be ignored, the good thing is magic weapon that, for example, restocks ammo to spiders.
Life Magic:
Level 1 recommended to get cure wounds.
Mage Specialization
Pure Mage:
As stated early this allows the tricks with double spells. Also spell power allows cure wounds to cure better and black magic to hurt more.
Necromancer:
Obviously goes well with undead, and death magic but is good anyway with summoning. If you get a summon golem early is a viable option because of the discount in gems. Also some scout skills are very good regardless, the ability to traverse terrain, to wear leather armor and normal melee weapons helps, and probably looting and diplomacy.
Enchanter:
It is useful for the duration of enchantments. Not synergic specially with evil magics, but spells like disease, blindness, mass curse its fine.
Battle Mage:
Honestly my least favored option. Warrior gear, and added spell penetration for debuffs.
Higher Level Units
From the castle…
Executioner:
Pretty good fighter quite a good help to hold the line.
Mage:
Good range of magic attack. If you got the lvl1 shaman and lvl 2 sorcerer you can get the mages province defense for extra gem income.
Warlock:
Very expensive but quite good, maybe a candidate to be dark pacted however.
From outside the castle…
Deser Trolls:
This are easier to get than the regular trolls. If you defeat the trolls guarding it you can recruit regardless of the game time. If you can at least kill one troll in battle you can suicide attack the site until they are all gone. Much harder to do with the regular trolls.
Trolls:
See above.
Ghosts and Vampires:
If you lvl up necromancy to lvl 4 (only mage specialists) or to lvl 3 if you are a necromancer specialist then you can get ghosts, maybe avoiding building up the castle to lvl 3. Same with vampires, but you will need to get raise vampire spell. Either lvl up the tower all the way or find a scorll.
Demons and Devils:
Need dark pact on a lvl 3 unit. Maybe a unicorn? or a lvl 4 unit, maybe a warlock, or a mercenary giant.
Adventurer’s Guild:
If you find this site then ignore any strategy and recruit a fire giant to hurl boulders around.
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