Necromancer Skills - Good and Bad

[The Mad Dragon]

What do you guys consider good and bad skills of the necromancer? By skills, I mean the abilities they get from leveling(leadership, etc).

[Mozared]

That's a really open question... obviously, leadership stinks, because undead lack morale. Aside from that, I think anything would fit... I do like a tad of defense though, vitality is most effective on Skeleton Archers.

[The Mad Dragon]

Yes, I realize leadership is not a good skill for necromancer, HOWEVER, Herald of Death makes up for this as you can replenish your troops while you aren't at your castle. Who knows, maybe I am the only one that thinks this way. `shrugs`

[Omega_Destroyer]

Taking leadership for a race that isn't affected by morale is a waste unless you plan to mix and match troops.

[The Mad Dragon]

But the only way to get Herald of Death is to take Leadership. I realize that Leadership is completely useless. But there is no other way for me to get diplomacy and herald of death.

[Omega_Destroyer]

But how often do you get neutrals offering to join you? Is it worth another line of skills all together?

[The Mad Dragon]

On big maps, it would be useful. Not so much on the smaller maps. On the bigger maps, since I attack anything that isn't aligned to me, since my group would be much more powerful, they would opt to join me, thus the filling out begins.

That's my views on it anyways. Have it to stock up on troops while you are away from the castle. Makes for some nice lengthy trips .

[Omega_Destroyer]

Not really. Summon Creatures takes care of that.

As to the neutrals joining you, they don't nearly as much as they did in past games. I've played several maps with Rune Mages who have had leadership and diplomacy, and maybe once was offered to have neutrals join me.

[The Mad Dragon]

hmmm. Another test then. W00t.

Ok, so with that one aside, what other ones are decent to take and what should I be looking at? Base skills or advanced?

[Omega_Destroyer]

For a good all-around build, I prefer Dark Magic, Summoning Magic, Sorcery, Defense and Attack/Enlightenment. Dark Magic's debuffs will help out immensely in long battles. Summoning Magic has Raise Dead, which is a must for Necromancers. Sorcery will augment those two skills quite well, plus provide you with Boneward which helps fighting Destructive players. Coupled with Protection from the defense line, you are looking at a 35% reduction from Destructive spells. Attack will compensate for a lack-luster Attack stat and Archery is nice for your skeleton archers and liches. Enlightenment is nice because of the extra stats and for paving (har har har) the way for Corrupted Soil.

[Orfinn]

I find the leadership+diplomacy+ HoD quite useful, neutrals indeed join me more often than I thought and Im playing normal sized maps + a few large mostly.

I would recommend, dark magic + 2 or all abilities (latter if you dont go for corrupted soil) after getting Master of curses amd mark of the necromancer take either master of pain or mind.

Attack and Defense are also useful skills. Go for Cold steel from attack and from defense go for chilling bones and resistance.

Summoning magic is something you also should consider since haunted mines caused by master of life are very useful to harvest ghosts

Enlightenment+Scholar+ Lord of the undead and Dark revelation is also worth a shot.

Sorcery and its nice ability boneward is great but instead of going further to Arcane exellence, go for arcane training or mana regeneration.

Luck for most heroes are nescessary, but I rarely take it for necromancer, only reason is dead mans curse which gives -1 luck to all enemy stacks, quite effective. But I often get so powerful in all other section so I screw that skill.

[Elvin]

Sorcery is hard to get though. Typically I'd go for dark/summoning/enlightenment and attack or logistics. Of course enemies play a role so I may pursue defense vs sylvan or not take dark vs academy and get sorcery instead. Enlightenment helps not to decrease enemy initiative much when casting puppet master, prolongs blind, increases frenzy damage and does help a lot with most summoning spells. And gives intelligence of course

[The Mad Dragon]

Hmm, I see. nice choices.

[Apocalypse]

Sorcery is hard to get though

Pick Lucretia

And IIRC it was 8%, not that hard to get...

[Elvin]

Oops checked the skillwheel and it's 10% - I stand corrected and ready for punishment

[Alamar]

There are a ton of different combinations that work fairly well for a Necro:

1. Necromancy [you're stuck with it anyway .. duh]
2. Summonning Magic [Raise Dead & several other nifty spells]
3. Dark Magic
4. Attack, Defense, Luck, or Logistics is always welcome.
5. Enlightenment [at high level] is nice becuase of the bonus stat points.
6. Sorcery is handy for casting spells more quickly.

War Machines isn't too bad because controlling catapults can really help out in a siege esp. if you don't have earthquake.

I don't usually like getting Light Magic or Destructive Magic unless I know I can get good spells and/or have something very specific in mind.

[Orfinn]

If i go for destructive, I go for Cold Death. its very useful, its like mass harm touch

[Ceres]

I just want know more about Dark Magic, I hope I would be heard . So, my questions are:

- What is the best Dark Magic spell that I could cast to the enemy/enemies? Does it vary depending on the target unit/units? If it does, what are those variations?

- When is the best time to use them? Should I use it frequently (especially those spells that stack?)? Or using them once or twice during a battle is enough? When is the best-case scenario, that a spell when used, will give a maximum benefit to a player?

[Elvin]

The dark spell section is here.

The best for me are mass slow/confusion and puppet master. Puppet master is simply amazing and fun to use though it will decrease a lot the initiative of the unit it is cast on(based on spellpower - low decrease with high power) and you get control for some time. Fun using the opponent's forces to defeat him, wouldn't you agree?

You can keep hitting the controlled unit with no fear of retaliation and even if the opponent hits it, it won't snap out of it It just doesn't affect mechanical and mind - immune units as titans. And there can be only one active, recasting it will dispel the previous one.

[gaspi2]

Well I remember when a total of 4 stacks of 160 grim riders offered joining me on isles of terra converting them into 640 vampire lords:D that was great moment:D