what spells do you Never cast?

[pchang]

Even though the AI can summon lots of creatures early it has a tendency to send them out and leave the tower relatively undefended from time to time. Usually, I can just wait outside a few turns and then attack when he sends a stack out to attack me.

[pchang]

Also - every wizard pretty much declares war right after they we meet anyway so I see no downside to taking one out as early as I can.

[Father Beast]

Originally posted by bakalov

A little stupid question about earth gates: How do you use them? I always wondered ...

You have to have an Earth Gate in at least two cities for it to work at all. then you can teleport your units between any two cities with Earth Gates. Kind of like the Civ2 airlift.

[Father Beast]

DaveV, I don't know why you don't cast Wall Of Stone. It's a great way to put up city walls without your city having to go through the time and trouble.

[Father Beast]

Originally posted by DaveV
I guess I play a pretty narrow game. I rarely play long enough to get most of the 3rd and 4th level spells, so I can't speak for most of them. I almost never use a summon on the strategic map, except for magic spirits.

The only arcane spells I do use are Magic Spirit and Detect Magic.

Chaos: wall of fire, shatter, corruption, immolation, warp creature, raise volcano.

Death: all of them. I always take at least one life book.

Life: heavenly light, probably some of the other city spells if I ever had them (NOT altar of battle, which is one of the truly game-breaking spells).

Nature: wall of stone, earth to mud, earth lore, nature's eye.

Sorcery: aura of majesty, wind mastery, vertigo.

Wow! You Do play a lot differently than I do.

Arcane: Don't you ever cast SOM?

Chaos: Shatter is especially nasty a lot of times. it can render slingers useless.

Life: I just love Stream Of Life. perfect for expansionists. cast it on outposts and they become useful fast.

Nature: Like the others, I use Earth Lore to explore, and didn't I already mention Wall Of Stone?

Death: It's a LOT different, but a lot of fun, you should try it sometime.

Sorcery: Wind Mastery is one of my favorite spells. I learned to hate having jafar cast it, then I learned to love it when I'm playing.


Of course, you have proven yourself the superior conqerer in the comp games, so I shouldn't razz you too much.

[DaveV]

Originally posted by Father Beast
DaveV, I don't know why you don't cast Wall Of Stone. It's a great way to put up city walls without your city having to go through the time and trouble.

If you're going to build city walls, Wall of Stone is a great cost saving (60:300 gold with alchemist retort, 120:300 gold otherwise). I'd rather invest the production into a unit, which can be used offensively as well as defensively. I try to play an attacking game, and hope never to need city walls.

Originally posted by Father Beast
Arcane: Don't you ever cast SOM?

Not yet...

Originally posted by Father Beast Death: It's a LOT different, but a lot of fun, you should try it sometime.

Yeah, but I'd rather be fighting against the forces of evil than leading them. Call it a personal preference.

[pchang]

It seems to me that

we are talking about the difference between a full on every move is important gamer and a more lazy gaming method (slow inexorable expansion and superiority). I only play the first way against human opponents. I have never found an AI that requires anything more than the lazy approach.

[Rex Little]

I never cast Wall of Stone; nor, for that matter do I build city walls. I suppose they might make a difference in rare cases, but usually when the computer attacks, either I'm strong enough to beat him without walls or he's strong enough to beat me with them. (Of course, when the computer's city has walls it's a big plus for the human player, because the AI will cower behind the walls and let you shoot him.)

I've used Shatter once in awhile, but I don't like to because it never seems to work. If I want to neutralize slingers, Warp Wood is cheaper and never fails.

I haven't cast Spell of Mastery more than once or twice in the 100+ games of MOM I've played. If the AI doesn't beat me early, I nearly always have the game won by conquest before SOM is researched, much less cast.

[pchang]

Always cast SOM

if you are out to maximize your score.