ESO Rewards

[Eregnon]

For 2 points of ESO reward, two of the possibilities are either:

1) A power 1 wizard

or

2) An adept and 20,000 gold


Now unless your research costs are over 20,000 (and I don't think anyone is even close to that) why would you choose a power 1 when you could choose the gold and the adept, train the adept, and have money left over?

[Frost Lord]

I typically go for the Adept, but you are missing two more costs and they are turns and orders. The Adept cost less than 20k to promote, but it takes a turn and an order to get the Adept ready for use, whereas the P1 is ready the next turn.

[Jumpingfist]

The other reason is your only allowed to take two adept so need to take a p1 if you want a third Mage for your ESO

Adept, barons and kingdom brigades for certain kingdom are likely the best ESO rewards

Baron most cost and order effective, but something you can get easy enough.

[Eregnon]

I typically go for the Adept, but you are missing two more costs and they are turns and orders.  The Adept cost less than 20k to promote, but it takes a turn and an order to get the Adept ready for use, whereas the P1 is ready the next turn.

Is 1 turn and 1 order really that big a deal? I'm not sure how having a power 1 wizard a turn early is going to make a game changing difference.

[Frost Lord]

Orders and turns are important only based on what other activities you have going on. For example, if you are currently in a war with another kingdom.

I agree with JF...I typically only go for the P1 when I want a 3rd wizard, because you can only get 2 Adepts, but it really depends on the kingdom that I am playing and what I have going on.

[Lord Thanatos]

I typically go for the Adept, but you are missing two more costs and they are turns and orders.  The Adept cost less than 20k to promote, but it takes a turn and an order to get the Adept ready for use, whereas the P1 is ready the next turn.

Is 1 turn and 1 order really that big a deal? I'm not sure how having a power 1 wizard a turn early is going to make a game changing difference.

Remember, the Rite of the Magi is not guaranteed.  I have had both adepts fail on turn 11 to advance. One advanced and one failed on turn 12. The second one advanced on turn 13.  Five orders, three turns, and 47,500 gold.  How does that math work for you?

Also, bear in mind that depending upon what you need a wizard for and what kingdom you are playing the timing of the P3 can be huge.  I have selected a P2 (3 points) and 2 natural brigades (2 points) in a Warlords game.  Advanced that bad boy to P3 the following turn (guaranteed) and arrived at my opponent's capital.  Efficient?

A P2 DW wizard would cost 12k to advance to P1 and 24k to advance to P2.  36k and a minimum of two orders/turns saved for 3 ESO points.  Those same 3 ESO points would have provided an adept and 40k gold.  You may be right that it is usually better to utilize the 1 ESO point option, but that is not universally true.  Also, I like having the option.

If P3 was available for 5 points how many people would select this option?  I am thinking it would be pretty popular even though not even close to an efficient use of ESO points.

Also, what if a kingdom does not achieve ESO until turn 15?  Does that alter the calculation as to how to spend ESO points when compared to achieving the ESO on turn 10?  It damn sure better!

[Drogo]

Often times I delay the ESO reward until my influence is 20+ because influence points after 20 are hard to come by if you don't have a high wizard or HC voting block. I also delay taking kingdom brigades if I am not going to use them immediately to save the consumption costs.

[Ry Vor]

I typically go for the Adept, but you are missing two more costs and they are turns and orders.  The Adept cost less than 20k to promote, but it takes a turn and an order to get the Adept ready for use, whereas the P1 is ready the next turn.

Is 1 turn and 1 order really that big a deal? I'm not sure how having a power 1 wizard a turn early is going to make a game changing difference.

Remember, the Rite of the Magi is not guaranteed.  I have had both adepts fail on turn 11 to advance. One advanced and one failed on turn 12. The second one advanced on turn 13.  Five orders, three turns, and 47,500 gold.  How does that math work for you?

Also, bear in mind that depending upon what you need a wizard for and what kingdom you are playing the timing of the P3 can be huge.  I have selected a P2 (3 points) and 2 natural brigades (2 points) in a Warlords game.  Advanced that bad boy to P3 the following turn (guaranteed) and arrived at my opponent's capital.  Efficient?

A P2 DW wizard would cost 12k to advance to P1 and 24k to advance to P2.  36k and a minimum of two orders/turns saved for 3 ESO points.  Those same 3 ESO points would have provided an adept and 40k gold.  You may be right that it is usually better to utilize the 1 ESO point option, but that is not universally true.  Also, I like having the option.

If P3 was available for 5 points how many people would select this option?  I am thinking it would be pretty popular even though not even close to an efficient use of ESO points.

Also, what if a kingdom does not achieve ESO until turn 15?  Does that alter the calculation as to how to spend ESO points when compared to achieving the ESO on turn 10?  It damn sure better!

I'd just sum it up: time is money. 

[Frost Lord]

Well said Thanatos, and I never thought of that tactic Drogo... Thanks.

[Drogo]

Can anyone confirm that ESO objective P1 (17 influence and 2 Princes) counts Demon Princes as Princes? I assume it does because the other Objective P5 (3 Duke+'s) specifically mentions that DP's are not counted and Objective P1 does not specify this.