Witchlord Advice

[Panda]

Hiya, All -

Any experienced WI players out there? I'm pondering how they get off to a good start in a game.

Any advice would be welcome!

Also, curious about a few things:
1. Should I sell my starting sea power on turn one and use a spell to transport the 1WI ?
2. Who should I talk to early to make deals? Are there any good town or village swaps? Will there be any big baddies seeking to "share" the Northern Mists, and how can I seek to mitigate that?
3. Are there any key wizard levels or spells?
4. Should I recruit troops on turn one to help my "peace forces" convince towns to join my sexy party?
5. How can I get some of those snazzy shiny black boots like the Black Dragon guy has? We like shiny boots....nobody told us there was a sale...

[Jumpingfist]

1a) you can sell sea power except Sea of T without really much thought. For sea of T other factors come into play. Will you have a water capital. Do you want to use it to patrol to maybe help keep others out.
1b) your 1WI if not in 720 marching range could alway split off the VE out of the group and teleport to Viperhead. Then take the city the next turn using a 171 P4. Make sure to raise your reaction to friendly on turn 1
2)EL most likely will be willing to trade a R2 town for your R1 town and DW may trade your R3 village for his R2 village.
3)P6 is the most important lvl. You get 135 Dome to protect your PCs, 481 conjure prestige to raise influence, and 863 summon wights. Strongest of the summoned troops. P3 is also a significant lvl. Lvl 3 is a Hugh difference in overall strength than lvl 2
4) not likely. Better to raise your wizards and use a higher lvl diplomacy spell.
5) who need shinny boots when you can teleport

[Mauler]

Hiya, All -

Any experienced WI players out there? I'm pondering how they get off to a good start in a game.

Any advice would be welcome!

Also, curious about a few things:
1. Should I sell my starting sea power on turn one and use a spell to transport the 1WI ?
2. Who should I talk to early to make deals? Are there any good town or village swaps? Will there be any big baddies seeking to "share" the Northern Mists, and how can I seek to mitigate that?
3. Are there any key wizard levels or spells?
4. Should I recruit troops on turn one to help my "peace forces" convince towns to join my sexy party?
5. How can I get some of those snazzy shiny black boots like the Black Dragon guy has? We like shiny boots....nobody told us there was a sale...

Hey Panda,

Here you go!

1. I like hanging on to the sea power and sea patrolling but you may want to sell and re-buy at 16 value. There is also the question of cost and the early winter.
2. All of your neighbors. RD can easily slink in. Make a deal of for region 3.
3. Wraithform at level 5 protects you from battle but not from kill wizard spell. You are capped at level 5 though. Summoning is better than most. Here are some spells of note with their levels:
135 DOME OF INVULNERABILITY 6
155 DESTROY VILLAGE 6
156 DESTROY TOWN 7
386 CURSE 4
472 CHARM REGION 7
477 INFURIATE POPULACE 6
781 COLD DARKNESS (REGIONAL EFFECT) 4
783 DEMONIC VISIONS (REGIONAL EFFECT) 5
784 PLAGUE (REGIONAL EFFECT) 6
785 FAMINE (REGIONAL EFFECT) 7
860 SUMMON MONSTERS 3
861 SUMMON SKELETONS 4
862 SUMMON GHOULS 5
863 SUMMON WIGHTS 6
865 ADVANCED SUMMONING 9
870 WRAITH FORM 5
941 SUMMON DEMON 7
830 TELEPORT SELF 2
845 INVISIBLE BRIGADE 4
846 INVISIBLE DIVISION 5
847 INVISIBLE ARMY 6
850 TELEPORT BRIGADE 4
851 TELEPORT DIVISION 5
852 TELEPORT ARMY 6

4. Depends on your negotiations. Most wizard kingdoms use teleport and invisibility and therefore keep their groups on the small-ish size. My SVC was to have more brigades than the WA or SO so my main group was 15 brigades.
5. I'll let a BL player respond to that

[Panda]

Thanks VERY much!

[Jumbie]

Don't leave your groups with wizards at water PCs.

I sabotaged the WI seapower one game and he lost two wizards that way because the group drowned without their fleet. Losing a brigade isn't that bad for most kingdoms, but losing two wizards is crippling for WI.

It's very cheap and the rules are going to change on how that works soon, but keep it in mind for now.