jackelgull
An aberration of nature
https://forums.civfanatics.com/threads/your-top-ten-tips-for-your-favorite-civ.338852/
So I loved this thread, but given that Ashes of Erebus is planning on making alot of changes, I thought it'd be for the best if a new thread on the same topic was opened for Ashes specifically (and it feels weird reopening a thread that's been dormant for like 2 years.)
So I'm reopening this with some tips for the Scions of Patria
1) Risen Emperor VS Korinna
So the Scions have 2 leaders (and Ophelia but I never use her, she's not very interesting) that determine how you play.
With the Risen Emperor as a leader you start the game with Korinna who can upgrade down several paths depending on whether you want to hit bronze working and get the red lady or whatnot. He also gets his own disciple line since with him the Scions can't get a normal religion. His traits are Charismatic and Imperialist. Imperialist isn't that good for the Scions - you won't be producing settlers not for a while. Charismatic is better - since you have no health problem, happiness is your only real limiter and the reduction in experience is always welcome.
Korinna however, nets you the Risen Emperor as a hero, who can become a death mana fueled murder machine, and she can get the benefits of a religion. She's also Aggressive/Organized, which as traits go are mediocre. However, given that she can get a religion and the Risen Emperor can't I rate her above him.
2) The melee line is a trap
The Scion Axemen and Champion UU look good on the surface - they have +30% strength and the Axeman has -1 attack/+1 defense which at first seems good for a builder civ, but be warned they're really expensive, and really slow. Their upkeep means you can't build a whole lot of them and they're not worth it at their price. At best, put 3 in your border cities you expect to see enemy action and base your offense on the actual stars of a Scion military.
3) The Arcane line should be the mainstays of your army
Necromancers rule. They get extra xp per combat, have 5 strength and balefire which is pure awesome. It's really easy to get promotions with them. Just make sure you have some protection to go with them - Recon maybe, or Paramanders (if you went with RoK) or Bone Arquebuses. Necromancers are really squishy to enemy units that haven't been softened up by like 10 fireballs to the face.
4) The Bone Arquebus is a hidden gem
The Bone Arquebus is melee instead of ranged, has 3 less attack strength then it's counterpart, but in exchange for all of that it is absolutely free. Build these babies by the bucketful. Spread them over your empire and make them the protection for your mages once they come online. They defend just fine, and since they're deaths don't cause you any war weariness, feel no remorse in using them as undead cannon fodder.
5) Don't neglect the religious line. There are lots of goodies for the Scions here. Since they're neutral they can go with the Altar of Luonnotar to boost their priests and paramanders/crusaders. The Cathedral of the Reborn is there and so is Theocracy
6) Prioritize research
I know I've spent some of the previous tips talking about some of the research lines individually, but to wrap it up, the Scions have lots of goodies everywhere. Make your decision about what the Scions should be early and work towards it. My usual priorities is to go Mysticism first for Godking(which increases your awakened rate) and pagan temples for an early Great Prophet to bulb Way of the Earthmother (after researching mining). After an early RoK the plan is then to build up my economy to research the arcane line (With a detour to archery or hunting if your neighbors make you think you need it).
7) Civics
God King/Theocracy
Pacifism/Scholarship
Arete/Industry
Conquest/Mercantilism
Note that these are all recommendations for a Priest Economy with the Scions. If you're not going for an Altar of the Luonnotar victory then you'll probably be set up differently, but as is +3 hammers, + gold +2 science is really good and the Scion's being fallow means every pop can be a priest specialist.
8) Wonders
Altar of Luonnotar
Form of the Titan
There are really no critical wonders besides the Altar, but for a necromancer army, form of the titan + conquest + keep made by Alcinus gets your adepts to instant mage. Guild of the Nine is also handy and so is the Nexus (just make sure to not build those in your priest specialist city). Hall of Kings gives specialists +2 culture, which with Scholarship and Mercantilism means your specialists practically have the equivalent of +6 commerce. All of these are nice, but none of them will sink your plans if you have to conquer them vs building them.
9) Religions
So far I've been working off the assumption you're going with RoK but order works too. Since you can build population, happiness might become a problem in your priest city, so Social Order removes that limit (combined with the bone arquebus it only really costs you production). Also Basilicas further reduce your maintenance and so does the Imperial Cenotograph and both give you a priest slot and in the basilica's case, just gives you GP points directly. At -90% maintenance you're empire should practically be free. (But RoK also has synergy, Dwarven mines are great and Soldiers of Kilmorph are good too for transferring production from your capital to smaller cities.
10) Vassals
The Scions buildings try and encourage them to get foreign trade routes, but Mercantilism only allows for domestic trade routes. The solution? Vassals. Dealing with foreigners but only as superiors is the only path for the Scions. You get all the bonuses of Mercantilism and all the bonuses of trade with a foreign civ. It's a win win. I like the Malakim because they grow big cities which means more commerce.
So I loved this thread, but given that Ashes of Erebus is planning on making alot of changes, I thought it'd be for the best if a new thread on the same topic was opened for Ashes specifically (and it feels weird reopening a thread that's been dormant for like 2 years.)
So I'm reopening this with some tips for the Scions of Patria
1) Risen Emperor VS Korinna
So the Scions have 2 leaders (and Ophelia but I never use her, she's not very interesting) that determine how you play.
With the Risen Emperor as a leader you start the game with Korinna who can upgrade down several paths depending on whether you want to hit bronze working and get the red lady or whatnot. He also gets his own disciple line since with him the Scions can't get a normal religion. His traits are Charismatic and Imperialist. Imperialist isn't that good for the Scions - you won't be producing settlers not for a while. Charismatic is better - since you have no health problem, happiness is your only real limiter and the reduction in experience is always welcome.
Korinna however, nets you the Risen Emperor as a hero, who can become a death mana fueled murder machine, and she can get the benefits of a religion. She's also Aggressive/Organized, which as traits go are mediocre. However, given that she can get a religion and the Risen Emperor can't I rate her above him.
2) The melee line is a trap
The Scion Axemen and Champion UU look good on the surface - they have +30% strength and the Axeman has -1 attack/+1 defense which at first seems good for a builder civ, but be warned they're really expensive, and really slow. Their upkeep means you can't build a whole lot of them and they're not worth it at their price. At best, put 3 in your border cities you expect to see enemy action and base your offense on the actual stars of a Scion military.
3) The Arcane line should be the mainstays of your army
Necromancers rule. They get extra xp per combat, have 5 strength and balefire which is pure awesome. It's really easy to get promotions with them. Just make sure you have some protection to go with them - Recon maybe, or Paramanders (if you went with RoK) or Bone Arquebuses. Necromancers are really squishy to enemy units that haven't been softened up by like 10 fireballs to the face.
4) The Bone Arquebus is a hidden gem
The Bone Arquebus is melee instead of ranged, has 3 less attack strength then it's counterpart, but in exchange for all of that it is absolutely free. Build these babies by the bucketful. Spread them over your empire and make them the protection for your mages once they come online. They defend just fine, and since they're deaths don't cause you any war weariness, feel no remorse in using them as undead cannon fodder.
5) Don't neglect the religious line. There are lots of goodies for the Scions here. Since they're neutral they can go with the Altar of Luonnotar to boost their priests and paramanders/crusaders. The Cathedral of the Reborn is there and so is Theocracy
6) Prioritize research
I know I've spent some of the previous tips talking about some of the research lines individually, but to wrap it up, the Scions have lots of goodies everywhere. Make your decision about what the Scions should be early and work towards it. My usual priorities is to go Mysticism first for Godking(which increases your awakened rate) and pagan temples for an early Great Prophet to bulb Way of the Earthmother (after researching mining). After an early RoK the plan is then to build up my economy to research the arcane line (With a detour to archery or hunting if your neighbors make you think you need it).
7) Civics
God King/Theocracy
Pacifism/Scholarship
Arete/Industry
Conquest/Mercantilism
Note that these are all recommendations for a Priest Economy with the Scions. If you're not going for an Altar of the Luonnotar victory then you'll probably be set up differently, but as is +3 hammers, + gold +2 science is really good and the Scion's being fallow means every pop can be a priest specialist.
8) Wonders
Altar of Luonnotar
Form of the Titan
There are really no critical wonders besides the Altar, but for a necromancer army, form of the titan + conquest + keep made by Alcinus gets your adepts to instant mage. Guild of the Nine is also handy and so is the Nexus (just make sure to not build those in your priest specialist city). Hall of Kings gives specialists +2 culture, which with Scholarship and Mercantilism means your specialists practically have the equivalent of +6 commerce. All of these are nice, but none of them will sink your plans if you have to conquer them vs building them.
9) Religions
So far I've been working off the assumption you're going with RoK but order works too. Since you can build population, happiness might become a problem in your priest city, so Social Order removes that limit (combined with the bone arquebus it only really costs you production). Also Basilicas further reduce your maintenance and so does the Imperial Cenotograph and both give you a priest slot and in the basilica's case, just gives you GP points directly. At -90% maintenance you're empire should practically be free. (But RoK also has synergy, Dwarven mines are great and Soldiers of Kilmorph are good too for transferring production from your capital to smaller cities.
10) Vassals
The Scions buildings try and encourage them to get foreign trade routes, but Mercantilism only allows for domestic trade routes. The solution? Vassals. Dealing with foreigners but only as superiors is the only path for the Scions. You get all the bonuses of Mercantilism and all the bonuses of trade with a foreign civ. It's a win win. I like the Malakim because they grow big cities which means more commerce.