Elohim - Am I missing something?

[daladinn]

if you really want to see some fun , you will notice that the elohim have teh easiest time rushing the veil. also once they ahve the veil its sooo mcuh harder to stop them.

 

[xAlephx]

Use search to look for the priest spam post - it illustrates a good Monkrieg approach. I'm pretty new, still, but it impresses me.

I think that the calling card of the Elohim is their ability to transfer smoothly from an early, hard to stop rush into a potent builder strat without a research stumble between - the Hippus, say, or the barbarians, usually have to pick between builder techs and combat techs, while the Elohim give you both in one branch (nabbing both Monk and Religious Discipline in the same turn, in a culture without Anarchy, is pretty righteous, and the Altar is both a means of cranking out vicious combatants and an incredible production boost). While there are other Philosophical leaders, they aren't Spiritual (therefore their disciple units are slower and their cultural gear changes more painful), their priests aren't combat oriented, and they lack the Homeland promotion.

 

[Polycrates]

I don't know about the other one, but Einion Logos is all about spamming farms, lightbulbing your way to priesthood, then switching to Religious Discipline (which the philosophical trait makes free!) and using mass priest specialists to churn out masses of Great Prophets faster than you ever thought possible, to build up the Altar in the blink of an eye (for the hammers and happiness and disciple XP) and provide lots of juicy production for churning out monks en masse and going out and smashing stuff. Philosophical is by far the best trait in FFH, and Einion can exploit it to its fullest.
The other cool thing is that the combo of state religion, religious civics and level 3 or 4 altar gives you something like +7(!) happiness so you will have absolutely massive cities as well.

Octopus Overlords is definitely my favourite religion for them, mostly for slavery, but also the tower of complacency for a super GP farm, and the cool asylum. Homeland Drown are also great for stopping anyone who gets ideas while your theocratic juggernaut is still being set up. I could see the veil being cool as well, but I think you probably want the big state religion happiness bonus (and the commensurate increase in city sizes) before that.

 

[JameyM]

My current game is the Elohim. I wound up with the Clan nearby and the Lanun across the sea. I captured a Clan city fairly early on but returned to peace (I was part way through a major builder phase, filling up the local valleys of Erebus when they attacked me - I didn't want to overextend, so I accepted peace with them). I think that was the most abusive thing I could have done - two settlers for the price of one is really powerful.

My most experienced Monk (strengthened by a Rod of Winds) is currently helping to defend my Bannor allies from an Infernal incursion. With 3 MP, Drill 4, and Blitz, he's become a holy terror, smiting demons left and right. If he gets the chance, I'm going to put him up against Hyborem to see who wins.

 

[KillerClowns]

My current game is the Elohim. I wound up with the Clan nearby and the Lanun across the sea. I captured a Clan city fairly early on but returned to peace (I was part way through a major builder phase, filling up the local valleys of Erebus when they attacked me - I didn't want to overextend, so I accepted peace with them). I think that was the most abusive thing I could have done - two settlers for the price of one is really powerful.

My most experienced Monk (strengthened by a Rod of Winds) is currently helping to defend my Bannor allies from an Infernal incursion. With 3 MP, Drill 4, and Blitz, he's become a holy terror, smiting demons left and right. If he gets the chance, I'm going to put him up against Hyborem to see who wins.

...Holy thread necromancy, Batman! I figured to check the dates when nobody mentioned good old Tolerant...

 

[Blakmane]

a year and a half, this thread must be quite pungent by now!

 

[likedeeler]

What i consider even more important: They have the trait tolerant for their leaders. That enables them to build all UU of every civilization they conquer a city of.

 

[Micky Onimusha]

I find it ironic. With Tolerant, I find myself using the Elohim as an offensive Civ rather than a defensive civ, certainly in the early game where those early cities do form the core of your empire (rather than later when they're usually too small/far-off to do anything special).

Starting next to the Orcs is gold. My 1st ever game with them started next to the Orcs. Nabbed two of their cities, got Masonary and suddenly pumped out a chunky army of Warriors/Axemen/etc quite quickly. Never had the fortune of conquering the Calabim but one Vampire would be more than enough to make me happy I'm sure.

Also, I love their World Spell (or to be more precise, I love using it myself and hate it when they use it). 30(?) turns of impenetrable walls is life-saving. It was a different game to the Orc one, but I had a Fractal map, a largeish Elohim-Amurite empire and Amelanchier decided he was bored and declared war on me. Caught me completely by surprise, but threw up the World Spell, started mass producing units and sending them to the front lines... In the end Amelanchier wiped the floor with me; I get the feeling he spent those 30 turns mass-producing offensive units too, but it was still fun while it lasted. Especially since there was one choke-point Elf-city that became the focal point of our war (that I sadly failed to capture and in turn, lost the war).

I'd love to have Corlindale, Seven Pines and Sanctuary. Three life-savers all in one civ.

 

[JameyM]

...Holy thread necromancy, Batman! I figured to check the dates when nobody mentioned good old Tolerant...

I just clicked on the link in the thread index in the strategy forum and didn't pay much attention to the date.

What i consider even more important: They have the trait tolerant for their leaders. That enables them to build all UU of every civilization they conquer a city of.

My biggest use of tolerant so far is a Warren producing two settlers (and two workers - who cares if they're a little slower!) for the price of one. I was worried that new settlements would 'breed true' from their Clan origins, but that isn't the case.

I'd also like to note that disciple heroes (like Chalid) with Command promotions are very strong. I'm getting new defensive forces free from my conquests, allowing me to just keep rolling along through enemy lands. Soon my main force will be clear of the Clan lands and I'll be able to head into the Infernals (the Clan and the Infernals lie between me and the Bannor, my Permanent Ally).

 

[Breez]

Also, I love their World Spell (or to be more precise, I love using it myself and hate it when they use it). 30(?) turns of impenetrable walls is life-saving.

I am playing a Mutiplayer game with a friend and we have a perment alliance. If he uses this spell, will it kick all enemy out of my area also?

I know many (but not all) World Wonders effect all members/citied of an alliance

 

[Verdian]

I think that not only will it not effect your lands, but you will be unable to enter your ally's lands (and all your units will be kicked out). So use it carefully.

 

[Lade]

Now if only the Illians had the Elohim world spell

 

[Fenboy]

Now if only the Illians had the Elohim world spell

Grabbing Seven Pines could be a life-saver here

 

[fuzzy_bunnies]

IAlso, I love their World Spell (or to be more precise, I love using it myself and hate it when they use it). 30(?) turns of impenetrable walls is life-saving. It was a different game to the Orc one, but I had a Fractal map, a largeish Elohim-Amurite empire and Amelanchier decided he was bored and declared war on me. Caught me completely by surprise, but threw up the World Spell, started mass producing units and sending them to the front lines... In the end Amelanchier wiped the floor with me; I get the feeling he spent those 30 turns mass-producing offensive units too, but it was still fun while it lasted. Especially since there was one choke-point Elf-city that became the focal point of our war (that I sadly failed to capture and in turn, lost the war).

Err... unless its been changed (haven't played Elohim in a bit), after you cast your world spell is the time that you should be ATTACKING... since all you need to do is capture a city while the world spell is still in effect and no one can capture it back.

 

[Keeper_GFA]

I'm with the fuzzy bunnies. Also, while the spell is running, all but token defenders should be on the offense.

It is one of those ironic situations that happens a lot in games where opposite strategies/effects are more effective than they should be.

 

[Chandrasekhar]

Yeah, it'd make more sense for the spell to prevent Elohim from leaving as well, and cutting off all trade routes.

 

[MagisterCultuum]

Or maybe so that all units in Elohim boarders would be unable to attack.

 

[Zechnophobe]

That'd be a terrible change. World Spells should be dynamic and have a variety of times when they are useful. Making it a rigid 'cast when you are getting owned' thing will distill it towards boring.

It's a very strong World Spell for sure, and gives you a much greater ability to conquer, since you have one 'free' overextension per game.

And yeah, if you get Sphener (Or a Life Archmage) you get a free peace every 7 turns..

 

[Monkeyfinger]

Best way is to give Corlindale Death 3 + Life 3 and lichify him. This technically "kills" Corlindale, meaning your new lich can resurrect him.