What's the deal with Lightbringers?

[Senethro]

If you get Death II for free with 3 Death Nodes, then you can use your Mages Free Promotion on Spell Extension I. Presumably, before upgrading, the Lightbringer would have had Mobility and Combat III. This will give you a Str 6 Spectre with 3 movement and Empower III. Enchant its blade for extra hilarity.

I used to pick Varn Gosam for his traits because, in my mind, the Malakim were fairly basic. This trick is worth remembering.

So whats the plan with Ashen Veil Malakim? Develop your empire as Aristofarms and take Financial as your extra trait. Tech towards Bronze Working, Sanitation, Warfare (for FotT) and Corruption of Spirit, spread AV quickly, pop a bunch of Ritualists and Axe-rush your neighbour? Briefly adopt StW/App/Conquest and spam some Lightbringers while teching towards Necromancy, then Iron Working? Use Infernal Grimoire for Mithril Working or Malevolent Designs?

 

[DirtyFinger]

Even without the late-game advantages of Lightbringers there is a pretty obvious early game advantage: They are awesome scouts.

Movement 2 (disciple + spiritual = Mobility I)
Sentry 1

If there weren't those inconvenient oceans (and barbarians) you'd have the world map by turn 100. But nothing stops you from getting water walking octopus overlord disciples.

 

[Jet]

In my opinion they're so bad against barbs, and expensive, that I wouldn't call it much of an advantage. The Sentry can be useful for fog busting around your borders, but not useful enough to actually build any beyond the one you start with.

 

[DirtyFinger]

Nah, if you manage to level scouts then you'll also manage to level Lightbringers. Ok, they are more expensive than warriors and scouts together, but if you can keep them alive till Priesthood or Sorcery you'll be well rewarded.

 

[cabbagemeister]

Haha, I've never even managed to level a (non-Svart) scout. They just die soooo easily. I would never invest on early lightbringers.

 

[Der Kantelberg]

Nah, if you manage to level scouts then you'll also manage to level Lightbringers.

No. The main difference in this case is: scouts get 50% strengh when fighting against an animal. Lightbringers don't. Lightbringers will sometimes die when wolves attack. Scout usually won't. Lightbringers will often die when Lions attack - souts only sometimes.

You can level scouts with Wolves and Lions. You can't do this with Lightbringers.

 

[DirtyFinger]

One more advantage of lightbringers (for more see the Malakim advantages thread):

When exploring dungeons you always face the chance of crippling good units. So just send your lightbringers in and if they come out weakened, shriveled, hideously mutated, then just send them home for disciple duty. If the effects turn out beneficial, promote to whatever career suits them best (disciple, arcane, recon, melee).

Edit: I'm assuming that we all play on deity and would never think of reloading until the dungeon result suits us.

 

[Thunder_Gr]

Edit: I'm assuming that we all play on deity and would never think of reloading until the dungeon result suits us.

I see deity mentioned so much, I feel crippled for not playing at that difficulty...
Hmmm....well, not yet...not yet...

 

[DirtyFinger]

Start playing deity with lots of save points, just to get you of on a good start. Then try to focus on your civilizations strength and apply your mega-hypa-invincible combo that makes your civ supposedly unbalanced.
Then get proven wrong.

Restart and try better. Fun!

 

[popejubal]

Upgrading these guys to Fol Disciple and then to Ranger is pretty nifty too.

Getting a Ranger with Medic I and March is a real treat since slow healing is what always seems to cripple Recon units in my games.

Edit: 10 XP with Combat I, Subdue Animals, Medic I, March, Sentry + Mobility is my typical choice for promotions to Ranger when my game gets to that point.

 

[DirtyFinger]

isn't recon kind of pointless by the time you can build rangers ? They seem like bad melee units to me.

 

[Der Kantelberg]

Thea are faster..... 4 movement points instead of 2. They can get the flanking promotion and so withdraw from combat.
Good for fights outside cities.

 

[popejubal]

isn't recon kind of pointless by the time you can build rangers ? They seem like bad melee units to me.

It's Recon for just 5 gold. I'm okay with spending 5 gold on a promotion that is handy even when it's not used as much as the other features. It's getting March on Recon units that is the real beast.

 

[DirtyFinger]

hmm... have to start a malakim recon game to see if that pays of. They might develop some very strong Druids and Beastmasters.

 

[onedreamer]

their use if for exploration IMHO. They are better than scouts because they have sentry (and heal 1, no ?) and with Varn Gosam they (finally) now have 2 movements.

 

[DirtyFinger]

It's Recon for just 5 gold. I'm okay with spending 5 gold on a promotion that is handy even when it's not used as much as the other features. It's getting March on Recon units that is the real beast.

just tried a recon game. no chance!

ok, i made some mistakes, like preparing for a barb rush that never came (didn't play erebus, normal continents), but by the time i got to rangers i was too far behind economically.

even though the rangers were the strongest unit around (8 plus promos) they couldn't kill a single archer in a city.

The considerably more streamlined arcane path is definetly stronger and faster. divine, too, but as malakim you should play both anyway.

ah, and rangers cost 185 to upgrade from disciple of leaves. lightbringers to disciples cost 5.