I'm about to try playing as The Ardent Mages for the first time. Can anyone please offer some beginner tips for playing as them? So far, I've only played as the more straight-forward factions (Wild Walkers, Vaulters and Drakken).



Thanks in advance.

Using a few science pillars can be a huge boost to your science. Also when your cities get big enougt the pillars can overlap (so you can get a double bonus on some spaces). Also in combat once you get the stun spell researched it is a game changer. The spells are in the top right and can be used during targeting (I think every other round).



Also later in the game the food booster pillar can make your cities grow crazy fast.



Military wise their ranged units are alright as they have chain lighting which lets them hurt all units touching the one you target.

My few attempts at the Ardent Mages have boiled down to the following notes.



1. Your starter units are weak - Incredibly weak. Don't auto-combat at all and keep in mind that they deal more damage with less health remaining. Consider replacing or protecting them behind "tank" units asap to avoid falling behind on Ruins and villages.



2. Pillars can't be placed on top of districts - You may have to sacrifice a district tile for a repeated pillar to get maximum pillar coverage early on.



3. Science is insanely fast - Dump your initial hero into a city early on and you're very likely to get and stay in the lead of the tech race.



(I've only played as far as 75 turns or so to get a feel of how they work - I don't know how these notes affect lategame)

Tbh I think warlocks are probably the best starting infantry @ ~100 health, ~50 damage and 3 speed. They're somewhat low on ini initially but claws make them benefit from getting attacked actually. The only problem they have is that they take a lot of damage during fights but regen quite slowly so you can't chain fight much with them. Also assigning hero with damage boost 3 to a city seems like a waste.



My recommendations:

• Use science pillars early on to speed up research
• Use your starting hero as a general (has enough damage to oneshot some units + huge army damage boost)
• Research Language square ASAP and do your 2nd racial quest. This nets you 2 free units
• Research Zealots in Age 1
• Focus on dust production since it helps both your spells and your eco, but don't neglect other FIDSI
• Do not colonize anything unless you have no neighboring AIs - If you do go to war ASAP and take cities from them (Buy Roving clans hero to speed up ownership gain on conquered cities)
• In age 2 high priority techs are arcana of authority and +1 spell arcana level. After researching these you get aoe stun and your opponents might as well quit
  
  

Thanks for your reply.

MANoob wrote:
* Do not colonize anything unless you have no neighboring AIs - If you do go to war ASAP and take cities from them (Buy Roving clans hero to speed up ownership gain on conquered cities)

Why is this recommended for The Ardent Mages specifically? Should all factions do this?



also: are Warlocks really better off getting attacked than attacking? If so, why?



Thanks in advance.

JetJaguar wrote:
Thanks for your reply.





Why is this recommended for The Ardent Mages specifically? Should all factions do this?



also: are Warlocks really better off getting attacked than attacking? If so, why?



Thanks in advance.

Any faction can do this but some are better off building their own eco imo. Ardent mages are probably the best faction for earlygame warfare because of damage boost 3 starting hero, free units from an early and easy quest and good age 1 units overall.



Warlocks get AOE and increased damage on retaliations from claws so if you use claws they're better off getting attacked unless the attacker is ranged. Even if the attacker is ranged they can benefit from getting damaged first as they get more attack from ardent fire if they're damaged. This obviously doesn't apply if they are killed. Their alternative weapon is anti cavalry, so more specialized (but if you're fighting cavalry heavy armies worth consideration).