What is the strongest build in your opinion?

[GMBarak]

What is the strongest build in your opinion in let's say 13 opponents normal map size, all normal all default?

[WingsofMemory]

What is the strongest build in your opinion in let's say 13 opponents normal map size, all normal all default?

I think that testing showed it was an all-sorcery "time stop" build if you can make it that far. But Slingers won a speedrunning competition with halfling slinger rush, so could be that.

The problem is that Caster of Magic is both well balanced and creatively free for it's level of complexity, so there are lots of builds that are really strong.

I'm too lazy to run crazy builds, and enjoy slugging it out over city management, so for me Life magic is the easiest to run, and is probably the most beginner friendly school. As for race, as far as I am aware halflings have always been and will always be the strongest race, with High Men and Dark Elves taking second place. Warlord is great retort that's for sure worth the picks if you aren't planning on relying on late game summons.

I think that Hadriex (who has tested Caster of Magic like crazy. Every spell school and it's combos, the retorts and the races) came to the conclusion that the strongest build was Dark Elves, running Sorcery Nature or something weird like that? I can't remember.



Oops, misread the post.

In my opinion, the strongest build I've run (which I haven't played much caster of magic) is:
Klackons, Warlord+Alchemy, 1 Sorcery, 1 Nature, Rest of picks Life Magic. (Which I think was like 4/5 Life Books?)

Warlord and Alchemy are both great for beefing up normal troops, 1 sorcery and nature for spell trading and diplomacy, Life Magic for beefing up normal troops, and Klackons because I am most familiar with them from mainly playing them in the base game. They can cap out cities pretty quick so you can bounce back quick if you are losing a war and have everything being burned down. Warlord Stag Beetles can take down dragons in enough numbers, and Warlorded Klackon Spearmen, Swordsmen and Halberdiers can remain relevant into the late game with some decent enchantments. Lionheart is unbelievably good if you can get it (and afford it.)

That's my 2 cents anyways, there are way better builds, but that's the one I jived with the best! I did nature beastmen and they were pretty good, but the Klackon build was more fun and could punch above its weight more, and bounced back well if you were on the losing end of a war.

Curious to hear your guys builds!

[Zypher]

Mostly playing on the warlords mod but the build should work on regular caster of magic as well.

Barbarians, Channaler+Charismatic, 3 life, 2 death, 2 chaos and 2 nature.
Go with heroism, flaming weapons, wraithform and start off the game with building barbarian cav and put wraithform on them (eventually when you have enough you add heroism and flaming weapons). You're able to take over most neutral cities (unless some have magical weapons), and limit 1-2 enemy wizards to having just their fortress more or less and you pin them down while you get 20-30 cities really fast.

Crazy good build for a good start and then you just build up from there and never really lose the advantage of a crazy strong early game. Ofc you can get unlucky if there is very few neutral cities or if the enemies are mostly green/black and mostly uses summons as the wraithform Barbs are slightly less effective then. It takes that you know the strength of the unit though and are able to use their attack with thrown effectively.

[WhiteMage]

What is the strongest build in your opinion in let's say 13 opponents normal map size, all normal all default?

Rjak, Archmage, Myrran, Charismatic, Omniscient, 4 life, 1 Death, 1 Chaos, 1 Nature, 1 Sorcery, Dark Elf

[jhsidi]

For me the question should be "what's the strongest build you can stand to play". I find Life very strong but it's incredibly boring to me, so I always abandon the game before getting too far. Conquest-oriented builds are also too painful for me to, managing 80 cities is the worst.

So the easy answer is Sorcery + Specialist, just survive to mid-game and Invisibility will basically clinch it. In case it doesn't, both Time Stop and Power Link are basically win buttons. It's fun surviving until then but really disappointing once you actually cast those globals, might as well call it a win and stop playing

Strongest build that includes actually having fun and some strategy have involved Death and a bit of luck in the early game (around 1502). A single undead Chaos Spawn can sweep through a ton of lairs and towers. A single undead Efreet can cast higher tier Death spells you won't have for a long time -- Siphon Life to create more undead, plus nearly every other spell. Later on, if you carefully steward your units, you can have massive undead armies including things like angels.

The actual build would be:

Halflings, Omniscient, Conjurer, Astrologer, 4 death, 2 sorcery, 1 nature (make a sacrificial trade to get web), 1 life, and a free pick for whatever.