Which would you choose?

[McSwan]

Well, if you avoid every battle at the start and grab all the free gold and leadership and mage does just fine without leadership upgrade for a long time with +800 leadership banner. Then go hard on leadership from about level 12 to 30.

[Razorflame]

a mage hardly needs leadership in darion or freedom

(given he has the proper spells)

trap or ice snake

or even phantom

resu/sacri/gift ofc ^^

just take strong tank units

so they live long an u can let the spells do their workD:

[loreangelicus]

Here are the items that give +10 runes:

Ancient Amulet
• +4 to Intellect
• +15 to Mana
Use: Gives 10 Magic Runes after 50 victories

Gladiator Sword
• +4 to Attack
• +15 to Rage
Use: Gives 10 Might Runes after 50 victories

Banner of True Faith
• +4 to Defense
• +800 Leadership
• -1 to the Morale of Undead allies
Use: Gives 10 Mind Runes after 50 victories

Since you want to go mage, you should take Ancient Amulet and Banner of True Faith. Personally, since I have a paladin, I go with Ancient Amulet and Gladiator Sword.

IMO, any combination of these three items should be your target for a good game. Intellect Ring is also a reasonable choice if you don't have the intestinal fortitude to grind for the above three items.

Gold is really a non-issue, even on impossible. Get Marauders if you are having money issues (or want to get the items asap to start the kill count), then dump them once you have bought the two power items. Not losing any troops also helps your finances (and troop inventory management).

[Razorflame]

doon't buy any before going to freedom

unless u want horseman and inqi's in darion

because the graveyard should get u enough good units(swamp for coffinfs)

[BB Shockwave]

The DRagon Slayer Sword you can also get by completing all the Arena fights. And frankly, until then you can avoid dragons pretty much everywhere. Or, use the Dragon Slayer spell.

[Razorflame]

dragons aren't a big problem anyway they don't come in super large numbers and traps are perfect for those wuzzies

[BB Shockwave]

Originally Posted by Razorflame

dragons aren't a big problem anyway they don't come in super large numbers and traps are perfect for those wuzzies

Ohhh, just you wait until you see the dragon stacks in the Death Land or the Dragon's land (where you teleport from Demonis). I even left some of those behind as I could not kill them without losses.