The title is appropriate. The Wizard is the one hero in the game of Majesty capable of winning an entire scenario or multi-player game for you all by himself. I have been on both the giving and receiving ends of game-ending forays by a 7th level or higher Wizard, throwing every spell he knows in every direction, as quickly as possible, toasting heroes, henchmen, buildings and monsters with equal absent-minded efficiency. So, like the earlier piece on babysitting Paladins and Priestesses, this article will focus on the specifics of raising a Wizard to be your game-winner.

First and foremost, you must avoid Krolm. Despite the close Follow and Support relationship between Wizards, Rangers and Barbarians, a game-winning Wizard is going to require a number of resurrections, and so the Agrela/Krypta spells are essential. So, knowing this, which is the preferred choice between those two? Dauros/Agrela is your best bet, and for the following reasons: Petrify, Bless, Vigilance and cash.

Sure, Vines can do pretty much the same thing as Petrify, but for a shorter amount of time. If you’re using this, you’re probably trying to save your Wizard from extinction, and the added time is some nice insurance. Bless and Vigilance both add to the Wizard’s stats during play, and let’s face it, Wizards can use all the stat help they can get. Bless adds to the dodge and parry of your hero, giving the Wizard a little more chance to live long enough to throw spells. Vigilance’ best attribute is its increase in speed and action for any hero. A Wizard under this spell will become harder to catch if chased, and more deadly in attack as he casts spells faster. Finally, it should be mentioned that the Agrela Resurrection spell is 500 gold cheaper than that of Krypta. Over the course of a Wizard’s life (and many deaths) that adds up.

So, you’ve decided to babysit your Wizards, and have chosen wisely, and are being supported by Agrela/Dauros. What should you do? Build a Wizards’ Guild and recruit your four Wizards early. And, get them a library in which to study, making all spells available as soon as you can remember to. The earlier you have Wizards, the earlier they can begin raising themselves levels. And you can never tell when they’ll go learn a spell, unlike Warriors and weapon upgrades, so make sure the spells are always available. It’s never really too early to spend money on supporting Sovereign Spells. The Wizard’s best early friend is Invisibility, which comes with the first level Guild. Keep a close eye on the guild for Wizards who pop out, and any Wizards milling about it. Should they be attacked while doing anything other than running home or to an Inn for safety, put invisibility on them. Their attacker will think them gone, even if being blasted all the while.

And even though it makes the guild more vulnerable, place it at the edge of town, closest to your enemy’s corner (in multiplayer.) The reason for this will come later. Additionally, build a marketplace and library nearby. Rather than traipse across town to learn spells, Wizards can simply pop next door. The nearby marketplace will attract Ratmen and Trolls, excellent encounter material for gaining experience, and close to the Guild for protection of your Wizards.

The two other major goals you should have early on should be to recruit 4 Monks and to upgrade your Agrela temple to level three. Additionally, do not worry too much about exploring the map or upgrading Dauros’ Temple. They’re important, but not the same priority. Wizards’ probability trees often send them out to hunt, and they tend to do so alone. Recruiting a full boat of Monks helps, as Wizards will Follow and Support Monks. Although this tends to cut down on their spellcasting, they do receive experience for it. Also, it guarantees a little help (in the form of the Monk) in the Wizard’s vicinity. The Monk will seek plenty of trouble for the Wizard to mix it up in. Upgrading Agrela is simply in order to access the Resurrection spell. I would consider resurrecting any Wizard of 3rd to 4th level if it’s your best Wizard, and I would always resurrect a Wizard of 5th level or higher.

The other hidden plan here is the use of regular Warriors instead of the obvious Paladins. Since you’ll have Agrela, you’ll likely have a complement of Healers. Instead of the expense of Paladins, consider Warriors, whom Healers will flock to Follow and Support. A Warrior being constantly healed by a Healer can stalemate any other hero on the map until the Healer is knocked off. This strategy will give you a cheaper force that will keep enemy troops and creatures occupied, if not defeated. The other benefit is distraction-related. Paladins, off on their Evil-hunting forays, can get in a lot of trouble, and after spending 1000 gold on one, you’ll want to chase them down and help them. You can ‘Call to Arms’ Warriors as well as Paladins. It’s an easier choice to let a Warrior die and spend on your Wizards. Remember, it only takes one Wizard of 7th or higher level to win the game.

So, what about that Guild placement? I recommend placing the Guild at the edge of your town, closest to the enemy when built. The reasons: two Wizard Towers. These buildings get short shrift in version 1.3, due to their inability to be used as defensive magical emplacements in multi-player. What they can still do, however, is project your Sovereign Spell range and power. Placing the Guild at the edge of town prepares you to place your Mage Towers where they’ll be most needed. I recommend either in a straight line toward the enemy, as far apart as possible, or at the edges of a triangle whose base points toward the enemy.

In a straight line, the towers are preparing for two things. 1.) To extend the protective range of Invisibility along the most obvious route your Wizards will take to and from the enemy’s encampment; 2.) to allow you to use Wizard spells to pro-actively counter enemy forays along that same line of attack. The variation of using the towers in a triangle is to yield a little distance toward the enemy in order to increase the size of the window you can act in at the entrance to your own base. And, remember to spread the towers as far as you can from each other and their parent Guild. Also, consider using Supercharge to extend this range even further. You want to maximise the area available to you for protective spells on your Wizards, and attacking spells on your enemy. Obviously, this means you’ll want to upgrade to Level Three at the Guild, since this will give you the Lightning spells you’ll want for offensive action, as well as Supercharge. And don’t forget that at 2nd level, your Guild grants you Anti-Magic Shield, a great counter to the enemy’s spells and the Magic Mirror of Vampires.

Also, in regard to spells, I want to repeat that the Library should be filled with all spells. Not only do they protect the Mage (Resist Magic and Fire Shield) but they make him more powerful (Fire Ball.) In the end, though expensive, Meteor Storm is a combination of all you can want for a Mage. It protects him from hand to hand combatants by damaging any who close with him. And it is offensive, too, as a Wizard capable of doing so will cast it when in the midst of enemy towns, frying anything that walks by, even if trying to mind its own business. Meteor Storm may cost 1350 Gold to research, but it need only be used once to recoup that, if it saves the Wizard from death (think 1500 Gold to resurrect.)

Once your Palace is at level three, where should your Wizard strategy lead you? My recommendation would be toward Lunord. I know that Lunord is generally in disfavour, but what we want here is the babysitting benefit of Lunord’s spells. Winged Feet can be both an attacking benefit as well as the obvious defensive boon to Brave Sir Robins everywhere. Keep in mind that a Wizard in the mood to rumble should be given a chance to do so if powerful enough. So, getting him there faster with Winged Feet is a plus. I also prefer Lunord’s spell for the disruption it can cause. Winged feet on an enemy being followed and supported can separate that enemy from his support. It can bring a Caravan home faster when those Resurrections take their toll on your treasury, or simply when you need it out of harm’s way.

And Wind Storm can provide that last moment your Wizard needs to finish off the enemy, or get himself out of trouble. It can throw attackers out of range of their weapons, but not those of the spellcaster. When combined, the two Storm spells make a Wizard untouchable.

As for a Fairgrounds… I would build one only if you’ve managed a strong and stable economy. Proper babysitting of Wizards will require that you try hardest to build up one or two of them, rather than all 4, or 8 if you double your Guilds. While larger numbers of contestants do increase your income and the experience gain, Tournaments can take large groups of important heroes off the map for far too long. If you’ve elected to use Krypta and Wizards, though, I’d strongly recommend the Fairgrounds, as that will also improve your Priestesses at a good clip.

And, don’t forget to HOTKEY your Wizards. This makes finding out who melted, and who should be resurrected, much easier. And keep that Guild full of Wizards. Replace any low level Mages who die, until you’ve a couple of prime candidates for game-winner. I’d say keep recruiting until one or more make 6th level at least.

In the end, babysitting can be viewed as a strategy of economy. If you elect the Wizard strategy you’re proposing to spend the massed share of your treasury protecting, aiding and helping your Wizards. I would say it is worth it. Winning a game of Majesty is always a treat. Seeing and hearing a magic-blasting Wizard toasting the opposition’s town, impervious to spells and outside the reach of even Paladins and Rangers, is the biggest treat of all.