Sacrifice - how to use properly?

[bukimi]

I have sacrifice scroll and wonder if it is really worth learning.

I am barely on Verona and have over 20 intellect.
Still. On 3rd level it does only a bit more than 1000 damage.
That gives it only 500 health points of resurrecting power.
Even not enough to resurrect one dragon (or to create it).

Additionally, it can be cast only on own units. Which one should I sacrifice? Summoned by spell or from mystic egg?

I think that spell that expensive and also damaging own units should be more useful. Isn't it better to cast two damaging spells with the same amount of mana and hurt ENEMY?

[kcwong]

Level 5 creatures are difficult to grow with sacrifice... that's obviously as intended by the developers, otherwise it will be too easy. Use sacrifice for lower level troops and you will find it pretty useful.

You can use sacrifice on hypnotized troops, and trolls at night are the perfect targets. Use Peacefulness to give the sacrificed troop more HP.

[bukimi]

So basically, sacrifice is good to create new low-level units but not as good when it comes to resurrection?
Because I am about to buy resurrection and have order magic lvl3.
As I remember resurrection was quite efficient and added much more than 500 health...
(and with similar casting cost)

[DGDobrev]

Let's not forget that resurrection does not work on level 5 units. Paladin's prayer skill doesn't work on them either.

The only two things that come to mind and can be used to revive level 5 units are the demonologist's drain ability (transfers life to any unit) and the inquisitor's resurrection ability. There is a way to have them to that resurrection a few times by using the phantom spell - the amount of creatures you get from it can be improved by the summoning skill.

You should also note that level 5 creatures aren't exactly the best. My perfect army consists of Paladins, Knights, Archmagi, Demonologists and Gorguanas or Inquisitors. In this army everyone can help each other, everyone can resurrect each other and there are plenty of units to phantom to good effect.

[bukimi]

I know that I cannot resurrect 5 level units.
(I did last time I played with time back and paladin's resurrection)
But they are very useful for blocking the enemy.
And having lvl 4 units is useful as they are tough and can be resurrected as well.
Shouldn't sacrifice give more health than it takes?
They way it works now makes no sense - it is expensive to cast and gives almost nothing and I do not have a turn or unit to sacrifice...

I had inquisitors but they die very easily.
Archmagi do not deal any real damage so only their shielding ability may be useful.
I cannot find demonologists this time I play
Yet I have a lot of paladins to refill.
Never tried gorguanas - they seem a good idea

[Petwin]

You can use sacrifice on a stack of droids. A (different or phantomed) stack of repair droids can repair (resurect) the sacrificed droids. The regeneration of Trolls at night gives the same result, but won't bring back a killed Troll. You can use the spell Peacefullness (order magic) to increase the hp of the stack you are going to sacrifice.

Basically: with repair droids or Trolls you can grow your army for free.

[Saiko Kila]

I often use sacrifice on two occasions:
1. after Dominating enemies, or charming by demonesses (usually I get demonesses from Demon Portal). Then it basically emulates demonologists' special.

Note that Sacrifice is strenghtened by Destruction skill, like other damaging spells, and by items which increase damage of destructive spells.

2. near end of fight when last stack of enemy survivors, preferably ranged or no-retaliation, is working on my summons, I sacrifice level three unit (usually inquisitors) to replenish some other guys. After that I use resurrection on the sacrificed unit. If I have lots of mana and enemy is still busy, I repeat.