The Protectors of Etheria is a stand-alone mod of the game Warlords Battlecry 3 (i.e. it can be run without having the original game installed - 100% free full game). It is an improved RTS/RPG game with new campaigns, quests, terrain, units, items, heroes, modding features and more. Beta versions available for download!
In 0.9, the AI will know how to use all the spells in the game and when to use them (except Wall of Thorns / Ice as the AI's handling of walls will come in 0.9.1).
Whether that's Zombie spamming from a Black Portal at the start of the game for immediate mine stuffing, or stacking buffs, AI spell casters will certainly be more interesting on the battlefield in 0.9 than in any other version of TPC, or any version of WBC for that matter.
Delightful. Can't wait to see all those wonderful spells in action - and to use them myself, of course.
Good. So I will not be the only one viciously abusing the Magick system, and summoning entire armies from one Hero in the back of a massive fortress.
(In that top right image, that's an AI Archmage with multiple Arcane buffs...)
God that makes me excited and terrified, excited because ah yeah boi like playing a humie or at the minimum a fun enemy mage. Terrified cause ya boi is baddddd but ayoo new strats inc!
We initially gave Archmages in 0.9 access to every spell sphere, but we quickly realised that Arcane wasn't a good idea for them to have as well. So that got removed.
However, due to the sheer hilarity of it, I just couldn't see it removed from the game entirely. So the cheating AIs (Emperor and Demigod) still have access to Arcane with their Archmages. XD
But of course, other AI levels can still acquire and use Arcane magic from items as normal - it's just that they can't invest hero skill points into getting the sphere.