Problem is that they still build them when the victory condition is turned off, which just means they're all warring each other once the first one starts building the first tower.

You guys have already covered all these points but I'll add my vote to the pile.

The technology should be moved later in the research tree and the individual towers split among various technologies.  There have been several good ideas here already as where the towers could go.  The spell of mastery should cost a lot more mana than other spells.

JJ

I'm a pretty casual player, and like to play games I can (eventually) win ... and I agree that the Spell of Making victory is WAAAAY too easy.  For you hard core players, I'm sure it's like taking candy from a baby.

I agree with the suggestions above to move the actual spell later in the tech tree, and make it cost more to cast. 

I'd also like to suggest that you be able to cancel the casting once you've started it ... right now there's no way to stop it once it's started, at least not that I was able to find.

I, too, often turn it off as a victory condition, because it got so I was winning almost every single time with it on.  Which, while winning is nice, gets a little boring after awhile.  Ho Hum, I'll just gather resources and research stuff and then cast the magic spell and Viola ... I've won ... again.  I've never tried to push it and see how quickly I could win with it ... maybe I will just for grins and giggles.

oh well that's different then they should only be flagged to go for that victory condition if it is active.

I'd like to point out that, as it stands right now in LH, the spell of making is easier to cast than curgen's volcano!

I also disable the SoM as making things too easy.

The thing is everyone focuses on the buildings.....how about taking a look at the spellcaster and the spell itself?

I would argue that the SoM should have some prerequisites; remember it is a spell to take control of ALL magic; shouldn't that spell have SOME prereqs? My suggestion is for a Sovereign to cast the SoM, he or she should have at LEAST Master level in one school of Magic.

In MOM It was like the last spell you got to after a long and grueling game. You prayed for Spell of Mastery. lol But, also in MOM you were told it was being cast and you always had time to cast a global Dispell if you had it. Rarely did the ai ever cast Spell of Master vs me but I did cast it a couple of times. Most games went to total conquer state because it was sooooooooooo much fun. I wish I could say and feel the same about this game but the music sucks and it's too damn dark all the time