Theorycraft

[ashalar]

physical space isn't an unlimited resource, certain maps you might not really have the space to build many necropolis, especially like market square

[ReFlekKt]

That is a legitimate point but what are the FFA maps that are short on building space and have more than a single choke point to enter each spawn point (as on Market Square)? I know that choke points won't matter against mass chims but at least standard undead has an effective way of killing them. I'm assuming of course that the single choke point on Market Square can be used to deal effectively with tanks, but I admit I have no personal experience with which to argue that it in fact can be.

And just a little more theorycraft regarding Market Square: if the wood around the naturals were gathered (or perhaps even if not) I wonder whether the naturals could also be used well as far as necropolises?

[Seksi]

I am an advocate of multiple necropolis'.  255 gold versus 150 gold 50 wood.  Wood can sometimes be an issue and the extra 100 gold grants you a 1500 hp building that still gives 10 food.  Another important point is that it gives you another building to TP to in case your main is wrecked by tanks, chims, or bats.  You touched on it also that it buys you additional time if you have necropolis' on the perimeter of your base to get back in position to defend.  I also make an extra necropolis usually at most expos.  2 Necropolis, 1 cold tower, and 1-2 spirit towers fortifies it really well.  Again it buys you more time if you aren't ready to TP right away as you can let one of the necropolis go down. 

You can place at least 3 necropolis' in your main on any map.  Even on Market, once the wood is chopped I will always build one more necropolis in the back as well as one towards the front.  This allows me to TP onto the path in front of my base, in the far back, or from my main.  On maps where you can accumulate a lot of gold like Twilight, you can have a ring of necropolis (2-4) around the perimeter, your main base, and 1 or 2 necropolis in the back as well. 

One additional use of the necropolis is that it does not require blight to summon.  Meaning that you can place it at choke points between bases for not only a fortified scout, but also for another option to TP to if you see an opportunity.  Same goes for the idea of building one right next to an opposing main base for offensive TPs. 

[ReFlekKt]

I am an advocate of multiple necropolis'.  255 gold versus 150 gold 50 wood.  Wood can sometimes be an issue and the extra 100 gold grants you a 1500 hp building that still gives 10 food.  Another important point is that it gives you another building to TP to in case your main is wrecked by tanks, chims, or bats.  You touched on it also that it buys you additional time if you have necropolis' on the perimeter of your base to get back in position to defend.  I also make an extra necropolis usually at most expos.  2 Necropolis, 1 cold tower, and 1-2 spirit towers fortifies it really well.  Again it buys you more time if you aren't ready to TP right away as you can let one of the necropolis go down. 

You can place at least 3 necropolis' in your main on any map.  Even on Market, once the wood is chopped I will always build one more necropolis in the back as well as one towards the front.  This allows me to TP onto the path in front of my base, in the far back, or from my main.  On maps where you can accumulate a lot of gold like Twilight, you can have a ring of necropolis (2-4) around the perimeter, your main base, and 1 or 2 necropolis in the back as well. 

One additional use of the necropolis is that it does not require blight to summon.  Meaning that you can place it at choke points between bases for not only a fortified scout, but also for another option to TP to if you see an opportunity.  Same goes for the idea of building one right next to an opposing main base for offensive TPs.

And, as Renaud pointed out, wood can be returned to it whereas the same can't be said for zigs.

As for the second of your bolded points, I would love to see people try this. Even if the enemy can see it building, they still have to divert units to it (or perhaps even TP home) to deal with the possibility that an undead might TP to it and/or end up with a large chunk of blight outside their base which remains even after the necropolis is killed/unsummoned, unless of course it is dispelled/built over (which would still be a price to pay).

[Ugri2]

offensive tp :

did that vs dfm on twilight (cast seksi dfm me + j33). Round 4 of season 16.
I had necrowagon and i made offensive tp on dfm (didnt work so well but still it was offensive tp!)

Mass necropolis :

Just look at maga's base. He always have several and often a second one up to T2 so he can still make gargs if main is chimed out

[ReFlekKt]

I'll def check out that game Ugri =)

Yeah, now that you mention it I've seen that 2nd Hall of the Dead in Maga's base when watching him, and I do normally see more than one main building in most players' bases as games progress, but I wonder if turning to mass necropolises instead of zigs could make a difference in the late game. I think their attributes could be > zigs as far as synergy with the standard UD army when it comes to base race.

Also, I'm pretty sure I've already seen the following done/attempted so I won't call it theorycraft: if the enemy is only sending tanks but no heroes or the heroes have been killed then good infernal and stone-form garg drops and a wyrm (plus D & D?) could suffice for standard UD against tanks, I'm thinking.

[FML|Renaud]

I've seen undead players block their main off with stone formed gargs on market

Pretty funny actually, tanks can't get in :)

[ReFlekKt]

lol, yeah it does sound pretty funny, tanks useless all of a sudden 

[Seksi]

A note about offensive TPs with Undead is that normally you would be so fast with Unholy Aura that you could run into their main without much time difference anyways.  However, I think a good use could be when they are attacking your main or expos to force them to TP away from your bases.  You could easily TP, force a TP, do damage and get out hit and run style adding more map control. 

Or if you had a full necrowagon army summoned and buffed... the offensive tp could be much more effective compared to gargs =)

[FML|WorpeX]

I've seen undead players block their main off with stone formed gargs on market

Pretty funny actually, tanks can't get in :)

Yep, I do that ALL the time. lol

[Persuade]

then the MK blinks in and the base dies in 5 seconds anyways

[Jey_s_TeArS]

then the MK blinks in and the base dies in 5 seconds anyways

water elemental cast through, mass TP in and the base dies in 5 seconds anyways

[Persuade]

go bm instead of mk and mass teleport to phoenix egg

[Jey_s_TeArS]

too bad the Phoenix doesn t do chaos damage

"very similar to the other Ultimate Summonables such as the Dread Lord's Infernal or Night Elf Warden's Avatar of Vengeance"

[Persuade]

too bad the Phoenix doesn t do chaos damage

"very similar to the other Ultimate Summonables such as the Dread Lord's Infernal or Night Elf Warden's Avatar of Vengeance"

but it flieeeees