Alberta, Canada.
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Molten Dragon has a spectacular collection of bronzed armadillos.
I think it would take a combination of some of the tactics previously mentioned. The biggest thing the wizard would need is time. Taking over the planet with simple force is not going to work for many of the reasons already stated. Eventually he would piss of someone powerful enough that they would have him taken out. I think that his best course of action is taking it slow. He should also pursue multiple avenues to power. Some of the steps a person would have to take to make it work: 1) Make yourself vastly wealthy. There are multiple ways to do this, from using divination to rule the financial world(as mentioned already, and probably the safest if done carefully), to theft, to dominating the super rich etc. 2) Establish yourself as some kind of prophet or god. Assuming that he is the only one in the world that is practicing actual magic this should be doable. Invite skeptics and scientist to try and debunk your "miracles". Since you are actually doing magic, eventually people will start to flock to your banner. Set your new religion up to be as benevolent and kind as possible, so as not to make it a major target for the established powers. 4) Make yourself a celebrity. Do the talk shows, appear in commercials, whatever it takes. Just make sure that everything you do is above reproach. Make the world population love you. Never push your religion to hard, just make sure people know about it and subtly encourage them to consider it. Ensure that your don't just do this in the first world countries, do it everywhere. 5) Make yourself a trusted political figure. Use your vast intelligence to help out world leaders with crises, help negotiate peace treaties etc. Make sure the world knows you are a savvy and fair politician. Make friends with political leaders, and the power players of society. 6) Get yourself a country. Use your vast wealth and goodwill to take over a struggling county. Make the people there want you as their leader. Make the country great. Use your magic to improve quality of life(Decanters of endless water to irrigate fields etc). Make the country an amazing place to live. Slowly more and more people are going to want to live in your utopia. Keep working on peacefully expanding your country. Make it a superpower. 7) Always assume that someone is trying to kill you. Never be seen without magical protection from bullets, bombs, poison etc. As you get more and more powerful, someone is going to see you as a threat. Use foiled attempts to increase your prestige and power. Also never let others know the full extent of your abilities or powers. Knowing what someone is fully capable of allows you to better plan on how to defeat them. 8) Slowly keep working to ensure the growth of your country. Eventually other superpowers are going to see you as a threat. Use your magic to get blackmail material on rival leaders. Never openly threaten, but ensure you get your way. 9) If deemed necessary train your own wizard squads to do some of your dirty work. Pick these people from amidst the ranks of your most devote(but not insane) followers. Ensure that they see you are doing it all for the good of the world(also make sure you have a way to ensure your secrets and make won't make it into other countries hands if they are captured). 10) Enjoy your slow and steady rise to world domination through goodwill and faith. |