Heroes

Heroes are powerful individuals that can acquire a variety of skills and equipment.

Hero-specific actions

Heroes are required to do the following:

• Use equipment.
• Start a siege.
• Create an outpost.

• The Barbarian Pioneer can also create outposts, but at double the  Gold cost and 1  Turn extra.

Recruiting heroes

Recruiting a hero costs 100  Gold + 50 for each level. If an empire has more heroes than cities then each hero will cost 100 more  Gold to recruit and 30 more  Gold to maintain.

Defeated heroes

Heroes that are defeated in battle may be captured or killed. Captured heroes go to the victor's Prison, while killed heroes go to the victor's Crypt.

Heroes in your Prison generate . You have the following options:

• You can release the hero to their home empire or Free City. The hero's equipment is transferred to your armory. This is considered a good act of +5 Alignment.
• You can convert them to your side. This requires the structure Wizard Tower: Prison.
• You can execute them, sending them to your Crypt. The hero's equipment is transferred to your armory. This requires the Wizard Tower: Prison. This is considered an evil act of -5 Alignment.

Heroes in your Crypt generate . You have the following options:

• You can sell the hero's remains for some  Gold. The hero's equipment is transferred to your armory.
• You can resurrect the hero. This requires the structure Wizard Tower: Crypts.
• You can animate them as Undead at a cost of  Souls. This requires a tome granting the Soul Harvest ability,

Hero skills

Each time a hero levels up they will be able to pick 1 hero skill, gaining a permanent bonus. Skills are divided among three trees and have four tiers. Novice skills are always available, Adept skills require 2 previous points invested in the same tree, Expert skills 4 previous points, and Master 6 previous points. This means that a hero can only gain Master skills from at most two trees. Special Pantheon skills (if present) are fixed at the start.

Each hero's skills may be reset once for free; after that, it costs per skill point. Pantheon skills cannot be reset.

Warfare skills

Warfare skills focus on making the hero more dangerous in physical combat.

Skill	Source	Level	Effect
Bloodlust	Barbarian	Novice Hero Skill	Ability: Bloodlust
Keen Edge	Barbarian	Adept Hero Skill	+20% Critical Chance.
Primal Mark	Barbarian	Novice Hero Skill	Ability: Primal Strike Primal Strike The first Melee attack that hits in battle deals an additional +8 Blight Damage.
Cull the Weak	Dark	Novice Hero Skill	Ability: Cull the Weak Cull the Weak Deals +20% damage to units with Weakened. Attacking units with Weakened grants the unit Regeneration once per turn.
Grim Executioner	Dark	Novice Hero Skill	When this unit kills another, it gains 3 Fortune.
Archery I	Generic Hero Skills	Novice Hero Skill	Physical Ranged attacks gain: +10% damage. +10% Accuracy.
Archery II	Generic Hero Skills	Adept Hero Skill	Physical Ranged attacks gain: +10% damage. +10% Accuracy.
Defense I	Generic Hero Skills	Novice Hero Skill	+1 Defense +5% Evasion
Defense II	Generic Hero Skills	Adept Hero Skill	+1 Defense +5% Evasion
Defense III	Generic Hero Skills	Expert Hero Skill	+2 Defense +10% Evasion
Eagle Eye	Generic Hero Skills	Expert Hero Skill	Grants Physical Ranged attacks: +1 range. +10% Accuracy.
Fighting I	Generic Hero Skills	Novice Hero Skill	Melee attacks gain +10% damage.
Fighting II	Generic Hero Skills	Adept Hero Skill	Melee attacks gain +10% damage.
Killing Momentum	Generic Hero Skills	Master Hero Skill	Ability: Killing Momentum
Martial Expertise	Generic Hero Skills	Expert Hero Skill	Melee and Physical Ranged attacks gain +10% damage.
Sentinel Sentinel	Generic Hero Skills	Adept Hero Skill	Ability: Sentinel
Sprint	Generic Hero Skills	Novice Hero Skill	Ability: Sprint
Avatar of Nature Avatar of Nature	Tome of the Goddess of Nature	Master Hero Skill	Ability: Avatar of Nature
Demonic Slaughter	Tome of the Chaos Lord	Master Hero Skill	Ability: Demonic Slaughter
Ancient of Earth Ancient of Earth	Tome of the Creator	Master Hero Skill	Ability: Ancient of Earth
Meteor Strikes Meteor Strikes	Tome of the Crucible	Expert Hero Skill	Ability: Meteor Strikes
Frost Weapons	Tome of Cryomancy	Novice Hero Skill	Ability: Frost Weapons
Flameburst Weapons Flameburst Weapons	Tome of Devastation	Expert Hero Skill	Ability: Flameburst Weapons
Sundering Strikes	Tome of Enchantment	Novice Hero Skill	Makes base Melee and Physical Ranged attacks gain: Base 60% chance of inflicting Sundered Defense. Demolisher.
Eternal One Eternal One	Tome of the Eternal Lord	Master Hero Skill	Ability: Eternal One
Lightning Weapons	Tome of Evocation	Novice Hero Skill	Ability: Lightning Weapons
Exalted Brilliance Exalted Brilliance	Tome of Exaltation	Master Hero Skill	Ability: Exalted Brilliance
Weakening Aura	Tome of the Great Transformation	Expert Hero Skill	Ability: Weakening Aura
Cruel Weaponry	Tome of the Doomherald	Expert Hero Skill	Ability: Cruel Weaponry
Zeal	Tome of the Inquisition	Adept Hero Skill	Base attacks gain +2 Spirit Damage. This damage is doubled against Condemned units.
Searing Weapons	Tome of Pyromancy	Novice Hero Skill	Ability: Searing Blades
Obsidian Weaponry	Tome of Rock	Novice Hero Skill	Base Melee and Physical Ranged attacks gain a base 60% chance of inflicting Bleeding.
Poison Weapons	Tome of Roots	Novice Hero Skill	Ability: Poison Weapons
Terrifying Aura	Tome of Subjugation	Expert Hero Skill	Ability: Terrifying Aura Terrifying Aura At the end of this unit's turn, adjacent enemy units lose -5 Morale.
Leaden Blows	Tome of Terramancy	Expert Hero Skill	Makes base Melee attacks gain: +2 Physical Damage. Base 90% chance of inflicting Immobilized. Demolisher.
Adaptive Armor	Tome of Transmutation	Expert Hero Skill	Ability: Adaptive Armor
Bolstering	Industrious	Novice Hero Skill	Ability: Bolstering Bolstering Once per turn this unit gains: Bolstered Defense when hit by a Melee or Physical Ranged attack. Bolstered Resistance when hit by a Magic attack.
Defensive Master Defensive Master	Industrious	Expert Hero Skill	Ability: Defensive Master
Berserker's Rage Berserker's Rage	Pantheon Hero Skills	Pantheon Hero Skill	Ability: Berserker's Rage Berserker's Rage When this unit's total Hit Points reach 33% or lower, it becomes (for 1 ): Berserk. Steadfast.
Intimidating Aura Intimidating Aura	Pantheon Hero Skills	Pantheon Hero Skill	Ability: Intimidating Aura Intimidating Aura At the end of this unit's turn, adjacent enemy units have a base 90% of losing -5 Morale. Doesn't affect Tier V and hero units.

Battle Magic skills

Battle Magic skills focus on granting the hero magical attacks and improving its spellcasting capabilities.

Skill	Source	Level	Effect
Sundering Curse	Dark	Adept Hero Skill	Ability: Sundering Curse
Arcane Strength	Generic Hero Skills	Expert Hero Skill	Magic attacks: Gain +10% damage. Gain +10% Accuracy. Ignore up to 2 Status Resistance.
Channel Power	Generic Hero Skills	Novice Hero Skill	Ability: Channel Power
Distant Evocation	Generic Hero Skills	Adept Hero Skill	Magic attack gain +1 range.
Fire Evoker	Generic Hero Skills	Adept Hero Skill	Ability: Fire Evocation
Frost Evoker	Generic Hero Skills	Expert Hero Skill	Ability: Frost Evocation
Lightning Evoker	Generic Hero Skills	Novice Hero Skill	Ability: Lightning Evocation
Magecraft I	Generic Hero Skills	Novice Hero Skill	Magic attacks: Ignore up to 1 Status Resistance Gain +10% Accuracy
Magecraft II	Generic Hero Skills	Adept Hero Skill	Magic attacks: Ignore up to 2 Status Resistance Gain +10% Accuracy
Resistance I	Generic Hero Skills	Novice Hero Skill	+1 Resistance +2 Status Resistance
Resistance II	Generic Hero Skills	Adept Hero Skill	+1 Resistance +2 Status Resistance
Resistance III	Generic Hero Skills	Expert Hero Skill	+2 Resistance +3 Status Resistance
Weaver	Generic Hero Skills	Master Hero Skill	Ability: Weaver
Spell Amplification	Tome of Amplification	Adept Hero Skill	Ability: Spell Amplification Spell Amplification Makes tactical spells deal +20% damage.
Maximized Magic	Tome of the Arch Mage	Master Hero Skill	Grants Magic attacks a +100% Critical Hit chance.
Arcane Surge Arcane Surge	Tome of Astral Convergence	Master Hero Skill	Ability: Arcane Surge
Chaotic Rebuke	Tome of Chaos Channeling	Master Hero Skill	Ability: Chaotic Rebuke Chaotic Rebuke Attackers within 2 hexes have a base 60% chance of gaining a random status effect.
Blinding Magic	Tome of the Cold Dark	Expert Hero Skill	Base Magic attacks have a base 60% chance of inflicting Blind.
Withering Decay	Tome of Cycles	Expert Hero Skill	Base attacks gain a base 90% chance of inflicting Decaying.
Gilded Magic	Tome of the Golden Realm	Master Hero Skill	Makes Critical Hits with Magic attacks inflict Gilded for 1 Turn.
Mark of Misfortune	Tome of Mayhem	Adept Hero Skill	Makes base attacks of enchanted units: Inflict Misfortune.
Mind Crush	Tome of Oblivion	Master Hero Skill	Base Magic attacks have a base 30% chance of inflicting Insanity.
Havoc Magic	Tome of Pandemonium	Expert Hero Skill	Ability: Havoc Magic
Greater Corpse Consumption	Tome of the Reaper	Master Hero Skill	Ability: Greater Corpse Consumption
Precognition	Tome of Scrying	Adept Hero Skill	Physical Ranged and Magic attacks ignore accuracy penalties from the Obscuring condition caused by units in the way and certain terrain.
Wisp Familiar Wisp Familiar	Tome of Summoning	Expert Hero Skill	Ability: Wisp Familiar
Supreme Magic	Tome of Supremacy	Master Hero Skill	Causes a unit to explode when killed, dealing 20 Spirit Damage to adjacent enemy units.
Quick Phase	Tome of Teleportation	Expert Hero Skill	Ability: Quick Phase
Magic Deflection	Tome of the Astral Mirror	Expert Hero Skill	Reflects 50% of non- Physical Damage sustained back onto attackers.
Avenging Winds Avenging Winds	Tome of Winds	Adept Hero Skill	Ability: Avenging Winds
Condemn Condemn	Tome of Zeal	Novice Hero Skill	Ability: Condemn
Exposing Light	High	Adept Hero Skill	Ability: Exposing Light
Attunement: Star Blades	Mystic	Novice Hero Skill	Ability: Attunement: Star Blades Attunement: Star Blades When a spell is cast, this unit's base attack randomly gains +1 Fire Damage, Lightning Damage, or Frost Damage for 3 Turns. Stacks up to 3 times.
Quake Quake	Pantheon Hero Skills	Pantheon Hero Skill	Ability: Quake
Raise Undead Raise Undead	Pantheon Hero Skills	Pantheon Hero Skill	Ability: Raise Undead

Support skills

Support skills focus on granting bonuses to the army the hero is leading.

Skill	Source	Level	Effect
Feudal Ruler Feudal Ruler	Feudal	Adept Hero Skill	Ability: Feudal Ruler
Stand Together	Feudal	Novice Hero Skill	Ability: Stand Together Stand Together Unit deals +20% damage when adjacent to another friendly unit with Stand Together.
Undying Loyalty	Feudal	Novice Hero Skill	Ability: Undying Loyalty
Defensive Training Defensive Training	Generic Hero Skills	Adept Hero Skill	Ability: Defensive Training
Endurance Training Endurance Training	Generic Hero Skills	Expert Hero Skill	Ability: Endurance Training
Experienced Leader	Generic Hero Skills	Novice Hero Skill	Ability: Experienced Leader
Inspiring Leader	Generic Hero Skills	Adept Hero Skill	Ability: Inspiring Leader
Precision Training Precision Training	Generic Hero Skills	Expert Hero Skill	Ability: Precision Training
Restore	Generic Hero Skills	Novice Hero Skill	Ability: Restore
Spur to Action	Generic Hero Skills	Master Hero Skill	Ability: Spur to Action
Strength Training Strength Training	Generic Hero Skills	Adept Hero Skill	Ability: Strength Training
Truesight	Generic Hero Skills	Novice Hero Skill	Ability: Truesight Truesight Unit can see invisible or camouflaged units within its vision range.
Vigor I	Generic Hero Skills	Novice Hero Skill	+10 maximum Hit Points.
Vigor II	Generic Hero Skills	Adept Hero Skill	+10 maximum Hit Points.
Vigor III	Generic Hero Skills	Expert Hero Skill	+15 maximum Hit Points.
Golem Assistant Golem Assistant	Tome of Artificing	Adept Hero Skill	Ability: Golem Assistant
Champion of the Faithful Champion of the Faithful	Tome of the Beacon	Expert Hero Skill	Ability: Champion of the Faithful
Pack Leader Pack Leader	Tome of Beasts	Novice Hero Skill	Ability: Pack Leader
Demonic Anthem Demonic Anthem	Tome of the Demon Gate	Master Hero Skill	Ability: Demonic Anthem
Mending Touch	Tome of Faith	Adept Hero Skill	Ability: Mending Touch
Revitalize	Tome of Fertility	Adept Hero Skill	Ability: Revitalize
Forest Warden Forest Warden	Tome of Glades	Adept Hero Skill	Ability: Forest Warden
Conjure Dome of Protection Conjure Dome of Protection	Tome of the God Emperor	Master Hero Skill	Ability: Conjure Dome of Protection
Battle Seeker Training Battle Seeker Training	Tome of the Horde	Novice Hero Skill	Ability: Battle Seeker Training
Nature's Avenger	Tome of Nature's Wrath	Expert Hero Skill	Ability: Nature's Avenger
Unholy Leader Unholy Leader	Tome of Necromancy	Expert Hero Skill	Ability: Unholy Leader
Inspiring Icon Inspiring Icon	Tome of Paradise	Expert Hero Skill	Ability: Inspiring Icon
Reveler's Triumph Reveler's Triumph	Tome of Revelry	Adept Hero Skill	Ability: Reveler's Triumph
Sanctify	Tome of Sanctuary	Expert Hero Skill	Ability: Sanctify
Soul Collector	Tome of Souls	Novice Hero Skill	Base attacks gain: Base 90% chance of inflicting Soulbound +10% damage against units with Soulbound.
Animal Handler Animal Handler	Tome of Vigor	Expert Hero Skill	Ability: Animal Handler
Bolstering Support	Tome of Warding	Adept Hero Skill	Support abilities grant 1 Bolstered Resistance to affected units.
Coordinated Strike Coordinated Strike	High	Adept Hero Skill	Ability: Coordinated Strike
Twin Awaken	High	Novice Hero Skill	Ability: Twin Awakening
Defense Training Defense Training	Industrious	Adept Hero Skill	Ability: Defense Training
Combat Casting	Mystic	Expert Hero Skill	Ability: Attuned Cast
Resistance Training Resistance Training	Mystic	Adept Hero Skill	Ability: Resistance Training
Freezing Blast Freezing Blast	Pantheon Hero Skills	Pantheon Hero Skill	Ability: Freezing Blast
Sap Strength Sap Strength	Pantheon Hero Skills	Pantheon Hero Skill	Ability: Sap Strength

Feudal Lord skills

Feudal Lord skills are only available if the hero's empire has the Feudal culture. Each Feudal Lord skill can only be given once. If a new hero is recruited with an existing Feudal Lord skill, the skill will be removed from the new hero and the skill point refunded.

Skill	Effect
Lord of Crops	+25 Food income for the governed city
Lord of Knowledge	+15 Knowledge income for the governed city
Lord of Magic	+15 Mana income for the governed city
Lord of Production	+25 Production income for the governed city
Lord of War	Once per turn, winning combat gives all units +5 Hit Points and +25% Move Points

Signature skills

Signature skills are powerful hero skills that increase their magic affinity and grant them a unique ability. They may only be picked every 5 levels. There are 18 signature skills, 3 for each magic affinity, and each time the hero will be offered a list of 6 random signature skills, one for each magic affinity.

Skill		Affinity
Blink	Makes this unit teleport to target hex and grants it 40% evasion for 1-turn. Cooldown: 2-turns. Always hit. 6-hex range. 1-blue action point.	Astral
Mana Unchained	Friendly units in a 1-hex radius gain: 3-Star Blades 2-Strengthened Cannot be used when within an enemy zone of control. Cooldown: 4- turns 3-action points. Always hits. 4-hex range.. Support	Astral
Visions of Woe	Enemy units in a 1-hex radius fumble their attacks for 1 turn. Cooldown: 4-turns. 3-action points. Cannot be used when inside an enemy zone of control. Debuff.	Astral
Assassinate	Slight chance of instantly killing an injured target. This chance increases the lower the target's permanent hit points are. Cooldown: 2-turns. 1-hex range. Always hit.	Chaos
Daemon Step	Unit teleports to target hex and deals damage to adjacent units. 10-fire damage. 1-blue action point. Cooldown 2-turns	Chaos
Reckless Rage	Gain: +30% Melee attack damage for 3-turns, 2-Sundered Defense, 2-Sundered Resistance. Always hit. 0-hex range. No action points cost. Can only be used once per battle.	Chaos
Frostfire Detonation	Deals damage to target unit, then deals 30% damage to all units in 2-hex radius. 14-fire damage and 14-frozen damage. 6-hex range. 3-actions points. Always hit. Cannot be used when inside an enemy zone of control. Cooldown 4-turns. Magic.	Materium
Summon Elemental	Summons a random Tier III Elemental unit. Always hit. 1-hex range. 3-action points. Cannot be used when inside an enemy zone of control. Can only be used once per battle. Summoning.	Materium
Warding Bond	Damage sustained by the target friendly unit is transferred to this unit with a 20% reduction. Always hit. 4-hex range. 1-blue action point. Cannot be used when inside an enemy zone of control. Can only be used once per battle.	Materium
Mass Rejuvenation	Friendly units in a 2-hex radius gain: 10-temporary hit points, Regeneration. Cooldown: 3-turns. Always hit. 4-hex range. 3-action points. Cannot be used when inside an enemy zone of control. Support.	Nature
Summon Animal	Summons a random Tier III Animal unit. Always hit. 3-action points. 1-hex range. Cannot be used when inside an enemy zone of control. Can only be used once per battle. Summoning.	Nature
Virulent Outbreak	Enemy units in a 2-hex radius have: Base 90% chance of becoming Diseased. Base 90% chance of becoming Poisoned. 3-action points. 6-hex range. Always hit. Cannot be used when inside an enemy zone of control. Cooldown 4-turns. Debuff.	Nature
Holy Retribution	Attacks that hit this unit from within 3-hexes deal 5-spirit damage to the attacker. Passive.	Order
Rallying Blessing	Friendly units in a 1-hex radius gain: Rally, Bolstered Defense, Bolstered Resistence. 3-action points. Always hit. 4-hex range. Cooldown: 2-turns. Cannot be used when inside an enemy zone of control. Support.	Order
Restoration	Heals target friendly unit +40 Temporary Hit Points and dispels its negative status effects. A target friendly unit that is dead can be revived with 60% of its total permanent hit points. Cannot be used when inside an enemy zone of control. Can only be used once per battle. Always hit. Support.	Order
Dark Ritual	Enemies in a 1-hex radius sustain damage. All corpses in a 1-hex radius turn into zombie units. 10-frozen damage. 3-actions points. 6-hex range. Cooldown: 2-turns. Magic.	Shadow
Draining Blade	Deals damage to target enemy and heals you the same amount as the damage dealt. 25-frozen damage. 1-action point. 1-hex range. Cooldown: 3-turns. Melee.	Shadow
Summon Undead	Summon 3 random Tier I Undead units. Always hits. 3-action points. 1-hex range. Cannot be used when inside an enemy zone of control. Cooldown: Only once per battle. Summoning.	Shadow

Godir type

The Godir type determines the form of a hero. If the hero is leading an empire the Godir type will grant the following bonuses:

• Champion: A Ruler risen from the ranks of the people
  • All Cities have +10% Gold income and +20 City Stability
  • All non-Hero units gain +20% Experience
  • Start with +100 Relation with Free Cities
  • Must match the race
  • Always affected by race transformations
• Wizard King: A powerful Wizard seeking dominion over a new realm
  • All Cities have +10% Mana income
  • +5 World Map and Combat Casting Points per hero level
  • Hero has the Overchannel ability in combat
  • Can be of any race
  • Can choose whether to be affected or not by race transformations