Skills overview

Skills are the bread-and-butter of making your heroes stronger and different. Skills come in different ranks, where higher ranks usually multiply the power of the skill, so that Rank II is a stronger version of a Rank I skill.

While most skills are neutral, every faction hero class has a faction-specific hero skill that only heroes of that class can learn (outside of mods).

# Neutral skills

## Combat skills

### Armorer

Increases health of units in your army by 6% per rank, and for each rank, gives a 50% chance for each unit to avoid damage from the first ranged attack

### Offense

Increases attack speed of melee units by 6% per rank. As your units lose health, they gain extra damage and movement speed, up to 15% damage and 5% speed per rank

### Archery

Gives ranged units in your army a chance to fire true-strike projectiles, which strike a 4x larger area and deal extra damage scaling to the size of the enemy, starting at 2x. Also increases their range of attack by 8 per rank. (Base chance is 4% per rank and higher for higher rank units)

### Warding

Gives units a chance to ignore attacks by large enemy units, at around a rate of 5% per rank per power of the attacker. While fighting an enemy hero, their spellpower is reduced by 5 per rank. Additionally, your units gain a chance to resist damaging and debuffing spells.

### Leadership

Increases morale of units in your army by +1. Morale gives your creatures a 1.5% chance per stat to enter high morale where they move twice as fast and attack twice as fast for 10 seconds. Additionally, it protects against terror.

### Fortune

Increases the luck of creatures in your army by +1. Luck gives a 4% per stat chance for each attack by your creatures to be luck strikes, dealing 3x damage in a 4x larger area and with great knock-back.

### Combat

Increases damage, health, speed and all other stats of the hero on the battlefield. (Damage is increased by +30% per rank. Health is increased by 100 per rank. Increases attack speed by 12.5% per rank. Increases hero size, knockback, weight and attack width by 1 per rank)

## Spell school skills

### Hydromancy

Teaches your hero a Water spell (with strength according to rank) and increases the effect of Water spells by 65% per rank

### Terramancy

Teaches your hero a Earth spell (with strength according to rank) and increases the effect of Earth spells by 65% per rank

### Aeromancy

Teaches your hero a Air spell (with strength according to rank) and increases the effect of Air spells by 65% per rank

### Pyromancy

Teaches your hero a Fire spell (with strength according to rank) and increases the effect of Fire spells by 65% per rank

### Summoning

Teaches your hero a Summoning spell (with strength according to rank) and increases the effect of all Summoning spells by 25% per rank

## Other Magic-oriented skills

### Sorcery

Whenever you cast a spell, your spellpower is increased by 20% of the mana spent per rank for the rest of the fight. Decreases spell cooldowns by 20% per rank, additionally reducing the cooldown on recasting the same spell by 20% per rank. Does bit decrease the time between actions in hotseat combat.

### Mysticism

Increases the effectiveness of all spells by 25% per rank. Each rank teaches one of 10 special mystical spells with unique effects in random order. Their mana cost varies, though early ranks of Mysticism more often give lower cost spells.

### Regeneration

Increases the rate of mana regeneration through knowledge by 15% per rank, and also regenerates 2 extra mana per rank per day

### Wisdom

Teaches the hero a spell from a choice of four spells. Additionally, gives the hero +1 knowledge and 1 spellpower per rank. Higher ranks of this skill teach more powerful spells.

### Potency

Allows the hero to cast a Potent version of any spell they know, which costs twice as much mana. The power of Potent spells is increased an additional 50% per rank. Increases health and damage of units using magical attacks in hero's army, by 8% for each rank. Units with magical attacks have the Potency icon shown in their tooltip

## Unit generation skills

### Diplomacy

After combat, allows your hero to hire some of the defeated enemy units for gold. The amount of hired units depends on rank and the size of the enemy army. The cost per unit starts at 105% and decreases by 25% per rank

### Demonology

After combat, allows the hero to sacrifice some of the experience gained to summon demonic reinforcements. Each time this skill is ranked up, you can pick one of several demons to summon. Additional ranks unlocks more demons to choose between, increase the amount of demons offered and decreases the experience cost per demon.

### Necromancy

After combat, allows the hero to spend mana on raising some of the defeated creatures as undead soldiers. Each time this skill is ranked up, you can pick one of several undead to summon. Additional ranks unlocks more undead to choose between, increase the amount of undead offered and decreases the mana cost per undead.

### Creation

After combat, the hero will create some elemental creatures for their army. Amount depends on rank and the amount of mana spent during combat

### Dragonking

Gives the hero dragonblood points based on the experience points they gain in battle - more per rank. Once 100 dragonblood points have been collected, it is exchanged for a Red Dragon

### Bloodwarping

After combat, allows the hero to transform some of their basic creatures into elite creatures. Amount depends on number of enemies killed and especially amount of own units lost

### Mastery

Recruits <UnitName> for this hero's army over time, or <UpgradedUnitName> if your hero already has any in their army, at an average rate of <PerWeek> per week per rank. <UnitName> and <UpgradedUnitName> gain +5% health and damage for each rank

* In game, <UnitName> and <UpgradedUnitName> are replaced with a unit depending on your hero. When looking at a hero on their faction's page, the upgraded version of the unit that will be recruited is shown next to the icon for Mastery
* In game, <PerWeek> is replaced with a number that scales based on the power of the unit

### Blight Ritual

Transforms all units in the hero's army into Blighted Ones. Higher ranks increase the speed, attack and health of Blighted creatures by 5% per rank

### Mercurial

Spends 1 mercury each day (if possible) and creates Mercurial creatures for the hero's army. Creates 4 mercurials +2 for each additional rank from the same 1 mercury

## Macro skills

### Estates

Gives your hero 250 gold each day per rank

### Recruitment

Increases the weekly growth of units in all your towns by 20% per rank

### Planning

Decreases the resource cost of constructing buildings in any of your towns by 20% per rank

### Royalty

Decreases the resource cost of creating units in any of your towns by 20% per rank

## Skills that give abilities

### Devour

Teaches your hero a special Devour ability that can be used once a day. Devour friendly creatures to give the hero a permanent boost to attack and defence. Higher ranks give more stats per unit

### Dizzy Tune

Teaches your hero a special Dizzy Tune ability that be used once every two days. Confuses a large group of enemy creatures. Higher ranks increases the number of affected creatures

## Swarm / Oligarchy skills

### Tactics

Increases amount of creatures the hero can place on the battlefield at the start, and the size of each wave of reinforcements, by 15% for the first rank and +10% for each later rank

### Champion

Increases the health and damage of elite creatures in hero's army (creatures with power 9+),

### Legion

Increases the health of all creatures by +5 and damage of all creatures by +1 per rank (especially useful with basic creatures)

### Swarming

Creates phantom duplicates of some of the creatures in hero's army. Chance is 15% per rank for weak creatures, and is lower for more powerful creatures and slightly lower for ranged creatures

### Oligarchy

Increases the health and damage of all creatures by 25% for the first rank and +15% for each later rank, but decreases the amount of creatures that can be fielded on the battlefield at any one time by 30% for each rank

## Dying Unit skills

### Bloodlust

Whenever creatures in hero's army dies, the attack and speed of allied creatures is increased within a distance of 48. The base increase is 5% + 0.5% per power of the killed creature, multiplied by rank. Each trigger is 10% less powerful than the prior

### Destruction

Whenever creatures in hero's army die, they have a 15% chance per rank of casting a destructive spell which will deal damage to attackers

### Recalcitrance

Whenever creatures in hero's army die, they have a 15% chance plus 10% per additional rank to leave a vengeful spirit which will continue fighting for them. The vengeful spirit has 70% as much health and damage as they do, increased by 10% for each additional rank

### Healing

Heals dead units after winning a battle. Each rank will raise 20% of remaining casualties back into the hero's army, with diminishing returns.

## Miscellaneous Skills

### Learning

Increases the rate at which your hero gains experience by 25% per rank

### Logistics

Increases the distance your hero can travel each day by 5 tiles per rank

### Scouting

After combat, hero gains up to +4 movement per rank (adjusted down when used frequently). Also allows your hero to see 2 tiles per rank further on the adventure map, and shows accurate numbers of units in hostile armies

### Plunder

Lets your hero loot gold and artifacts after combat relative to the strength of the defeated enemy. Each rank increases gold gained linearly. Some of the gold will be replaced with artifacts, the power of which is related with skill rank.

### Engineering

Increases the speed of the Ballista and First Aid Tent by 50% per rank. The Ballista deals +50% damage per rank. The First Aid Tent can heal one more unit per activation per rank. Units have +5% chance to be saved by the First Aid Tent per rank

### Toxicology

Makes poisonous blobs fall from the sky early in combat. Enemies hit will become poisoned, taking damage for the rest of combat

### Midas Touch

When the hero and their <UnitName> attacks, they have a chance to turn enemies into golden statues, instantly killing them and adding gold to the hero's coffers. Base chance is 15% + 8% per additional rank, reduced for more powerful enemies. The hero also gains +65 hp per rank

* In game, <UnitName> is replaced with a unit depending on your Hero. When looking at a hero on their faction's page, the upgraded version of the unit is shown next to the icon for Master
* Midas Touch - More information on proc chance

### Elementalism

Summons elementals throughout combat. Type depends on the current terrain, and number depends on skill rank, duration of combat and power of the elementals

### Hex

Turns some enemy creatures into frogs at start of combat. Chance is 15% per rank. When the frogs are killed, the original units come back but retain the damage taken as frogs

### Bodyguards

Adds bodyguards to the hero's army during combat. Their power is based on the power difference between this hero's and the main hero's army (whichever of your heroes has the most powerful army). The bodyguards consists of various faction units. (Gives 50% of the power difference between this and the main hero's army, up to 200 power per rank)

## Faction skills

### Rallying

Gives rallying to all friendly units close to the hero, which increases health, damage and speed temporarily by 15% per rank

### Blessing

Blesses all friendly units after casting a spell. This increases health, damage and speed temporarily by 25% per rank. Duration is also increased with higher ranks

### Wild Communion

Gives the hero a special Wild Call spell costing 0 mana with a 2 day cooldown. This spell summons animals onto the battlefield. If they survive after combat, you keep them as Anima. Number and quality of animals increases with skill level

### Lifespark

Whenever the hero casts a spell, the hero additionally heals nearby units and summons animals onto the battlefield. If the animals survive after combat, you keep them as Anima. Strength increases with skill level

### Alchemy

The hero gains Ore after every battle. Ore can be spent in the Aether Forge in town to create units, spells or other effects. Amount of Ore increases with skill level

### Aethermancy

The hero gains a special resource named Aether after every battle. This resource can be used with the Aether Forge in town to create units, spells or other effects. Amount of Aether increases with skill level

### Bane

The hero gains the Curse of Undeath, which is passed on to enemies through their attacks. Enemy units afflicted will turn into permanent undead units on death. Increases hero's health by 60 and damage by 3 per rank, and teaches the hero charge. When the hero dies, a group of skeletons are summoned

### Malediction

Whenever the hero casts a spell, the Curse of Undeath is granted to friendly or enemy units depending on the spell. Friendly units with Curse of Undeath pass it on through attacks. Enemy units afflicted will turn into permanent undead units on death (higher ranks increase the units affected by Curse of Undeath)

### Firegating

Gives the hero a special Firegating spell costing 0 mana with a 1 day cooldown. The spell teleports friendly units across the battlefield and creates an explosion. Size of portal and strength of explosion increase with skill level

### Firetrapping

Gives the hero a special Firetrapping spell. The spell teleports enemy units across the battlefield and weakens them. Size of portal and negative effects increase with skill level

### Might

Gives the hero special abilities for use in battle. Teaches Charge at Rank I, Freedom Call at Rank II and Quake at Rank III. Each spell costs 0 mana and has a multi day cooldown.

### Ardour

Gives the hero special abilities for use in battle. Teaches Below at Rank I, Call of Champions at Rank II and Quake at Rank III. Each spell costs 0 mana and has a multi day cooldown.

### Hunting

The hero is able to find the footsteps of hidden herds of beasts. When tracked down and defeated in combat, the hero will collect powerful trophies, most of which allow them to call beasts to aid them in battle. The number of artifacts found increases with skill level.

### Taming

The hero is able to find the footsteps of hidden herds of beasts. When tracked down and defeated in combat, the hero is able to tame a large contingent of their army. Amount tamed increases with skill level

### Shadowcloning

Gives the hero a special Shadowcloning active ability, which summons temporary shadow-clones of the hero and nearby allies at a desired spot on the battlefield. Number and strength of shadows increases with skill level

### Shadowcasting

Gives the hero a special Shadowcasting spell, which summons temporary shadow-clones of enemies in the desired area of the battlefield, which fight for your side. Strength of shadows increases with skill level

### Siren Song

Takes control of some enemy units close to your hero. They permanently join your army. Only works if your hero is alive

### Conflux

Whenever the hero casts a spell, some elementals of the same element as the spell will be summoned and fight for you for a short time. Higher skill levels and spells that cost more mana give more elementals.

### Soul of the Earth

Whenever a dwarven unit dies, they leave behind a soul. Several souls combine into Rock Elementals that will continue the fight. Skill level increases amount of rock elementals and their chance of becoming permanent

### Grudge

Whenever a dwarven unit dies, they leave behind a soul. Over time and whenever the hero casts a spell, the souls become vengeful spirits that attack the enemy. Strength of spirits increases with skill level

### Union

Gives the hero +120 health per rank. Whenever a unit close to the hero is about to die, the hero will give that unit 20 of its health, and the unit will become immune for 3 seconds

### Balance

Gives a special spell that costs 5 mana. Casting allows you to select an area on the battlefield. Whenever a unit within that area is about to die, it gains 10 health and will become immune for 5 seconds. Higher ranks create a larger area and can save more creatures

### Speaker

Gives the hero +60 health per rank. Attacks by the hero spread fear. Any feared enemy has a chance to attack nearby allies while fleeing. High ranks increase the spread of fear and the chance for feared enemies to attack allies.

### Watcher

Gives a special spell that costs 5 mana. The spell spreads mad terror among enemies, making them attack both friend and foe. Higher ranks increase the number of maddened enemies, and gives a chance for those affected to join your side.