Life Buildings

I would say that the champion is not a high-quality Tier 4 unit; it should be a Tier 3 unit.

Why does everyone dislike champions so much? The Stable for Life skill at the start can significantly accelerate the pace of development. When choosing the "ballista/pikeman - crusader - champion" building sequence, there will be no need for precious resources, and it will cost at least 3,000 less to build. Plus, you can also build the Order of Paladins. It's true that you need about 50 wood and stone, but it's still easier to get or exchange them, and it costs less money. The only thing champions need when clearing out enemies is magical support; without it, they die like flies. Moreover, both Nature (Giant Strength/Speed/Luck) and Order are suitable for mandatory healing from Life, but it depends more on the terrain (although Order is still preferable due to flight and illusions).
In general, playing with champions in the game is more exciting. It requires concentration and well-thought-out movements on the map. I'm only slowly practicing this tactic, but sometimes the results are quite unexpected. The only thing that cavalry lacks is speed in combat (i.e., not movement speed, but turn order).