Posts from The Hero's Path

Is there a mentor on the map?

Is there a mentor on the map?

Yes, he is at the end, on the swamp.

I'd like to ask the author about the differences between the various mages and which ones are best to choose. I probably won't be playing through the game a second time. Also, there's the perennial problem of troop morale. Increasing leadership isn't appealing, considering how it's been nerfed, and even a "standard" composition like Ents + Furies suffers greatly. And then there's the experience issue. It's a bit inconvenient that you don't gain experience for completing quests like in an RPG. As a result, you have to "vacuum" all the chests for experience. Overall, the map is excellent, but the battles can be a bit tedious, and losing each unit is very painful. I'd like to see the option to enable not only the "extreme" mode but also a "casual" button that reduces unit numbers (and the time it takes to create them) by a factor of 10. Perhaps simply reducing the army size and growth rates by a factor of 10 would make the game more dynamic and increase the role of chaos and direct hero attacks, because I tried playing through it with a hero build, but what is 300-400 damage to a pack of 800 horned demons?

What's the difference between choosing different mages?

For the Mage Guild? The difference isn't significant. If you take a Necromancer as a dark mage, they'll have one extra spell and a Lich to sell. If you choose a simple Elf for summoning, they won't have top-tier nature spells.

The eternal problem of morale in the ranks of troops.

However, combining troops from different castles creates stronger builds. You can also play by using an army from a single castle.

It's a bit inconvenient that experience isn't gained for completing quests, like in an RPG.

Experience for quests would disrupt the integrity of their realism. Besides, you can normally reach level 33-35 by the end of the map.

Perhaps, even by simply reducing army sizes and growth rates by these same 10 times, the game would become more dynamic.

I agree with that; there are problems. I tried to adjust the growth rate coefficients to match the average playthrough, but they vary greatly; some people finish in a year, others in three.

At the same time, the role of Chaos would increase.

I personally tried playing with Chaos; of course, you have to put in the effort, drink magic potions, and attack several times, so you can't use it normally in every battle, but only once a week, but you can deal 5-7 thousand damage before the battle.

Different people play in different ways; some might optimize their route, while others skip turns. Some play without taking any losses, while others don't mind losing a few units. It would be interesting to try something new. But, for example, when I watch a walkthrough of "The Beginning of the End," I see the same problem: the main part of the gameplay is about making crazy rushes. They are faster than 2 Paladins versus 10 Ents, but such maps don't really value "tanky" units. For example, Knights and Minotaurs are useless because of the almost inevitable losses in their ranks.

As for the mages, I agree; the Elf is cute, but I have a feeling that without Phoenix and Mind Control, I'll be struggling in the 4th city.

Both will have Subordination; it’s just that it’s a bit harder to use due to the large stacks. The difference is in the unholy word (well, it’s not a Necromancer, is it?).

And also, is there a way to increase the mana pool? Potions don't increase it beyond the maximum, right? Dealing with thousands of Imps is quite annoying.

No, the game does not allow you to exceed the maximum value.

Is there a way to use the fountain mechanic, which doubles mana, to bypass the limitation? And here's an idea for a future lifehack: +50 knowledge, full mana, -50 knowledge.

Both can be used. But it isn't used.

I'm such a slowpoke, I played until the 20th month, didn't capture any mines, didn't create a guild, don't have an army, level 24, and any stack that appears means death and despair. I'm going to restart =(

Phew, I finally finished this scenario-campaign. It was a very complex undertaking, and I clearly didn't explore everything, as my patience was starting to wear thin. However, the work is excellent, and everything I'm about to say shouldn't be misinterpreted. I'm impressed with the map; I just want to share what I wasn't entirely satisfied with and what I would like to see in a different form if you were to create any sequels.

There are millions of units clashing with a huge amount of enemy troops, which diminishes the impact of Chaos (yes, I understand there are rituals, but I can't imagine how to break through 10,000 demons in Chaos) and elevates the importance of the Undead faction. The game essentially consisted of four stages:
1. The initial starting area
2. The quest for the Vampire Castle
3. The quest for Sandro's Cloak
4. Everything else

There is a noticeable imbalance in favor of the Undead faction's troops:
1. They don't suffer from low morale.
2. They can be resurrected in large numbers with a 2nd-level spell instead of a 5th-level spell.
3. They have Spirits and Vampires, and to increase their numbers, you only need mercury, not gold.

It's a definite drawback that when you take a Lich, you can't acquire vampirism without building a Mage Guild (or I just didn't find a way).

Alchemy is a powerful tool, but there's no sense of "balance," in my opinion. It would be better to make potions more dependent on skill than on the number of ingredients. Because, in the end, I only used potions twice, before entering the Lord's lair and in the battle with him. It would be better to have more reagents and potions available for purchase, limiting their maximum effectiveness (similar to Rune Casting).

Rune Casting is also a shame to use; resources are money, and without an understanding of the "maximum resources," it's difficult to learn how to spend them effectively.

And regarding the quantitative aspect, in my opinion:
There should be fewer enemies, and unit growth should also be reduced. At the same time, the prices for "expendable" units should be much lower than for "non-expendable" units. The Arena is unclear – is it even worth fighting there beyond the level of a Squire? The difficulty increases significantly. Also, the Factory/Dwelling lacks buttons for trading; buying 500 Zombies or selling 300 Crystals is quite a chore

At the same time, there is a strong imbalance in favor of the undead faction's troops.

If you used a necromancer for an hour, then respect, I understand that this is not a very popular tactic, as it requires effort.

it would be better to make potions more dependent on skill than on the number of ingredients

I think the most logical option has been implemented. Potions depend very much on skill, as you can only brew the best ones by leveling up, but even if you are a worthless alchemist, you can put in a lot of ingredients and get a strong, albeit simple, potion.

Rune casting is again a pity to use, resources are money

It seems that you can quickly understand that resources are used only for two things - rune magic and exchange for gold on the market. Based on average exchange rates, you can estimate how much one spell costs; I don't remember exactly, but most of them should cost no more than a thousand. And this is essentially the cost of 1 creature of level 4-5. With this arrangement, rune casting is beneficial in many battles.

Yes, through a Necromancer, in about an hour. He's a bit inconvenient, but spirits under a Vampire are worth the effort. I also spent a long time accumulating mercury for the Guild because I had none. There's a nuance in the internal "hamster" (resource management) of the game. For example, mana cannot accumulate beyond a certain limit, so while it should be conserved, players shouldn't be afraid to spend it. But runes in the original game, or runic magic, or units – these are not limited resources that deplete, and they accumulate, so each loss is felt acutely. I once even read an article about the psychology of ammunition for a "super weapon" in shooters. And another point, I played with luck affecting the path and loot, so I wondered, when I got, for example, 20 gems and 12,000 gold after a battle, was that intentional?

If 100 gold dropped, then that was planned. And everything else means the perk was chosen effectively.