Posts from This is what my hero looks like.

In this thread, I suggest you post screenshots of your heroes, the ones you start with, and how they look at the end of the game... a kind of fashion show... :D Dress them up however you like and post a screenshot... This isn't a tournament or contest, just for fun... If anyone is interested, please do:smile13:
P.S. Since I don't have any old saves left, I'm playing the game again, so please excuse any delays in posting screenshots of my character...

I'm replaying the game, and my friend finished it in 2 hours, and I think it took him 12 days of playtime. His starting character was level 3 at the end of the game.

Well, and... Dungeon is either your friend or just a cheater. In 12 game days, you can definitely complete the entire storyline, no matter what.

I'm replaying the game, and my friend finishes it in 2 hours and, I think, in 12 days of game time, and his starting character is level 3 at the end of the game.

Let's see a detailed walkthrough, day by day.

Otherwise, I can agree with this (and not just me. IMHO):

Well, either your friend is a cheater or just incredibly skilled. It's impossible to complete the entire storyline in 12 game days.

There won't be such a description. 12 days is easily achievable:
5 days - travel from Dagger Wound to Raven's Coast
2 days (even with stables) - from Raven's Coast to Alvar
another 2 - from Alvar to Iron Sands
2 days - back
Total: 11 days, plus time to form alliances, sail to Regna, etc.
So, Moor +1

Yeah, guys, you're experts on Might and Magic VIII. I played it a long time ago, but if I remember correctly, there's an elf you can recruit around day 7-8 who has a full arsenal for victory: a portal town, invisibility, and that's all you need. By the way, in Might and Magic VIII, there isn't much of a plot; there are very few story quests, and they can be completed very easily with invisibility. I'm telling you, at the end of the game, his first hero was level 3, and he didn't kill or level up anyone! And then I said, maybe it was 15-20 days, but definitely less than a month. This was about 2 years ago.

You probably got something mixed up and are just exaggerating. But I heard that fans compete to see who can complete all the main locations (meaning Alvar, Iron Sands, etc.) the fastest, and the record is somewhere around a few in-game days.

Yeah, guys, you're real Might and Magic 8 experts. I played it a long time ago, but if I remember correctly, there's an elf you can recruit around day 7-8 who has a full arsenal for victory: a portal town, invisibility, and that's all you need. By the way, Might and Magic 8 doesn't really have much of a plot; there are very few story quests, and they are completed very easily with invisibility. I'm telling you, at the end of the game, his first hero was only level 3, and he didn't kill or level up anyone! And then I said, I think, maybe it was 15-20 days, but definitely less than a month. This was about 2 years ago.

Kauri Black Sail joins at a minimum of 12 days: 5 days before the Battle of the Bridges, 2 days before Alvara, and another 5 days before Shadowlands. And she doesn't have any "Master" level spells. Also, the third level of the hero, by the way, requires 14 days of training. That's already 27 days. Plus, you have to travel to Wild Pastures (to form an alliance with the minotaurs), which takes another 15 days (5 days from Shadowlands to Underworld and 10 days from Underworld to Wild Pastures). And then to Peak of Shadows, to Iron Sands, to Regna, and further. It's impossible to do it in less than a month.
By the way, level three isn't a benchmark; I know a walkthrough using a level one cleric, but even then, it took more than a month to complete.

you're quite the expert :) you've piqued my interest, I'll have to ask that guy.

The funniest thing is that even if you're given a character with a portal and invisibility right away on the island, it's not really possible to complete it that quickly: to use the portal to a city, you need to touch the fountains. And the fountains aren't in every city; for example, in the Sylvan faction, you constantly need a walker or a beacon (but you can't get the beacon right away). What to do: level 1 = 1 day, + travel to the portal to the water elementals.
By the way, it's quite difficult to complete many locations using invisibility (especially if you're a master of air): portals, the tomb with the golems, and the quest locations for the Sylvan faction. Of course, it's possible, but it's far from very easy; you'll spend 10-20 real-time days on Save/Load.

by the way, in Might and Magic 8, there isn't really a plot at all

There is a plot there, and it's quite global, but there are few missions – which means this plot is poorly revealed; the scriptwriters from 3DO were fired (around the middle of the development of the 7th part).

In general, in this game, story missions are completed last.

Another note – Kauri Blackspike doesn't have spells for [M] water and air, so you'll have to find them (!) and buy them, but they aren't always available in stores... once I bought a portal to a town only on the third try)).
Regarding the playthrough – you can try to complete it quickly by immediately going to the Serpent's Gorge for the dragon, leveling up [M], and then flying to Kauri, buying the book of portals, and using them to travel, and then focusing on the main storyline without clearing out non-storyline dungeons (which, in my opinion, is pointless).
In the end, it takes several days in real time, with nerves frayed and shouting "why are you all dying so quickly?!" :D

Added after 11 hours and 13 minutes
I played the game again, and here's what I got:
heroes before entering the Crystal (I was too lazy to take another screenshot after exiting :D)
Knight Cleric Dragon Dark Elf Vampire
P.S. – the heroes are under the effect of the Day of Gods

Error132, what kind of mace is that in the Cleric's hand? I haven't seen one like that before.

This is the Scepter of Kings from the Time Capsule, which is unlocked by solving the obelisk puzzle. It provides +40 Leadership and health regeneration. By the way, if you haven't seen this mace, you shouldn't have been able to see the vampire's dagger either. P.S. Why do most players give dual weapons to Kauri? :confused:

yes, indeed, upon closer inspection, the dagger also turned out to be unfamiliar to me... I didn't pay enough attention to the obelisks during the playthrough.
Prince OMEGA, did you mean, why specifically these swords?

Yeah, most of my friends and acquaintances suggest Elsenrail and Glomenthal.