Posts from Should I take the Wisdom skill?

Well, it's my turn to create a topic that we can all laugh about.
Before answering, please remember: was it enjoyable to defend against Pandora, even with losses, when it was empty? Was it enjoyable to defend against Pandora, even with losses, when it gave you slow, shield, stone skin, and wave of death?
And now, the question: should you take Wisdom, and on which maps?

In my opinion, Wisdom is worth taking on Large and Huge maps, and possibly on Medium+ maps if the starting town is fully developed. It can also be useful on custom maps where it might be required by the scenario objectives. On Small and Medium maps, it's useless for the simple reason that by the time you can build a Guild above level 2 and learn useful spells, the game is usually already over.

It’s worth taking Wisdom, but not always. You shouldn’t take it on Jebus maps because all the books and Wisdom might simply max out the skill. It’s also not worth taking less of it on M maps because the chances of finding such a Pandora’s Box are low, and the chances of building a Grand Mage above level 3 are even lower. You can take it on maps with Dungeons, and also on maps where there are computer players; they like to build all sorts of random things in their castles.

There's another option for small maps: if you start with a hero who has a good 3rd-level spell (like Restoration or Meteor Shower) and another hero with the Literacy skill, you can level up Literacy and then teach that spell to heroes who will master Wisdom in the first week... but it's a rather complex and unlikely scenario.

...and also, wherever there are computers, they like to build all sorts of useless things in their castles.

A fully built Guildhall is sometimes the last thing a computer sees before it dies. Sometimes you take a skill with the goal of getting a specific spell (level 2 or higher), and if it's not in that Guildhall, the skill loses its meaning. In general, buying at least one hero with that skill (on the map) never hurts. But many powerful spells will be of little use without upgrading a particular school of magic – this should also be taken into account. And it's not always necessary to max out Wisdom to Expert level.
Maybe it's not entirely on topic, but I want to add to the discussion with this question (I didn't notice it in "Secondary Skills in Heroes 3" and other topics). If, when a hero levels up, they are offered to either increase an existing useful skill or take a new useful skill – what is the best course of action?

...a hero with a good level 3 spell (restoration, meteor shower)...

actually, these are level 4 spells; you need Advanced Wisdom and Expert Literacy.

Perhaps it's not entirely relevant, but I'd like to add to the discussion with this question (I didn't notice it in the "Secondary Skills in Heroes 3" and other topics). If, when a hero levels up, they are offered to either increase an existing useful skill or take a new useful skill, which is the better option?

I choose the new one if it has a low chance of appearing. Otherwise, who knows how long I'll have to wait.

If, upon leveling up, a hero is offered either to increase an existing useful skill or to acquire a new useful skill, what is the best course of action?

A new skill will become available in a couple of levels anyway, but it's uncertain whether another new one will appear at all...

Qwerty, you've been into the Heroes series for a while now, you're not a newbie, and you're interested in and studying a lot of things (in Heroes 3). Why aren't you playing yourself?

Are you afraid to play for rating and reveal your losing streak?

In that time, you could have accumulated your own experience and been able to say what's better and when.

On H/L+U templates, it's advisable to take Wisdom immediately and build the M5 (Mage Guild 5) as quickly as possible. On Jebus Cross, Wisdom rarely helps in the treasure zone, but there are plenty of relics there, so you can almost always get a spell book. On SMKA (Standard Medium Kinkeeper A), if it comes down to the treasure zone, I take Wisdom from the second time, i.e., by level 12. On M maps (where there are mines with rare resources, dwarf dwellings, and medusa dwellings), what matters is Wisdom, mana pool, high-level spells, and Sorcery, which can only be countered by the same magic or by strong might with Tactics, Mass Haste, and preferably the first turn.
There are situations where you need to rush any school of magic for difficult fights (cons, guard of relics), often ignoring strong skills like Logistics and Offense, and with strong might you can level up a bunch of main heroes with any skills to suit any taste:)

The question about Wisdom is interesting. I would agree with the previous speakers regarding the size of the maps and add a little more. On Large and Extra Large maps, Wisdom is essential; for Medium and Small maps, it depends on the situation. Of course, this applies to a challenge, not a battle against the AI on the easiest difficulty. I conducted some experiments a few years ago where I deliberately didn't take Wisdom. Naturally, I chose a warrior-type hero for this. I still took Expert Magic, because I didn't want to give up Haste, Bless, Blood Lust, and other spells. In the end, no matter how I combined the other skills, I often found that magic was lacking, and the longer the game went on, the more noticeable this became. No, you can replace Wisdom, of course, but I wouldn't recommend it. Wisdom, combined with high-level spells, provides flexibility that you won't get without it. All that an Expert Elementalist can do without Wisdom is buff the army – simply increase stats and nothing more. With 3rd or 4th-level magic, the number of tactical options increases many times over. So, take it.

When leveling up, I take a new skill. If the levels increase quickly, i.e., at the beginning of the game, I do so. If the hero is already well-developed and there is a high chance that I won't have time to max out this new skill before the end of the game, I prefer to upgrade an old one.

Added 2 minutes later

why aren't you playing yourself?

Querty, you're a two-timer :)

There’s also a Chupa Chups lollipop and a raincoat.

Yes, that guy with the cape should be banned. I forgot about them.

...In the end, no matter how I combined the other skills, magic was often lacking, and the longer the game went on, the more noticeable this became...

Conclusion - you need to finish the game faster - then wisdom won't be needed either :D. But seriously - if you want to play as a mage on small maps (S, S+P, M), why not? But a warrior will finish it faster, and prolonging the game to learn the necessary magic is pointless.

There's also a lollipop and a cloak.

Sometimes I even put it on specifically so that some wise guy doesn't get in the way.

Regarding skills - in principle, I also try to take a new useful one, while it is desirable to have a couple of underdeveloped skills, because if you max out several skills to expert, then at the next level you get such a useless choice that if you could, you would refuse the level up. The only thing is that sometimes I doubt - should I take a new skill, say, tactics or logistics, or increase the existing school of magic to expert and next time get something like Eagle Eye.

Sometimes I even put it on him on purpose so that some wise man doesn't interfere.

Well, yes, I don't just have a chupacabra with a cloak, but I also have artifacts from the Alliance of Angels near the city, behind the golems:D
And while you're busy leveling up one hero and taking only bases, instead of playing rationally, your opponent will simply outpace you in development and punish you with any Pikedram with any skills.

Chupa-chups is too much, unless it's a pure Warrior against a pure Mage (like in the "Birth of a Barbarian" campaign).