|
|
InfernoX880
Promising
Famous Hero
|
posted February 06, 2008 09:42 PM |
|
|
|
Academt relies somewhat on Luck, getting the right spells and a few good artifacts. There creatures aren't exactly great, probably being the second weakest alignment in the game, right after Necro. The mini-artis do help out, but at the cost of resources.
|
|
Elvin
Admirable
Omnipresent Hero
Endless Revival
|
|
posted February 06, 2008 09:52 PM |
|
|
Not really, even if your array of skills and spell has some randomness you can always get an effective build. Library, the arties and artifact merchants will ensure you won't end up in a tight spot, you just need to be open to more than one strategies.
And the arties' cost is to make sure you will not use them much before week 3. Yes you can afford to make one or two but the priorities are mage guild and the dwellings.
____________
H5 is still alive and kicking, join us in the Duel Map discord server!
Map also hosted on Moddb
|
|
InfernoX880
Promising
Famous Hero
|
|
posted February 06, 2008 10:00 PM |
|
|
|
Statistically, I don't think any of the creatures from the Academy line-up would win best creature of it's tier. It isn't exactly the most powerful line-up and is made to have to rely on spells cast by the Wizard such as Righteous Might and Endurance as well as mini-artis so it can compare to the boosts given to Might factions by the hero.
|
|
Elvin
Admirable
Omnipresent Hero
Endless Revival
|
|
posted February 06, 2008 10:08 PM |
|
|
Their value increases over time. In the beginning they are just fodder if you exclude the gremlins and single mages for the fist of wrath because your hero is too powerful. The units are actually pretty decent, it's just that the hero does not aid them in the might department but there is also a lack charging units. Even so the gap grows a little smaller with the arties, especially defense/luck/initiative.
____________
H5 is still alive and kicking, join us in the Duel Map discord server!
Map also hosted on Moddb
|
|
mercedes_j_h
Hired Hero
The fire is strong!
|
|
posted February 07, 2008 07:58 AM |
|
|
I think the Academy is good because of its Artefacts special and when you have an level 36 hero with ultimate skill and the spellbook skill then your hero are unstoppable + the Storm Titans Call Storm is very efective because it kills all the enemy spell casters and shooters + a tier 7 shooter is very efective.
____________
If you look in the sky you will see a Red Dragon but he is not the most powerful.
The Bigest Dragon is on the Ground called Lava Dragon.
|
|
shardik
Adventuring Hero
|
|
posted February 07, 2008 10:08 AM |
|
|
I voted Haven, simply because I consider their lineup the most complete. There is only on bad unit (level 1) and it can be trained into level 2. There is really no weak links in a Haven army, and with both Light and Dark magic you are good to go, especially as a might hero.
That said, it is a tight race, and I am sure more experienced players think differently.
|
|
ElectricBunny
Known Hero
Pimp My Box
|
|
posted February 08, 2008 11:43 PM |
|
|
OKay, lets see. I think the quality of a faction depends of several things:
Effectiveness in early/middle/late game,
Creature effectiveness/abilities,
Useful strategies available with the faction,
etc. etc.
Lets start with early game effectiveness.
Strategy: Start with a mage, like Naadir. When you get loads of mages split them equally into stacks. So youll have 4-5 stacks of mages, each doing 36-42 damage with their Fist of Wrath. This will easily help clear out chests and mines early on.
Also have someone with eldritch arrow or Fireball... like Naadir.  Give him 3 good stacks of gargoyles or even golems. - Doesnt have to be much at all, even 6 or so is enough. I personallly used this tactic with 2 gargs in 2 stacks.
Anyway. just fireball the enemies coming at you, by the time they arrive hopefully they wont have much to beat you up with. I used this strategy against 34 imps or something, with only 2 stone gargs on my side (no losses). This makes even scouts available for killing weak enemies and freeing mines, while giving almost 100% of army to the main hero for more serious stuff.
Early-MIddle game: Djinns are unfortunately not much use ontil you have a good number of them, because they are not as durable as in HoMM3 and they die easily if there's only 5-8 of them. Still Archmages in good numbers are very effective.
(NOTE I only have HoF so I am basing all this on HoF tactics. Maybe using elem gargs or battle mages provide a whole new strategy.)
You will have a large number of master grems, which fix up the golems that you lead into the thick of the battle. Gargoyles are good for 1) Storming castles, 2)Protecting shooters and 3) providing weak but durable infantry.
Havent played much late game but Im guessing that with the artifacts and mini-arties, plus the Rakshasas and Titans, Academy takes on a new power and more effective strategies.
Now, Tier effectiveness - pros and cons.
Gremlin:
PROS-
Large numbers, high initiative, easily attainable shooter, sustains golems.
CONS- Weak.
Gargoyles:
PROS- Good for a couple of strategies mentioned above, durable and easily attainable stormers and fodder.
CONS- Cant be used very effectively, as most players find.
Golems:
PROS- Very durable, magic-proof which is a lucky bonus.
CONS- Low speed, so no rushing into the battle and tearing out guts om the very first round.
MAges:
PROS- Rather early caster, excellent if used well (Fist of Wrath x 5)
CONS- Low HP, Easily taken out with spells, a bit like Liches in HoMM3. ALso the 'laser shot' often hits your own troops, usually my gargoyles lol
Djinns:
PROS- Fast and quite powerful.
CONS- Rather easily disposed of (sniff sniff)
Rakshasa:
PROS- HIgh speed and initiative. Unlimited retal makes them a bit like Griffins
CONS- None really, someone who has some please point them out to me.
TItans:
PROS- 7th level shooter. 'Nuff said. Also great abilities.
CONS- Expensive.
Someone has contradictions, please say them. Im open to suggestions
____________
|
|
DarkShadow
Legendary Hero
Cerise Princess
|
|
posted February 09, 2008 09:45 AM |
|
|
Haven...they are half unstoppable in lategame (unless enemy get's you before you have trained enuff  ).
Now...they can chose ligth or dark magic's,ligth is usual choice and not bad with resurrection and magical immunity,Dark is better if you want little surprise,although your zealot's will have to use some turn's for cleanese unless you get paladin's.
their retaliation strike is pretty weal unless you get ultimate counterstrike,weakening strike and unstoppable charge.But training make's them the massing one's,expert trainer and expert counterstrike really lower the cost but they don't increase amount of unit's you can train  .
|
|
ElectricBunny
Known Hero
Pimp My Box
|
|
posted February 09, 2008 09:49 AM |
|
|
Quote:
Haven...they are half unstoppable in lategame (unless enemy get's you before you have trained enuff ).
Now...they can chose ligth or dark magic's,ligth is usual choice and not bad with resurrection and magical immunity,Dark is better if you want little surprise,although your zealot's will have to use some turn's for cleanese unless you get paladin's.
their retaliation strike is pretty weal unless you get ultimate counterstrike,weakening strike and unstoppable charge.But training make's them the massing one's,expert trainer and expert counterstrike really lower the cost but they don't increase amount of unit's you can train .
If you have enough cash, the trainer rocks. Just train vindicators into priests or priests into Paladins. Boom - you just got 20 more Paladins. Congrats.
I was considering haven - the early game is quite easy as well with Crossbowmen and Griffins.
|
|
DarkShadow
Legendary Hero
Cerise Princess
|
|
posted February 09, 2008 10:59 AM |
|
|
|
Think I don't know?Teh trainer is one of best abilitie's (only if we could build multiple hall of heroe's to same town
|
|
unixmage
Known Hero
Demon Slayer
|
|
posted February 09, 2008 11:12 AM |
|
|
|
I've always wondered why mages don't get a little magic proof. After all, they have pathetic hp (yes even with arties).
|
|
Elvin
Admirable
Omnipresent Hero
Endless Revival
|
|
posted February 09, 2008 11:31 AM |
|
|
Because they'd be even worse as neutrals to fight..?
____________
H5 is still alive and kicking, join us in the Duel Map discord server!
Map also hosted on Moddb
|
|
Mytical
Responsible
Undefeatable Hero
Chaos seeking Harmony
|
|
posted February 09, 2008 11:58 AM |
|
|
Hmm Mages/Archmages with dampen magic (ie if a friendly unit is standing within one square they don't take damage from the mages ranged attacks).
Of Course that would mean that Battlemages would need something else..something to make them interesting...
Like a Imbue attack type ability...when used they spend double mana for the spell but they can attack with ranged attack also?
Probably a bit much tho. Just thinking outloud  .
____________
Message received.
|
|
DarkShadow
Legendary Hero
Cerise Princess
|
|
posted February 09, 2008 12:02 PM |
|
|
|
What they really need is not to hurt friendlie's ANYWHERE on the battlefield
|
|
yasmiel
Supreme Hero
Former Chessmaster
|
|
posted February 09, 2008 12:43 PM |
|
|
Let's not overpower an already strong faction. Mages are ok the way they are.
____________
|
|
86wyp
Adventuring Hero
|
|
posted February 09, 2008 05:09 PM |
|
|
Haven is not overpowered at all in late game. Because they can never match the creeping speed of magic factions(though in lower difficulties the gap is smaller).
In the long run, the one who controls more resources and more artifacts always has advantage. The extra resources will be transfered to more heroes, more armies(maybe from other towns) and more artifacts. Even though knights are strong they and costly and will die, while the heroes will not. Besides knights are not as powerful as before. Now with swift mind dungeon's H/R is perfect and with mentoring academies has endless heroes.
Basically Magic beats Might in TOTE.
|
|
okrane
Famous Hero
|
|
posted February 09, 2008 05:34 PM |
|
|
I would say it's more map dependant.
On a map with a later break might factions have a clear edge. Hit and run could edge the balance in the other side, but I always thought of it as a cheap thing to do.
|
|
ElectricBunny
Known Hero
Pimp My Box
|
|
posted February 09, 2008 05:45 PM |
|
|
Quote:
Basically Magic beats Might in TOTE.
Definitely right. For example Jhora + a good stack of creatures = really powerful creeping. Jhora can knock out Lots of Master Hunters week one (using Eldritch Arrow), and personally the result was I got a gold mine in the first week, which makes a lot of difference early on.
|
|
Orodruin
Adventuring Hero
|
|
posted February 11, 2008 07:12 PM |
|
|
to alexandergr
Quote:
I believe the battlemages need something to make them useful. The way they are, they have no advantages over the Archmages.
Agree, the battlemages really leave something to desire, cause archmages's spellbook is very efficient (specially when you separate them into 7 slots, best for creeping), once, I defeated the enemy in hard mode using only archmages, the map was Former Friends, shall I remember and I had my hero make artifacts of initiative for them.
Certainly, this strategy wouldn't have worked if I had used battlemages.
____________
Yggdrasil is my inspiration.
|
|
Elvin
Admirable
Omnipresent Hero
Endless Revival
|
|
posted February 11, 2008 08:16 PM |
|
|
Might vs magic is really a matter of time. Late magic struggles and good creeping must be exploited for taking a battle earlier.
____________
H5 is still alive and kicking, join us in the Duel Map discord server!
Map also hosted on Moddb
|
|
|
|
This thread is pages long: 
