Rank I - Units | Units and Strategy Eador: MotBW Guide

Last update: 11 May 2016

Militiaman

Recruitment Cost	10 gold
Upkeep	2 gold per round
Location/Recruitment	Recruiting Station 50 gold
Alignment	Neutral
Skills	None

Militiaman is the worst unit in the game - worse even than Goblins. As such, they are peasants armed in pitchforks and dressed in rags. The only good thing about them is that they can be recruited in the first round of the game for minimal costs.

Nevertheless, even Militiamen can be of some use, for example to Necromancers, who can use their dead bodies to create a grand army of the undead. On level up, some Militiamen can also re-train into Spearmen, which are much more useful.

Slinger

Recruitment Cost	15 gold
Upkeep	3 gold per round
Location/Recruitment	Slinger School 80 gold
Alignment	Neutral
Skills	Collect Ammo - allows collecting several units of ammo in return for one round

Slingers are the weakest of ranged units. The deal small amounts of damage, have a limited range and get killed easily. Not worth any investment altogether, but if somehow they found their way into the army, you can use them as fodder to Necromancers or as a ranged support for better units.

Spearman

Recruitment Cost	25 gold
Upkeep	5 gold per round
Location/Recruitment	Spearman School 80 gold Requires Workshop
Alignment	Neutral
Skills	Heavy Ammo - lowers Ranged Defense of a hit target by 1. Works for 3 rounds

Noticeably better than Militiamen, but still not much of a threat. They have an interesting one-time feature in that they can throw a spear into nearby enemies and deal them some substantial damage. This gives them a certain edge in direct combat, at which they're not particularly good. On higher levels they may gain the Forced March ability, which makes them slightly more useful.

Bowman

Recruitment Cost	60 gold, 1 wood
Upkeep	12 gold per round
Location/Recruitment	Shooting Ground 150 gold, 3 wood Requires Workshop
Alignment	Neutral
Skills	None

The biggest advantage of Bowmen is their range - surprisingly large for such low rank. Nevertheless, Bowmen aren't particularly useful: they deal low amounts of damage and are sitting ducks for the enemy (they die instantly). They become quite effective on higher levels, but other units are much stronger by then. Another thing is the cost - high enough to doubt the point.

Swordsman

Recruitment Cost	45 gold, 1 iron
Upkeep	9 gold per round
Location/Recruitment	Swordsman School 120 gold, 2 iron Requires Forge
Alignment	Good
Skills	Parry - if a unit is attacked in melee combat for the first time in a given battle, its Defense is temporarily raised by 2

High Defense, further increased by Parry, is a strong point. Attack and Counterattack don't leave a lot to wish for, either, and the recruitment and upkeep costs are quite reasonable. This leaves only one drawback: low Speed, which noticeably limits the Swordsmen's range. Nevertheless, they still remain very useful and relatively effective. You can use them both in defense and offense; on higher levels they may sometimes gain the Forced March ability that temporarily raises their Speed.

Pikeman

Recruitment Cost	35 gold, 1 iron
Upkeep	7 gold per round
Location/Recruitment	Pikeman School 110 gold, 2 iron Requires Forge
Alignment	Good
Skills	First Strike - in melee combat, the Pikeman strikes first (in defense, counterattacks before enemy unit). Doesn't work if the enemy has it also

This unit can form a whole build of an army. High Counterattack and the extremely useful First Strike allow for stopping an enemy force and gravely injuring the opponent even before the battle begins. It's only important to put enough healing units behind their backs - properly covered, they become an almost undefeatable barrier. Only high-level monsters are capable of breaking through a wall of Pikemen supported by Healers (though enemy ranged units can easily eliminate the latter). On level up, focus on increasing Counterattack and Defense, their two most important statistics.

The biggest flaw of the Pikemen is their defensive nature - they won't be the first choice if you want to attack an enemy formation. However, their low costs should allow to quickly outweigh these losses.

Crossbowman

Recruitment Cost	60 gold, 1 iron, 1 wood
Upkeep	12 gold per round
Location/Recruitment	Crossbowman School 150 gold, 1 iron, 1 wood Requires Forge and Workshop
Alignment	Good
Skills	Armorpiercing Shot - ignores half of the enemy's Ranged Defense

For their high price and requirements, the Crossbowmen aren't particularly useful. Their range is limited and they deal small amounts of damage, whereas the special ability only comes in handy when fighting high-level enemies (which shouldn't be engaged at the beginning of the game at all). In a general overview, despite their high Defense and nice melee combat skills, they're not the most sensible of choices.

Healer

Recruitment Cost	30 gold, 5 crystals, 1 mandrake
Upkeep	6 gold and 1 crystal per round
Location/Recruitment	Brotherhood of Light 90 gold, 5 crystals, 1 wood Requires Altar
Alignment	Good
Skills	Healing - heals around 4 Health Points of an allied unit, as long as the unit is in range. Using the ability lowers the amount of Ammo. The presence of a Healer in the army increases the healing rate after battle

One of the most useful units at the beginning of the game, which can heal selected nearby units and increase their regeneration rate outside of battle (thus also increasing the rate of interactions around the map). They're also moderately inexpensive and useful as supportive forces. Considering, however, their vulnerability to enemy archers, Healers should be properly covered.

Once your city grows enough to give you access to Monks, Healers lose their usefulness - their more expensive counterparts are more effective. You can dismiss them or replace them with other creatures.

Barbarian

Recruitment Cost	30 gold
Upkeep	6 gold per round
Location/Recruitment	Barbarian Camp 140 gold Requires Tavern
Alignment	Evil
Skills	Berserk - if a Berserker receives a mighty blow, their low health won't affect the amount of dealt damage and their Attack will raise by 2. As long as they are in this condition, they also can't be frightened (their Morale never drops)

Barbarians are the best rank I offensive units. They have a substantial amount of Health Points, high Attack, satisfying Speed, and the ability to throw an axe at a nearby enemy. If that's not enough, the Berserk ability additionally allows them to increase the amount of damage they deal, even despite wounds. This is almost a perfect combination, which only drawback is low Defense. Health loss can be, however, made up for with healing spells or units, so it's not a major issue. In a general overview, Berserkers should be the primary force behind any offensive army.

Thief

Recruitment Cost	15 gold
Upkeep	3 gold per round
Location/Recruitment	Den of Thieves 70 gold Requires Tavern
Alignment	Evil
Skills	Agility - avoids enemy counterattack Marauder - reduces the amount of battle spoils by 15%

At first, the advantages of the Thief seem quite tempting. Their initial cost is pretty low, damage dealt not too shabby, and the ability to avoid counterattacks, high Speed and a one-time knife throw feature are an added bonus. Unfortunately, in the long run, their drawbacks are much more noticeable. Thieves have a tendency to steal everything that falls into their hands, and the loss of gained loot can be quite painful. What's worse, they have little Health Points, nominal Defense and very low Morale, all of which can eliminate them from battle very quickly. They may gain additional abilities on higher levels (such as Poison Attack), but by that time there are better units available.

As an offensive unit, the Thief isn't so bad, but you need to pay attention to their Health. Most Thieves die long before they reach a level that opens access to additional abilities.

Brigand

Recruitment Cost	10 gold
Upkeep	2 gold per round
Location/Recruitment	Brigand Lair 60 gold Requires Tavern
Alignment	Evil
Skills	Plunderer - lowers income from an occupied province by 10% Marauder - reduces the amount of battle spoils by 10%

Brigands are average in practically everything. They have medium Attack and Defense, normal amounts of Health Points and no useful skills. They have, however, major drawbacks - they lower the amount of gold from taxes and loot. Brigands may be easy to obtain, but doing business with them doesn't end well. Just like in real life.

Shaman

Recruitment Cost	25 gold, 10 crystals, 1 mandrake
Upkeep	5 gold and 1 crystal per round
Location/Recruitment	Totem 100 gold, 5 crystals, 1 mandrake Requires Altar
Alignment	Evil
Skills	Magic Shot - deals magic damage to selected target Curse Spell - lowers the target's Attack and Defense by 1. Using the ability uses up Ammo

Shamans deal substantial magic damage - and there aren't many rank I units that have enough Resistance to protect them against it. Unfortunately, low amount of ammo is a significant limitation to their potential. Once they run out of ammo, Shamans become practically useless - that's why ammo should be the first thing to upgrade on level up. Also, keep in mind that Shamans have only a handful of Health Points and a limited firing Range, so don't let enemies engage them in direct combat, though high-lever shooters can kill Shamans even from a safe distance.

Goblin

Recruitment Cost	5 gold
Upkeep	1 gold per round
Location/Recruitment	Sometimes appear in a Tavern as mercenaries Can be added through an alliance on the world map
Alignment	Evil
Skills	Swamp Knowledge - the unit doesn't lose Stamina while crossing a swamp and can move over them as over plains. Receives a bonus to Defense when standing on a swampy terrain

Goblins are inconspicuous and not too powerful, but extremely irritating creatures. They don't pose much of a threat on their own, but on higher levels and during battles that take place in swamps they can make the hero's life a misery. Their strongest advantage lies in a high Ranged Defense, which not only makes them very hard to kill, but sometimes allows them to approach allied units and (if there are many of them) kill one of your creatures. It's not a major loss, but it can be annoying.

To form an alliance with Goblins and be able to recruit them into your army, you need to complete a quest involving killing a certain number of Elves (numbers vary). To begin negotiations, you need a large army and a negative karma. Alternatively, you can bribe them using a Ranger with high Diplomacy, though requires substantial amounts of money - usually around 1500 gold. The last option is to hire them in Tavern as mercenaries, but the chances of them appearing in one are random.

Orc

Recruitment Cost	15 gold, 1 iron
Upkeep	3 gold per round
Location/Recruitment	Sometimes appear in Tavern as mercenaries Can be added through an alliance on the world map
Alignment	Evil
Skills	Damage Armor - when dealing damage in melee combat, lowers the target's Defense by 1. The effect lasts for 3 rounds

For rank I creatures, Orcs come as quite strong and good in melee combat, but with low Speed and Defense. This limits their offensive value a little, though it's worth mentioning that due to their special abilities they are the perfect choice against heavily armored enemies. On level up they may also gain the Forced March ability, which further increases their effectiveness.

To form an alliance with Orcs and be able to recruit them, you first need to complete a quest that involves plundering a province. To that end, you need a strong army and negative karma. You can also hire them in Tavern as mercenaries, but the chances of them appearing in one are always random.

Elf

Recruitment Cost	100 gold, 5 crystals, 1 wood
Upkeep	20 gold and 1 crystal per round
Location/Recruitment	Sometimes appear in Tavern as mercenaries Can be added through an alliance on the world map
Alignment	Good
Skills	Forest Knowledge - the unit doesn't lose Stamina while crossing a forest and can move over them as over plains. Receives a bonus to Defense when standing in a forest terrain Precise Shot - Ranged Attack ignores max 2 points of the target's Ranged Defense

Elves are the best rank I shots. They have a long Range, deal serious damage and have useful special abilities. In case of emergency, they can easily retreat thanks to their 2 Speed points. All things considered, their only flaw is a low amount of Health Points, making a constant cover of melee units a necessity. On level up, they may gain Additional Shot, which is a great bonus to their effectiveness. If you have enough resources, invest in Elves without a second thought.

To form an alliance with Elves and be able to recruit them, you first need to complete a quest involving rescuing several maidens from the towers of mages. To that end, you need a strong army and positive karma. You can also hire them in Tavern as mercenaries, but the chances of them appearing in one are always random.

Dwarf

Recruitment Cost	80 gold, 1 iron
Upkeep	17 gold per round
Location/Recruitment	Sometimes appear in Tavern as mercenaries Can be added through an alliance on the world map
Alignment	Good
Skills	Hills Knowledge - the unit doesn't lose Stamina while crossing hills and can move over them as over plains. Receives a bonus to Defense when standing on a hilly terrain

Dwarves are pretty good defensive units with a high Defense and a killer Counterattack. They also have plenty of Stamina and Health Points, making them highly resistant even against stronger enemies. Nevertheless, their biggest drawback is low Speed which limits the number of tiles to only 1. On higher levels Dwarves may, however, gain the Forced March ability, which neutralizes the problem.

To form an alliance with Dwarves and be able to recruit them, you first need to complete a quest involving extracting a certain item from a bandits' cache. To that end, you need a strong army and positive karma. Alternatively, you can bribe them using a Ranger with high Diplomacy and a lot of gold. You can also hire them in Tavern as mercenaries, but the chances of them appearing in one are always random.

Fairy

Recruitment Cost	20 gold, 15 crystals
Upkeep	4 gold and 3 crystals per round
Location/Recruitment	Sometimes appear in Tavern as mercenaries Can be recruited while visiting special places on the world map
Alignment	Good
Skills	Floating - the unit can fly over any terrain using only movement points and not Stamina Magic Shot - deals magic damage to selected target Forest Knowledge - the unit doesn't lose Stamina while crossing a forest and can move over them as over plains. Receives a bonus to Defense when standing in a forest terrain Haste Spell - temporarily increases Speed of a selected target and regenerates its Stamina

Fairies can fulfill various roles in the army. They're quite skilled magic shots and healers (they may gain healing abilities on level up), though their primary advantage is the ability to hasten allied units, which is a major tactical advantage for the whole army - slow and sluggish units can be surprised attacked and grievously wounded. With such abilities at their disposal, even a defensive army receives an offensive potential. Notice that Range at 3 allows Fairies to cast spells over a large area.

Fairies can be hired as mercenaries in Tavern (if you're lucky) of acquired in a one of the provinces during a special event. To activate these, go to a fairy cove and feast with them. Whether the hero can recruit them is, however, determined by a hidden roll of the dice.

Halfling

Recruitment Cost	25 gold
Upkeep	5 gold per round
Location/Recruitment	Sometimes appear in Tavern as mercenaries Can be added through an alliance on the world map
Alignment	Good
Skills	Collect Ammo - allows collecting several units of ammo in return for one round Agility - avoids enemy counterattack

Halflings are moderately strong ranged units - and that's practically everything there is to say about them. Don't bring them into a melee combat battle since that their low amount of Health Points will obviously get them killed (even despite their natural Agility). As units, they're not really good at anything, but on the other hand they aren't a strain on the budget, either. In other words: Halflings are just slightly better Slingers.

To form an alliance with Halflings and be able to recruit them, you first need to complete a quest involving killing a certain number of Brigands. You can also hire them in Tavern as mercenaries, but the chances are random.

Skeleton

Recruitment Cost	None
Upkeep	1 crystal per round
Location/Recruitment	Can be summoned by the Raise Skeleton spell or the Walking Dead ritual
Alignment	Evil
Skills	Feels No Pain - wounds received don't affect the amount of dealt damage Tireless - the unit won't lose Stamina while performing an action Intrepid - Morale always stays on the same level Poison Immunity - the unit is unaffected by poison

Skeletons are the basic force in any Necromancer's army. They have a surprisingly high Attack, good Speed, useful abilities, and - most importantly - due to their bony bodies they're a hard target for enemy shooters. Their greatest advantage lies in the fact that their Attack remains unchanged despite any wounds received in battle - which allows them to kill visibly stronger units. Don't forget, though, that since Skeletons are primarily offensive units, they don't do well in defense. Nevertheless, that shouldn't be much a problem given that they can be created out of any corpse left on the battlefield (and just after they're raised, they get a bonus free action). This is how you can corner enemy archers and dispose of them very quickly - sometimes even one raid is enough.

You can retain Skeletons in your army if your hero has the Necromancy ability at least on level I. The cost is in crystals and depends on the level of the creature.

Zombie

Recruitment Cost	None
Upkeep	2 crystals per round
Location/Recruitment	Can be summoned by the Raise Skeleton spell or the Walking Dead ritual
Alignment	Evil
Skills	Feels No Pain - wounds received don't affect the amount of dealt damage Tireless - the unit won't lose Stamina while performing an action Intrepid - Morale always stays on the same level Poison Immunity - the unit is unaffected by poison

If Skeletons are the Necromancer's primary offensive forces, Zombies are their primary defense. While their overall defensive statistics are not exceptionally impressive, a large amount of Health Points and satisfying Attack and Counterattack allow them to become a moving shield (and one that additionally wounds the enemy). Have them cover the Necromancer or use them to help the Skeletons - after all, you can create them out of corpses lying around the battlefield.

You can retain Zombies in your army if your hero has the Necromancy ability at least on level II. The cost is in crystals and depends on the level of the creature.

Imp

Recruitment Cost	None
Upkeep	1 crystal per round
Location/Recruitment	Can be summoned by the Summon Imp or Dark Pact spells or the Chaos Spawn ritual
Alignment	Evil
Skills	Floating - can fly over any type of terrain losing only movement points and not Stamina Magic Shot - deals magic damage to selected target Deadlands Knowledge - the unit doesn't lose Stamina while crossing deadlands. Receives a bonus to Defense and Counterattack when standing on a deadland terrain

Imps are quite unusual creatures, plagued by many contradictions. Examples? They can shoot, but only in low range; they punch strong, but have little Health Points; they can defend themselves, but aren't particularly good at counterattacking. All this makes them pretty average units that may seem quite universal at first, but in most cases they don't come to much use. They have the ability to quickly change positions and shoot a magic missile, but the problem is they die rather quickly. If you want to use Imps in battle, you need to be smart, keep moving around the map and deal as much ranged damage as possible.

To retain Imps after a battle, use the Chaos Spawn ritual or the Dark Pact spell.

Lizardman

Recruitment Cost	30 gold
Upkeep	6 gold per round
Location/Recruitment	Sometimes appear in Tavern as mercenaries Can be added through an alliance on the world map
Alignment	Neutral
Skills	Swamp Knowledge - the unit doesn't lose Stamina while crossing a swamp and can move over them as over plains. Receives a bonus to Defense when standing on a swampy terrain Regeneration - regains 1 health point each round. Accelerates healing rate outside of battle

In the initial stages of the play, Lizardmen prove to be truly valuable units - their statistics are satisfactory at the very least, the Regeneration ability is highly useful, and their offensive potential doesn't leave a lot to wish for. They lose their value only later is the game when faced against stronger units. Nevertheless, it pays off to invest in them throughout the majority of the play because they give a lot in return - especially considering their surprisingly low costs.

To form an alliance with Lizardmen and be able to recruit them, you first need to complete a quest involving killing several Giant Slugs. You can also hire them in Tavern as mercenaries, but the chances are random.