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

Last update: 11 May 2016

Knight

Recruitment Cost	400 gold, 1 iron, 1 horse, 1 mithril
Upkeep	80 gold per round
Location/Recruitment	Knightly Order 2500 gold, 2 horses, 1 marble, 3 mithril Requires Citadel, Craft Shop and Military School
Alignment	Good
Skills	Charge - Attack raises with each tile the unit travels prior to dealing damage

Knights are slightly slower than Horsemen, but deal much greater damage and have much better armor. They're practically invulnerable to enemy archers, while also having a substantial reserve of Health Points. As such, they're pretty solid, but may be outmatched by other rank III adversaries.

Their biggest pain is the short range, which limits their chances of evading enemy infantry in order to reach their archers and spellcasters. Gryphons are a better investment in this regard.

Cleric

Recruitment Cost	300 gold, 50 crystals, 1 mandrake, 1 arcanite
Upkeep	60 gold and 8 crystals per round
Location/Recruitment	Temple of The Eagle 1800 gold, 100 crystals, 2 marble, 1 arcanite, 1 dionium Requires Citadel, Temple of Immortals and Pharmacy
Alignment	Good
Skills	Meditation - while resting, the unit regenerates its magic ammo reserves Healing - heals around 7 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 Cleric in the army increases the healing rate after battle Magic Shot - deals magic damage to a selected target Dispell Spell - removes negative spells from a selected target or deals 7-9 damage to a creature summoned by the enemy

Clerics are commonly known for their healing abilities - they can regenerate up to 7 Health Points despite whatever range that may separate them from the target. Unfortunately, such an effort requires a lot of concentration, so the amount of magic ammo (used up in healing as well) quickly runs out and has to be replenished through Meditation. This is a significant limitation as to the Clerics' effectiveness, but they still pay off - even more so since they can remove enemy spells from allied units and deal serious damage to demons and the undead (while ignoring their Resistance). It's only important not to let them fight in melee combat. Make sure they survive because they gain great spells on higher levels, Resurrection included.

Catapult

Recruitment Cost	500 gold, 1 iron, 1 wood, 1 mithril
Upkeep	100 gold per round
Location/Recruitment	Siegeworks 2700 gold, 1 iron, 3 wood, 1 mithril Requires Citadel, Armory and Craftsmen Guild
Alignment	Neutral
Skills	Intrepid - Morale always stays on the same level Collect Ammo - allows collecting several units of ammo in return for one round Poison Immunity - the unit is unaffected by poison Does not fight - doesn't fight in melee combat Siege - accelerates the destruction of enemy fortifications by 3

Catapults are simply improved Ballistas, with better statistics and more damage to the enemy's ranks. They have very large firing range, deal some substantial amounts of damage, and after a few level ups also gain the Armorpiercing Shot ability, which allows them to partially ignore the enemy's Ranged Defense. They're great for eliminating level I units, spellcasters or archers. Make sure, though, to keep replenishing Ammo and shield it from a direct attack.

Gryphon

Recruitment Cost	350 gold, 20 crystals, 1 arcanite
Upkeep	70 gold and 5 crystals per round
Location/Recruitment	Gryphon Nest 2000 gold, 50 crystals, 2 arcanite, 2 mithril Requires Citadel, Stonehenge and Trappers Guild
Alignment	Neutral
Skills	Flying - can move over other units and impassable terrain losing only the usual amount of movement points and not using Stamina. A flying unit cannot be trampled and is not affected by terrain modifiers Charge - Attack raises with each tile the unit travels prior to dealing damage

Griphons are one of the best rank III units. They deal severe damage (further increased by Charges), are very mobile thanks to their Flying ability, and have enough movement range to attack and eliminate enemy ranged and magic units. In fact, that's their primary role - they're practically made for the dangerous flanking maneuvers. They also have quite a lot of health points, and if supported by Clerics they become virtually immortal. In case of real danger they can always retreat, flying over the enemy's forces. They are a true sky cavalry, able to eliminate the weaker units right at the first strike.

Magician

Recruitment Cost	300 gold, 70 crystals, 1 mandrake, 2 arcanite
Upkeep	60 gold and 10 crystals per round
Location/Recruitment	Mages Tower 1700 gold, 150 crystals, 1 marble, 3 arcanite, 1 black lotus Requires Citadel and Alchemist Guild
Alignment	Evil
Skills	Magic Shot - deals magic damage to a selected target Air Shield Spell - increases the target's Ranged Defense and Resistance for several rounds Slow Spell - lowers the target's Speed by 2. The opponent loses 1 Stamina point every turn. If Speed should drop below 1, the opponent starts losing 1 Stamina on every step. The effect lasts for several rounds depending on the enemy's Resistance (max 6)

Just as any other spellcasters, Magicians have exactly the same problem: they are extremely weak at first, but become truly powerful on higher levels. Reaching those levels is, however, problematic due to their high mortality rates, so they need to be constantly covered by defensive units. Further in the game, once Gryphons and Catapults become available, such protection is virtually impossible, so it's not particularly worthwhile to invest in them altogether. The strength of their magic attacks, good Range and available spells are quite useful, but they don't change the fact that Magicians are most frequently the first units to die on the battlefield.

Executioner

Recruitment Cost	200 gold, 1 iron, 1 mithril
Upkeep	40 gold per round
Location/Recruitment	Torture Chamber 1500 gold, 1 iron, 1 mithril Requires Citadel, Practice Halls and Dungeon
Alignment	Evil
Skills	Crippling Strike - if hit, the target's Speed drops by 1. The effect lasts for 2 rounds Round Attack - deals normal Attack damage to all enemies around. If hit, the enemy can't counterattack. Costs 4 Stamina points

Executioners are one of the best rank III melee units. The whole philosophy behind them is in stepping in between enemy units in order to perform the Round Attack, which isn't really hard to do due to their high Ranged Defense that allows them to approach enemies without practically getting hit. High offensive statistics and pretty good defensive capabilities make the Executioners pretty effective slayers, able to eliminate several enemy units at once. They are perfect against defensive units - such as Pikemen or Guardsmen - in that that they can ignore their counterattack and deal them severe damage.

Ogre

Recruitment Cost	200 gold
Upkeep	40 gold per round
Location/Recruitment	Sometimes appear in Palace as mercenaries
Alignment	Evil
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 Necrophage - by eating corpses on the battlefield, the unit can regenerate 10 health points Crushing Blow - deals 150% Attack damage. Costs 4 Stamina

Ogres are though boys. They can kill most units at first strike, and even without using their special ability. They also have high amounts of Stamina and Health Points, so it's not easy either to corner of tire them out. Luckily, their Defense isn't too impressive, so several skillful units should have no real trouble defeating them. The best way to kill an Ogre is, however, to shoot it with a skilled Archer or a Sharpshooter, though Wizards are a good choice, too. Nevertheless, keep in mind that Ogres are quite fast, so they can easily avoid your defenders and kill your most vulnerable units. The Necrophage ability also gives them an easy way to regenerate, so do what you have to not to let them out of your range.

You can recruit Ogres as mercenaries in Palace, but the chances of them appearing in one are small. Notice that their cost is twice as high then.

Minotaur

Recruitment Cost	180 gold, 3 crystals, 1 iron, 1 mithril
Upkeep	40 gold per round
Location/Recruitment	Can be sometimes hired in special locations available on the world map (Labyrinth) Sometimes appear in Mercenaries Guild as mercenaries
Alignment	Neutral
Skills	Berserk - if a unit 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)

Minotaurs are exceptionally powerful contact units with impressive offensive statistics and the incredibly useful Berserk ability, which allows them to deal lots of damage despite wounds received in battle. They are also quite resistant and able to acquire Round Attack on level up, an ability that lets them strike several enemies at once. If they do, they become deadly killing machines that hardly meet their match (even Executioners bow to their skills). Considering how cheap they are, they're an extremely beneficial choice.

Manticore

Recruitment Cost	170 gold, 15 crystals
Upkeep	35 gold and 3 crystals per round
Location/Recruitment	Can be hatched from a special egg usually found while conquering neutral locations. Requires Monstrologists Guild
Alignment	Neutral
Skills	Flying - can move over other units and impassable terrain losing only the usual amount of movement points and not using Stamina. A flying unit cannot be trampled and is not affected by terrain modifiers Poison Attack - deal 4 poison damage each turn for 3 rounds

Manticore is the best "cavalry" option of rank III. Large movement range allows them to easily reach and instantly eliminate enemy archers and spellcasters, while Poison Attack is useful against other types of enemies - try to poison as many as you can. In case of real danger, they may quickly retreat in order to be healed by Clerics or the hero's healing spells. Given the problematic way of recruiting them, the survivability of your Manticores is of utter importance.

To acquire a Manticore, you first nee to acquire its egg while exploring the world map, and then bring it to the city in which you have a Monstrologists Guild. Open its recruitment screen and drag the artifact into the slot reserved for rank III units.

Unicorn

Recruitment Cost	150 gold, 20 crystals
Upkeep	30 gold and 4 crystals per round
Location/Recruitment	Can be sometimes hired in special locations available on the world map
Alignment	Good
Skills	Magic Strike - strikes have magical nature which ignores the enemy's Defense and can be reduced only by their Resistance 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 First Aid - regenerates 3 Health Points during rest. Regeneration also accelerates outside of battle

Unicorns are slightly better than Knights - their primary asset is the magic attack and a high amount of Health Points. They're practically impossible to enchant (due to high Resistance), but their remaining defenses aren't impressive. They perform well in any role, but aren't particularly good at anything.

To acquire Unicorns into your army, go to their Meadow and impel them to approach. The chances of success are determined by positive karma, Diplomacy and a hidden roll of the dice.

Troll

Recruitment Cost	250 gold
Upkeep	50 gold per round
Location/Recruitment	Can be sometimes hired in special locations available on the world map (Trolls Cave) Sometimes appear in Palace as mercenaries
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 Regeneration - regains 3 health points each round. Accelerates healing rate outside of battle Siege - accelerates the destruction of enemy fortifications by 2

Trolls are especially hard to kill creatures. They have large amounts of Health Points, solid defensive statistics, can punch pretty well and regenerate rather quickly. This deadly combination means no more and no less that you need to focus most of your efforts on killing them as fast as possible. Let me repeat: Trolls heal in an instant, so you absolutely can't leave them wounded, but finish them off whenever you have the opportunity. Archers and Sharpshooters are their bane, considering the firepower they wield. If you have a Troll in your own army, use them any way you like - they perform well under any circumstances (though maybe apart from raids on enemy archers, but you have other units for that).

Trolls can be acquired as mercenaries in Palace, but the chances of them appearing in one are slim. You can also hire them in special locations on the world map, Trolls Caves.

Ghost

Recruitment Cost	None
Upkeep	13 crystals per round
Location/Recruitment	Can be summoned with the Raise Ghost spell
Alignment	Evil
Skills	Feels No Pain - wounds received don't affect the amount of dealt damage Flying - can move over other units and impassable terrain losing only the usual amount of movement points and not using Stamina. A flying unit cannot be trampled and is not affected by terrain modifiers Tireless - the unit won't lose Stamina while performing an action Intrepid - Morale always stays on the same level Magic Strike - strikes have magical nature which ignores the enemy's Defense and can be reduced only by their Resistance Poison Immunity - the unit is unaffected by poison Soul Stealing - after killing an enemy, the units recovers 5 Health Points

The Ghosts' primary advantage is that they can't be killed in melee or ranged combat. They should instead be fearful of spellcasters and all types of creatures that deal magic damage -against such units they don't stand a chance. Ghosts themselves don't have much to say for their offensive capabilities, so they wouldn't be the first choice for a direct strike. They can, however, be used as a distraction, a moving shield for other units, or as cavalry to attack the enemy's back (due to quite satisfactory Speed). Also, notice that each unit killed by a Ghost regenerates their Health Points, so it's a good idea to use them to finish off wounded enemies.

You can retain Ghosts in your army if your hero has the Necromancy ability at least on level IV or if you have chosen the Necromancer specialization (see Heroes: Wizard). The cost is in crystals and depends on the level of the creature.

Demon

Recruitment Cost	None
Upkeep	8 crystals per round
Location/Recruitment	Can be summoned by the Summon Demon spell or the Dark Pact ritual
Alignment	Evil
Skills	Flying - can move over other units and impassable terrain losing only the usual amount of movement points and not using Stamina. A flying unit cannot be trampled and is not affected by terrain modifiers Armorpiercing Strike - ignores half of the enemy's Defense Hex - targets hit by a Hex lose 1 Attack, Resistance and Defense point for 4 rounds. High Resistance may shorten the effects Intimidation - if hit, the target's Morale drops by 1 Fear Spell - decreases the target's Morale by 8

Demons are pretty effective offensive units that perform well against heavily guarded enemy troops (due to Armorpiercing Strike) and in attacking its archers and spellcasters. The problem is, they themselves don't have a lot of Health Points, so they fall to enemy attacks pretty easily. Their remaining skills aren't particularly useful as well, given that it's much more effective to kill the enemy rather than to scare it. The sole summoning process isn't a pleasant one, either, because it involves sacrificing a living allied unit. Militiamen and other weak creatures are good for that, but the whole strategy requires constant repetition (Demons don't stay after battle).

To retain Demons as units in the army, you need to perform the Dark Pact spell.

Medusa

Recruitment Cost	300 gold, 40 crystals, 1 mandrake, 1 arcanite
Upkeep	60 gold and 8 crystals per round
Location/Recruitment	Sometimes appear in Palace as mercenaries
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 Poison Attack - deal 2 poison damage each turn for 3 rounds Petrification - turns a hit target into stone for 6 rounds. In that time, the target receives a bonus to defensive statistics, but cannot perform any action. High Resistance may shorten the effect's time

Medusas are smart hunters - they approach their enemies from a safe distance, turn them into stone and deal a murderous blow (petrified targets cannot counterattack!). The ability to poison hit enemies is an additional asset that allows them to eliminate whole groups of enemies.

Their only drawback is their low survivability - a skilled Archer can eliminate a Medusa with a single shot, so it's best to use Medusas as support to other units and to petrify the most dangerous targets (ones that deal the most damage), then run immediately afterwards. Such tactic guarantees that even the strongest opponents, such as Hydras or Cyclopes, become a lesser threat.

You can acquire Medusas as mercenaries in Palace, but the chances of them appearing in one are small.

Stone Golem

Recruitment Cost	200 gold, 50 crystals, 2 marbles
Upkeep	10 crystals per round
Location/Recruitment	Can be created out of a special bar [Golem Ingot] usually found in neutral locations. Requires Artifact Master Can also be summoned by a special spell which is found only in the form of a scroll (very rare)
Alignment	Neutral
Skills	Intrepid - Morale always stays on the same level Spell Immunity - can't be targeted by any type of spell. Regular magic attacks have the usual effect, same as magic abilities Stunning Blow - lowers the Stamina of a hit target by 1 Poison Immunity - the unit is unaffected by poison Damage Weapon - in battle, melee units lose 1 Attack point for 3 rounds. The effects may accumulate

Stone Golems should belong to rank IV, not III. Their defensive statistics are nothing short of amazing and the immunity to spells is a gigantic bonus. They hit really strong, and the amount of their Health Points makes them a hard nut to crack. Even magic dealing creatures (to which Golems are especially vulnerable), such as Unicorns or Ghosts, have trouble defeating them. Luckily, these stony nightmares are rare, so there are little chances of having to battle them. In case such an encounter takes place, though, remember that the Golem's weak points it its inability to heal.