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

Last update: 11 May 2016

Monk

Recruitment Cost	75 gold, 10 crystals, 1 mandrake
Upkeep	15 gold and 2 crystals per round
Location/Recruitment	Monastery 350 gold, 35 crystals, 1 wood, 2 mandrakes, 1 arcanite Requires Fort and Church
Alignment	Good
Skills	Meditation - while resting, the unit regenerates its magic ammo reserves 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 Monk in the army increases the healing rate after battle. Magic Shot - deals magic damage to selected target Inspiration Spell - recovers 2 Stamina points of a selected target (despite the in-game description that mentions Morale!)

Monks are extremely useful and surprisingly universal units that allow healing allied units within the range of 4 tiles. But that's not all - the brethren are also keen on firing magic missiles and recovering Stamina to selected allies (not Morale, as the description suggests). As such, they're a great replacement for Healers, offering a much wider spectrum of possibilities. They're perfect for large defensive armies, in particular those led by Scouts or Wizards (don't forget to replenish their Stamina!). Obviously enough, protect Monks at all costs, seeing as they don't stand a chance in melee combat. Pikemen and Guardsmen are their ideal bodyguards.

Guardsman

Recruitment Cost	90 gold, 2 iron
Upkeep	18 gold per round
Location/Recruitment	Guardsmen Barracks 470 gold, 1 wood, 2 iron, 1 mithril Requires Fort and Practice Halls
Alignment	Good
Skills	Recuperation - during rest, regenerates 1 Stamina point more than usual Armorpiercing Strike - ignores half of the enemy's Defense

Guardsmen are highly resistant soldiers of a visibly defensive nature. Due to their high Counterattack and thick armor, they're the perfect choice for covering vulnerable units and gradually depleting the enemy's attacking formations. On level up, they may gain the First Strike ability which gives them a gigantic edge on the battlefield (you can say they become truly useful only upon receiving it). If they do, your Pikemen will receive a helping hand on the front - practically a brand new quality for the entire army.

Pegasus

Recruitment Cost	80 gold, 10 crystals, 1 mandrake
Upkeep	16 gold and 2 crystals per round
Location/Recruitment	Pegasi Stable 420 gold, 25 crystals, 1 wood, 1 iron, 2 mandrakes, 1 arcanite Requires Fort and Enchanted Grove
Alignment	Good
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 First Aid - regenerates 1 health point during rest. Regeneration also accelerates outside of battle

Pegasi are by far the best offensive units of rank II. Flying enables them to freely move around the battlefield and a good range lets them attack enemy forces in an instant (preferably archers or spellcasters). The majestic horses can also withstand quite a lot of damage, and in case of real danger may retreat to chosen positions to heal (Monks come in handy). Their basic strategy is to lure the enemy as far as possible from their actual target and attack their vulnerable ranged units. This way, enemy soldiers will be forced to pick a new target, and their ranged support will be eliminated.

Horseman

Recruitment Cost	75 gold, 1 iron, 1 horse
Upkeep	15 gold per round
Location/Recruitment	Jousting Arena 400 gold, 2 iron, 3 horses Requires Fort and Stable
Alignment	Neutral
Skills	Charge - Attack raises with each tile the units travels prior to dealing damage

Horsemen allow attacking far-off enemies and dealing them severe damage - the bigger the range, the bigger the damage. As such, they serve as great offensive units thanks to which you can avoid enemy infantry and attack their most vulnerable points (archers and spellcasters). A high amount of Health Points and a not too bad Defense take care of their survivability.

If the enemy army doesn't have ranged units, try the hammer and anvil tactic: stop hostile units with your defensive forces (such as Pikemen or Guardsmen) and flank them with Horsemen. This way you'll prevent the enemy's escape or regeneration, and be able to deplete their health with your forces.

Horse Archer

Recruitment Cost	70 gold, 1 horse, 1 wood
Upkeep	14 gold per round
Location/Recruitment	Riding Ground 360 gold, 2 wood, 3 horses Requires Fort and Stable
Alignment	Neutral
Skills	Charge - Attack raises with each tile the units travels prior to dealing damage

Horse Archers are a lot more universal that regular Horsemen, but pay for that with their statistics. Their shooting range is good enough and the damage they deal isn't too bad (though it's a shame it doesn't pierce armor), but although they're quite effective in charging, melee combat is not their strong suit. All in all, they are moderate at everything, but not good at anything, which is a certain limitation to their potential - although it's worth mentioning that the Tatars tactic (shoot and run) is quite effective in this matter.

Ballista

Recruitment Cost	150 gold, 1 iron, 2 wood
Upkeep	25 gold per round
Location/Recruitment	Siege Workshop 550 gold, 2 iron, 2 wood, 1 mithril Requires Fort and Craft Shop
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 2

The only purpose of this unit is to fire at the enemy's formation. The Ballista's range and damage are pretty satisfying, but the lack of Armorpiercing Shot (which is gained only on further level ups) and a small amount of Ammo greatly diminishes the full effectiveness of this device. Also, since the Ballista is a machine, you can't heal it the conventional way - which is a serious drawback. In the long run, it's not particularly useful, especially considering the challenging costs.

Thug

Recruitment Cost	60 gold, 1 iron
Upkeep	12 gold per round
Location/Recruitment	Fighter Barracks 300 gold, 3 iron, 1 wood Requires Fort, Tavern and Armory
Alignment	Evil
Skills	Stunning Blow - lowers the Stamina of a hit target by 1

Thugs belong to one of the most powerful contact units of rank II. They are practically without a fault - all of their statistics are satisfactory at the very least, and the additional ability is very helpful against weaker foes. Their cost is also attractive, so the only drawback may come down to negative karma. Thugs work best in offensive (due to high Attack and good Speed), so make a good use of them.

Sorcerer

Recruitment Cost	90 gold, 15 crystals, 2 mandrakes
Upkeep	15 gold and 3 crystals per round
Location/Recruitment	Sorcerers' Circle 350 gold, 50 crystals, 1 wood, 2 mandrakes, 2 arcanites Requires Fort, Armory and Sorcerers' Workshop
Alignment	Evil
Skills	Magic Shot - deals magic damage to selected target Hex - targets hit by a Hex lose 1 Attack, Resistance and Defense point for 4 rounds. High Resistance may shorten the effects. Vulnerability Spell - lowers the Defense of a selected target

Sorcerers - as all other mages - have one, very serious problem, rather easy to predict: they are extremely weak and powerless at first, and become useful only on higher levels. The whole issue lies in the fact that before reaching those levels (on which they gain additional spells and abilities), most Sorcerers die - all thanks to low amount of Health Points and poor Defense. Investing in Sorcerers is therefore a very risky business; one that pays off only if you're certain you can protect them. If so, all the advantages of the Sorcerer - in the form of high magic damage and a moderately useful set of spells - become a substantial asset.

Assassin

Recruitment Cost	70 gold
Upkeep	14 gold per round
Location/Recruitment	Assassins Guild 350 gold, 1 wood, 2 iron Requires Fort, Armory and Inn
Alignment	Evil
Skills	Agility - avoids enemy counterattack Poison Attack - deal 1 poison damage each turn for 3 rounds Precise Strike - ignores 2 Defense points of a selected target

Assassins are nothing else than improved Thieves, and what makes them better are their enhanced statistics and starting abilities. Same as Thieves, Assassins can throw daggers at enemies, which is not a bad way to begin a battle. They are also perfect against defensive units (such as Pikemen or Guardsmen), but due to their low Speed they hardly ever manage to reach enemy archers or spellcasters. Before you dismiss them, though, take a look at their high defensive statistics and poisoning abilities, both of which make them a hard nut to crack. Nevertheless, make sure their Morale doesn't drop too far, or else they'll just flee the battle.

Harpy

Recruitment Cost	70 gold
Upkeep	14 gold per round
Location/Recruitment	Sometimes appear in Merchant Court as mercenaries Can be added through an event on the world map
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 Steal Ammo - steals 3 items of Ammo on melee attack

Harpies can be a serious threat to careless adventurers who decided to invade their territory. They're very mobile and can fly, making the covering of ranged and magic units all the more difficult. Luckily, they're not very resistant, so it doesn't take too long to take them out. Don't underestimate their offensive potential, though, because their claws can rip apart even the most resistant warriors.

Harpies can be recruited as mercenaries in Merchant Court, but the chances of them appearing in one are slim. Alternatively, you can invade their territory on the world map and offer them a part in the adventure (requires a large army).

Basilisk

Recruitment Cost	75 gold
Upkeep	15 gold per round
Location/Recruitment	Can be hatched from a special egg usually found while conquering neutral locations. Requires Trappers Guild.
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 Petrification - turns a hit target into stone for 4 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

Basilisks seem to have solely benefits: they're pretty resistant, able to defend themselves, deal substantial damage and have a very useful ability. In reality, though, all this becomes irrelevant due to one serious drawback - minimal Speed. A decisive majority of these creatures die even before the proper battle begins, either stuffed with arrows or killed by some other means. Only higher level Basilisks may receive a bonus to movement points (as well as the useful Regeneration), but by then it's usually too late. The creature has some potential, but requires a lot of time and special care to make it work effectively.

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

Giant Spider

Recruitment Cost	80 gold
Upkeep	24 gold per round
Location/Recruitment	Can be hatched from a special egg usually found while conquering neutral locations. Requires Trappers Guild.
Alignment	Neutral
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 Poison Attack - deals 1 poison damage each turn for 3 rounds Web - ranged attack that immobilizes the enemy for 2 rounds (the target can't perform any action). The higher the target's Attack, the lower the immobilization time

The primary advantage of this unit lies in the abilities. The ability to immobilize the enemy with a Web is remarkably useful, especially in case of defensive units (which lose their biggest asset, a powerful Counterattack). Spiders are ideal in every role you give them - either to stand in the first line of battle (where they poison enemies) or support other units with their Web. It's worth giving them a chance and use them to as great an extent as possible.

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

Centaur

Recruitment Cost	75 gold
Upkeep	15 gold per round
Location/Recruitment	Sometimes appear in Merchant Court as mercenaries Can be added through an event on the world map
Alignment	Neutral
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 Recuperation - during rest, regenerates 1 Stamina point more than usual

A universal unit that is good either at hit-and-run ranged combat as well at melee combat. High offensive statistics and a solid Defense support both approaches, and high mobility is an added bonus. If you're facing slow enemies, you can toy with them for as long as you like; you're only problems will be archers and faster units. Luckily, the former can be easily eliminated, and the latter lose with only their statistics.

To form an alliance with Centaurs and be able to recruit them, you need a strong army and have to complete a quest involving killing a certain number of Ogres. As a last resort, you can also acquire Centaurs as mercenaries from the Merchant Court, but the chances of them appearing in one are completely random.

Dryad

Recruitment Cost	35 gold, 15 crystals, 1 mandrake
Upkeep	7 gold and 3 crystals per round
Location/Recruitment	Sometimes appear in Merchant Court as mercenaries Can be recruited while visiting special places 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 Magic Strike - strikes have magical nature which ignores the enemy's Defense and can be reduced only by their Resistance

Dryads have much better statistics than Fairies, but not so many equally useful abilities, which in general diminishes their value to the army. In truth, they're only pretty average warriors which greatest strength lies in the fact that they deal magical damage instead of physical. This in turn makes Dryads useful against the majority of contact units, which generally have low Resistance - but this is where the usefulness of Dryads ends. The only moment it pays off to invest in them is when you don't have better options or wish to save up on gold.

Dryads can be hired as mercenaries in the Merchant Court (if you're lucky) or acquired in one of the provinces during a special event. To activate such an event, 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.

Ghoul

Recruitment Cost	None
Upkeep	4 crystals per round
Location/Recruitment	Can be summoned by the Raise Ghoul spell
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 Necrophage - by eating corpses on the battlefield, the unit can regenerate 10 health points Cause Disease - a hit target becomes infected and loses 3 Health Points and 1 Stamina each round. All offensive statistics drop by 3, and Speed by 1. The effect lasts several rounds and may be reduced by the target's Resistance. Doesn't work on the undead and machines

Ghouls are extremely useful and very powerful undead creatures which have one of the best abilities in the game. The disease that they are spreading makes the enemy's units noticeably weaker and causes them to gradually lose Health. It becomes of key importance to infect as many enemies as possible and finish the remaining ones using regular troops (or by applying the Ghouls' fairly strong Attack). Their ok Speed also comes in handy, letting you move around the map quite freely. In case of real danger, you can feed your Ghoul on nearby corpses, but if your Necromancer has a few other raising spells under their sleeve, it's better to use them instead. Undead units don't get any weaker by receiving damage, so they remain a large threat at all times.

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

Fiend

Recruitment Cost	None
Upkeep	4 crystals per round
Location/Recruitment	Can be summoned by the Summon Fiend or Dark Pact spells or the Chaos Spawn ritual
Alignment	Evil
Skills	Intimidation - if hit, the target's Morale drops by 1 Deadlands Knowledge - the unit doesn't lose Stamina while crossing deadlands. Receives a bonus to Defense and Counterattack when standing on a deadland terrain

The primary advantage of Fiends lies in their statistics - it's practically impossible to find a flaw. Fiends can be used either as offensive or defensive units, though they're slightly better in the former due to their high Attack. Their special ability - Intimidation - doesn't come in handy almost at all, seeing as it's much more practical to kill the enemy instead of just scaring them. Fiends are, therefore, just good soldiers without any exceptional characteristics or additional bonuses.

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

Hellhound

Recruitment Cost	None
Upkeep	3 crystals per round
Location/Recruitment	Can be summoned by the Summon Hellhound spell or the Chaos Spawn ritual
Alignment	Evil
Skills	Crippling Strike - lower the target's Speed by 1. The effect lasts for 2 rounds. Deadlands Knowledge - the unit doesn't lose Stamina while crossing deadlands. Receives a bonus to Defense and Counterattack when standing on a deadland terrain

The primary goal of Hellhounds is to jump over to enemy forces charging on allied units in order to slow them down (and, obviously enough, deal them damage). Due to their high Speed and pretty good Ranged Defense, they are also useful during a raid on enemy archers and spellcasters. Unfortunately, they don't stand much chance against stronger enemy units, especially ones with a high Counterattack.

To retain Hellhounds after battle, use the Chaos Spawn ritual.

Gargoyle

Recruitment Cost	100 gold, 15 crystals, 1 marble
Upkeep	5 crystals per round
Location/Recruitment	Can be summoned by the Create Gargoyle spell Can be sometimes hired in special locations available on the world map
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 Intrepid - Morale always stays on the same level 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

The strength of Gargoyles comes from their skin - made of stone - which keeps a portion of damage and protects them against hostile spells. Their offensive statistics, however, leave a lot to wish for. Despite pretty good movement and the ability to fly, Gargoyles are hardly able to kill an enemy archer or spellcaster - they're much too weak for it. What's worse, their recruitment costs is absurdly high, and the sole finding of a lair is a challenge in itself (creatures summoned by a spell are not retained after battle). In general, don't bother - there are better units to choose from.

Giant Slug

Recruitment Cost	80 gold
Upkeep	15 gold per round
Location/Recruitment	Can be hatched from a special egg usually found while conquering neutral locations. Requires Trappers Guild
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 Intrepid - Morale always stays on the same level Poison Immunity - the unit is unaffected by poison Poison Shot - poisons the target, dealing 2 damage each turn for 3 rounds Poison Flesh - in battle, melee units are poisoned for 3 rounds (losing 2 Health Points each turn)

These inconspicuous, ugly creatures are one of the best units of rank II. Their spits are deadly not only in terms of physical damage, but also due to poison. They also work well in melee combat, dealing lots of damage and additionally poisoning the enemy with their poison flesh. They have quite a lot of health points and a pretty solid armor. What's more to wish for? Only a slightly better movement or wider range, which, sadly, aren't boosted on level up. Nevertheless, additional abilities gained on higher levels are truly useful (such as Damage Armor, Necrophage or Damage Weapon).

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