Heroes of Might and Magic II

Heroes of Might and Magic II
Wizard Guide
By Kevin Jacobsen ([email protected])

Index:

1. Legal stuff
2. Credits
3. History
4. Introduction
5. Ways to Win
6. Loss Conditions
7. Wizard Overview
8. Wizard Units
9. Wizard Structures
10. Required/Helpful Skills
11. Helpful Spells
12. Worst Enemy
13. Conclusion

1. Legal Stuff:

Don't copy or publish this FAQ without my express permission anywhere
for any reason. This is a copyrighted work, and you will be hit with the
full extent of the law if you reprint this or publish it without permission.

2. Credits:

- Lord Zero, who wrote a Necromancer guide for the same game, for giving
me the idea for writing this FAQ, and for giving me a model to use.
- CJayC, owner of GameFAQs, for putting this on his site.
- 3DO and New World Computing, for making this great game.

3. History

Version 1.0 - FAQ created, July 2, 2000.

4. Introduction

Heroes of Might and Magic II is one of my favorite computer games. It is
a turn based strategy game, which means you do all the things you want to
or can do in one turn, then the other players (usually the computer, unless
you're playing a multiplayer game) do their stuff. Each area of the map in every
scenario is encased in darkness, with the exception of your immediate area.
As you explore, the map is revealed. Only when the map is revealed, or when
your opponents enter the viewable area, will you have any idea of what they are doing.

You begin each scenario with at least one castle, and at least one Hero.
Each castle has different types of structures, and you need to build each
structure to increase your army size.

There are seven different resources that you'll need to build these
structures: wood, ore, gems, sulfur, mercury, crystal, and gold.
There are mines for each of these structures, and
loose resources are scattered throughout the maps.

There are also artifacts, buildings, and random monsters located on the maps as well.
When you encounter monsters, one of 3 things will happen: A) you'll fight them,
B) they'll be afraid of your army size and begin to run, and you'll have the option
of chasing and fighting them, or C) they'll offer to join your army,
either out of a desire for greater glory, or for a price.

Each Hero has 4 primary skills: Attack, Defense, Spell Power, and Knowledge.
Attack, Defense and Spell Power are pretty self explanatory. Some spells vary in
damage depending what your Power rating is. For example, Magic Arrow does 10 times
your Power rating (if your rating is 5, the spell will do 50 damage).

Your Knowledge level determines how many maximum magic points
you have: 10 times your Knowledge level = your maximum magic
points (i.e. a knowledge level of 7 means you'll have 70 magic points).

A Hero can also learn up to 8 secondary skills. These skills can be at 3 different
levels: Basic, Advanced, and Expert.

Each time your Hero gains a level, one of his primary skills will go up 1,
and he or she can learn one of two secondary skills. They can either learn
a new skill, or increase their proficiency in a skill they already have.

5. Ways to Win:

A. Standard. This is the most common. Just defeat all your
opponent's Heroes and capture all their towns.

B. Capture Castle: Capture a specific castle.

C. Defeat Hero: Defeat a particular enemy Hero.

D. Find Artifact: Find a particular artifact.

E. Wealth: Accumulate a specific amount of gold in your treasury.

F. Team: Your team must defeat the opposing team.

6. Loss Conditions:

A. Standard: Lose all your Heroes and castles.

B. Lose Castle: Lose a particular castle.

C. Lose Hero: Lose a particular Hero.

D. Time Limit: Fail to complete objectives before time runs out.

7. Wizard Overview:

A. High Points: Three range creatures, including the two best in the game. Three very
fast creatures (when all are upgraded). Two of the range creatures have no adjacent
creature penalty. Good attack skills, decent defense skills. Most troops are not very
expensive. Excellent long term army, good in mid-game, but rough at beginning until
all structures are upgraded.

B. Low Points: Only one flying creature. Titans and the upgraded Cloud Castle are
EXPENSIVE. Most troops are very slow in beginning of game.

C. Overall: A very good army. First or second best (the Warlock army battles it for the
top spot) in strength. Get Gems in plentiful reserves, you'll need them for the Cloud
Castles. Titans are great. Able to beat Dragons in one-on-one combat.

8. Wizard Units:

A. Halflings
Cost: 50 Gold
Attack: 2
Defense: 1
Damage: 1-3
Hit Points: 3
Speed: Slow
Shots: 12
Notes: First of three range creatures for the Wizard. But slow and weak. But still good
early in the game for their range strike.

B. Boars
Cost: 150 Gold
Attack: 5
Defense: 4
Damage: 2-3
Hit Points: 15
Speed: Very Fast
Shots: None
Notes: Fast and strong for a second level creature. Good support for Halflings early in the
game.

C. Iron Golem
Cost: 300 Gold
Attack: 5
Defense: 10
Damage: 4-5
Hit Points: 30
Speed: Very Slow
Shots: None
Notes: Despite the speed, this is a very good creature. Especially in garrisons. High defense,
1/2 damage from elemental spells.

D. Steel Golem
Cost: 350 Gold
Attack: 7
Defense: 10
Damage: 4-5
Hit Points: 35
Speed: Slow
Shots: None
Notes: Faster, more hit points, and stronger than the Iron Golem. Still 1/2 damage from
elemental spells. Still great garrison creature.

E. Roc
Cost: 400 Gold
Attack: 7
Defense: 7
Damage: 4-8
Hit Points: 40
Speed: Average
Shots: None
Notes: Only flying creature available to the Wizard. Solid offense and defense, decent hit
points.

F. Mage
Cost: 600 Gold
Attack: 11
Defense: 7
Damage: 7-9
Hit Points: 30
Speed: Fast
Shots: 12
Notes: Hit points are a little low, but great offensive power and speed. No range penalty for
attacking adjacent units.

G. Archmage
Cost: 700 Gold
Attack: 12
Defense: 8
Damage: 7-9
Hit Points: 35
Speed: Very Fast
Shots: 24
Notes: Second best range creature in the game. No adjacent penalty. 20% chance to dispel
beneficial spells on target. Tougher, stronger, faster than Magi.

H. Giant
Cost: 1,250 Gold + 1 Gem
Attack: 13
Defense: 10
Damage: 20-30
Hit Points: 150
Speed: Average
Shots: None
Notes: Immune to mind affecting spells. Great damage, hit points, attack, and defense. Worth
the high cost.

I. Titan
Cost: 5,000 Gold + 2 Gems
Attack: 15
Defense: 15
Damage: 20-30
Hit Points: 300
Speed: Very Fast
Shots: 16
Notes: Whew boy. Titans are expensive. But they're worth it. Hit points are equal to that of a
Black Dragon, and they have the highest attack and defense of any creature in the game.
No adjacent penalty, immune to mind affecting spells, and can go against Black Dragons
and defeat them. In fact, they do extra damage against Black Dragons.

9. Wizard Structures

A. Habitat
Cost: 400 Gold
Building Requirements: None (usually built at beginning of scenario)
Growth: 8 Halflings per week

B. Boar Pen
Cost: 800 Gold
Building Requirements: Habitat (sometimes built at beginning of scenario)
Growth: 6 Board per week

C. Foundry
Cost: 1,500 Gold + 5 Ore + 5 Wood
Building Requirements: Habitat
Growth: 4 Iron Golems per week

D. Foundry Upgrade
Cost: 1,500 Gold + 5 Mercury
Building Requirements: Foundry, Well
Growth: 4 Steel Golems per week

E. Cliff Nest
Cost: 3,000 Gold + 5 Wood
Building Requirements: Boar Pen
Growth: 3 Rocs per week

F. Ivory Tower
Cost: 3,500 Gold + 5 of every resource
Building Requirements: Foundry, Mage Guild
Growth: 2 Magi per week

G. Ivory Tower Upgrade
Cost: 4,000 Gold + 5 Wood + 5 Ore
Building Requirements: Library, Ivory Tower
Growth: 2 Archmagi per week

H. Cloud Castle
Cost: 12,500 Gold + 5 Wood + 5 Ore + 20 Gems
Building Requirements: Cliff Nest, Mage Guild
Growth: 1 Giant per week

I. Cloud Castle Upgrade
Cost: 12,500 Gold + 5 Wood + 5 Ore + 20 Gems
Building Requirements: Cloud Castle
Growth: 1 Titan per week

J. Library
Cost: 1,500 Gold + 5 of each resource
Building Requirements: None
Effect: Adds 1 spell to each level in the Mage Guild

The following structures are common to every castle.

K. Tavern
Cost: 500 Gold + 5 Wood
Effect: Gives castle defenders a bonus to morale; offers rumors.
Not available in Necromancer town.

L. Mage Guild
Cost: Varies for each level
Effect: Allows spellbook purchase and teaches spells.
Note: 5 levels possible. 1st level cost: 2000 Gold + 5 Wood + 5 Ore
2nd level: 1000 Gold + 5 Wood + 5 Ore + 4 each of other 4 resources
3rd level: 1000 Gold + 5 Wood + 5 Ore + 6 each of other 4 resources
4th level: 1000 Gold + 5 Wood + 5 Ore + 8 each of other 4 resources
5th level: 1000 Gold + 5 Wood + 5 Ore + 10 each of other 4 resources

M. Thieves Guild
Cost: 750 Gold + 5 Wood
Effect: Gives information concerning other players. More Guilds = more information.
One guild per town, so you need to capture more towns for more guilds.

N. Shipyard
Cost: 2000 Gold + 20 Ore
Effect: Ship construction
Cost of ships: 1000 Gold + 10 Ore
Note: Only available when castle is near water.

O. Statue
Cost: 1250 Gold + 5 Ore
Effect: Increases income by 250 Gold

P. Marketplace
Cost: 500 Gold + 5 Wood
Effect: Allows you to trade resources for other resources. More
marketplaces = better trading rates

Q. Well
Cost: 500 Gold
Effect: Increases creature production by 2 for each structure.

R. Horde Building (in the Wizard castle, it's the Orchard)
Cost: 1000 Gold
Effect: Increases 1st level creature production by 8 per week.

S. Left Turret
Cost: 1500 Gold + 5 Ore
Effect: Helps in castle defense by adding a small ballista in the walls.

T. Right Turret
Cost: 1500 Gold + 5 Ore
Effect: Same as Left Turret.

U. Moat
Cost: 750 Gold
Effect: Puts moat around castle. Stops ground movement when entered,
and creatures have -3 Defense while in moat.

10. Required/Helpful Skills

Here are some secondary skills which will prove useful:

A. Leadership: This gives a morale increase. High morale equals more turns.
Always helpful to get more attacks out of your creatures, particulary your range troops.
Basic gives +1 bonus; Advanced +2; Expert +3.

B. Archery: This increases damage done by your range creatures. You have three, and the more
damage they can do, the better.
Basic = an increase in damage by 10%; Advanced = 25%; Expert= 50%.

C. Wisdom: You need this to be able to learn more spells at the Mage Guild.
Basic lets you learn 3rd level; Advanced: 4th level; Expert: 5th level. Wizards usually
start with Advanced Wisdom.

D. Ballistics: This increases catapult shots, accuracy, and damage done to walls.
Basic: 1 shot, and extra damage. Advanced: 2 shots, extra damage.
Expert: 2 shots, maximum damage.

E. Luck: This increases your luck, which, when in battle, allows a creature to
cause maximum possible damage. Basic: +1, Advanced: +2, Expert: +3.

F. Estates: Titans are expensive, as are their dwellings. Try and get this one early. This skill nets
you more gold per day.
Basic: 100 gold per day; Advanced: 250 gold; Expert: 500 gold.

11. Helpful Spells:

A. Bless: Causes creatures to inflict maximum damage. Lasts one round per Power.
1st level, 3 magic points.

B. Bloodlust: Adds +3 to a creature's Attack skill. Lasts one round per Power
(Power of 3, lasts 3 rounds). 1st level, 3 magic points.

C. Chain Lightning: 40 X Power, then half damage to nearest creature until bolt hits 4 creatures.
Be warned though: this can affect your creatures as well, and it won't affect enemy
dragons. 15 magic points, level 4.

D. Haste: You'll have some slightly slow creatures (Golems, Rocs, Halflings), and Haste adds +2 to a
creature's speed. Lasts one round per Power. Costs 3 magic points, is a level 1 spell.

E. Blind: Blinds a creature for one round per Spell Power. Enemy can't move until attacked, and
retaliates with half strength. Level 2, 6 magic points.

There are lots of other spells, these are just a few.

12. Worst Enemy

The worst enemy for the Wizard is the Warlock. The Dragons, namely the Black Dragons, are really
the only creatures who can go up against the Titans and win. All the other 6th level creatures can't
compare to the Titans in strength and defense. The Black Dragons also give the enemy hero a chance
to use a spell which will negatively affect your creatures. But Titans do extra damage against Black
Dragons, and that's a plus for them.

13. Conclusion

Well, not much to say here. If you like this, great, if you don't, tell me if I missed something, or have
something that's wrong. If you have any tips or suggestions, email me ([email protected])
and I'll add them, and give you credit for it. Otherwise, thanks for reading this, and I hope that it
proved helpful and that you enjoyed it.