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Normal Units are one of the major concepts in Master of Magic. Normal Units are combat units that are created in a Town and will either garrison the town for protection or will be a part of a group that will be sent out to conquer new towns, guard newly created towns, or battle enemies they may Encounter.

The type of Normal Units that are available to the player or an opponent will be determined by the Race chosen and the Town Buildings that have been completed in a given town. The features of a Normal Unit are influenced by the Race, the Normal Unit Archetype, the Town Buildings, the Retorts chosen, and potentially by Global Enchantments or even a Town Enchantment in the town where the unit is to be created.

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Normal Unit's image showing primary attributes

Information about a unit can be found by <right-clicking> a unit's image in the game bringing up a window that summarizes a unit's primary attributes (see image).

Main article: Comparative List of Normal Units
This is a sortable directory of the game's Normal Units.
Main article: Tech Tree of Normal Units
This is a compact table of all Normal Units based on Race and building requirements.

Primary Attributes[]

All Normal Units have certain properties that make them more or less desirable. These properties are their statistical usefulness or primary attributes. The properties that indicate how effective a unit will be are: iFigures, Melee Attack, Ranged Attack, To Hit, Defense, Resistance, Hit Points, and their Unit Abilities.

Every unit begins with a specific number of Icon Figure Figures which are important because all other statistics are expressed as the value for each figure. This number ranges from 1-8 and is considered for almost every action, a Icon SingleFigureUnit 1 will perform 1 times the strength of the action, whereas a Icon MultiFigureUnit 8 will perform the same action 8 times the strength shown. Units can continue to perform actions as long as there are Figures remaining. Any figures lost in battle will gradually be replaced after the battle as long as a single figure survived.

The Melee Attack strength of a unit, expressed in the statistics window as individual swords, indicates the ability of a unit in hand-to-hand combat. The number of swords is the total amount of damage that each Icon Figure Figure can do to an opponent, this is expressed here as Icon Melee Normal X, before other factors are considered. This attack can be enhanced by unit abilities, magic, minerals, and experience, for example. Melee attack strength is also used when defending, as the unit will normally respond to a melee attack with a counterattack.

The ability to hit begins with a Icon ToHit 30% chance To Hit for every unit in the game. This property expresses the more likely damage inflicted in combat as a factor in all attacks, since most Normal Units begin with a Icon ToHit 30% chance To Hit their attack will be more likely to cause 30% of the damage indicated by the attack strength of the unit.

If a Normal Unit has a Ranged Attack, it will have an additional attack strength expressed as either a Icon Ranged Bow Missile Attack, a Icon Ranged Magic Magical Attack, or a Icon Ranged Boulder Boulder Attack. This attack is also subject to the Icon ToHit chance To Hit and except for the Icon Ranged Magic Ranged Magical Attack is affected by the distance between the two units.
Note: The Slingers' Ranged Attack is marked as being a Icon Ranged Boulder Ranged Boulder Attack. However, for all intents and purposes this is treated by the game as a Icon Ranged Bow Ranged Missile Attack.

Defense is a unit property indicated by a row of Icon Defense Shields near the top of a unit's details window. It signifies the unit's ability to block incoming Physical Damage, such as caused by most Melee Attacks, Ranged Attacks, and a variety of offensive spells. The unit's Icon Defense Defense score is used whenever Physical Damage is applied to it. Each Icon Defense Shield has a basic Icon ToBlock 30% chance of blocking Icon Damage 1 point of Damage from hurting the unit. These odds may be increased or decreased by a few magical effects, but will otherwise be Icon ToBlock 30% for almost all units. All Normal Units begin with at least Icon Defense 1 Shield.

The Resistance of a Normal Unit is indicated by the number of Icon Resist Crosses, and all Normal Units begin with at least Icon Resist 4 Crosses. Every level of resistance adds 10% to the chance of successfully resisting negative magic spells cast on the target. This level of resistance includes the ability to avoid the effects of some special abilities, such as Poison Touch, Stoning Touch, and Gaze Attacks.

Hearts represent the number of Hit Points each figure has within a Normal Unit. A Icon Figure Figure dies and is removed when it loses all of its Icon Hits Hearts. In the unit information display lost Hit Points are represented by darkened-hearts indicating Icon Damage Damage.

In addition, many Normal Units have Unit Abilities which may vary by Race, Normal Unit Archetype, or simply as a property of the Normal Unit. Unit Abilities are distinguishing properties of a unit, which differentiate it significantly from other units. Each ability gives the unit a different advantage. As a result, a unit's set of Abilities determines how that unit would perform in various situations, compared to other units.

Finally, each Normal Unit display will include information that indicates the terrain that unit moves on best and just how many moves the unit can make per turn. All Normal Units have an Upkeep Cost that must be paid each month. This cost is 1/50th of the original base Icon Production Production Cost of the unit.

Experience[]

Normal Units gain Experience as long as they exist in the game or survive an Encounter, to a maximum of Icon Experience 120. The Experience given from an encounter is equal to Icon Experience 2 for each unit defeated in a successful encounter, given to each unit from the winning side. As this Experience accumulates these units will gain Experience Levels which serve to enhance the Normal Unit's properties.

When an Armsmaster Hero is in a stack with at least one Normal Unit at the start of any overland turn, each Normal Unit in that stack receives an extra amount of Experience points, on top of the +1 Experience that such units receive by default. The Armsmaster ability has two levels: "Basic" and "Super". A Hero possessing Basic Armsmaster gives out Icon Experience +2 Experience points for each Icon Experience Level Experience Level he/she has (including the first level). A Hero possessing Super Armsmaster gives Icon Experience +3 EP per level instead.

Experience Level Improvement[]

The following table illustrates the cumulative progress of the primary attributes for Normal Units with each new Icon Experience Level Experience Level.

Level Icon Level Name EP Req. Attacks To Hit Defense Resist Hits
Experience 0 Recruit Icon Experience 0
Experience 1 Regular Icon Experience 20 Icon Melee Normal Icon Thrown Icon Breath Icon Ranged Bow Icon Ranged Boulder Icon Ranged Magic +1 Icon Resist +1
Experience 2 Veteran Icon Experience 60 Icon Melee Normal Icon Thrown Icon Breath Icon Ranged Bow Icon Ranged Boulder Icon Ranged Magic +1 Icon Defense +1 Icon Resist +2
Experience 3 Elite Icon Experience 120 Icon Melee Normal Icon Thrown Icon Breath Icon Ranged Bow Icon Ranged Boulder Icon Ranged Magic +2 Icon ToHit +10% Icon Defense +1 Icon Resist +3 Icon Hits +1
Experience 4 Ultra-Elite Icon Experience 120* Icon Melee Normal Icon Thrown Icon Breath Icon Ranged Bow Icon Ranged Boulder Icon Ranged Magic +2 Icon ToHit +20% Icon Defense +2 Icon Resist +4 Icon Hits +1
Experience 5 Champion Icon Experience 120** Icon Melee Normal Icon Thrown Icon Breath Icon Ranged Bow Icon Ranged Boulder Icon Ranged Magic +3 Icon ToHit +30% Icon Defense +2 Icon Resist +5 Icon Hits +2

* To achieve this level, either the Warlord Retort or the Crusade spell must be in play.
** To achieve this level, both the Warlord Retort and the Crusade spell must be in play simultaneously.

Each Icon Figure Figure in a Icon MultiFigureUnit Multi-Figure unit gains these bonuses. This includes creatures' unusual Icon Thrown Thrown and Icon Breath Fiery Breath Attacks, which are made by each Icon Figure Figure separately before any exchanges in melee combat occur. Generally, then, weak units with many Icon Figure Figures and low initial attributes (Spearmen, Bowmen, etc.) achieve the largest relative gains at new Icon Experience Level Experience Levels.

Icon SingleFigureUnit Single-Figure Units such as the Golem or Dragon Turtle already boast very high attributes. They will only make large leaps in power at the Elite, Ultra-Elite, and Champion Icon Experience Level Levels, where bonuses Icon ToHit To Hit augment their inherently-strong Icon Melee Normal Attacks by a fixed percentage.

Indeed, the Icon ToHit To Hit and Icon Hits Heart gains made at the three highest levels make them profound steps for all units. They are the stages where Icon Experience Experience bears fruit.

To conceptualize these Icon Figure Figure-scaled Icon Experience Level Level mechanics, take Orc Spearmen, one of the most wretched units in Master of Magic. They have double the staying power and four times the killing power as Elites than they began with as Recruits. At Elite the full unit has Icon Figure 8 Figures applying Icon Melee Normal 3 at Icon ToHit 40% accuracy— an average of Icon Damage 9.6 Damage Points that need to be blocked by enemy Icon Defense Shields. Casualties will always be heavy among Spearmen, and counterattacks by high-tier units will usually wipe them out, but Elites will severely maim any units lacking the Icon Defense 7 Shields required to mitigate each Icon Figure Figure's attack.

While such "burst damage" may humble an Elite Golem's Icon Damage 5.6 Hit swing and shame its Regular counterpart's Icon Damage 3.9, the demands of battle may of course favor a Golem of any level. A Icon SingleFigureUnit Single-Figure Unit throws all its Icon Melee Normal Swords into a single attack so that Icon Defense Shields have just that one chance to block. It also maneuvers, fights, and retaliates at its absolute fullest power to its last breath, which in the case of a fresh Golem's massive defenses, could mean many kills.

Enchantments[]

Normal Units may benefit greatly from Unit Enchantments, Global Enchantments, or even Town Enchantments. All Magic Realms have at least a few spells that will benefit the Normal Unit. One Town Enchantment has a direct influence on a Normal Unit's primary attributes, Altar of Battle creates a unit with Icon Experience 120 making the unit Icon ExpLevel 3 immediately.

There are some powerful Global Enchantments that will benefit a Normal Unit, most of them are Very Rare Spells. Some Global Enchantments will actually turn the Normal Unit into a different type of unit, and others will benefit the unit without changing its nature. Wind Mastery from the Icon SorcerySorcery realm improves the movement of the player's Ships while decreasing the movement of all other ships. Herb Mastery from the Icon NatureNature realm will heal all friendly Normal Units completely every turn. The Icon LifeLife realm offers some very powerful Global Enchantments that benefit Normal Units; they are Crusade, Charm of Life, and Holy Arms. The benefit of Crusade is an additional Icon Experience Level above the normal levels, Charm of Life increases Icon Hits, and Holy Arms provides the same benefit to Normal Units as having the Alchemy (Retort). As Global Enchantments these benefits cannot be dispelled in battle.

The majority of Unit Enchantments work to increase a unit's combat properties, or to give the unit a new ability it did not previously have. Some Unit Enchantments bestow some sort of protection or ability that may not be acquired in any other way.

Unit Enchantment
Icon NatureNature Icon ChaosChaos Icon LifeLife Icon DeathDeath Icon SorcerySorcery
Elemental Armor Chaos Channels Bless Berserk Flight
Giant Strength Eldritch Weapon Endurance Black Channels Guardian Wind
Iron Skin Flame Blade Heroism Cloak of Fear Haste
Path Finding Immolation Holy Armor Wraith Form Invisibility
Regeneration Holy Weapon Magic Immunity
Resist Elements Invulnerability Resist Magic
Stone Skin Lionheart Spell Lock
Water Walking Planar Travel Wind Walking
Righteousness
True Sight
Unit Curse *
Icon NatureNature Icon ChaosChaos Icon LifeLife Icon DeathDeath Icon SorcerySorcery
Web Shatter Black Sleep Confusion
Warp Creature Possession Mind Storm
Weakness Vertigo
Stasis

NOTE: Unit Curses are all Combat only spells. Stasis is an overland spell that behaves somewhat like a Unit Curse and is included in the table based on its effect. †: this spell only works on Normal Units and Heroes

Unit Curse is a Spell Type and category of spells in Master of Magic. A Unit Curse can only be used during combat, and must be targeted at an enemy unit. It will negatively affect the enemy unit in one way or another. Some Unit Curses reduce the target's combat properties, while others immobilize it or otherwise alter its behavior. In all cases, the target's performance suffers.

Unit Curses continue to affect the target unit until the end of the battle, until dispelled by the enemy, or until the target unit dies. Rival wizards can get rid of an enemy's Unit Curses by casting Dispel Magic on a cursed unit, or a Disenchant Area spell on the unit's army stack. A Unit Curse cannot be canceled by its own caster.

Almost all Unit Curses give their target a chance to Resist. This involves the target making a roll against its own Resistance score, usually at a penalty inflicted by the Unit Curse. If the target succeeds in its roll, the Unit Curse dissipates harmlessly, applying no effect and wasting its entire Casting Cost. As a result, units with high Resistance scores may be completely immune to some or all Unit Curses.

Retorts[]

There are 3 Retorts that affect most Normal Units created by the player or an opponent, but not the default units created at the start of the game.

The Myrran retort allows the player to begin on the plane of Myrror and to choose one of the five races that normally reside on Myrror, or even locate one of the other races on the world of Myrror. The five Races that originate on the world of Myrror, and their Normal Units, are more powerful than the other races, but Myrror is also a more dangerous location. This choice has its advantages and its disadvantages.

The Alchemy (Retort) affects Normal Units by giving them Magic Weapons when they are created. These units receive Icon Melee Magic Magical Weapons by default, instead of Icon Melee Normal Normal Weapons. Icon Melee Magic Magical Weapons give the unit a Icon ToHit 10% To Hit bonus when using its Melee Attack and allows the units to hurt enemies who possess Weapon Immunity. This retort is very valuable when choosing Gnolls, Klackons, Lizardmen, or Trolls as the player's Race because these Races cannot build the Alchemists' Guild.

The Warlord retort is a strong and popular pick. This retort gives an immediate bonus of Icon Experience Level +1 Experience Level to existing Normal Units. Perhaps an even greater benefit is that this retort grants a Normal Unit an additional Experience Level above the Normal Levels, allowing the unit to gain additional stats.

Race[]

The choice of Race affects every Normal Unit created, and each unit will inherit any benefits or lack of benefits associated with that choice.

Arcanian Races
Race Bonus Racial Units Additional Information
Barbarians Icon Resist +1 Unit Icon Berserkers Transparent most units have Ability Thrown
Gnolls Icon Melee Normal +2 Unit Icon WolfRiders Transparent
Halflings Icon Melee Normal -1,Icon Resist +2 Unit Icon Slingers Transparent Ability Lucky
High Elves Icon ToHit +10%,Icon Resist +2 Unit Icon Longbowmen Transparent,Unit Icon ElvenLords Transparent,Unit Icon Pegasai Transparent Ability Forester,Ability ToHit
High Men None Unit Icon Paladins Transparent
Klackons Icon Defense +2,Icon Resist +1 Unit Icon StagBeetle Transparent
Lizardmen Icon Defense +1,Icon Hits +1 Unit Icon Javelineers Transparent,Unit Icon DragonTurtle Transparent
Nomads None Unit Icon Rangers Transparent,Unit Icon Horsebowmen Transparent,Unit Icon Griffins Transparent
Orcs None Unit Icon WyvernRiders Transparent
Myrran Races
Race Bonus Racial Units Additional Information
Beastmen Icon Melee Normal +1,Icon Resist +1,Icon Hits +1 Unit Icon Centaurs Transparent,Unit Icon Manticores Transparent,Unit Icon Minotaurs Transparent
Dark Elves Icon Resist +3 Unit Icon Nightblades Transparent,Unit Icon Warlocks Transparent,Unit Icon Nightmares Transparent most units have Icon Ranged Magic
Draconians Icon Defense +1,Icon Resist +2 Unit Icon DoomDrakes Transparent,Unit Icon AirShip Transparent Icon Movement Air, and most units have Ability FireBreath
Dwarves Icon Resist +4,Icon Hits +2 Unit Icon Hammerhands Transparent,Unit Icon Golem Transparent,Unit Icon SteamCannon Transparent Ability Mountaineer
Trolls Icon Melee Normal +2,Icon Resist +3,Icon Hits +3 Unit Icon WarTrolls Transparent,Unit Icon WarMammoths Transparent Ability Regeneration,max unit figures is 4

Note that Icon Production Production Costs are not included in this table because of the numerous exceptions, but may be compared using the Comparative List of Normal Units
Racial Units are special units that capitalize on a Race's bonuses and abilities and are available only to a single Race.

Archetype[]

Many of the Normal Units available can be categorized into a Normal Unit Archetype. The Archetype of the Normal Unit will determine the baseline properties of the unit being created. Those properties will then be enhanced by any bonuses that might apply.

Basic bullet point chart for archetypal units

Archetypal Normal Units Racial Availability
Unit Class Citizen Barbarian Worker Citizen Gnoll Worker Citizen Halfling Worker Citizen HighElf Worker Citizen HighMen Worker Citizen Klackon Worker Citizen Lizardmen Worker Citizen Nomad Worker Citizen Orc Worker Citizen Beastmen Worker Citizen DarkElf Worker Citizen Draconian Worker Citizen Dwarf Worker Citizen Troll Worker
Spearmen Light infantry
Swordsmen Light infantry
Halberdiers Medium infantry
Pikemen Heavy infantry
Cavalry Mounted
Bowmen Ranged missile
Shamans Light support
Priests Medium support
Magicians Ranged magical
Engineers Roads & siege
Settlers Outposts
Universal Normal Units
Unit Class Citizen Barbarian Worker Citizen Gnoll Worker Citizen Halfling Worker Citizen HighElf Worker Citizen HighMen Worker Citizen Klackon Worker Citizen Lizardmen Worker Citizen Nomad Worker Citizen Orc Worker Citizen Beastmen Worker Citizen DarkElf Worker Citizen Draconian Worker Citizen Dwarf Worker Citizen Troll Worker
Trireme Light cargo ship
Galley Medium cargo ship
Warship Heavy gunship
Catapult Ranged & siege

A hollow point indicates the existence of a racial unit with identical building requirements but points of distinction from the archetype. A colored point indicates that the unit for the race does not obey the rules above in at least one way:
for the better, for the worse, slightly for the worse, discount but no Thrown or Fire Breath.

Note that racial units with different building requirements and unit classes without any archetype units are not included in this table. Full chart of normal units can be found in Tech Tree of Normal Units.

Town Buildings[]

There are 27 Normal Units that are available as soon as a Town exists, Settlers and Spearmen do not require a specific building in order to be created, the Dwarves are the only race that does not have a Spearmen unit.

Town Buildings first influence a Normal Unit by making the unit available in most cases. Secondly, Town Buildings may influence the stats of a Normal Unit by allowing it to be created with an advanced Experience Level, as if the unit had obtained enough Experience to achieve that advanced level, or other benefits.

Building(s) Normal Units Racial Units Unit Benefits
TownBuilding AlchemistsGuild -- -- Enhanced weapons: Icon Melee MagicIcon Ranged BowIcon Ranged BoulderIcon ToHit +10%
TownBuilding AlchemistsGuild+TerrainSpecial Mithril -- -- Icon Melee MithrilIcon Ranged BowIcon Ranged Boulder +1Icon ToHit +10%, Icon Thrown +1, Icon Defense +1
TownBuilding AlchemistsGuild+TerrainSpecial Adamantium* -- -- Icon Melee AdamantiumIcon Ranged BowIcon Ranged Boulder +2Icon ToHit +10%, Icon Thrown +2, Icon Defense +2
TownBuilding AnimistsGuild -- With TownBuilding Barracks Garrisoned units heal faster
TownBuilding ArmorersGuild -- Unit Icon Berserkers Transparent,Unit Icon ElvenLords Transparent,Unit Icon Minotaurs Transparent,Unit Icon Golem Transparent
TownBuilding ArmorersGuild+TownBuilding Stables -- Unit Icon StagBeetle Transparent,Unit Icon DragonTurtle Transparent,Unit Icon WarMammoths Transparent
TownBuilding ArmorersGuild+TownBuilding Cathedral -- Unit Icon Paladins Transparent
TownBuilding Armory Halberdiers Unit Icon Slingers Transparent
TownBuilding Barracks+TownBuilding AnimistsGuild -- Unit Icon Rangers Transparent,Unit Icon Manticores Transparent
TownBuilding Barracks+TownBuilding Sawmill Bowmen Unit Icon Longbowmen Transparent
TownBuilding Barracks+TownBuilding Smithy Swordsmen --
TownBuilding Barracks+TownBuilding Stables Cavalry Unit Icon DoomDrakes Transparent,Unit Icon WolfRiders Transparent,Unit Icon Centaurs Transparent,Unit Icon Horsebowmen Transparent
TownBuilding BuildersHall Engineers --
TownBuilding FantasticStable -- Unit Icon Pegasai Transparent,Unit Icon Griffins Transparent,Unit Icon WyvernRiders Transparent,Unit Icon Nightmares Transparent
TownBuilding FightersGuild Pikemen Unit Icon Javelineers Transparent,Unit Icon Nightblades Transparent,Unit Icon Hammerhands Transparent,Unit Icon WarTrolls Transparent   new units Icon ExpLevel 1 20 EP
TownBuilding MaritimeGuild Unit Icon Warship Transparent --
TownBuilding MechaniciansGuild Unit Icon Catapult Transparent --
TownBuilding MinersGuild -- Unit Icon SteamCannon Transparent
TownBuilding Parthenon Priests --
TownBuilding ShipWrightsGuild Unit Icon Trireme Transparent --
TownBuilding Shipyard Unit Icon Galley Transparent Unit Icon AirShip Transparent
TownBuilding Shrine Shamans --
TownBuilding WarCollege -- -- new units Icon ExpLevel 2 61 EP
TownBuilding WizardsGuild Magicians Unit Icon Warlocks Transparent

NOTE: This table only includes information as it relates to Normal Units.
NOTE: Adamantium Ore is only available on Myrror.

Strategy[]

In general, the choices you make for your Wizard's picks and Race will dictate the strategy to use in each game. Most strategies will obviously work better with higher-level Units because of the improved primary attributes. Enemy wizards can and will cast Disenchant Area and/or Dispel Magic during battle to try and remove Unit Enchantments. The use of Spell Lock and/or Counter Magic is quite recommended.

Flying Invisible Warships[]

Flight allows the Warship to travel over land tiles. This allows stacks of Warships to go anywhere and strike anywhere, utilizing their superior naval strength in places where they could not normally go. Furthermore, it prevents most enemy Icon Movement GroundWalking units from engaging the Warships in melee combat, reducing risk to the ships.

Invisibility is designed to totally confuse enemy armies. As long as the Warship keeps its distance from all enemy units on the battlefield, it is effectively invisible to them, and can simply pelt them with rocks for the entire duration of the battle without the enemy reacting in any way. A whole stack of Flying Invisible Warships is virtually unstoppable, and can win almost any battle on its own.

This is only made possible because of the Warships' unlimited ammunition. The Warships do not need to expose themselves to combat damage or enemy spells since they do not ever need to do Melee combat. Enemy units cannot target Warships they can't see, and enemy wizards cannot cast offensive spells at targets that aren't there. In the meanwhile, the ships can continuously bombard the enemy without need for any fancy maneuvers.

Multi Figure Units[]

Enchantments and enhancements are applied to Normal Units on a per figure basis. This can give some units like the Slingers or Pikemen a greater advantage than might be recognized at first glance. For example, Slingers produced in a town located near Adamantium Ore will automatically have a +2 bonus to their attacks in addition to any level increased attack, or enchantments.

Another very strong strategy involves a Icon Life11 pick with Lionheart as the Rare Spell choice. For Icon Mana 200 it may be cast on any friendly unit on the overland map to give that unit a significant +3 bonus to its Melee Attack strength, Ranged Attack strength, Resistance score and total Hit Points per figure. If the unit has a Thrown Attack it will receive Icon Thrown +3 to that attack's strength on top of the other bonuses. To keep an overland version of Lionheart in effect, an Upkeep Cost of Icon Mana 4 per turn must be paid.

Give any number of Racial Units this Unit Enchantment and they become instant monsters very early in the game. Icon MultiFigureUnit Multi-Figure units gain spectacular benefits from this spell - and the more figures, the better. This is very effective on units with Icon MultiFigureUnit 8, such as Slingers or Pikemen, but will work quite well on other units such as Berserkers, Paladins, or Elven Lords.

Lionheart may be cast during combat for the rather high Casting Cost of Icon Mana 40. In this case, the spell will only affect the targeted unit until the end of the battle - at which point it will dissipate.

First Strike[]

Normal Units with the First Strike unit ability provide a strong advantage especially in the early-mid game. Four Cavalry units and four Racial Units have this unit ability. Besides being choice units to begin with, units with First Strike are good targets for a number of Combat enhancing spells -- especially spells that enhance Melee Attack. This ability allows the unit to make its Melee Attack before the target is allowed to counter with its own attack.

One strategy is to use Berserk, an Uncommon Icon DeathDeath spell that could be available to a Wizard with only 1 Icon DeathDeath book, on a unit with First Strike to allow the unit to do the maximum damage before the defending unit has a chance to counter. The Berserk spell doubles the attack of the unit which in the early-mid game can be devastating, especially if the unit also has the Armor Piercing ability. Three of the Racial Units have First Strike and Armor Piercing, Paladins, Elven Lords, and Griffins. Caution should be used because the Berserk spell also reduces the defense of the unit to Icon Defense 0, but that will only be an issue if the First Strike Unit's target survives.

Before flooding your ranks with First Strike units you should note the type of units the opposing Wizards are able to produce. There are five units that have an ability called Negate First Strike and this can affect the effectiveness of your First Strike units. Three Halberdiers and both Pikemen units have the Negate First Strike ability and a higher Icon Figure Figure count. This doesn't nullify the Melee Attack of the First Strike units, just the advantage of having the ability by causing the Attacks to happen simultaneously (as normal).

Regenerating Units[]

A Normal Unit that has the capacity to regenerate its Icon Hits Hit Points presents some strong strategies. Add to that the benefit of automatically being resurrected when your stack wins the battle and you have an even more compelling strategy. These benefits can be granted by the Regeneration (Spell), a Very Rare Icon NatureNature spell, or from the Racial Regeneration ability of Trolls. This saves you from the need to replace units after a battle, which can prove expensive and time consuming.

Regenerating units make an especially good combination with Berserk, an Uncommon Icon DeathDeath spell, as Regenerating units can execute devastating suicide attacks under the effect of Berserk without the concern of being lost. Another benefit is that this provides a Wizard using Icon DeathDeath books a unique strategy because Regeneration is the only means of healing an Undead Unit. This allows the wizard to create the Undead units with their added immunities, and the undead Normal Units do not have an Upkeep Cost unless additional enchantments are used on those units.

While most Troll units have natural Regeneration, the War Trolls are always prized units for their added strengths and make excellent targets for Berserk as well with their high Icon Melee Normal Attack score. Their main obstacle is often their high Upkeep Cost and using Black Channels to turn them into Undead Normal Units removes that downside.

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