Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era Patch #8: Skills (1st June 2026)

Sub-skill updates:

• "Avatar of Fury": now increases the summoned Avatar's Damage by 25%. The bonus is doubled if the hero has the "Leadership" skill.
• "Avatar of Toughness": now allows the Avatar to survive one additional hit. The bonus is doubled if the hero has the "Defense" skill.

"Murmuring"

Expert-level sub-skills have been significantly reworked.

• "Just One More Time." The cooldown reduction for all spells in the Spellbook when using Focus has been increased: 1 → 2 rounds.
• "Burst of Energy." The bonus Damage to the Heroic Strike has been increased from 5% to 15%, but it now only lasts until the end of the current round.
• "Strong Connection." The hero attribute bonus has been increased from 1 to 2, but now only lasts until the end of the current round.

"Righteousness"

• Sub-skill "Chosen One." Stat bonuses granted to a creature from the hero's attributes have been reduced: 100% → 50%.
• Sub-skill "Strong Faith." The bonus to additional attribute per round when a stack dies has been reduced: 2 → 1.

"Sorcery"

• Sub-skill "Piercing Spells." Magic resistance ignored on targets has been increased: 20% → 25%.
• Sub-skill "Magical Influence" has been replaced by a new sub-skill "Summoning Sorcery": All summoned creatures in battle gain +25% health and deal +25% damage.

"Insight"

• Sub-skill "Civic Innovation." Bonus Law points: 100% → 30%.

"Offense"

Bonus damage from regular attacks reduced: 15/20/25% → 10/15/20%.

"Defense"

Damage reduction from regular attacks reduced: 15/20/25% → 10/15/20%.

Hero Specializations

• Spell specialists have been slightly buffed. They now gain 1 additional Spell Power for their spell for every 2 hero levels (previously every 3 levels). Affected heroes:
• Haven: Julius, Vesper, Anastasia the Meek, Nadir.
• Necropolis: Marl, Laura, Lord Rufus.
• Grove: Old Pilgrim, Faleor, Aeliniel, Glacia, Vim, Halon, Echolily, Sullie.
• Schism: Changeling Urgo, Ra'Davok, Sister Keiri.
• Hive: Mila.
• Dungeon: Tellaris the Betrayed, Sister Deira.

• Necropolis: King‑of‑Kings.
• Grove: Alluring Sh'a.
• Dungeon: Ylwari.

• Temple: Aeos the Exalted.
• Hive: Goldentongue.

• Necropolis: Bulwark.
• Grove: Gorel Spearhead.
• Schism: Grellekh the Betrayer, Icequeen Hel’Ghat.
• Hive: Niev.

• Schism: Blackhorn.
• Dungeon: Zakron the Great.

Starting Spell Changes

Temple

• Heretic Avis: started with no spell → "Groundsight."
• Pip: "Early Start" → "Clear Fog."
• Lia the Untethered One: "From a Bird’s Eye" → "Inner Light."
• Clarissa: "Energize" → "From a Bird’s Eye."

Necropolis

• Zam: started with no spell → "Primordial Chaos."
• Adhan: "Silence" → "Shade Cloak."
• Ethric: "Shade Cloak" → "Song of Power."
• Guildmaster Klastor: "Read Minds" → "Naira's Veil."
• Shadespinner Oona: "Sleep" → "Umbral Grip."
• Funerella: "Shackles" → "Read Minds."

Grove

• Eith: "From a Bird’s Eye" → no spell.
• Mreowa: started with no spell → "Berserk."
• Elder Tss'kish: "Song of Power" → "Energize."

Schism

Important! Since all heroes of this faction are hybrids between Might and Magic, each of them now receives a starting spell. In addition, their starting army sizes have been averaged and no longer depend on the hero's specific class.

• Nihil: started with no spell → "Energize."
• Blackhorn: started with no spell → "Ice Bolt."
• Matastala the White: started with no spell → "Optical Illusion."
• Jänhei: started with no spell → "Early Start."
• Mara Mat’ha: started with no spell → "Unnatural Calm."
• The Iron Master: started with no spell → "Silence."
• Changeling Urgo: no spell → "Shackles."
• Martyr Tho: started with no spell → "Assemble!"
• Grellekh the Betrayer: "Blessing" → "Enlarge Shadow."
• Icequeen Hel'Ghat: "Ice Bolt" → "Shorten Shadow."
• Kwinri: "Groundsight" → "Riposte."
• Eye Collective: "Wean" → "Reinforcements."
• Tölketh: "Reinforcement" → "Circle of Winter."
• Ulkuth: "Unnatural Calm" → "From a Bird’s Eye."
• Dhüvri: "Blink" → "Thick Hide."

Hive

• Nor: "Impending Fate" → no spell.
• Pauper: "Fireball" → no spell.
• Leira: "Vulnerability" → "Wean."
• Khariset: "Anti-Magic" → "Fireball."
• Tavi: started with no spell → "Anti-Magic."

Dungeon

• Creta, Daughter of Navarr: "Groundsight" → "Mind Reading."
• Gleard the Grey: "Shackles" → "Temporal Spheres."
• Kelarr, Son of Navarr: "Groundsight" → "Wean."
• Glastor: "Thick Hide" → "Clear Fog."

Starting Skill Changes

Temple

• Vesper: "Daylight Magic" → "Battle Magic."

Necropolis

• Zam: "Battlecraft" → "Recruitment."
• Adhan: "Recruitment" → "Battlecraft."
• Funerella: Advanced "Necromancy" → Basic "Necromancy" and "Summon Avatar."

Grove

• Mreowa: "Sorcery" → "Combat."

Dungeon

• Motley: "Luck" → "Recruitment."

Hive

• Pauper: "Battle Magic" → "Luck."
• Oriax: "Summon Avatar" → "Recruitment."

Spells

Daylight Magic

• "Healing Water." Base HP restored increased: 25/25/25/25 → 50/50/50/50.
• "Inner Light." Base reduction to negative effect duration changed: −2/−3/−3/−3 → −2/−4/−4/−4.
• "Vengeance":
• Base Damage dealt reduced: 100/100/100/100 → 60/60/60/60.
• Damage scaling from Spell Power reduced: 20/20/30/30 → 15/15/20/20.

Nightshade Magic

• "Web." Casting cost reduced: 11 → 9.
• "Umbral Grip." Damage scaling from Spell Power increased: 8/12/16/16 → 10/15/20/20.
• "Summon Star Children":
• Base number of summoned creatures increased: 4/4/4/4 → 8/8/8/8.
• Number of summoned creatures scaling from Spell Power reduced: 2/2/2/3 → 1/1/1/2.

• Base Damage dealt reduced: 200/300/300/300 → 150/200/200/200.
• Damage scaling from Spell Power reduced: 20/20/30/30 → 15/15/20/20.

Arcane Magic

• "Shackles." Casting cost reduced: 9 → 6.
• "Mirror Copy." Casting cost reduced: 24 → 20.
• "Impending Fate." Damage per target level changed: 20/25/35/35 → 20/30/45/45.
• "Reality Distortion." Casting cost reduced: 21 → 15.

Primal Magic

• "Wean." Base reduction to positive effect duration increased: −1/−2/−2/−2 → −2/−4/−4/−4.
• "Ice Bolt." Initiative reduction on target increased: 2 → 3.
• "Firewall." Base damage dealt increased: 60/60/90/90 → 80/80/120/120.
• "Anti-Magic." Casting cost reduced: 18 → 16.
• "Summon Primal Remnant":
• Base number of summoned creatures increased: 6/6/6/6 → 12/12/12/12.
• Number of summoned creatures scaling from Spell Power reduced: 2/2/2/3 → 1/1/1/2.

• Base Damage dealt increased: 100/200/300/300 → 150/250/350/350.
• Damage scaling from Spell Power increased: 10/10/10/20 → 15/15/15/25.

Neutral Magic

• "Magic Arrow." All damage is now dealt across three consecutive strikes.

Artifacts

• Ring of Neutrality:
• Rarity: Epic → Rare.
• Effect reworked: the artifact now only neutralizes Luck (instead of both Luck and Morale previously).

• Rarity: Common → Rare.
• Effect reworked: the artifact now neutralizes the Ьorale of all stacks in combat.

• Enemy Ьorale and Дuck reduction reduced: 2 → 1.

• 2-artifact bonus weakened: bonus XP gained by the hero 100% → 50%.
• 4-artifact bonus changed: it now increases the duration of all applied effects by 8 rounds (previously they lasted indefinitely until the end of combat).

Factions: Creatures, Buildings, Pandora's Boxes, and More

During our analysis of game statistics, we found that some passive abilities were incorrectly accounted for during the initial balancing process (for example, the "Parry" creature passive). As a result, some creatures were over-tuned and have been adjusted downward.

We also made a large number of targeted stat adjustments. These are mainly aimed at buffing upgraded versions of creatures that, according to collected data, were underperforming compared to their base versions.

Pandora's Boxes

The number of creatures players can receive from Pandora's Boxes has been adjusted. Values are given for standard/upgraded versions in "before → after" format:

• Temple:
• Tier 3, Griffin: 22/16 → 26/18.

• Tier 1, Skeleton: 80/60 → 65/50.
• Tier 2, Wight: 40/30 → 45/35.
• Tier 3, Undead Pet: 46/32 → 50/35.
• Tier 5, Lich: 33/23 → 27/18.
• Tier 7, Vampire: 17/11 → 16/10.

• Tier 2, Hoplet: 25/20 → 30/20.
• Tier 3, Root Iryad: 24/16 → 28/20.
• Tier 4, Naiad: 21/15 → 24/17.
• Tier 5, Herbomancer: 15/11 → 17/12.
• Tier 6, Qilin: 11/7 → 12/8.

• Tier 1, Ra’shoth: 45/35 → 35/30.
• Tier 3, Aga'shoth Rider: 26/18 → 32/23.
• Tier 4, Great shoth: 17/12 → 20/14.
• Tier 5, Concubus: 20/13 → 22/15.

• Tier 1, Parasite: 35/30 → 40/30.
• Tier 2, Locust: 30/20 → 35/25.
• Tier 3, Hornet: 24/18 → 30/22.
• Tier 4, Scorpion: 26/18 → 29/20.
• Tier 5, Ravager: 14/10 → 15/10.
• Tier 6, Gutbeast: 12/8 → 13/8.

Temple

• Tier 4:
• Lightweaver:
• Attack: 10 → 11.
• Defense: 10 → 11.

• Defense: 15 → 16.
• Initiative: 4 → 6.

• Attack: 15 → 16.
• Damage: 11–17 → 11–18.
• Initiative: 4 → 5.

• Inquisitor. Health: 95 → 90.
• Punisher:
• Health: 95 → 90.
• Damage: 22–32 → 23–33.

• Archangel. Gained the "Duelist" passive, same as the Apotheosis.
• Apotheosis. Defense: 30 → 35.

• Construction of "Chapel of Dawn I" and "Chapel of Dawn II" (Tier 4 dwelling) is now 250 gold more expensive.
• Construction of "Basilica of the Limit I" (Tier 6 dwelling) is now 500 gold cheaper.
• Building "Hippodrome I" (Tier 5 dwelling) now requires "Griffin Kennel I" (Tier 3 dwelling) instead of "Hawkery I" (Tier 2 dwelling). Construction of both versions of the dwelling is now 500 gold cheaper.

Necropolis

• Tier 2:
• Wight. Initiative: 7 → 5.
• Spirit. Initiative: 9 → 7.
• Phantom. Initiative: 8 → 6.

• Attack: 8 → 4.
• The "Call the Pack" ability no longer ends the stack's turn. Its effectiveness has been reduced from 25% to 20%.

• Graverobber:
• Defense: 9 → 10.
• Damage: 6–8 → 6–9.

• Defense: 9 → 10.
• Damage: 7–9 → 7–10.
• "Dig Up Bones" ability. Number of summoned skeletons scaling from stack size reduced: 2 → 3. (Note: appears to be a buff in the original — likely a translation/formatting ambiguity in the source.)
• "Catch Memories" ability. Number of summoned Wights scaling from stack size reduced: 2 → 1. Ability casting cost reduced: 3 → 2.

• Attack: 12 → 13.
• Defense: 13 → 10.
• Damage: 6–8 → 6–9.
• Speed: 5 → 6.

• Lich:
• "Death Rewind" ability. Health restored changed: 60 + 10 × stack size → 20 + 10 × stack size.

• "Death Rewind" ability. Health restored changed: 60 + 15 × stack size → 40 + 20 × stack size.

• stack abilities no longer end its turn.
• "Corpse Explosion" ability replaced by new ability "Blood Cleanse": removes all negative effects from a chosen friendly stack.

• Construction of "Bone Exchange II" (Tier 4 dwelling) is now 250 gold more expensive.

Grove

• Tier 1. Base weekly growth in all cities increased: 12 → 13. All hero starting armies adjusted accordingly.
• Faun. Initiative: 5 → 4.
• Faun Archer. Initiative: 6 → 5.
• Faun Swordswoman. Initiative: 7 → 6.

• Sunset Hoplet. "Bloom" ability. Spell Power bonus until end of round reduced: 3 → 2.

• Root Iryad:
• Attack: 4 → 6.
• Defense: 10 → 11.

• Attack: 4 → 6.
• Defense: 10 → 11.
• Initiative: 2 → 3.

• Attack: 4 → 6.
• Defense: 10 → 11.
• Initiative: 2 → 3.

• Naiad:
• Health: 35 → 40.
• Defense: 9 → 10.
• Damage: 10–12 → 10–14.

• Health: 35 → 40.
• Defense: 9 → 14.
• Damage: 14–16 → 14–18.

• Health: 35 → 40.
• Attack: 13 → 15.
• Defense: 9 → 10.
• Damage: 14–16 → 14–18.

• Thunder Qilin. Damage: 27–36 → 30–36.
• Mist Qilin:
• Attack: 26 → 24.
• Defense: 26 → 24.
• Damage: 27–33 → 27–36.

• Phoenix:
• Attack: 26 → 28.
• Defense: 24 → 26.

• Attack: 32 → 34.
• Defense: 24 → 26.

• Construction of "Faun Huts I" (Tier 1 dwelling) is now 250 gold more expensive.
• Construction of "Hop Patch I" and "Hop Patch II" (Tier 2 dwelling) is now 250 gold more expensive.
• Construction of "Blooming Pond I" and "Blooming Pond II" (Tier 4 dwelling) is now 250 gold more expensive.
• Construction of "Shroomwood Shack II" (Tier 5 dwelling) is now 5 Wood cheaper.
• Construction of "Thunder Lair I" and "Thunder Lair II" (Tier 6 dwelling) is now 500 gold cheaper.

Schism

• Tier 1:
• Ra’shoth. Initiative: 2 → 5.
• Stinging Ra’shoth:
• Attack: 4 → 5.
• Defense: 4 → 5.
• Initiative: 4 → 5.

• Cultist. Damage: 3–5 → 4–6.
• Binder:
• Damage: 3–5 → 4–6.
• Speed: 5 → 6.

• Damage: 3–7 → 4–8.
• Attack: 8 → 9.

• Mistress of Chains. Attack: 16 → 20.
• Bewitcher. Initiative: 5 → 6.

• Rigt Arbitrator:
• Attack: 22 → 24.
• Defense: 24 → 26.

• Construction of "Lesser Summoning Rite I" (Tier 1 dwelling) is now 500 gold more expensive.
• Construction of "Cultist Spire II" (upgraded Tier 2 dwelling) is now 250 gold more expensive.
• Construction of "Aga'Shoth Stables I" (Tier 3 dwelling) is now 250 gold cheaper.
• Construction of "Disturbing Summoning Rite I" and "Disturbing Summoning Rite II" (Tier 4 dwellings) is now 250 gold cheaper.
• "Involuntary Summons" building no longer requires other buildings to be constructed first.

Hive

• Tier 2. Overgrown Locust. Damage: 3–5 → 3–4.
• "Burning Soul Burrows" (Tier 6 dwelling) no longer requires "Paper Nest" (Tier 3 dwelling) to be built first.
• Buildings:
• Construction of "Burning Soul Burrows I" and "Burning Soul Burrows II" (Tier 6 dwellings) is now 500 gold more expensive.
• Construction of "Tower of Love I" (Tier 7 dwelling) now requires 5 Wood and Ore.
• Construction of "Tower of Love II" (Tier 7 dwelling) is now 2500 gold more expensive.

Dungeon

• Tier 2. Guile Infiltrator. Defense: 2 → 3.
• Tier 4:
• Minotaur. Morale: 2 → 1.
• Minotaur Lord:
• Attack: 12 → 11.
• Initiative: 7 → 6.
• Morale: 2 → 1.

• Defense: 12 → 11.
• Morale: 3 → 2.

• Medusa Sculptor. Attack: 18 → 20.
• Medusa Queen. Initiative: 6 → 7.

• Chthonic Hydra:
• Health: 150 → 160.
• Defense: 32 → 34.

Neutral Creatures

• Tier 4. Primal Remnant. "Emboldening Spores" ability replaced by new ability "Cleansing Spores": removes all negative effects from this creature and all friendly stacks in adjacent hexes.
• Tier 8. Lich Dragon. This creature's magic resistance now reduces incoming Magic Damage by 85% (previously 60%).

Map Generator and Objects

General Changes

• Adjusted the internal guards of the "Tomb of Vigilance" object:
• Number of Undead Pets and their upgraded versions depending on object difficulty: 13/26/37/47 → 14/28/40/50

Jebus Cross

• Starting areas:
• Artifact generation improved.
• Pandora's Box creature generation slightly improved.
• Guard strength for optional cities reduced by 35%.

• Number of Prisons slightly reduced.
• "Remote Foothold" generation adjusted: they now spawn more evenly, and the roads leading to them cover a larger area.
• Default creature count in external dwellings increased to 2× the standard growth.
• Default-built "Tavern" and "Mage Guild" removed from all cities. Other pre-built buildings have also been slightly adjusted.

• 2 mandatory guarded "Town Gates" added, allowing players to return to any city they own.
• Spells and creatures completely removed from Pandora's Boxes in these areas.
• Default creature count in external dwellings increased to 3× the standard growth.
• Each side area now guarantees one city matching the player's faction. All creature recruitment buildings are fully constructed in these cities and in the area's central city.

Arcade

• Maximum number of possible "Dragon Utopias" in the central area increased.
• Several artifacts unsuitable for this template have been removed from generation.
• Guard strength of objects in the central area increased.

Exodus

• Pandora's Boxes granting +3 and +4 to all hero stats can no longer generate in player final areas.
• Pandora's Boxes granting +1 and +2 to all hero stats are less frequent in player final areas, but their value (and external guard strength) has been increased relative to standard values.
• Creature dwelling generation in player starting areas adjusted: the statistical bias toward low-Tier dwellings has been removed.

Sprint

• All heroes now start with the "Primordial Chaos" spell, with its casting cost reduced to 0.
• The spells "Assemble!", "Groundsight," "From a Bird’s Eye," "Naira's Veil," and "Clear Fog" are fully blocked.
• Guard strength between areas increased.
• The number of Astrology points and Law points required to gain new levels has been reduced.
• All "Logistics" specialist heroes are banned.
• The number of unguarded resources in all areas has been reduced.

Harmony

• Template size reduced to 112×112 for more dynamic gameplay.
• Unguarded resource count reduced in all areas.
• Guard strength increased between the 2nd and 3rd areas of each player, and between the 3rd areas of both players.
• A mandatory "Redwood Observatory" added to the 2nd area.
• The 2nd area now contains two "Town Gates," positioned away from roads.

Vendetta

• More creature dwellings and "Town Gates" now generate in the starting area.
• More creature Pandora's Boxes now generate in the central area.

Jebus Outcast

• Several variations for starting area generation have been added to the template.

Miracle

• The generator now lays dirt roads to help players visually identify exits from the starting area more quickly.

Matchmaking

We hear your requests for the ability to play exclusively on the templates you prefer. As mentioned in the early access roadmap, this feature will definitely be added in the future. In the meantime, we've prepared a small change to the online game settings and rotated the templates available for competitive play.

Classic Mode

• Map rotation updated:
• Old set: Jebus Cross, Universe, Infinity, Last Fortress, Arcade.
• New set: Jebus Cross, Universe, Infinity, Sand Clover, Arcade.
• Jebus Cross is always included in the selection pool.

• Jebus Cross. +60 seconds added to the daily timer.
• Universe. −120 seconds from the starting timer.
• Infinity. −60 seconds from the starting timer.
• At high Ranks, combat time on all templates increased from 90/105 to the standard 120 seconds.

Single Hero Mode

• Map rotation updated:
• Old set: Harmony, Sprint, Exodus, Jebus Outcast, Vendetta.
• New set: Harmony, Sprint, Exodus, Blitz, Vendetta.
• Exodus is always included in the selection pool.

Arena Mode

We are beginning to plan a major arena update that will make battles even more engaging and exciting. It will arrive a bit later — but in the meantime, to keep things fresh, we're making some small balance adjustments to the current ruleset to shake up the meta.

• The following artifacts have been removed from the mode: "Orb of Inhibition," "Ring of Neutrality," "Monster's Head," "Chain Link," "Deck of Spells," and "Runestone Shards."
• The following artifacts will appear much less frequently: "Nightshade Tome," "Daylight Tome," "Arcane Tome," "Primal Tome," "Robe of Enlightenment," "Bottled Spells," and "Spellbinder’s Hat."
• Players are now offered a choice of 10 spells when building a loadout (previously 9).
• Level 4 spells no longer appear in the Arena. The chance of receiving a level 2 or 3 spell has been reduced.
• The number of creatures offered to players has been changed (values shown for standard/upgraded versions in "before → after" format):

Haven

• Tier 4. Lightweaver: 60/40 → 58/40.

Necropolis

• Tier 1. Skeleton: 350/265 → 370/280.
• Tier 3. Undead Pet: 135/95 → 130/90.
• Tier 4. Graverobber: 62/42 → 64/44.
• Tier 5. Lich: 56/38 → 54/36.
• Tier 7. Vampire: 22/12 → 22/13.

Grove

• Tier 1. Faun: 145/110 → 150/115.
• Tier 2. Hoplet: 100/75 → 105/75.
• Tier 3. Vine Iriyad: 70/50 → 75/55.
• Tier 4. Naiad: 52/38 → 52/36.
• Tier 5. Herbomancer: 32/22 → 35/24.
• Tier 6. Qilin: 20/12 → 24/15.

Schism

• Tier 1. Ra’shoth: 250/195 → 215/165.
• Tier 2. Cultist: 105/80 → 100/75.
• Tier 3. Aga'shoth Rider: 90/65 → 95/70.
• Tier 4. Great Shoth: 46/32 → 50/34.
• Tier 5. Concubus: 46/31 → 48/32.
• Tier 6. Arbitrator: 25/16 → 25/15.
• Tier 7. Abyssal Envoy: 13/7 → 12/7.

Hive

• Tier 1. Parasite: 190/145 → 180/140.
• Tier 2. Locust: 125/95 → 110/85.
• Tier 3. Hornet: 75/55 → 70/50.
• Tier 4. Scorpion: 66/46 → 58/40.
• Tier 5. Reaver: 30/20 → 27/18.
• Tier 6. Waurms: 23/14 → 20/13.
• Tier 7. Hive Queen: 13/8 → 12/7.

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💙 Unfrozen Team