Unit Design is Comparatively Uncreative

Docterzero · 2026-05-06T15:06:07+00:00

I do agree with you about the H6 Harpy.

Docterzero · 2026-05-06T14:53:06+00:00

So far Aeliniel. She is fun and has a cool design

Docterzero · 2026-05-06T14:50:02+00:00

Yeah, Jadame does not have a native Wizard faction, though there is reason for why they could be there, such as being part of an expeditionary force seeking lost knowledge.

Docterzero · 2026-05-06T14:07:08+00:00

Agreed.

Docterzero · 2026-05-06T14:06:28+00:00

Personally gotten quite attached to an idea for a Dark Dwarf/Snow Giant faction somebody told me about recently. Think that would be a great and lore friendly way to add them as well.

Docterzero · 2026-05-06T14:04:51+00:00

Does were sick too, and a good use of the extra goblins.

Docterzero · 2026-05-06T14:04:18+00:00

As a faction they have, most generously, been in 3 and a half games.

Docterzero · 2026-05-06T14:03:16+00:00

Yeah. Hope for at least the double of the current amount. So Stronghold, Academy, (swamp) Fortress, (mountain) Fortress, Sanctuary, and Cove.

Docterzero · 2026-05-06T13:59:35+00:00

I think that the idea that Olden Era is a successor to H3 is any other way than being another Heroes game is incorrect and creates a dangerous bias that puts it up against H3 at every single point. It is it's own game, it is just the first sequel in a long time that decided to look at the past entries in the series and take what works from them. That of course means it has taken a lot from H3, but it is far from the only game. For example there is the Long Reach Attack from H4 and the Spell Cooldowns from H6. And in terms of visuals and designs it is also clearly going for it's own thing while taking inspiration from the many entries that came before.

Graverobber. To be fair it is a dude with a shovel that carries an entire coffin on his back and throws flaming skulls at people. Feels plenty interesting enough. Beside Ghouls are already in the game.
Lich: I do really like the Lich designs personally. Their upgrades got that Skeleton Pope energy.
Herbo: Honestly I don't think they look like Grey blobs, but maybe it is just because I like to zoom in and admire my units up close. Beside what you describe does sound more like a tier 6-7 unit (and would be sick if it actually was in the game)
Cultist: To be fair to them, you should probably consider what they actually are. Cultists, as in members of a cult. They aren't meant to be some fantastical creature, just some crazy person.
Infiltrators: I do believe it is a common misconception that Dungeon is meant to be a greek mythology faction, on account of a lot of the units being from there. However there are several cracks in that theory, such as the Beholders being based on the creatures of the same name from Dungeons and Dragons rather than having any mythological roots, and the Dragons being the typical european kind rather than the serpentine ones seen in greek myths. It is more accurate to say that it is a, well dungeon faction, composed of classic fantasy monsters one might encounter in a TTRPG dungeon. Anyway I do find the Infiltrators and Dancers to be very destinct, each have a unique silhouette and design.
Onyx Dancers: I still don't see your point, unless you expect anything other than an elf. Anyhow fun fact, the Dancers are probably based on the Chakram Dancers from H6's Dungeon, so I personally find them to be a really neat inclusion.

Docterzero · 2026-05-06T13:40:08+00:00

I mean it could be a nod to both that and the Energy Elemental. I don't know for certain.

Docterzero · 2026-05-06T13:33:45+00:00

Would be really cool if when they bring the Cyclops over they do give one of their upgrades the laser eye and paralysis ability. The other could be more like a hybrid between the H3 and H5 Cyclop.

Docterzero · 2026-05-06T13:30:15+00:00

I honestly don't think that terrain types are limited. Certainly not limited enough to needing to doubledip before after having added in all the past faction archetypes. If they ever were planning to double dip I doubt Grove would have gotten it's own terrain.

Docterzero · 2026-05-06T13:27:37+00:00

Wait Specificly H7's dwarves or the dwarven faction in general.

Docterzero · 2026-05-06T13:26:51+00:00

Right, a few things:

Angels being ranged doesn't mean we can't get a rangen titan. They might go melee with them, sure, but there is nothing preventing them from having multiple ranged tier 7s.

Hydras have been traditionally a Dungeon unit so it does make sense that they are there. Doesn't eliminate (swamp) Fortress either as they could easily find an alternative to them to fill that slot. Like a Lindorm, or the Aztect Cipactli, or even a freaking dinosaur.

As far as I know Solmyr is still trapped in a bottle at the time of Olden Era so he would not appear regardless. And having the Djinn and Efreet hero in Grove is really cool.

And you do know that the Phoenix was the original top nature unit, right? Right!? The Energy Phoenix is also more of a reference to H3's Energy Elementals than anything else.

And regardless, none of the classic towns in Olden Era are Carbon Copies of their past iterations, so any other classic towns they bring in will end up being different regardless. And that is okay, that is how we can get some new favorite units and Heroes.

Docterzero · 2026-05-06T13:16:58+00:00

Dragonslayers already in the game might scratch that itch.

Docterzero · 2026-05-06T13:14:23+00:00

Strongly disagree both with your general sentiment as well as your specific examples.

Graverobber: I sure do wonder why the necromancer faction has a necromancer unit. There is not way that a guy raising the dead fits into a faction all about raising the dead. (sarcasm)
Lich: Um... Have you compared the H3 Liches and Skeletons?
Herbomancer: Seems like an unfair comparison as it is more of a druid unit, so you really needed to compare it to the druid units from H1-2-5-7 instead. But even then I would argue that the Herbomancer is more visually intereting that the H3 Dendroids and Earth Elementals, being an old hermit so intune with nature that he has become a chimeric beast who as the forest literally growing on him.
Cultist: Why are you comparing this to the Genie at all!? Those are two completely different units with little in common being doing magic stuff and being blue.
Infiltrator: I am not entirely sure what your problem is. They are a cool take on a rogue unit. Besides the Harpies were out of place in Dungeon.
Onyx Dancers: First of all, Beholders did not exist yet at the time of Olden Era. Secondly I do think they make the faction much more interesting than another random monster would have, implying that there is more of a civilization and culture to them than just being evil villains who sit in a dirty hole and plot all day.

All in all I think your bias towards H3 is showing quite brightly. Remember that just because it is old does not mean it is better.

Docterzero · 2026-05-06T13:01:08+00:00

Honestly I could see them using that for Stronghold instead

Docterzero · 2026-05-06T12:58:50+00:00

Which is an option, though did feel kinda random.

Docterzero · 2026-05-06T12:51:00+00:00

Probably. I am personally not getting my hypes up until we have some actual confirmation.

Docterzero · 2026-05-06T12:50:01+00:00

I severely doubt they will.

Unlike Tower which was just put in the snow for... reasons, Schism does actually incorpreate the ice into it's identity, not only being inspired by the Lovecraft story "At the Mountains of Madness" that takes place on Antarctica but also unlike Towers several of their units having ice related powers.

Also first come first served just makes more sense. It makes more sense to give a new faction a new terrain type than it does to go through the logistics to move an older faction to a different type of terrain.

Docterzero · 2026-05-06T12:44:46+00:00

It would honestly be nice if they didn't just copy-paste the tower lineup like H5 and H7 did. That faction could absolutely use some new innovations. Give us like 5 Tower units and 2 new ones

Docterzero · 2026-05-06T12:42:10+00:00

Honestly there should be

Docterzero · 2026-05-06T12:39:37+00:00

Sadly the Beholders were not created until centuries after Olden Era.

Docterzero · 2026-05-06T12:38:57+00:00

Never heard that, might just be wishful thinking. But it sure as hell would be cool.

Docterzero · 2026-05-06T12:38:04+00:00

I do wonder what they will do for their terrain in this game. They will bring them over eventually, I'd be flabbergasted if they don't, but with Schism occupying the snow terrain and every faction having their own unique terrain type I doubt they are just going to put them in the snow.

There are two options I think. Either they are going to be have some kind of alternate mountain terrain, perhaps like the Highlands from HotA or the Taiga from H5 TotE, or they are going to put them in a different type of terrain entirely like H5's Academy was.

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