Heroes (Dev Diary #4)

[p]This week we want to talk to you about a staple of fantasy strategy and returning feature from Endless Legend 1: Powerful heroes that can join your armies.[/p][p][/p][p]These heroes become a vital part of your military as they gain experience, unlock powerful skills, and discover powerful items. Whether you are training them to be a powerful fighter or a capable leader, your heroes will have a big impact on your battles. Luckily, you begin every game with a hero already leading your army and more will join you as you progress through the eras. If that isn’t enough for you, there’s a mercenary market to boot, but unlike those who join you of their own volition, mercenaries expect to be paid in cold, hard Dust.[/p][p][/p][h2]Skill Issue[/h2][p]Every hero belongs to a faction and one of the four classes – Defender, Warrior, Archer, and Caster. Each major faction offers a variety of heroes from up to three different classes that reflect their military forces, while minor factions each provide one unique hero. For example, the Necrophage can recruit Warriors, Defenders, and Archers that resemble the Necrodrone, Behemoth, and Spitter units.[/p][p][/p][p]As they level up, your heroes earn skill points they can spend to unlock various skills. This can generally be done freely, but more powerful skills sit in higher tiers that need to be unlocked by spending skill points on lower tier skills first, and a handful of skills build on each other through prerequisites. While every hero has access to a few generic skills, most of their skills will reflect their faction, class, and the combination of both in the form of hybrid skills. For example, an Aspect archer will gain a higher critical hit chance when a friendly unit near them defends, while a Kin Archer will gain bonus damage against targets already in melee.[/p][p]
[/p][carousel][/carousel][p][/p][p]Most skills are passive effects that grant the hero or the units in their army a bonus to their combat stats like health or damage or additional rewards after battle like Dust, experience, or items. However, most classes and factions have access to a few Active Abilities that the hero can use once during each battle, including powerful effects like teleportation, healing, or area of effect attacks.[/p][p][/p][p]Skill points can also be used to increase a hero’s attributes, which will improve the effect of associated skills. This allows you to either specialize your hero by picking a few skills and investing in the associated stat or create a more well-rounded fighter by picking up many different skills.[/p][p][/p][h2]Gearing Up[/h2][p]No matter how skilled your heroes are, they will do better if they can bring the right tools for the job. As you explore Saiadha, complete quests, and clear fortresses, you may find a variety of items that your heroes can equip. Each hero can equip four different items at the same time:[/p][p][/p]

[p]Weapons are your main source of damage, grant an active skill, and often also give passive skills or attribute bonuses. Defender weapons also increase defense.[/p]
[p]Armor boosts health and defense and often features passive skills or attribute bonuses.[/p]
[p]Accessories boost stats and grant passive skills.[/p]
[p]Consumables provide a powerful single-use active skill.[/p]

[p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]Inner Circle[/h2][p]Your heroes may be a force to be reckoned with during battles, but that does not mean they cannot benefit your empire at large. Even while they are exploring Saiadha or winning battles for you, your heroes may serve on your council to provide a variety of economic bonuses to you. At the start of the game, you can only appoint two councilors, but this number will grow across the game.[/p][p]
[/p][p][/p][h2]The Friends We Made[/h2][p]Once they have gained some experience, your heroes can settle down in your territory and build a little Haven for themselves, which will count as a district in your cities and yield resources based on the hero’s level. Once they have a haven, your heroes can also choose a companion who will grant them additional bonuses and be involved in various narrative events surrounding the hero.[/p][p]
[/p][p]If your empire counts more than one hero among their ranks, they can form friendships and support each other in battle. But they might also make enemies or earn a personal nemesis.[/p][p]
[/p][p][/p][p]
[/p]