Heroes are unique units that can be assigned as the Governor of a city, the General of an army, or a Spy in an enemy city. They usually have a few unique capacities suited towards one role or the other, as well as access to three skill trees, which they can gain additional skills from as they level up. Heroes are mostly obtained from the Marketplace, but one is given to each empire at the start of the game, and a few can be obtained as rewards for completing certain quests.
Since the heroes from a given faction always have the same unit type - i.e. a Wild Walkers hero will always be Ranged - heroes are listed based on their faction, rather than Unit Type.
Note: If you play with ELCP there are Mercenary Corps technology for all factions except Roving Clans and Freelance Guards exclusive to the Roving Clans, that reduce the market Buyout cost of Heroes by 20%.
Level 1: +1 on terrain with river. Level 2: +2 on terrain with river. Level 3: +2 on terrain with river.
City
2
Dust Diviner
Level 1: +1 on terrain with dust. Level 2: +1 on terrain with dust. Level 3: +1 on terrain with dust.
City
2
Distributed Defenses
Level 1: +10% Defense on units. Level 2: +10% Defense on units. Level 3: +10% Defense on units.
Army
3
Mining Authority
Level 1: +0.5 resource (Strategic and Luxury ) on deposit. Level 2: +0.5 resource (Strategic and Luxury ) on deposit. Level 3: +0.5 resource (Strategic and Luxury ) on deposit.
City
4
Siege Engine
Level 1: +2 Fortification Damage per turn on units. Level 2: +2 Fortification Damage per turn on units. Level 3: +4 Fortification Damage per turn on units.
Army
5
Dust Trickery
Level 1: +15% on city. Level 2: +15% on city. Level 3: +15% on city.
Level 1: +2 on city center. +2 on district. Level 2: +2 on city center. +2 on district. Level 3: +2 on city center. +2 on district.
City
2
Escape Artist
Level 1: Allows the hero to leave besieged cities.
Any
2
Thick Skinned
Level 1: +15 Defense on hero. Level 2: +20 Defense on hero. Level 3: +20 Defense on hero.
Army
3
Subterranean Networker
Level 1: +4 Fortification Recovery per turn on city. Level 2: +8 Fortification Recovery per turn on city. With ELCP: +1 per unused Fortification Recovery on terrain with Strategic Resources. Level 3: +8 Fortification Recovery per turn on city. With ELCP: +1 per unused Fortification Recovery on terrain with Strategic Resources.
City
4
Tunnel Rat
Level 1: No blockade penalty on FIDS
City
5
Mechanical Exhibitionist
Level 1: +1 per trade route. +50% on city trade routes. Level 2: +1 per trade route. +50% on city trade routes. Level 3: +2 per trade route. +100% on city trade routes.
Level 1: +2 on city center. +2 on district. Level 2: +2 on city center. +2 on district. Level 3: +2 on city center. +2 on district.
City
2
Escape Artist
Level 1: Allows the hero to leave besieged cities.
Any
2
Thick Skinned
Level 1: +15 Defense on hero. Level 2: +20 Defense on hero. Level 3: +20 Defense on hero.
Army
3
Subterranean Networker
Level 1: +4 Fortification Recovery per turn on city. Level 2: +8 Fortification Recovery per turn on city. With ELCP: +1 per unused Fortification Recovery on terrain with Strategic Resources. Level 3: +8 Fortification Recovery per turn on city. With ELCP: +1 per unused Fortification Recovery on terrain with Strategic Resources.
City
4
Tunnel Rat
Level 1: No blockade penalty on FIDS
City
5
Mechanical Exhibitionist
Level 1: +1 per trade route. +50% on city trade routes. Level 2: +1 per trade route. +50% on city trade routes. Level 3: +2 per trade route. +100% on city trade routes.
Level 1: +8 on city. Level 2: +8 on city. Level 3: +14 on city.
City
2
Slave Driver
Level 1: +12% Unit cost reduction on city. Level 2: +12% Unit cost reduction on city.
City
3
Roadside Picnic
Level 1: +5% Health regen in owned region on army. +5% Health regen in allied region on army. Level 2: +5% Health regen in owned region on army. +5% Health regen in allied region on army. Level 3: +5% Health regen in owned region on army. +5% Health regen in allied region on army.
Army
3
Cadaverous Pesticides
Level 1: +15% on city. Level 2: +15% on city. Level 3: +15% on city.
City
4
Berserker Pheromone
Level 1: +25% Attack on hero.
Army
5
Iron Constitution
Level 1: +5% Health regen in owned region on army. +5% Health regen in allied region on army. +5% Health regen in non-allied region on army. Level 2: +5% Health regen in owned region on army. +5% Health regen in allied region on army. +5% Health regen in non-allied region on army. Level 3: +5% Health regen in owned region on army. +5% Health regen in allied region on army. +5% Health regen in non-allied region on army.
Level 1: +2 on terrain with anomaly. Level 2: +3 on terrain with anomaly. Level 3: +3 on terrain with anomaly.
City
2
Feet on the Street
Level 1: +100% Ownership recovery rate on city. Level 2: +50% Ownership recovery rate on city. x0 Expansion disapproval on city
City
2
Safe Passage
Level 1: +25% trade route bonus on city trade routes. Level 2: +25% trade route bonus on city trade routes. Level 3: +50% trade route bonus on city trade routes.
City
3
Fast Trader
Level 1: +1 per trade route. +50% on city trade routes. Level 2: +1 per trade route. +50% on city trade routes. Level 3: +2 per trade route. +100% on city trade routes.
City
4
Game Theory
Level 1: +12% Unit cost reduction on city. Level 2: +12% Unit cost reduction on city.
City
5
Black Marketeer
Level 1: Allows the city to create trade routes with empires in cold war or war.
Level 1: Prevents the army from being attacked by roaming armies.
Army
5
Cultural Ambassador
Level 1: +10 on city. With ELCP: +1 per Approval above 100 on terrain with Village. Level 2: +10 on city. With ELCP: +0.3 per Approval above 100 on terrain with Village. Level 3: +10 on city.
City
5
Battlesaur
Level 1: +10% Life on units. Level 2: +10% Life on units. Level 3: +10% Life on units.
"Friendly Banner" is available earlier on Level 2 (when it is actually useful).
"Raptors Eye" moved to Level 3 and connects to "Narrative Master" and "Defender" in order to provide a better path towards "Inspirational Leader".
"Cultural Ambassador" directly connects to "Narrative Master", "Cold Operator" and "Battlesaur", offering alternative skill paths for generals and governors.
Level 1: +1 per in city. +1 per in city. +1 per in city. +1 per in city. +1 per in city. Level 2: +1 per in city. +1 per in city. +1 per in city. +1 per in city. +1 per in city. Level 3: +1 per in city. +1 per in city. +1 per in city. +1 per in city. +1 per in city.
City
2
Will of Cilginka
Level 1: +10% Attack on units. Level 2: +10% Attack on units. Level 3: +10% Attack on units.
Army
2
Will of Akili
Level 1: +15% on city. Level 2: +15% on city. Level 3: +15% on city.
City
3
Will of Isiver
Level 1: +10% Defense on units. Level 2: +10% Defense on units. Level 3: +10% Defense on units.
Army
4
Proselytizer
Level 1: +15% on city. Level 2: +15% on city. Level 3: +20% on city.
City
5
Tools of the Enemy
Level 1: +15% on city. Level 2: +15% on city. Level 3: +15% on city.