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.
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.
"Arboreal Dust Dowser" connects to "Sang Froid". While Forgotten Heroes will never make for premium governors, this change makes at least "Inspirational Leader" easier to reach.
Level 1: Army ignores movement penalties from terrain difficulty.
Army
2
Awestriker
Level 1: +25% Bribe cost reduction on army. With ELCP: +15 Dust on terrain with Village. Level 2: +25% Bribe cost reduction on army. With ELCP: Refreshes ruins in the governed region at the start of each winter.
Level 1: +20% Pearls received when collecting. +2 XP per collected pearl cluster. Level 2: +30% Pearls received when collecting. +3 XP per collected pearl cluster.
Army
3
Zealous Hands
Level 1: +20% Building Pearl Cost reduction on city. Level 2: +20% Building Pearl Cost reduction on city.
City
4
Chosen of Auriga
Level 1: +50% Health Penalty Reduction when retreating on army. Level 2: +50% Health Penalty Reduction when retreating on army.
Army
5
Coup de Grace
Level 1: +X% Attack where X is the percentage of Life lost by the target.
Level 1: +50 when embarked on hero. +100 when embarked on hero. Level 2: +50 when embarked on hero. +150 when embarked on hero. Level 3:+20 when embarked on hero. +30 when embarked on hero. +250 when embarked on hero.
Army
2
Cult of Tides
Level 1: +10 on city with oceanic exploitation. Level 2: +10 on city with oceanic exploitation. Level 3: +15 on city with oceanic exploitation. With ELCP: +0.1 per Approval above 100 on terrain with sea or lake.
City
3
Ingenious Admiral
Level 1: +20% on transport ship. +20% on transport ship. +1 Movement on transport ship. Level 2: +20% on transport ship. +20% on transport ship. +1 Movement on transport ship. Level 3: +20% on transport ship. +20% on transport ship. +1 Movement on transport ship.
Army
4
Ship Builder
Level 1: +10% (+15% with ELCP) Naval unit production cost reduction on city. Level 2: +15% (+10% with ELCP) Naval unit production cost reduction on city. With ELCP: +5% on city.
City
4
Spy Glass
Level 1: Enables Detection. Units with Detection can see invisible units. The Detection range is equal to the vision range. Ignores line of sight. With ELCP: +5 on infiltrated Hero. +15 Security on city.
Level 1: +1 on Volcanic terrain. Level 2: +1 on Volcanic terrain.
City
2
Heat of the Hearth
Level 1: +2 Approval for city center and expansions on Volcanic terrain. Level 2: +2 Approval for city center and expansions on Volcanic terrain. With ELCP: +2 for city center and expansions on Volcanic terrain.
City
3
Blazing Ingenuity
Level 1: +10% on city. Level 2: +10% on city. Level 3: +10% on city.
City
3
Reclamation Genius
Level 1: Reduces Dust cost of retrofit by 25%. Level 2: Gives the hero the Portable Forge ability, to allow army units to retrofit and the hero to re-equip in enemy and neutral territory, for 1 turn .
Army
4
Geomantic Wiles
Level 1: +1 resource on Strategic Resource deposit. Level 2: +1 resource on Strategic Resource deposit.
City
5
Bloodboiler
Level 1: +50% Attack on units during Dust Eclipse. Level 2: +50% Attack on units during Dust Eclipse.
Level 1: +1 on Terrain with Food. Level 2: +1 on Terrain with Food. Level 3: +1 on Terrain with Food.
City
2
Waste Not, Want Not
Level 1: -50% (Consumption) on City. Level 2: -50% (Consumption) on City.
City
2
Woodland Stride
Level 1: Army ignores Movement penalties from Terrain difficulty.
Army
4
Psychotropic Spores
Level 1: +0.5 Retaliation Damage per Fortification on City. Damage is spread across all Units of unfriendly Army at the start of the Turn. Level 2: +0.5 Retaliation Damage per Fortification on City. Damage is spread across all Units of unfriendly Army at the start of the Turn.
City
4
Necrotic Spores
Level 1: +10% Attack on Units. Level 2: +10% Attack on Units.
Army
5
Monster Hunter
Level 1: Grants Hero the Level 2 "Urkan Slayer" ability. Level 2: Grants Hero the Level 3 "Urkan Slayer" ability.
Level 1: +10 on city. Level 2: +10 on city. Level 3: +10 on city (no with ELCP). With ELCP: +1 per above 100 on city.
City
2
Benediction of the Sisters
Level 1: Adds the Benediction 2 capacity on hero: Provides immunity to an adjacent friendly unit and the adjacent friendly units against disease and any capacity lowering stats for 2 rounds. Heals the friendly unit and the adjacent friendly units for a life amount equal to 15% of the caster damage value. Level 2: Adds the Benediction 3 capacity on hero: Provides immunity to an adjacent friendly unit and the adjacent friendly units against disease and any capacity lowering stats for the battle. Heals the friendly unit and the adjacent friendly units for a life amount equal to 25% of the caster damage value.
Army
3
Tend the Flock
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. With ELCP: +5% Health Regen on city. 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. With ELCP: +5% Health Regen on city. 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. With ELCP: +5% Health Regen on city.
Army
4
Ascetic Warriors
Level 1: -50% on military upkeep in city. With ELCP: +1 per Unit in the City Garrison (Hero and Militia count aswell). Level 2: -50% on military upkeep in city. With ELCP: +1 per Unit in the City Garrison (Hero and Militia count aswell).
City
5
Merciless Wrath
Level 1: +10% Damage on hero. Level 2: +10% Damage on hero. Level 3: +10% Damage on hero.
Army
5
A Noble's Duty
Level 1: Food Income cannot be negative. Dust Income cannot be negative.
City
Note: If you play with ELCP there is some changes:
"Ascetic Warriors" got link to "Inspirational Leader".
Attributes Table
This table shows the base attributes of all heroes for easy comparison. This table does not include enemy heroes such as Agi Kinztak, as it is impossible to acquire those heroes in-game without using console commands.