Any benefit to doing story maps?

[Lampros]

I tend to skip these in most tactics/strategy games, but here will I actually get tangible benefits from them?

[PlutonArioch]

You will get access to some story related premade leaders with their own factions, for beating their story map. Otherwise nothing but some lore.

[Blanch Warren]

If you don't care you don't care. If you ever want a campaign in a more basic game, AOW 1 has a great campaign, and I am a fan of it's sequel. Still has a multiplayer community.

[Lampros]

Originally posted by PlutonArioch:

You will get access to some story related premade leaders with their own factions, for beating their story map. Otherwise nothing but some lore.

Thanks. One reason I don't like story maps is because I prefer to set the game pace to slowest, and I am worried that story AI factions will bypass that and get pre-arranged spells and units out of their buttocks. Is that the case here, too?

[Astasia]

Originally posted by Lampros:

I am worried that story AI factions will bypass that and get pre-arranged spells and units out of their buttocks. Is that the case here, too?

Yes, but only really on one of the main campaign stages. The rest are fairly chill. But ya there's no "bonuses" for doing the campaign and you only miss out on story and some cutscenes by skipping them. I'm pretty sure the story related factions are available as opponents in normal games and you can get them in your pantheon by fighting/playing them that way as well.

[Blanch Warren]

AOW 1 campaign makes up for poorer AI with hordes of units, and it was a blast. Famous to this day. Easy mode might be fine though, dunno.

[Midas]

You unlock additional pre-made heroes, but that's pretty much it.

[Lampros]

Originally posted by Midas:

You unlock additional pre-made heroes, but that's pretty much it.

I see; thanks!

[Balekai]

Yep new pre made heroes only basically. Sometimes some interesting unique map mechanics different than custom maps. If you're not really interested in the lore, story or premades then there's no need to actually do them save for fun.

That said the story maps are all independent of one another (no campaign), but add to the overall narrative of events over the course of the fourth Age of Wonders and how things unfolded.

[Lampros]

Originally posted by Balekai:

Yep new pre made heroes only basically. Sometimes some interesting unique map mechanics different than custom maps. If you're not really interested in the lore, story or premades then there's no need to actually do them save for fun.

That said the story maps are all independent of one another (no campaign), but add to the overall narrative of events over the course of the fourth Age of Wonders and how things unfolded.

Pre-made heroes offer just a cosmetic difference, right? Or are they more powerful or have unique skills?

[Astasia]

When you win a map your leader and the enemy leaders get added to your pantheon and you can flag them to show up as a random leader in your next games or as a random hero that occasionally gets added to your hero pool randomly during the game. They are just normal heroes, and AFAIK aren't actually worth using since they will have a different race from your own heroes.

There aren't any unique characters to get from doing the main campaign this way though (unless things have changed since release). You can just fight the same leaders on any random map and add them to your pantheon. There are "challenge realms" though that do have some "unique"leaders.

[aclyte]

Also, i like story maps in general - they add some optional quests and ways to win the map rather than basic conquest/expansion/magic.
It's quite fun - adds some variety to "basic" custom map.

[Beytran70]

Originally posted by Lampros:

Originally posted by Balekai:

Yep new pre made heroes only basically. Sometimes some interesting unique map mechanics different than custom maps. If you're not really interested in the lore, story or premades then there's no need to actually do them save for fun.

That said the story maps are all independent of one another (no campaign), but add to the overall narrative of events over the course of the fourth Age of Wonders and how things unfolded.

Pre-made heroes offer just a cosmetic difference, right? Or are they more powerful or have unique skills?

The main thing is that some of them are lore characters from past games, so some nostalgia there. You can play against them normally only, but can also unlock some over time from the story maps or the pantheon.

[Lampros]

Originally posted by Beytran70:

Originally posted by Lampros:

Pre-made heroes offer just a cosmetic difference, right? Or are they more powerful or have unique skills?

The main thing is that some of them are lore characters from past games, so some nostalgia there. You can play against them normally only, but can also unlock some over time from the story maps or the pantheon.

Ah, you can get them from the Pantheon? Then really zero benefit to doing Story map, as I see it. Thanks!

[Pantagruel]

There are some achievements tied to story maps, and a few of them have unique mechanics, but it's certainly not necessary.