Best sanctuary hero build?

[Vexlor]

I am new to the game and I like the sanctuary faction however I have no idea what I should build. I come from heroes of might & magic 5 and there wasn't this much freedom so I am kind of lost.

[kitayozamonk]

There isn't really a specific best build, and unlike other HoMM games you can't lock yourself out of something by filling up your skill set. Worst-case scenario - you'll just waste a point,
My personal preference is to have:
- single-target haste(or Rush might skill), single-target slow. Both are extremely useful for dealing with neutrals. Mass haste/slow are too weak in my opinion.
- any sort of heal, earth/light - in this game heals resurrect lost units and provide a lot of value.
- For magic hero - one single-target spell, one AoE spell, passive effects if you like them.
- For might hero - 3-4 active abilities, blood options are better in my opinion. Don't bother with damage magic on might heroes - it's damage will be disappointing. Once again - i prefer single-target options and not bothering with the mass ones.
- must-have passives: tactics(default army setup sucks), ambush(allows your men to hit first vs identical troops), Cleave if available.
---
After that - pick whatever you like. You prefer camping with ranged - you need archery 1/2(don't pick 3 if all your ranged has full range), Toughness is always useful, Giant slayer is good too. Don't shy away from simple +stat skills - constantly working passive is way better than another active skill, that you won't use.
---
NEVER PICK:
- Pathfinding - bugged, will increase movement penalty.
- Enlightenment - mathematically useless, even picked at lvl1 it will provide an extra level only closer to levelcap.
- Sabotage mine - AI has infinite resources, no point in reducing them.
- Plunder mine - just get architect 2 and leave hero in town - it'll save you way more than you could ever plunder.
---
Debatable ones:
- Diplomat - The game is very "clever". All the neutral stacks that will be willing to join you... won't grow with time. So, a month into a map you'll see a 100-man aggressive stack and 15-man friendly one. And unlike other HoMM games - there is no neutral respawns, so there is limited amount of units that this skill will net you on every map. But it can boost your start, so choice is yours.
- Mentor - there is no real value to having secondary heroes with levels close to your main hero. And in campaigns you'll recruit them at levels where you can get all the utility skills instantly. But eh, it might be fun. It enables "bumrushing" - sending out a mage hero with a single high initiative unit and a strong spell to repeatedly hinder your opponent.
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Last but not least - most skills are affected by your hero affinity. Simply put - if you tend to use blood skills - you might wanna to have your hero on blood path, not for extra skills, but for general efficiency increase.

[Vexlor]

Originally posted by kitayozamonk:

There isn't really a specific best build, and unlike other HoMM games you can't lock yourself out of something by filling up your skill set. Worst-case scenario - you'll just waste a point,
My personal preference is to have:
- single-target haste(or Rush might skill), single-target slow. Both are extremely useful for dealing with neutrals. Mass haste/slow are too weak in my opinion.
- any sort of heal, earth/light - in this game heals resurrect lost units and provide a lot of value.
- For magic hero - one single-target spell, one AoE spell, passive effects if you like them.
- For might hero - 3-4 active abilities, blood options are better in my opinion. Don't bother with damage magic on might heroes - it's damage will be disappointing. Once again - i prefer single-target options and not bothering with the mass ones.
- must-have passives: tactics(default army setup sucks), ambush(allows your men to hit first vs identical troops), Cleave if available.
---
After that - pick whatever you like. You prefer camping with ranged - you need archery 1/2(don't pick 3 if all your ranged has full range), Toughness is always useful, Giant slayer is good too. Don't shy away from simple +stat skills - constantly working passive is way better than another active skill, that you won't use.
---
NEVER PICK:
- Pathfinding - bugged, will increase movement penalty.
- Enlightenment - mathematically useless, even picked at lvl1 it will provide an extra level only closer to levelcap.
- Sabotage mine - AI has infinite resources, no point in reducing them.
- Plunder mine - just get architect 2 and leave hero in town - it'll save you way more than you could ever plunder.
---
Debatable ones:
- Diplomat - The game is very "clever". All the neutral stacks that will be willing to join you... won't grow with time. So, a month into a map you'll see a 100-man aggressive stack and 15-man friendly one. And unlike other HoMM games - there is no neutral respawns, so there is limited amount of units that this skill will net you on every map. But it can boost your start, so choice is yours.
- Mentor - there is no real value to having secondary heroes with levels close to your main hero. And in campaigns you'll recruit them at levels where you can get all the utility skills instantly. But eh, it might be fun. It enables "bumrushing" - sending out a mage hero with a single high initiative unit and a strong spell to repeatedly hinder your opponent.
--------
Last but not least - most skills are affected by your hero affinity. Simply put - if you tend to use blood skills - you might wanna to have your hero on blood path, not for extra skills, but for general efficiency increase.

Thanks for your insight, I really thought the Enlightenment was a must have so I was taking it level 1 always. I just have a question though, should I focus on 1 magic school or multiple? If 1 which is the in your opinion best to have?

[kitayozamonk]

I personally prefer water magic, due to it's control effects - ice bolt can completely stop a unit, Blizzard can hit a lot of targets several times and slow them and frozen ground will make them stay under it. There is a catch about it though - water resistance is the most widespread in the game - all undead and sanctuary units have it - so it might be not that good damage-wise.
In terms of "focusing" - no, you should take useful things from wherever you need them. For the same reason i prefer generic +2 to all magic power over +3 to specific school, because it'll boost my healing spells, mana reserves and attack of magic damage creatures.

[Vexlor]

Originally posted by kitayozamonk:

I personally prefer water magic, due to it's control effects - ice bolt can completely stop a unit, Blizzard can hit a lot of targets several times and slow them and frozen ground will make them stay under it. There is a catch about it though - water resistance is the most widespread in the game - all undead and sanctuary units have it - so it might be not that good damage-wise.
In terms of "focusing" - no, you should take useful things from wherever you need them. For the same reason i prefer generic +2 to all magic power over +3 to specific school, because it'll boost my healing spells, mana reserves and attack of magic damage creatures.

Okay thanks a lot!

[Qnemes]

Solo regeneration, reinforcements I, ambush, tactics I, logistic - are core skills for any main hero. Anything else is pretty straightforward depending on your affiliation. Pathfinding is bugged = useless, 30% more exp is also useless, snatch is good, stats like A/D can also be okay on some heroes/factions.