Heroes 5 Creature Analysis

Level 1

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Shooter

Shooter / No Melee Penalty / Range Penalty

Recap:  Simply from a statistical viewpoint, the Scout is clearly the best unit of the bunch.  However, the Gremlin and the Pixie are both bargains for how useful they are.  The Gremlin is a high-growth ranged unit which is invaluable in the early portion of the game for clearing out mines and eliminating lower-level neutral wandering monsters.  While the Pixie should not be underestimated.  With outstanding speed coupled with a multiple-target attack, it's clearly a valuable unit.  But toss in the No Retaliation ability and you've got a unit that can get you through the tough early parts of the game.  As usual, the Peasant is the worst of the lot.  But at least with the Taxpayer ability, he's not completely worthless.  The Imp is much more durable than people think, especially when used in conjunction with the Demon Lord's Gating ability.  And lastly, the Skeleton...the basic skeleton is nothing to write home about, but considering how many you'll accumulate in a rather short period of time...your opponent sure won't be ignoring them.

Level 1:  Upgrades

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Shooter / Repair

Level 2

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Flying / Immunity to Lightning / Enraged

Level 2:  Upgrades

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Flying / Immunity to Lightning, Cold, Fire / Enraged

Recap:  The Blood Fury, War Dancer and Marksman are the cream of the crop in level 2.  The Obsidian Gargoyle, Horned Overseer and Plague Zombie are decent garrison troops, or maybe as ranged-unit defenders...but that's about it.  I'd suggest leaving these 3 at home to grow into a decent force.  The Blood Fury's No Retaliation ability makes her a great hit-and-run unit.  Just don't let her get into a melee or you'll see them drop like flies.  And at 175 a pop...that's some expensive cannon fodder.  Protect them at all costs.  The War Dancer is a tricky unit to use well.  With low hit points and low defense, if they get attacked they're fairly fragile.  But maneuvered correctly, they'll decimate the enemy before they know what hit them.

Level 3

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Mechanical / Immunity to Slow / Magic Proof

Recap:  Looking for a tank, look no further.  Level 3 is packed with them.  The Minotaur's 31 HP, the Stone Golem's magical defense (combined with Master Gremlins' repair ability), the Footman's defense, and the Ghost's Incorporeal ability make these some tough troops.  But if you're looking to bring the battle to the enemy, the Hunter is this Genie's choice.  That leaves the Hell Hound.  Nice speed and initiative, but below average defense and no Abilities suggests that you should leave these dogs in the pound until the upgrade.

Level 3:  Upgrades

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Mechanical / Immunity to Slow / Magic Proof / Unlimited Retaliation

Recap:  All of these units will serve you well, in their own unique capacities.  The Steel Golem and the Squire will serve as durable tank troops all the way up to the end of the game.  The Minotaur Guard and Spectre are both durable and can pack a punch.  The Master Hunter is fragile, but packs a wallop.  Protect them and they'll prove their worth, time and time again.  That again leaves the Cerberus.  With next to no defense, low hit points and a middle of the road attack & damage, the only thing that makes these dogs worth the purchase is their hit-and-run capabilities.  With a fantastic speed and initiative, they can dart into combat and duck back out rather quickly.  If they're maneuvered correctly then their damage jumps up to 12-18 when striking 3 units!

Level 4

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Shooter / Caster / Magic Attack / No Range Penalty

Recap:  Yet another solid and diverse group.  The Dark Raider is most likely the strongest unit here.  With 40 HPs, and well above average attack, defense and damage, he'll bring the fight to the enemies door-step.  The Mage is another tricky unit to operate.  Being a fragile ranged and spell casting unit, you'd be tempted to surround them to fend off melee attacks.  But their ranged attack will shoot through those protectors, killing them as well as the enemy.  A nice strategy however is to have some Master Gremlins next to them to resurrect the Golems surrounding both ranged units.  Just make sure you're able to repair ALL your Golems before the Mages kill off all their targets.  The Griffin and Succubus are both viable units, but it is suggested that you let them build up until you can afford the upgrades.  That's where they both REALLY shine.  While the Druid and Vampire are superb all-around units.

Level 4:  Upgrades

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Shooter / Caster / Magic Attack / No Range Penalty / Energy Channel

Recap:  While the stats don't tell the complete picture, the Imperial Griffin is one of the best level 4 units.  The Battle Dive ability will give your opponents fits.  Used correctly, it's nearly un-hittable.  The Grim Raider...what's not to like about this unit.  If you happen to have some protective spells such as Stoneskin, Deflect Arrows or preferably Resurrection...send these puppies into the midst of the fray and let them go to work.  The Lizard Bite ability really shines when you're in a crowd.  The Archmage finally gets some hit points, and at only 340 gold a piece...stock up on these bad-boys.  Their spells in large groups will really pack a punch.  The Druid Elder's Ice Bolt...wow.  Simply...wow.  The Vampire Lord isn't what you remember from Heroes 3, but he still more than holds his own.  With a nice bump to his attack and defense, he'll most likely drain enough life from the enemies to keep himself intact.  The Succubus Mistress.  Like the Imperial Griffin, her stats are quite deceiving.  Her Chain Shot ability combined with a Ranged Retaliation makes the enemy think twice about attacking these ladies.  Protect them and watch them decimate the enemy.

Level 5

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Flying / Random Caster

Recap:  My poor, beloved Genie...tossed to the waste-dump in favor of the Djinn.  *sigh*  Well, being the worst of the level 5 units doesn't help either.  But considering the low cost...I'll still buy them.  The Hydra is obviously head and shoulders above the competition here at level 5.  However, with their pitiful speed, initiative and bulky size, you might never get to see them shine.  If you manage to get the spell Teleport however....they're a sight to behold.  Of the remaining units, the Lich is surprisingly durable and potent.  With excellent attack and defense stats, coupled with a nice damage output (that is multi-square I might add) and you've got a beauty of a troop on your hands.  Well, 'beauty' might be too strong of a word.  Yuck, those suckers are UGLY!  Unless you're into that depressing skinless look.  The Priest is an average ranged unit that you'd be best served waiting for the upgrade.  And lastly, the ponies.  The Hell Charger's Fear Attack is nearly a percentage-based No Retaliation ability.  It kicks in MUCH more often than you'd think.  And lastly, the Unicorn.  While it comes with excellent damage and speed, there's really nothing very impressive about this unit.  Coupled with the fact that its a large unit makes it a bit difficult to maneuver.  However they make excellent guarding units for Sylvan's 2 ranged dynamos the Master Hunter and Druid Elder.  Keep them in the back to protect the fragile ranged units and to make the best use of its Aura of Magic Resistance ability.

Level 5:  Upgrades

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Flying / Random Caster

Recap:  The Djinn gets a boost.  And then some.  With a still well-below cost and the highest base damage, they're a steal.  Just make sure they don't get attacked or they'll quickly retreat into the saftey of their lamps.  40 hit points is an atrocity.  However, the Deep Hydra and the Archlich are the best of this particular bunch without a doubt.  The 2 Equine's are both decent, middle of the road kind of units....but neither the Nightmare or the Silver Unicorn are anything to write home about.  And last but not least, the Inquisitor is a durable and deadly ranged unit that no Haven force should leave home without.

Level 6

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No Retaliation

Recap:  If you can manage to get a hold of the spell Teleport, then the debate on the level 6 units is over.  The Treant is a monster.  But with a speed of 6 and an initiative of only 7, he needs some help.  If he gets it, the Treant will become the anchor of your Sylvan army.  Without the movement enhancements....middle of the pack.  While most all of the other level 6 units have potent Abilities, the Cavalier should NOT be overlooked.  With excellent battlefield mobility, superb damage and a cheap price...stock up on these ponies.  While most Necropolis units are average or below average units (statistical-wise), the Wight's lack of abilities makes it difficult to warrent spending 1400 gold on them.  However, his stats make him worth a purchase...in his upgraded form.  Leave the Wights alone to build up.  The Rakshasa Rani has some very durable looking stats.  However, they seem to be the focus of most attacks and tend to not last very long in my experience.  But with the right spells, they'll do a ton of damage.  The Shadow Witch is very fragile.  And with her potent combination of ranged attacks and spells she tends to be a focus for the enemy.  With only 80 hit points, she won't be around very long.  Of all the Dungeon units, she's probably the most disappointing unit.  The Pit Fiend.  While most people tend to look at them as spell casters (and why not with a combination of Fireball and Vulnerability) but where they really shine is in melee combat.  The only problem is getting them INTO melee combat.  With a pitiful speed of only 4 and a horrible initiative, you'll need to hope for some artifacts to boost them along or you'll rarely see them act.

Level 6:  Upgrades

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No Retaliation / Dash

Recap:  The biggest weakness for the Rakshasa Raja was it's speed/initiative.  With the Dash ability, that's no longer a problem.  While being an absolutely stunning unit visually, they're not just a pretty face.  They are just as versatile as my beloved Naga Queens were in Heroes 3.  (you have NO idea how painful that was to admit).  The Wraith would've been my pick as the top unit in this field, but after they lost their Incorporeal ability in the beta-testing phase, they've since dropped down to a middle of the pack unit.  The Pit Lord is even more potent in melee AND in spell casting.  With Meteor Shower, he'll insure that the enemy doesn't cluster together to protect their archers.  While in melee, his Vorpal Sword will make minced meat out of the opposition.  It triggers on both attacking AND retaliations.  The Ancient Treant got an extreme makeover during the beta-test.  While many don't care for their new look, they're still one heck of a unit.  With an unbelievable defense and over-the-top hit points, these will be some TOUGH trees to chop down.  The Shadow Matriarch...while she got some decent boosts to her stats with the upgrade, she's still somewhat of a disappointment when put next to her Dungeon counterparts.  Middle of the pack, at best.  Speaking of best, that title has to go to the Paladin.  With decent attack & defense, decent damage and hit points, you're probably wondering why this Genie's considering it the top of the heap.  Speed my friends...SPEED.  With the Jousting bonus and a speed of 8 and an initiative of 12 the Paladin FLIES across the battlefield.  And at only 1550 a pop...this unit is the cream of the crop.

Level 7

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Immunity to Mind Control

Recap:  Upon a quick inspection of the stats, the Bone Dragon is clearly the worst of the lot.  But numbers can be deceiving.  As the only level 7 unit in the game with a building to boost town growth, they'll be pumping out at 3 a week.  But even with that boost, they're still in the middle of the pack at best.  The Colossus is a bit of a disappointment.  While very expensive, he boasts very little in terms of real use.  As a melee unit, his speed of 6 is rather crippling.  The Devil (thankfully) got toned down in the beta-test so it's now a very worthy purchase.  But with fairly average stats and very little to offer in terms of abilities, he's in the middle of the pack as well.  The Angel is also surprisingly disappointing.  Wait for them to be upgraded and you'll be quite a bit happier.  That leaves the living dragons.  The Shadow Dragon is a devastating force to recon with, but being vulnerable to spells makes them a easy target for spell casters.  Holding off for the Black Dragons isn't a bad idea here.  The Green Dragons however are the best of the bunch in my opinion.  Excellent stats across the board, great speed and initiative, top of the line hit points AND they don't require a precious resource and we've got a winner.

Level 7:  Upgrades

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Immunity to Mind Control / Shooter / No Melee Penalty / Call Lightning

Recap:  I'm not sure if it's possible to pick the best unit here.  This is a VERY well balanced line-up.  At first glance, the Spectral Dragon would seem to be the worst unit.  But the additional growth rate combined with a very low cost leads this unit to be MUCH better than their stats lead you to believe.  The Archangel is about as versatile as they come.  With Resurrect Allies thrown in, they're a top flight pick.  The Arch Devil....while it's stats are middle of the road, the Summon Pit Lord ability really give it a boost.  The Titan, what's not to like about a level 7 ranged unit.  Nothing, that's what.  Absolutely great unit.  But as expected, the dragons lead the pack yet again.  However, the winner between these two may surprise you.  The Emerald Dragon gets the nod here.  While the Black Dragon has much better damage output, the large edge in Initiative will have the Emerald Dragon attacking much more often.  But all of this is nit-picking anyway.  Is there anybody out there that's going to shy away from ANY level 7 upgrades?  Doubtful....HIGHLY doubtful.