Movement
is about heroes' movement on adventure map. For movement in combat, see Movement (combat).
Movement typically refers to a hero's ability to travel on the adventure map. At the beginning of the day a hero has certain number of movement points, which are decreased towards zero as the hero moves on the map. The hero can not move anymore, when he has no movement points or he has too few to move the next square.
The amount of movement points a hero has for moving on the land depends mainly on the speed of the slowest creature in hero's army and the logistics secondary skill. If a hero is traveling with a boat on the water, then the speed of the slowest creature have no effect on the movement points. Additionally, artifacts (e.g. Boots of Speed) or adventure map locations (e.g. stables) can increase the amount of movement points a hero has.
When a hero moves on the map, his movement points are decreased. The amount of reduction depends mainly on the direction a hero moves and the terrain. Moving diagonally on the map consumes more movement points than moving vertically or horizontally. Moving diagonally consumes 1.41 (square root of 2) times the points compared to moving vertically or horizontally. Moving on swamp, snow, sand or rough terrains reduces hero's movement points more than other types of terrain. Moving on roads neglects the terrains effect and reduces the amount of movement points less than any type of terrain. With pathfinding secondary skill a hero can eliminate the terrain penalty completely. Additionally, the terrain penalty can be eliminated, if a hero only has creatures native to the above-mentioned terrain types in his army. Also, nomads have sandwalker special ability, which eliminates terrain penalty on sand.
Calculation
Movement points
Creature speed | Movement points |
3 | 1500 |
4 | 1560 |
5 | 1630 |
6 | 1700 |
7 | 1760 |
8 | 1830 |
9 | 1900 |
10 | 1960 |
11 | 2000 |
11 or more | 2000 |
The base movement is the number of points a hero has before the bonuses from artifacts, secondary skills or adventure map locations are included. The base movement is calculated from the speed of the slowest creature in hero's army. The slowest speed on creatures is three, which gives the hero 1500 movement points (see table). The movement points are received according to the speed of the slowest creature on hero's army at the beginning of the day. This means, that a hero will maintain his points even if slower creatures are transferred to his army later that day. The maximum number of movement points from the speed of the slowest creature is 2000. However, the speed of the slowest creature does not matter if a hero is moving on a water with a ship. Moving on water always gives a hero 1500 movement points.
A hero can gain more base movement points at the beginning of the day, if he is wearing Boots of Speed, which gives +600 points, or Equestrian's Gloves, which gives +300 points. It should be noted, that wearing two Equestrian's Gloves only gives the bonus once. Additionally, visiting stables will grant extra +400 base movement points for every day of that week. For moving on water with a ship, the Necklace of Ocean Guidance will give hero +1000 points, the Sea Captain's Hat will give +600 points and every lighthouse will give +500 points.
Logistics secondary skill will increase the base movement points received each day for moving on the land, whereas navigation will increase them if hero moves on the water with a ship. Logistics at expert level will increase the base movement by 30%, and navigation at expert level will increase the points received by 250%.
Adventure maps have locations, which will temporarily increase the amount of movement points. Stables will give +400 points for entire week. Watering hole, fountain of youth and rally flag will give hero +400 points for one day and oasis will grant +800 points. Logistics or navigation does not affect these bonuses.
Consumption of the points
Hero will consume the movement points when he moves on the map. The basic cost for moving horizontally of vertically is 100 points and 141 points for moving diagonally. Terrain penalty will increase this cost by 175% (swamp), 150% (snow and sand) or 125% rough). Other types of terrain do not have any penalty. All creatures have one native terrain, which means that if a hero is moving on a terrain with terrain penalty, and all the creatures in hero's army are native to that terrain, the terrain penalty is eliminated. This basically concerns three towns: fortress whose creature has swamp, tower whose creature has snow, and stronghold whose creatures has rough as native terrain. Additionally, a hero can eliminate terrain penalty of sand if he has at least one nomad on his army, because of their sandwalker special ability. Also, pathfinding secondary skill completely eliminates terrain penalties.
Moving on roads is also an exception to terrain penalty rule. No matter where the roads are laid, they always consume the same amount of movement points. When moving horizontally or vertically, traveling on dirt roads consumes 75 points, traveling on gravel road consumes 65 and traveling on cobblestone consumes 50 moving points.