Fear (spell)

This article refers to the hidden spell. Azure Dragons have special ability with the same name.

Fear (spell)
	School:	Earth Magic
	Level:	4
	Cost:	16/8
	Duration:
Basic effect
Strikes an enemy unit with such fear that it becomes unable to attack and nearly unable to move.
Advanced effect
Same as basic effect, but penalty to movement is twice that of basic fear.
Expert effect
Same as basic effect, but penalty to movement is three times that of basic fear.
Probability of occurrence (%):
Castle    Rampart    Tower    (*) Inferno    Necropolis    Dungeon    Stronghold    Fortress    Conflux    Cove     Factory     * Without Library

Fear spell is apparently a disabled feature of Restoration of Erathia version 1.2. The spell could not appear in Mage Guild, but a hero could get a message after defeating the guards in a Pyramid, that he has learned Fear spell: - "Upon defeating the monsters, you decipher an ancient glyph on the wall, telling the secrets of the spell - 'Fear ( disabled )'." However, it also informs that the spell is disabled, and it will never appear in the spell book. The feature was removed in version 1.3.

Greg Fulton, one of lead designers of HoMM3, answered the question why the spell was cut from the game:

The Fear spell was ‘cut’ because it was little more than ‘bad morale’ in another form.  Later, I thought it was better to convert the mechanic into the Fear ability for the Azure Dragon.

Fanstratics Newsletter #5 (January 2021)