Age of Wonders III – Guide to Class and Race Combinations

Some units from certain class/race combinations have unique properties. This guide lists those changes.

Class and Race Combinations Overview

All credit goes to mauvebutterfly!

Introduction

When you start a new game you need to choose your leader. Your class and your race affect many parts of the game, but not all of those are shown up front. In particular, some of the racial class units get bonus abilities that aren’t shown. This guide will show all of those bonus abilities. If you’re looking to start a new game but don’t know what kind of leader to play, maybe something here will give you some ideas.

I will not be including all the details about the units, just the ones that are above and beyond what you would normally expect. For example, a draconian apprentice has fire resistance. This is because it is a draconian; all draconians have fire resistance. Even though apprentices from other races don’t have fire resistance, this is not interesting enough to be included in this list. Draconian apprentices also have the fire bomb ability. This is interesting, since this is a special perk given to the draconian apprentice that is not given to any other apprentices or to draconian units generally.

If all units of a type have a similar ability but there is variation in what that ability does, I will also be including that here. To use the draconian apprentice as an example again, this unit has fire bolts (fire). This is different from an orc apprentice that uses fairy fire (cold, fire, shock). In cases like these I will include these abilities for reference.

Finally, I usually play this game using the PBEM balance mod. This guide was made for the base unmodded units before the PBEM mod was considered. If anything listed in this guide is followed by (PBEM) that means that it’s unique to the mod and not to the base game.

Arch Druid

Draconian

Shaman

• has Fire Bolts (fire damage) in addition to Poison Bolts (blight damage)

Dwarf

Hunter

• is Armored

Shaman

• is Armored

Goblin

Hunter

• has Wetlands Concealment
• has Blight Concealment (PBEM)

Shaman

• melee attack does blight damage in addition to physical damage
• has Inflict Noxious Vulnerability

High Elf

Hunter

• has a Longbow (no range penalty)

Shaman

• has Total Awareness

Human

Hunter

• has Throw Net
• has Water Concealment

Orc

Hunter

• has Throw Javelin instead of Shoot Bow (orc hunters do so much more damage with Throw Javelin than other orc units for some reason)
• has a Shield
• has War Cry

Shaman

• has Bane Fire (blight, fire, spirit damage) instead of Poison Bolts (blight damage)
• has War Cry

Halfling

Hunter

• has Monster Slayer

Shaman

• has Minor Bard Skills

Frostling

Hunter

• has Arctic Concealment

Shaman

• has Frost Bolts (frost damage) instead of Poison Bolts (blight damage)
• has Inflict Chilling
• has Arctic Concealment

Tigran

Hunter

• has Throw Blades instead of Shoot Bow
• has Coup de Grace
• has Razor Projectiles

Shaman

• can transform into a Were Bear

Dreadnought

Draconian

Engineer

• has Inflict Immolation

Dwarf

Engineer

• has Projectile Resistance

Goblin

Engineer

• Blunderbuss also does blight damage
• Flash Bang also does blight damage
• has Inflict Noxious Vulnerability

High Elf

Musketeer

• has Forest Concealment

Juggernaut

• doesn’t have Tree Crusher (PBEM)

Human

Engineer

• has Throw Net

Orc

Engineer

• has Razor Projectiles

Halfling

Golem

• is called a Party Robot Prototype and has Nourishing Meal

Juggernaut

• doesn’t have Tree Crusher (PBEM)

Frostling

Tank

• produces a Frost Tank instead of a Flame Tank

Tigran

Engineer

• has Sprint

Rogue

Draconian

Scoundrel

• has Improved Wall Climbing

Assassin

• has Improved Wall Climbing

Succubus

• Melee Strike also does fire damage

Dwarf

Scoundrel

• is Armored

Bard

• has Shoot Heavy Crossbow instead of Shoot Light Crossbow

Assassin

• has Projectile Resistance

Succubus

• has Projectile Resistance

Goblin

Scoundrel

• Shoot Light Crossbow also does blight damage
• has Wetlands Concealment

Bard

• Shoot Light Crossbow also does blight damage

Assassin

• has Wetlands Concealment
• has Blight Concealment

Succubus

• Melee Strike also does blight damage

High Elf

Scoundrel

• has Forest Concealment

Bard

• has a Longbow (no range penalty)

Succubus

• has Total Awareness
• doesn’t have the base 60% Blight Protection, leaving it with 20% Blight Weakness
• in PBEM mod it has a total of 20% Blight Protection instead

Human

Scoundrel

• has Throw Net

Assassin

• has Water Concealment
• can Swim

Orc

Scoundrel

• has Throw Javelin instead of Shoot Light Crossbow (this actually does less damage)

Bard

• has Razor Projectiles

Assassin

• is Tireless

Succubus

• has War Cry

Halfling

Scoundrel

• has a Slingshot instead of Shoot Light Crossbow

Bard

• has a Slingshot instead of Shoot Light Crossbow

Frostling

Scoundrel

• gains Arctic Concealment at Veteran rank
• in PBEM mod it starts with Arctic Concealment instead

Assassin

• has Frost Weapons (Assassin’s Strike and Melee Strike also do cold damage)
• has Arctic Concealment

Succubus

• Melee Strike also does frost damage
• has Inflict Chilling
• doesn’t have the base 60% Fire Protection, leaving it with 40% Fire Weakness

Tigran

Scoundrel

• has Inflict Bleeding Wounds

Assassin

• has Coup de Grace
• is Bloodthirsty

Succubus

• Melee Strike also does fire damage
• is Bloodthirsty
• has an additional 40% Frost Weakness, for a total of 60% Frost Weakness

Sorcerer

Draconian

Apprentice

• has Fire Bolts (fire damage)
• has Fire Bomb

Dwarf

Apprentice

• has Fairy Fire (frost, fire, shock damage)
• is Armored

Goblin

Apprentice

• has Bane Fire (blight, fire, spirit damage)

High Elf

Apprentice

• has Fairy Fire (frost, fire, shock damage)
• has Total Awareness

Human

Apprentice

• has Fairy Fire (frost, fire, shock damage)

Orc

Apprentice

• has Fairy Fire (frost, fire, shock damage)

Halfling

Apprentice

• has Fairy Fire (frost, fire, shock damage)
• has Minor Bard Skills

Frostling

Apprentice

• has Rime Fire (blight, frost, spirit damage)
• has Frost Weapons (Melee Strike also does frost damage)
• has Inflict Chilling

Tigran

Apprentice

• has Magic Bolts (fire, spirit damage)

Theocrat

Draconian

Crusader

• has Improved Wall Climbing

Evangelist

• has Fire Bolts

Exalted

• has Charge

Dwarf

Crusader

• has Defensive Strike

Evangelist

• is Armored

Goblin

Martyr

• Throw Stones also does blight damage

High Elf

Evangelist

• has Total Awareness

Human

Martyr

• has Spirit Blast (spirit damage) instead of Throw Stones (physical damage)

Evangelist

• has Spirit Ray

Orc

Martyr

• has Throw Javelin instead of Throw Stones (difference is just cosmetic)

Crusader

• is Tireless

Exalted

• has War Cry

Halfling

Martyr

• has a Slingshot instead of Throw Stones

Evangelist

• has Minor Bard Skills

Frostling

Crusader

• has Frost Weapons (Melee Strike also does frost damage)

Exalted

• has Frost Weapons (Melee Strike also does frost damage)

Tigran

Martyr

• has Inflict Bleeding Wounds

Crusader

• has Sun Shield

Exalted

• is Bloodthirsty

Warlord

Draconian

Berserker

• has Improved Wall Climbing

Monster Hunter

• has Fire Spit (fire damage) instead of Shoot Light Crossbow (physical damage)

Mounted Archer

• Melee Strike also does fire damage

Manticore Rider

• Melee Strike also does fire damage
• has Inflict Immolation

Dwarf

Berserker

• has Projectile Resistance

Monster Hunter

• has Shoot Heavy Crossbow instead of Shoot Light Crossbow

Mounted Archer

• is Armored

Phalanx

• has Defensive Strike

Manticore Rider

• has Defensive Strike
• has a Shield

Goblin

Monster Hunter

• Shoot Light Crossbow also does blight damage

Mounted Archer

• has Forestry
• has Overwhelm

Phalanx

• has Life Steal

Warbreed

• has Disgusting Stench

Manticore Rider

• Melee Strike also does blight damage
• has Inflict Severely Poisoned
• has Inflict Weakened

High Elf

Mounted Archer

• has a Longbow (no range penalty)

Manticore Rider

• Melee Strike also does shock damage
• has Inflict Stun

Human

Mounted Archer

• has Blessed Arrows (Shoot Bow also does spirit damage)

Manticore Rider

• has Devastating Charge

Orc

Berserker

• has War Cry

Monster Hunter

• has Throw Javelin instead of Shoot Light Crossbow (this actually does less damage)

Mounted Archer

• has Razor Projectiles

Phalanx

• has War Cry

Warbreed

• is Tireless

Manticore Rider

• has Guard Breaker
• has War Cry

Halfling

Monster Hunter

• has Fireworks (physical, fire damage) instead of Shoot Light Crossbow (physical damage)

Manticore Rider

• has Wing Beat

Frostling

Berserker

• has Frost Weapons (Melee Strike also does frost damage)

Monster Hunter

• has Frost Weapons (Melee Strike also does frost damage)
• has Throw Harpoon (physical, frost damage) instead of Shoot Light Crossbow (physical damage)

Mounted Archer

• Melee Strike also does frost damage

Phalanx

• has Frost Weapons (Melee Strike also does frost damage)

Warbreed

• has Frost Weapons (Melee Strike also does frost damage)

Manticore Rider

• has Frost Weapons (Melee Strike also does frost damage)
• has Inflict Chilling

Tigran

Berserker

• has Pounce
• is Bloodthirsty
• has Improved Wall Climbing

Monster Hunter

• has Coup de Grace
• has Inflict Bleeding Wounds

Phalanx

• has Sun Shield

Warbreed

• is Bloodthirsty

Manticore Rider

• has Pounce
• is Bloodthirsty
• has Inflict Bleeding Wounds

Necromancer

Draconian

Reanimator

• has Bane Fire (blight, fire, spirit damage) instead of Black Bolts (blight, frost damage)

Death Bringer

• has Improved Wall Climbing

Dwarf

Reanimator

• is Armored

Goblin

Reanimator

• Melee Strike also does blight damage

Death Bringer

• has Inflict Severely Poisoned

High Elf

Reanimator

• has Total Awareness

Human

Death Bringer

• Melee Strike does spirit damage instead of blight damage

Orc

Reanimator

• has Throw Curse

Death Bringer

• has War Cry

Halfling

Reanimator

• has Memories of Joy

Death Bringer

• has Backstab

Frostling

Reanimator

• has Inflict Chilling

Death Bringer

• has Frost Weapons (Melee Strike also does frost damage)

Tigran

Death Bringer

• is Bloodthirsty