HoMM: Olden Era Faction Guide — All Factions Ranked

Heroes of Might & Magic: Olden Era launches Early Access with six factions, each with a distinct mechanical identity. Whether you're a returning veteran from HoMM III or a newcomer to the series, choosing the right faction is your most important decision. This guide breaks down every faction — strengths, weaknesses, best units, hero classes, and who each faction suits best.

Quick Faction Comparison

🏛️ Temple — The Holy Order

Difficulty: Easy | Hero Classes: Knight, Cleric | Native Terrain: Grass

Temple is Olden Era's classic human faction — the closest spiritual successor to HoMM III's Castle. Temple armies are balanced, versatile, and built around Focus Points, a resource generated by certain units and spent on powerful buffs and abilities. If you want a faction that does everything well without complex gimmicks, Temple is your pick.

Strengths

• Excellent late-game power — Angels and Archangels resurrect fallen troops
• Flexible army composition with strong melee, ranged, and magic
• Focus system rewards smart ability usage
• Most forgiving faction for new players

Weaknesses

• Slow early-game ramp — needs time to build economy
• No standout snowball mechanic like Necromancy
• Predictable playstyle — experienced opponents can prepare counters

Best Units

• Griffin (Tier 4) — Excellent flying unit for map control
• Inquisitor (Tier 6) — Devastating magic damage dealer
• Angel (Tier 7) — Resurrection ability swings battles

💀 Necropolis — Lords of the Dead

Difficulty: Medium | Hero Classes: Necromancer, Vampire Lord | Native Terrain: Deathlands

Necropolis returns with its signature Necromancy mechanic. After each battle, a percentage of the fallen enemy army rises as skeletons under your command. This creates a powerful snowball — win small fights early to fuel larger armies later. The Vampire's life drain and the Lich's area damage make Necropolis an attrition powerhouse.

Strengths

• Unmatched snowball potential — each battle makes you stronger
• Vampires sustain themselves in prolonged fights
• Lich provides excellent area-of-effect damage
• Dread Knights deliver devastating critical hits

Weaknesses

• Very weak early game — limited ranged options
• Highly dependent on Necromancy value — bad fights set you back
• Can struggle against high-morale armies that act twice

Best Units

• Vampire (Tier 7) — Life drain and no retaliation attacks
• Lich (Tier 5) — Devastating area damage
• Dread Knight (Tier 6) — Critical hit machine

🌿 Grove — Wardens of the Wild

Difficulty: Easy | Hero Classes: Warden, Druid | Native Terrain: Autumn

Grove is a nature/fey faction with a heavy emphasis on ranged combat and map mobility. Its signature mechanic is the Mycelium Network, which lets you teleport between your own towns across the map — a huge strategic advantage for defending a sprawling empire. With abundant ranged units and the mighty Phoenix at Tier 7, Grove is both beginner-friendly and competitively strong.

Strengths

• Mycelium teleport network provides unmatched strategic mobility
• Multiple excellent ranged units — fight with minimal losses
• Phoenix is one of the best Tier 7 units in the game
• Forgiving early game with strong opening units

Weaknesses

• Below-average melee options
• Vulnerable in direct melee confrontations against rush factions
• Mycelium network needs investment before it pays off

Best Units

• Phoenix (Tier 7) — Fast, powerful, and rebirth ability
• Herbomancer (Tier 5) — Heals and buffs your army
• Aqualotl (Tier 4) — Strong ranged attacker with utility

🐉 Dungeon — Masters of the Deep

Difficulty: Medium | Hero Classes: Warlock, Overlord | Native Terrain: Dirt

Dungeon is widely considered the strongest faction in Early Access (S-Tier). Its unique mechanic gives every unit dual attack stances — letting you switch between different damage types, range, or effects each turn. This tactical flexibility means Dungeon always has the right tool for any situation. The Onyx Dancer is an absolute menace in the early game, and Cave Dragons shrug off magic completely.

Strengths

• Dual-stance system offers unmatched tactical flexibility
• Onyx Dancer dominates the early-midgame
• Magic-immune Black Dragons counter spell-heavy opponents
• Strong at every stage of the game

Weaknesses

• Requires more micro-management than other factions
• Stance management can be overwhelming for new players
• Likely to see balance adjustments in future patches

Best Units

• Onyx Dancer (Tier 3) — Best early-game ranged unit in the game
• Hydra (Tier 6) — Attacks all adjacent enemies at once
• Cave Dragon (Tier 7) — Magic immunity and devastating attacks

🪲 Hive — The Swarm

Difficulty: Medium | Hero Classes: Enforcer, Herald | Native Terrain: Lava

Hive replaces the traditional Inferno faction with an insectoid swarm that overwhelms opponents through sheer numbers. The Corpse Eater ability lets your units consume fallen enemies to heal, while the Hivemind passive grants bonuses when you field multiple different unit types in the same army. Hive is all about aggression — rush, attack, and never let up.

Strengths

• Exceptional early-game rush potential
• Corpse Eater keeps your army healthy between fights
• Hivemind rewards diverse army composition
• Hive Queen (Tier 7) spawns additional units during battle

Weaknesses

• Very limited ranged options — must close distance
• Falls off in drawn-out late-game wars
• Predictable rush strategy can be countered by defensive play

Best Units

• Hornet (Tier 3) — Fast flying ranged unit
• Reaver (Tier 6) — Devastating melee damage
• Hive Queen (Tier 7) — Spawns swarm units mid-battle

🔮 Schism — The Eldritch Pact

Difficulty: Hard | Hero Classes: Oathkeeper, Riftspeaker | Native Terrain: Snow

Schism is the most unique and complex faction in Olden Era. These ice elves (a faction that splintered from the Alvar) unlocked forbidden extraplanar power and now command eldritch horrors from beyond reality. Their core mechanic is Abyssal Communion — your army grows stronger with each consecutive victory you achieve in a week, but resetting after a loss creates a punishing risk/reward loop. Schism units can also summon replacements mid-battle, turning the tide when it looks bleak.

Strengths

• Highest ceiling in the game — unstoppable when snowballing
• Mid-battle summoning can swing fights instantly
• Unique unit roster with abilities no other faction has
• Punishes opponents who let you chain victories

Weaknesses

• Steepest learning curve — not for new players
• Weak early game, heavily dependent on surviving to midgame
• Abyssal Communion resets on loss — one bad fight ruins your momentum
• Currently the lowest-tier faction in competitive play

Best Units

• Grand Shoth (Tier 4) — Powerful caster with tentacle summons
• Arbitrator (Tier 6) — Controls enemy movement
• Abyssal Envoy (Tier 7) — Devastating extraplanar horror

How to Choose Your Faction

Still undecided? Here's a quick decision guide based on your preferred playstyle:

• First time playing HoMM? Start with Temple — straightforward, forgiving, and teaches you the game's core systems without punishing mistakes.
• Love ranged combat? Pick Grove. The Mycelium network is a bonus that experienced players will learn to exploit.
• Want to dominate from turn one? Dungeon is the current top-tier choice, though expect balance changes as Early Access continues.
• Enjoy the grind? Necropolis turns every small skirmish into long-term army growth.
• Play aggressively? Hive rewards constant pressure and quick decisive strikes.
• Veteran looking for a challenge? Schism has the highest skill ceiling and the most satisfying payoff when mastered.