Heroes aren't just powerful fighters; they have a "sphere of influence" that buffs any friendly unit standing within it, encouraging active frontline leadership rather than back-line turtling. The GOG Advantage

For many modern players, the is the gold standard for several reasons:

Your hero can level up past 50, collecting powerful items and building a "retinue" of loyal soldiers that follow them from battle to battle.

By the third installment, there were 16 playable races and 28 character classes . You could play as a merchant boosting income, an assassin with instant-kill chances, or a necromancer summoning free undead labor.