[Vilk]

Thanks. I don't think there's a single path the best valid for any game. I clearly go faster than all my previous attempt but the reason are spread through many points.

For example, in this game, I had inquisitors at Paladin Shop and Cemetery Temple, Cursed Ghost at Northern Beach of Arliana, Royal Snake at Young Witch in Swamps, Gift at Old Witch in Swamps, Magic Spring close to Polar Bear, Ancient Bear in Arliana Castle, Stone Skin at Islands South of Griffins Islands, Target deeper in the Cemetery, Banner of Faith at King Castle worthing 60k. You can add to that, Priests in almost all shops, Horsemen at Knight tent but no Knights, Archmage in usual places.

So the path I used is a mix between not lost time and pick items I consider important in time. From this base some example of decisions:

• Stone Skin is far from starting points, has no fight around doable until some level up. So I gave up consider getting it until late in game.
• Gift and Inquisitor are rather important because this bring a res tool. But to get Gift and Inq i had to pay them so I consider going into swamps later but sooner than being able to kill stuff around. And when i get there, i take opportunity to start all quests, Old Witch, Young Witch, Alchemist, Brown Frog, and even choose to do the youth potion quest. But i could do all of that because I could dodge without wait time and not lost much time because of dodging.- and killing asap strong armies there was pointless as anywhere quests will lead me there again later.
• In beginning Horsemen are very helpful to save time by allowing fewer loss. But each time I get there, the time lost is at least 35/40mn and in fact more because of the time required to get back to continue current stuff. So i organized to get there only three time. I wait be able to get 2 Horsemen from money and leadership point of view. Then next time before going to the Tent, I put the 2 Horsemen in the king castle. And third and last time I take care have a reserve and money to buy all still at tent and put in king Castle.
• Another example is Ancient Bear, not that far because in Arliana Castle but still. So first time I get there at same time I was going at Knight tent. Second time I put all I had in king castle before go buy a full stack at Arliana Castle. And once when leadership had increased multiple and still no path opportunity to buy more but instead I took opportunity to let them in castle and buy a full stack of bear that was on my path.
• Or Priest, later in the game I choose them instead of Archer only because I had them into many many shops unlike Archer and could get many opportunities to fill or increase the stack without to lost time.
• When a path is going to lead me close to a shop where I'll buy a scroll, I take care the path bring me first to a castle and that I sell enough scroll to have a slot to buy more scrolls.
• I also use probably all path shortcut and I'm sure this win significant time. There are some significants in all area and the game pathfinding and obstacles look could make you not see them a long time if you don't search them specifically and learn how use them despite the weird pathfinding.
• You can add to that all the more obvious like to organize quests parts to save walking time, to not rush at first shop if your stacks aren't at max size, to try beat an army on the path instead of dodging it and keep it for later (when it's possible), to try buy any useful item and scroll when you go at a shop to not lost time later to get back buy stuff, and so on.
• Close to Dragon Castle in Verlon I had a strong and very fast hero. dodging it was too much time lost and beat him not possible when I go first in Verlon. So I adapt my general path by not doing at all the Verlon part around this area and quests linked and keep them for later when anyway I had some walk and quest not far to do with barbarian quests.

For armies, that is also linked to game resources that are different from one game to another. Also it depends of the game progression. I used in time order:

• Archmage, Priest, Archer, Swordman
• Archmage, Horsemen, Ancient Bear, Priest, Archer
• Archmage, Horsemen, Bear, Priest, Archer (after a sum of leadership Increase I put Ancient Bear in King Castle and buy a full bear stack that was on my path)
• Archmage, Horsemen, Ancient Bear, Priest, Archer (Ancient Bear back)
• Archmage, Inquisitor, Horsemen, Ancient Bear, Priest
• Archmage, Inquisitor, Horsemen, Ancient Bear, Alchemist, Priest
• Archmage, Inquisitor, Horsemen, Ancient Bear, Cursed Ghost, Alchemist, Priest
• Archmage, Inquisitor, Cursed Ghost, Ancient Bear, Alchemist, Priest, Cursed Ghost in Reserve (At this point the leadership was really too high making the too low stack of Horsemen not an interesting option)
• Archmage, Inquisitor, Cursed Ghost, Ancient Bear, Royal Snake, Priest, Cursed Ghost in Reserve

I didn't used that much Cursed Ghosts in Darion but they was still a key for many very more difficult battles. But in no way they have been my single anwser. I will probably use them much more in Freedom Islands and later in the game.

EDIT: No I'm not a Priest fan, it's just an opportunist use in Darion, I won't bring any in Freedom Islands.