Spells offered at beginning of missions

[Naki]

In some missions, you get to choose between some creatures/resources/artifacts and a spell. I want to ask, if you choose the spell, you don't actually need to have knowledge of that spell school, right? For example, you don't have Dark Magic, and get offered Puppet Master - you can still choose it, right?

[FreshHope]

Yes, even if you dont have the required spell expertise, if you select the spell at the start of mission, it'll appear in your spell book permanently. Eg, if you're offered 'Blind' and you dont have dark spell skill, once you select this option, you'll be able to cast 'Blind' at no expertise lvl.

[Infiltrator]

Spells are most possibly the wisest choices in the early missions, so be sure to select them if you know your hero doesn't have them.

[Mytical]

Yeah it is amazing how little the extra creatures helps sometimes. Sure at first they may help you spread a little faster, but after they are gone, they are gone. Gold is next lowest on the list (the once it is gone its gone thing). Then buildings (a little more helpful sometimes). But it really does depend. For instance a choice between: 1) sack of Endless gold.

2) City hall upgrade

3) 10000 gold.

It really depends on the map, the difficulty, and your strategy.

Long time gain the best is the sack (you can build the city hall), mid time gain City Hall, and short time gain is 10k. At first glance 10k is the best choice. You can use it to build your city hall later, and further your gain, or use it to buy more troops, or whatever. All well and good

City Hall however, helps you gain more per day, and it may be a bit before you can normally build it. This can also help you build more creature producing dwellings in week 1.

The sack of gold is not a great help, but overall it may be the best choice. Not only long term may it help more then the 10k (depending how long the scenario lasts), and city hall (especially if you can still build it normally) but it can continue to help you long after the other 2 would have had any impact (ie after upgrading that city hall to a capitol).