Skillwheel for RTA 2.14.1 en
(changes compared to the original HoMM 5: TotE game in the Skillwheel are highlighted in yellow)
Additional materialsFull list of changes in RTA 2.6.2 (doc file)
HoMM5 - Tribes of the East v3.1 Manual (for original game)
HoMM5 - Tribes of the East v3.1 Manual (for original game)
InstallationTo install the mod:
i The map contains a built-in mod that alters various game mechanics. It is recommended to uninstall all other Heroes V mods to avoid conflicts (except for graphics or UI mods that don’t alter the gameplay).
- Put the map file (.h5m) into the Maps folder inside your Heroes of Might and Magic V - Tribes of the East directory
- Replace the Heroes 5 exe-file inside the “bin” folder with a modded one from the archive
- Remove the map file from the Maps folder
- Replace the modded exe file with the original one (a copy of it can be also found in the archive)
i The map contains a built-in mod that alters various game mechanics. It is recommended to uninstall all other Heroes V mods to avoid conflicts (except for graphics or UI mods that don’t alter the gameplay).
What is RTA?
RTA stands for Random Tactical Arena and represents an arena-type 1-on-1 map for Heroes V with a built-in global modification that puts heavy emphasis on tactical PvP combat. While similar in concept to duels, the mod introduces various additions and balance changes as well as an extensive pre-combat phase, giving the players much more agency over their combatants and keeping the replayability by introducing various random elements.
The changes include new heroes and hero specializations, new skills and reworked skill trees, reworked magic, runes and warcries, luck & morale tweaks, original game bugfixes and more.
It also features four different pick modes, making the faction pick a part of the competition while allowing for a flexible choice.
How to play?
Creating a game
- Ghost Mode - off
- Quick Combat - whatever
- Autosave - on
- Simultaneous Turns - on
- Tme Limit – optional (basically represents the time for leveling-up and preparation on day 3, usually 15 min. in tournaments)
- Animation Speed – optional (5 recommended)
- Dynamical battles - optional
Dynamic battle options- Fast: 50 seconds for regular unit, 75 seconds for casters, 100 seconds for heroes
- Normal: 100 seconds for regular unit, 150 seconds for casters, 200 seconds for heroes
- Slow: 200 seconds for all
Faction pickThe factions for the game are chosen directly in the game on the second turn. This setting defines the rules for picking factions.
- Any: Each player can pick any faction to play with. Alternatively, the red player can opt to assign random factions for both players by approaching the mummy. Hero sets are chosen randomly for this mode.
- Matchup: Players consecutively remove undesirable matchups from eight randomly assigned ones. The final matchup for the game is chosen randomly out of two remaining ones.
- Triple: Players are presented with a pool of 8 unique factions and have to remove an undesirable one. Then an additional 1 (or 2 if the players pick the same faction) randomly selected faction is removed, so each player is left with a pool of 5. Players consecutively pick factions to play with from the pool, forming matchups while swapping their pools. After 3 matchups are formed, each player removes an undesirable one.
- Double: Players are presented with a shared pol of 8 random factions and have to consecutively pick factions to play with, forming the first two matchups. After that, players are presented with a new pool of factions. Each player has to remove an undesirable one and then pick factions for the opponent. When another two matchups are formed, each player can pick an undesirable one to remove. One of the two remaining matchups will be randomly chosen for the game.
Lobby settings
Starting bonus
- Artifact – A random minor artifact
- Gold - Additional 6000 gold for preparation
- Spells - 1 random 1st circle spell and 2 random 2nd circle spells. The Stronghold receives 4500 gold instead.
Pick phaseTurn 1
The very first turn must be skipped to save the initial setup.
Turn 2
On turn 2 the players can pick factions or matchups as well as hero sets.
Faction pick
Your starting hero (Biara for the red and Giovanni for the blue) begins the game in a special place, where players can pick factions and heroes for the upcoming battle.
You can also check your artifact or spells given by the chosen starting bonus, which then will be transferred to your main heroes.
The factions available for the red player are indicated with the red crystals and vice versa. To pick (or remove) a faction you have to approach the representative creature with your starting hero and confirm your choice.
In “any” mode, both players can move simultaneously.
In “double”, “triple” and “matchup” modes, the staring heroes can move in turns while picking factions and heroes (without skipping the in-game turn).
Random pick
In “any” mode the red player can opt to assign random factions and heroes for both players by approaching the mummy creature.
Heroes pick
Players are presented with 2 sets of heroes on both sides. Each player can pick an undesirable set of heroes to remove (either for themselves or for the opponent). The red player picks first.
The red player picks first.
Each player will receive 2 randomly chosen heroes from the remaining pool of 6.
After picking heroes both players must end their turn.
Preparation phaseTurn 3
On turn 3 both players can level-up their heroes and prepare for the combat, using their limited sum of gold.
The pre-combat area consists of two zones separated by a portal.
In the first area you can level-up your chosen hero, recruit troops, buy artifacts or retrain.
In the second area you can trade away artifacts, increase or reroll your attributes, buy war machines, or exchange some of your skills.
All heroes on this stage have unlimited move points.
On this turn you will receive:
- Fully built-up castle of your faction
- Two randomly selected heroes from the remaining set
- A tavern with a random hero
- Troops, which are available for recruitment at the castle
- A set of available spells (used instead of a mage guild)
- A fixed sum of gold based on your faction and matchup bonus (~ 150 000)
- Free experience for your chosen hero up to level 17.
The first area
Castle
Here you can recruit troops, use your racial skill (if it requires visiting the castle), as well as visit the Blacksmith or the Marketplace. Academy and Dungeon factions also have an additional Artifact Merchant available at the castle.
Spells are not available at the castle though. A set of available spells will appear at the starting location, where you previously were choosing races and heroes. The shown spells will be added to your chosen hero’s spellbook on the 4th turn (provided he has the prerequisite magic skills).
Level-Up building
Each faction has a special building to level-up your chosen hero. On a first visit it gives the hero free experience up to level 17 (in two stages - up to level 9 and up to level 17 on the second visit).
The hero level can be further increased up to level 23 in exchange for gold:
- 18 - 7500 gold
- 19 - 8500 gold
- 20 - 9500 gold
- 21 - 10500 gold
- 22 - 11500 gold
- 23 - 12500 gold
Allows you to hire an additional random hero.
All tavern functions except for hiring heroes are disabled.
The hero in the tavern is shown in the list of heroes available for the opponent near the Spell Altar.
Teacher
Allows you to exchange your hero’s starting skills for 500 gold each. This action is available only prior to leveling-up.
The trained hero of level 9 or higher can receive a complete retraining instead. The hero’s attributes will also be redistributed. Nevertheless the hero will keep skills and abilities that they had when they started the training.
The cost of retraining is 6000 gold for level 9 heroes and 10000 for level 17 and above.
If you only need to exchange some particular skills after leveling up, you can visit the Mentor in the second area instead.
Artifact Merchant
Allows you to buy artifacts. Academy and Dungeon factions also have an additional Artifact Merchant available at the castle.
Wagon
Allows you to change artifacts available at the Artifact Merchant for 6000 gold.
If you didn't like your new set of artifacts you can bring back the initial set for free by visiting the Wagon again, but once you do so you can't change artifacts anymore.
The second area
The second area is accessed through the two-way portal.
Trading Post
Allows to sell artifacts for their full price.
Mentor
Allows the trained heroes (level 17 or higher) to exchange their skills for 2500 each. Multiple skills can be exchanged at the same time, provided the player has enough gold.
Attribute increase buildings
- Warrior camp – increases the hero’s Attack by +1.
- Minaret of Defenders– increases the hero’s Defense by +1.
- Arcane Shrine – increases the hero’s Spellpower by +1.
- Monument of Knowledge – increases the hero’s Knowledge by +1.
War Machine Factory
Allows you to purchase war machines for favorable prices.
Spell Altar
All available spells are shown near the Spell Altar in the starting area instead of the Mage Guild.
Each player receives two spell lines of proficient magic schools for their faction and three random spells of 1-3 circle. The Academy receives an additional spell line, representing the “Library”. Runemages also receive a set of available runes and the Barbarians have a set of warcries instead.
The Dungeon have access to 5 additional spells of circle 4-5 and the Stronghold receives 3 warcries.
Prior to the battle the chosen hero will learn all available spells from the set, provided he has the required magic skills.
In order to learn the spells (including high-level ones) the hero must have at least the basic magic skill of the same school (the spell effectiveness is still determined by the corresponding magic mastery). The only exception is the Teleport spell, which still requires at least the Advanced Light Magic skill.
Additional line of spells
There is a 25% chance that each player will receive an additional line of spells. This spells will come from a non-proficient school of magic for your faction (e.g., Light Magic for Necropolis, Destructive Magic for Haven etc.).
The additional line of spells will replace the usual three random 1-3 circle spells at the altar.
The Stronghold receives an additional level 1 warcry instead.
Rerolling spells
If you dislike the given set of spells you can reroll them in exchange for gold. You will have to approach the Spell Altar with your starting hero and opt to reroll the spells. The Runemages can also reroll their set of runes (the option to reroll the runes will appear after declining the spell reroll). The Stronghold can reroll their warcries instead.
If you have an additional line of spells, the spells from it will also reroll. You won’t receive the additional line of spells by rerolling, if there wasn’t one in the first place.
The cost of reroll is 8 000 gold for spells and 5 000 for runes and warcries.
When fully prepared, the players must end their turn.
Turn 4
At the start of the turn the chosen heroes are teleported to the arena (except for Academy, Sylvan and Necropolis).
The Sylvan heroes can visit the castle and choose the favored enemy creatures of the opposing faction (the amount depends on the Avenger skill level). If the Ranger possesses the Ultimate Avenger skill the arena area is revealed and the enemy army composition can be examined prior to choosing the favored enemies.
The Academy player receives resources to craft mini-artifacts at the castle.
The Necromancer heroes can raise additional undead creatures prior to the battle depending on their Necromancy mastery. In the selection window, the player can drag and drop the specified number of units into his army.
The arena features different types of terrain.
The the blue player must choose the terrain and move the hero accordingly. Generally, it is forbidden to choose the native terrain for your faction.
The players should not attack each other just yet. After choosing a terrain both players must end their turn.
Combat phaseTurn 5
Both players must skip this turn to replenish their mana points and apply additional effects of various skills and specializations. All unequipped artifacts are discarded.
Turn 6
The battle takes place on this turn. The blue hero must remain standing on the chosen terrain.
The combat will start automatically.
Multiplayer
How to play onlineSince the Ubisoft servers are unavailable, you will have to use third-party software of your choice to connect with other players via the emulated local network.
Currently, the GameRanger is the most popular way to play Heroes V online and you can find game lobbies directly in the GameRanger browser.
Another alternative is Radmin VPN, where you can either create your own network and invite your friends or join the existing one, like the Heroes League network (name: forum.heroesleague.ru / password: 123123)
i The map was primarily designed for online multiplayer. It is still possible to play in the Hot-Seat mode, but it’s only playable in “any” race pick mode by selecting the random races (by approaching the mummy with the red hero).
How to find an opponentYou can find RTA lobbies in the GameRanger service on a semi-regular basis or create your own, specifying the map version in the description.
You can also join the RTA Discord server. Here you can ask any questions and find both novice and experienced opponents to play with. We are relatively small, but active community, mostly Russian-speaking but welcoming to all newcomers.
The author of the idea and the creator of the original map – Bandit
Design - Tarilariran
Modification and Scripts - Ejett, Ogo-i, Vsev, Mostovik, iMessor, GedxBlood, RedHeavenHero
Localization - Mosol
The mod has been developed and tested by the “Heroes League” community.
