Joining is a feature where a stack of wandering creatures are willing to become a part of hero's army for free or in exchange for gold. Whether or not the stack will join depends on several factors, but basically if the hero's charisma value (C) is lower than creature stack's mood value (M) the creatures will fight. If charisma is greater there are three possible outcomes:
- the stack will join for free,
- the stack will join for gold, or
- the stack will fight.
In other words, if the charisma value is greater than mood value there is a possibility that the stack will join, but they may still be willing to fight.
The creature mood is a set by the map creator. The default map setting is "Aggressive", giving a random mood value between 1 and 10.
Calculation and factors
| Mood values | |
| M | Aggression: |
| -4 | Compliant |
| 1–7 | Friendly |
| 1–10 | Aggressive |
| 4–10 | Hostile |
| 10 | Savage |
| Strength values | |
| St | k |
| 11 | k ≥ 7 |
| 2 × (k-1)* | 1 ≤ k < 7 |
| -1 | 0,5 ≤ k < 1 |
| -2 | 0,333 ≤ k < 0,5 |
| -3 | k < 0,333 |
| * rounded down | |
| Diplomacy values | |
| D | Level of Diplomacy |
| 1 | No Diplomacy skill |
| 2 | Basic level Diplomacy |
| 3 | Advanced level Diplomacy |
| 4 | Expert level Diplomacy |
| Sympathy values | |
| Sy | Sympathy description |
| 0 | No creatures from the same creature type. |
| 1 | At least one creature from the same creature type. |
| 2 | Over 50% creatures from the same creature type. |
C < M → Creatures will fight
C ≥ M
1. Stack will join for free if Sy + D ≥ M
2. Stack will join for gold if Sy + D + 2 ≥ M
3. Stack will fight if Sy + D + 2 < M
C = St + D + Sy
C is Charisma value
St is is strength factor
D is Diplomacy value
Sy is sympathy value
H = √(1 + 0,05 × A) × (1 + 0,05 × D)
H is hero strength value
A is attack skill value
D is defense skill value
N is neutral army strength
AI is sum of all creatures' AI value
ATOT