After 10 Years, My First Conflux Playthrough! Heroes 3: Paradise of the Mind (Part One)

Summary

After ten years of making Heroes III videos, Norovo begins their first Conflux playthrough on the custom scenario “Paradise of the Mind.”

The map’s story describes a lush kingdom afflicted by a curse that blurs the boundary between sleep and waking. Scouts report that the kingdom’s ongoing wars may sustain the curse, so the proposed cure is to unite the land and end the conflict. Norovo also hears of missing Erathian knights and a wizard king whose motives are unclear.

Gameplay Highlights and Strategies

• Starting with limited resources: Playing as Orange on the highest difficulty, Norovo begins with little gold and no starting resources. They choose Paces, a Conflux hero whose Artillery specialty is more valuable in Horn of the Abyss than in the original game.
• Using the Ballista in early fights: Norovo prioritizes getting a Ballista and uses Paces’s Artillery skill to help clear guarded rewards and enemies. They take careful fights for gold and resources, accepting some losses when necessary.
• Building the economy: A Town Hall is an early priority, but progress is slowed by shortages of wood and other resources. Norovo weighs economic buildings against recruitment and development, eventually investing in structures such as a Market and Mage Guild.
• Recruiting supporting heroes: Labeta, who has Earth Magic and a Stone Skin specialty, helps with exploration and battles. Norovo also recruits additional heroes to scout, carry reinforcements, and keep the main force moving.
• Protecting key units in combat: Norovo uses positioning, blocking, waiting, and baiting to limit enemy attacks and preserve valuable troops. They also cast spells such as Stone Skin, Shield, Bloodlust, and Magic Arrow when useful.
• Developing the army and mobility: Air Elemental production becomes a major source of strength. Norovo later selects Advanced Artillery and Expert Logistics while continuing to search for resources and safe routes.
• Exploring cautiously: Monoliths, underground passages, guarded sites, and nearby enemy territory offer opportunities as well as risks. Norovo avoids some difficult fights until stronger, but pushes into an Inferno opponent’s area near the end of the episode.

Episode Ending

The episode ends after Norovo reaches the apparent starting area of an Inferno opponent and encounters a scout. They do not yet know whether they are strong enough to confront the enemy, leaving that question for the next part.

Featured Gamer and Game

• Gamer/commentator: Norovo
• Game/source: Heroes of Might and Magic III: Horn of the Abyss — Paradise of the Mind scenario