Warlocks bad?

[Blossy1000]

It seems people generally don't like warlocks, I've seen some even comparing them to the worst creatues like insects. I always wondered why, I think they're great for range support if they're level 4 or higher. Although I tend to stop training them before they get the annoying wind spell at level 8...

I'd like to hear other opinions on why they are that bad?

[Shinthoras0815]

Warlocks are not bad in principle.
They are just units for the early game
Later there are creatures which are better than him in every area
Dragons can research faster and are the best tanks, dark Mistress are stronger, faster and can break through rebounds unlike him.
He is compared to insects because, like them, he can be replaced by other, better units early in the game.
Also, due to his lack of rebound counter, especially against heroes, he quickly loses his combat utility.

[Blossy1000]

Warlocks are not bad in principle.
They are just units for the early game
Later there are creatures which are better than him in every area
Dragons can research faster and are the best tanks, dark Mistress are stronger, faster and can break through rebounds unlike him.
He is compared to insects because, like them, he can be replaced by other, better units early in the game.
Also, due to his lack of rebound counter, especially against heroes, he quickly loses his combat utility.

Well... Are dragons faster at research, that's news to me? And even so, you can get dragons as early as warlocks if that's what you want but they're more expensive.

And yes, of course if there's enough creatures available you could always fill up with the very best ones if you want to, but to me warlocks always seemed good enough ranged fighters to actually add something to my army compared to pretty much any other creature who isn't a bile demon, mistress, orc or vampire if I have the money for them. Or hornies obviously if I want to go there.

[YourMaster]

Dragons and Warlocks both have 4 research skill at lvl1, but Dragons train a lot faster so you can get them to higher levels faster, and thus increase their research skill easier/faster. Dragons indeed require more gold, but they actually pull their weight in combat. The good thing about Warlocks is that indeed they get quite good spells by level 4 and do good burst damage there, but they grow very little after that. There's other units I would take over Warlocks too, including skeletons.

[Blossy1000]

Dragons and Warlocks both have 4 research skill at lvl1, but Dragons train a lot faster so you can get them to higher levels faster, and thus increase their research skill easier/faster. Dragons indeed require more gold, but they actually pull their weight in combat. The good thing about Warlocks is that indeed they get quite good spells by level 4 and do good burst damage there, but they grow very little after that. There's other units I would take over Warlocks too, including skeletons.

I don't mean to say warlocks are up there with the very best creatures, but I think they are actually useful. I used to use dragons more, and they are stronger, but I don't really like to use them on the frontline. They don't die easily, but they don't kill fast either and I prefer having other creatures up front. Like you said, warlocks get their most useful spells at level 4 (and dragons don't get meteor until level 7), and that doesn't take too long to train. Sure they are fragile, but I very rarely have a problem with them dying. It depends on the difficulty of the level of course, and also the economy, but if I don't use dragons up front I could just as well have warlocks shooting meteors from the back.

Of course mistresses are more effective ranged fighters though if there is an abundance of them available.

[Krizzie]

I don't like them. But that doesn't mean something has to be done to them. I usually keep them at lvl 1 (so they don't shoot others in the library) and then convert them to skeletons/ghosts/vampires if possible.

[Blossy1000]

I don't like them. But that doesn't mean something has to be done to them. I usually keep them at lvl 1 (so they don't shoot others in the library) and then convert them to skeletons/ghosts/vampires if possible.

I tend to train my first warlocks to level 2 to begin with and reinforce the library walls at the same time. That way they have at least some combat utility and won’t kill imps in the library.