The best Heroes Olden Era artefacts to look out for

Equipping the best Heroes Olden Era artefacts could make all the difference to your Hero's chance at success. With some granting very basic buffs like additional fog of war removal or even subtle debuffs to your enemy, and others considerably improving your most important stats, choosing the right ones is crucial. But, with 14 slots to fill and sets to consider, there's a lot to think about.

To start with, of course, you'll just be equipping any artefacts you're lucky enough to find. However, the further you progress through your map, and in your campaign, the more your inventory will fill up with these valuable artefacts. You can also buy them from the artefact merchant once you've built one in your city. So, either way, here's my pick of the very best to look out for. When you do pick them up, just don't forget to equip them.

Best Olden Era artefact sets

For the sake of being exhaustive, I want to include the best Olden Era artefact sets. However, these may contradict with the other lists as I've based individual items on their standalone use. Due to the random nature of obtaining artefacts, getting a full set of the best can take a significant amount of time, so much of this list is for later-game use, while the individual lists below are for equipping earlier on. I'll point out any exceptions. With that in mind, then, the best Olden Era artefact sets are:

• Ukhtabar Signet (2-piece set) - +100% XP gain.
  • Tabar Signet-Ring
  • Ukh Signet
• Anaesthesia (2-piece set) - Friendly creatures heal 5% of their starting HP at the start of each round. Revives fallen units. Any two of the below:
  • Flask of Oblivion
  • Ring of Life
  • Lifeblood Fairy
• Duelist’s Pride (3-piece set) - +3 Attack and Defence, all friendly creatures have unlimited counterattacks.
  • Rapier
  • Buckler
  • Brass Knuckles
• Power of the Dragon Father (8-piece set) - +2 to all attributes, allied creatures are immune to negative effects and Magic Damage.
  • Red Dragon Flame Tongue
  • Dragon Scale Shield
  • Crown of Dragontooth
  • Dragon Scale Armour
  • Slithering Sash
  • Dragonbone Greaves
  • Quiet Eye of a Dragon
  • Dragon Wing Tabard

The Ukhtabar Signet set is a great choice if you get both pieces fairly early, but won't be much use later on, when you can think about replacing it with the others here.

While there is a three-piece Anaesthesia set offering +25% maximum HP to all friendly creatures, it's the two-piece set we're interested in here, meaning you can mix and match. That said, if you have the luxury of being able to choose, I recommend using the Flask and Lifeblood Fairy combo, meaning you're free to equip the Brass Knuckles for Duelist's Pride.

For the complete Dragon Father set, though, you'll have to sacrifice any other sets as it's a full eight-piece collection. There are effects for three and five-piece sets while you're collecting, but they're not worth sacrificing the others on this list, as the neutralization of Magic Damage is the effect you really want here.

Best Olden Era main-hand artefacts

The best main-hand artefact, based on my recommendation for the best Olden Era Faction, is the Shroomwood Bow, which removes the ranged penalty from all friendly units, and grants an additional 10% ranged damage when upgraded. If your army isn't ranged focussed, here are some alternatives:

• Shaman Staff: +6 Spellpower, +9 when upgraded
• Ogre’s Club of Havoc: +8 Attack, additional +2 for every upgrade
• Sword of Judgement: +2 to all Attributes, +3 when upgraded

Best Olden Era off-hand artefacts

For off-hand artefacts, there are two that really stand out: Caduceus and the Fine Wand. Both are magic-based artefacts, with Caduceus restoring 4 mana every time Heroic Strike is used, which can be every few rounds, significantly increasing the number of spells you can use. Meanwhile, the Fine Wand increases all Spells by one level. While I can't guarantee you'll get your hands on either in a quick match, you can get the Olden Era Fine Wand in one of the campaign missions.

Best Olden Era head artefacts

The head is where you'll find some of the best artefacts, so be sure to regularly check your inventory for some of these:

• Fancy Mask: Generates +2 Focus Points at the start of each battle, +3 when upgraded
• Two-faced Mask: Once per round, if you kill an enemy with Heroic Strike, you can use it again
• Spellbinder’s Hat: Adds all Tier-5 spells to hero's spell book
• Amelchia’s Law: –1 Initiative to enemy units

Best Olden Era chest artefacts

In terms of rarity and effect, the Vortex Robe is the best Olden Era chest artefact by far, restoring 50% of the mana used for each spell cast. However, there are some great Legendary alternatives - if you're lucky enough to find them. Eagle Armor is my personal favorite, granting +5 Morale and +5 Luck. Alternatively, the Robe of Enlightment adds all tier-3 spells to the hero's spellbook.

Best Olden Era waist artefacts

The Skull of Milos is the best Olden Era waist artefact in an otherwise fairly light category, granting an extra 1,000 Gold every day, but it is Legendary rarity and its effect is more beneficial the earlier you get it. Alternatively, Spells in Bottles adds all tier-4 spells to the wearer's spell book.

Best Olden Era feet artefacts

The best Olden Era feet artefacts are either the Warlord Boots or Legion’s Leg. Warlord Boots grant +2 Initiative to friendly units, which could make a huge impact in battle. Meanwhile, Legion's Leg increases unit growth in all cities by 50%.

Best Olden Era rings

The best Olden Era ring artefact is the Tabar Signet-Ring, which also happens to pair with one of the best items to make one of the best sets. How about that? It's one of the only best artefacts that can make that claim. It does only grant +1 Luck, which might not seem like much in comparison to other artefacts on this list, but the ring category in general is a slightly lower impact one. Plus, once paired with the Ukh Signet, which grants +1 Morale, the set increases XP gain by 100%, allowing you to equip the best Olden Era skills faster.

Best Olden Era back artefacts

Again with an onus on ranged attackers, the best Olden Era back artefact is the Light-and-Shade Cloak, giving ranged units the ability to use their ranged attack when next to an enemy unit, which is otherwise not possible. Providing you don't have the Shadowflight spell, the Fallen Angel Wings are another great choice, granting you the ability to fly over blockades on the global map, reducing the time and effort it takes to reach certain areas.

Best Olden Era items

There are a lot more items than there are other artefacts, due to the fact that you can equip four at a time. With this in mind, obviously equip any you have, but when your slots are filled, here are some of the best to look out for:

• Boreoloth’s Head: +1 Knowledge
• Scholar’s Amulet: +2 Knowledge
• Ukh Signet: +1 Morale
• Golden Pig: +500 Gold per day
• Golden Moth: +500 Gold per day
• Runestone Shards: Adds all Tier-2 spells to the hero's spellbook
• Quivering Quiver: +20% Ranged damage
• Ancient Idol: Heroic Strike deals +40 damage
• Demonic Heart: Replaces all possible spells in the hero's spellbook with their masterful versions

To increase your mana in Olden Era, those first two items here are great picks. With both equipped, the Hero using them has 30 additional mana. Meanwhile, Morale is a great stat to increase due to the chance of carrying out a second attack per turn, making the Ukh Signet another great choice. I also love the Quivering Quiver when once again considering the use of ranged attackers.

Best Olden Era relics

Finally, Relics. These are the rarest artefacts and have the most powerful effects, granting all unlearned subskills for certain skills. Given their rarity, you might not actually find any for some time. There is no best Relic per se, as the best for your Hero depends on the skills they're using and the elite class you're working towards, but this is every Relic and the related skills for which they teach all unlearned subskills:

• Holy Sigil of Roph - While worn, grants all unlearned subskills of the following skills: Ascension, Necromancy, Murmuring, Triumvirate's Strength, Abyssal Communion, Summon Swarm.
• Holy Sigil of Mearea - Luck, Economy, Daylight Magic.
• Holy Sigil of Insara - Leadership, Insight, Diplomacy, Tactics.
• Holy Sigil of The Second Man - Offence, Summon Avatar, Siegecraft.
• Holy Sigil of The Seven Magi - Sorcery, Nightshade Magic, Resistance.
• Holy Sigil of Quix - Arcane Magic, Scouting, Battlecraft, Thaumaturgy.
• Holy Sigil of Uurdt - Defence, Primal Magic, Recruitment.
• Holy Sigil of Eridore - Logistics, Battle Magic, Intelligence.

The main thing to keep in mind when using artefacts is that the buffs they grant only last as long as you have the artefact equipped, so keep that in mind when swapping artefacts if you've got used to a certain effect.

Finally, if you're using multiple heroes, don't forget to pass any unused or unwanted artefacts to your other characters.

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