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Fellow Asur, hear my words!

In this guide you will find all Top Tier Influence traits for the High Elves, alongside recommendations as to why you should recruit these traits in your campaigns.

This guide is based on my own experience and preferences. Ultimately, it is up to you to decide!


Traits will be given a rating from 1 - 5 Elven shields.

5 shields indicate the most beneficial bonuses and 1 being less so. However, don't count traits rated lower outright, as they are still considered Top Tier traits and have their own unique uses.

Ultimately it's up to you to decide!

Lords:

• All Top Tier Lord traits cost 60 Influence each.

Heroes:

• All Top Tier Hero traits cost 40 Influence each.

Disclaimer: This guide is based on my own personal experience and opinions and is by no means the definitive way to play in Mortal Empires or Vortex Campaigns.

• Upkeep -15%: Silver Helms + Ellyrian Reavers
  
• Upkeep -25%: Archers, Spearmen, Silver Guard, LSG, Shadow Warriors,
  Shadow Walkers, SoA, Bolt Throwers

One of the best early-mid game traits to pick up. The reduction to upkeep will enable you to field armies while maintaining a solid economy - especially paired with the Lord Skills providing additional reduced upkeep.

• Magic Resist +15% (Lord's Army)
  
• Missile Resist +10% (Infantry Units)
  
• Melee Defence +5 (Lord's Army)

A Resistant Lord paired with a Resistant Handmaiden is a combo made in heaven. Good for tanking damage. A buff applying to all units in a Lords army, worth!

• Magic Resist 10% (All units)
  
• Upkeep -20% (Dragon units)
  
• Recruitment Duration -1 (Dragon units)

If you plan to go full Dragon spam, this is the trait for you! A 5 star trait for those who do not have access to either DLC, however for those who own both DLCs for the High Elves, you'd rather recruit armies of Sisters of Avelorn or Mistwalkers.

• Magic item drop chance +10%
  
• Income from sacking and looting settlements +25%
  
• Income from post-victory loot +50%

If you plain to go pillage and raid those pesky Dark Elves and Greenskins on a sacking campaign against their lands; look no further than Avaricious. An amazing trait to help income and economy.

• White Lions, Phoenix Guard and Swordmasters +10% LD,
  +10% Weapon Strength +5 Melee Attack

A trait worth competing with Resistant. Either is amazing, however since this trait only applies to specific elite units, I'd deem it slightly below Efficient - but not too far behind.

• Melee Defense to Phoenix units +12
  
• Magic item drop chance +25%
  
• Post Battle Income +25%
  
• World Root / Underway Interception +50%

This trait is most useful for acquiring Magic Items and intercepting Skaven, Greenskins, Bestmen, Wood Elves and Dwalfs. There are better traits to choose from, but it's not to say this is not a bad option. The increase to Magic Drop chance is nice to have, and interception for a lord warring against the Greenskins and Skaven in the Badlands.

(For Lords)

• Physical Resist 20%
  
• Attribute: Unbreakable

Never fear, for I am here! This trait will ensure your Lord will never rout from the battle. It sounds good, however majority of the time your Lord will never rout from battle.

• Ward Save 15%
  
• Attribute: Perfect Vigor

I love to combo this with the Sword of Khane - you'll have a Lord who will never tire and never break, as the Sword grants the wielder Unbreakable attribute for a 1 Elf Army.

2 star Lord without Sword of Khane. 4 with.

• Charge Bonus +30
  
• Melee Attack +10
  
• Enables sundering attacks

• Unit Experience gain per turn: +250 (Lord's Army)

Solely used as a means to train armies to send to the front lines, or for a better Lord trait to arrive. At end game, most units you'll recruit will not require any training for Silver / Gold chevrons. 1 Star for end game. 3 Stars for the purpose of training armies.

• Missile Resistance -10% (Local enemy armies)
  
• Hero Self Defense +15% wounding aggressors
  
• Missile Strength +10%: Archers, LSG, Ellyrian Reavers, Shadow Warriors,
  Shadow Walkers, SoA, Chariot Units.

Punitive is a must-pick trait choice for the Princess for heavy archer spam builds. This trait gives extra strength to your arrows, protects your Lord from hostile actions and provides a debuff to all local enemy armies! against your never ending tide of missiles.

• Upkeep -30%: Archers, LSG, Ellyrian Reavers
  
• Range +10: Archers, LSG, Ellyrian Reavers
  
• Passive: "Frenzy"

An excellent choice for a Sea Guard Captain build - a Lord to protect your home of Ulthuan with Lothern Sea guard, while you conquest elsewhere. The upkeep reduction is worth it during early-mid game for builds of LSG to help balancing economy. Additional reduction from Lord Skills too.

• Range +30%
  
• Missile Strength +30%
  
• Ability: "Arrow of Kurnous"

• WoM power reverse 10+
  
• Ward save 10%
  
• Ability: "The Amber Spear"

• Armour +40
  
• Weapon Strength +20%
  
• Ability: "Deadly Onslaught"

Strong is strong. Armour +40 is a lot to gain, and an additional Weapon Strength +20%. This is the princess to take down enemy Lords and Heroes with ease.

• Ambush Success Chance +30%
  
• Campaign Line of Sight +100%
  
• Enemy Hero action success chance -25%

(All: Lord's Army)

• Charge Bonus +20%
  
• Upkeep -30% for Ellyrian Reavers and Silver Helms
  
• Weapon Strength +20% for Ellyrian Reavers and Silver Helms
  
• Missile Strength +20% for Ellyrian Reavers and Silver Helms

"Let this be the hour when we draw swords together. Fell deeds awake. Now for wrath, now for ruin, and the red dawn. Forth, Eorlingas!"

Hold on, different franchise! Pair this with a Crushing Noble or Handmaiden for an additional +10% Charge Bonus and +10 Weapon Strength for all Units in Lord's army.

Only ever recruit this Lord for a fun cavalry build. High Elves main focus is on Missile and Melee units. You won't be using Silver Helms nor Reavers once you unlock Dragon Princes.

• Reload time reduction: +10% (Lord's Army)
  
• Campaign Movement range: +10%
  
• Speed: +10% (Lord's Army)

(All: Lord's Army)

• Upkeep-30% for Chariot and Eagle Claw Bolt Thrower units
  
• Speed +20% for Chariot Units
  
• Recruitment duration -1 for Chariot Units (local province)
  
• Reload time reduction +20% for Eagle Claw Bolt Thrower units

Only recruit this Lord for a fun Chariot build. For a fun Chariot build, this trait is 5 stars.

Archmages (Lords) and Mages (Hero) share the same traits.

They are masters of magic and have access to all the base Lores of Magic!

The Archmage is only available to those who own The Warden and the Paunch DLC.

• Charge 100+
  
• Melee Attack +10
  
• Weapon Strength +100%
  
• Melee Deference +10
  
• Enables Flaming Attacks

Incendiary on a Lore of Fire Archmage / Mage is crazy! Both gain access to Dragon mounts, the Lore of Fire Mage is the only Hero Mage who can ride a Sun Dragon (aka Dragon Mage).

These stat increases turn these Lords and Heroes into characters who can protect themselves during melee combat and deal out insane damage!

Mage (Hero): Trait = 5 Stars
Archmage (Lord): Trait = 1 Star

• Tax Rate +3% (Excludes Archmage)
  
• Income from all Buildings (local province) +15%

Place Entrepreneur Heroes into the provence making the most money. They'll boost your economy and help you maintain a positive income. High Elves have one of the best economies in the game if you utilize the Entrepreneur trait. Entrepreneur Heroes are used for the Campaign map.

Archmages do not receive the 3% tax Increase and for that reason alone, are not worth spending 60 Influence. Until this is changed, it's 1 star for Archmage.

(Spell from Lore of Heavens)

• Upgraded: Urannons Thunderbolt
  
• Miscast base chance -15%
  
• WoM +10 Power Reverse

This is your otherwise go-to trait for Archmages and Mages if Incendiary or Entrepreneur (for Heroes) are unavailable.

The additional Winds of Magic and miscast chance reduction are a fine addition to the Archmage and Mage, to successfully cast Magic throughout your campaign.

Urannon's Thunderbolt is available to the Lore of Heavens Archmage / Mage and would provide no benefit on a Lore of Heavens character, as it can be unlocked via Skills.

(Spells from Lore of Shadows)

• Upgraded: Enfeebling Foe
  
• Upgraded: Melkoth's Mystifying Miasma

This is a go-to trait for Archmages and Mages with the Lore of Life.

Lore of Life will sustain your own troops, while Enfeebling Foe and Melkoth's Mystifying Miasma will provide debuffs to your enemies.

These two spells are available to the Lore of Shadows Archmage / Mage and would provide no benefit on a Lore of Shadows character, as they can be unlocked via Skills.

(Spells from Lore of Metal)

• Upgraded: Glittering Robe
  
• Upgraded: Transmutation of Lead

This is a go-to trait for Archmages and Mages with the Lore of Life.

Lore of Life will sustain your own troops, while Glittering Robe and Transmutation of Lead will provide additional buffs to your own troops.

These two spells are available to the Lore of Metal Archmage / Mage and would provide no benefit on a Lore of metal character, as they can be unlocked via Skills.

• Construction Cost -15% for all buildings (local province)
  
• Construction Time - 20% for all buildings (local province)

Only recruit x3 Mage Heroes with this trait to follow an army conquering new lands to build settlements up quickly, or rebuild newly confederated lands. Generally speaking, turn time to build isn't too important in a campaign. I would use the trait as and when, then disband if you have Influence to spare.

• Research Rate +10%
  
• Hero Action Success Chance +25%
  
• Enemy Hero action Success Chance -25% (all characters in region)

Similar to Administrator - research rate isn't too important by end game. Most of the High Elves tech tree is locked behind a building. Increasing research rate isn't too important, as you'll eventually unlock all tech anyway. You'd rather pick a trait that would help your Lord or Hero what they're best at - boosting their magic.

• Physical Resist 20%
  
• Missile Resist 20%
  
• Passive: "Guardian"

You'd rather pick a trait that would help your Lord or Hero what they're best at - to boost their magic.

• Speed +30%
  
• Melee Defense +20
  
• Passive: "Slippery"

You'd rather pick a trait that would help your Lord or Hero what they're best at - to boost their magic.

The High Elves have access to all 8 base Lores of Magic, in addition to High Magic.

• High Magic[totalwarwarhammer.gamepedia.com]
  
• Fire[totalwarwarhammer.gamepedia.com]
  
• Metal[totalwarwarhammer.gamepedia.com]
  
• Shadows[totalwarwarhammer.gamepedia.com]
  
• Beasts[totalwarwarhammer.gamepedia.com]
  
• Heavens[totalwarwarhammer.gamepedia.com]
  
• Light[totalwarwarhammer.gamepedia.com]
  
• Life[totalwarwarhammer.gamepedia.com]
  
• Death[totalwarwarhammer.gamepedia.com]

Here is my Lore of Magic recommendation for Archmages and the traits you should choose from:




Traits:

• Fire = Incendiary
  
• Light = Conductor / Incendiary

Spells:

• Fire = Kindleflame (Passive), Flame Storm, Flaming Sword of Rhuin, The Burning Head
  
• Light = Net of Amyntok, Banishment

Lore of Fire with an Incendiary trait is extremely powerful - Lore of Fire Mages can be mounted on a Sun Dragon, no other Lore of Magic for a Mage (Hero) are able to ride Dragons.

Lore of Light to Net of Amyntok powerful units - Conductor helps you to use Net more often, thanks to the increased Winds of Magic.

Traits:

• Life = Protective / Negator / Conductor
  
• High Magic = Conductor / Incendiary

Spells:

• Life = Life Bloom (Passive), Earth Blood, Shield of Thorns, Flesh to Stone, Regrowth
  
• High Magic = Soul Quench, Hand of Glory, Apotheosis, Fiery Convocation

Life and High Magic are good Lores for High Elves if preferred traits for Fire and Light are unavailable.

Life Magic provides protection, whereas High Magic is a mixture of buffs, damage and heals.

The traits Protective / Negator on a Life Archmage / Mage will provide additional spells from the Lores of Metal and Shadows for powerful buff / debuff combos.

Conductor will increase your Winds of Magic to use more healing spells per battle.

Incendiary is still powerful on these Lores, however having traits that support Healing with Buffs / Debuffs I personally find more versatile in battle to support your frontline.

Traits:

• Heavens = Conductor / Protective

Spells:

• Wind Blast, Harmonic Convergence, Curse of the Midnight Wind, Chain Lightning

Wind Blast is great for taking out entire single low-tier units.

Curse of the Midnight Wind to debuff the enemy, while the Protective trait provides spells to buff your own troops instead of relying only on Harmonic Convergence.

Chain Lightning as a damage dealing vortex spell rounds out the Lore. However bare in mind the Archmage gains access to Chain Lightning as a Lord Skill and so this Lore may be best utilised on a Mage (Hero) instead.

This Lore of Magic is a good all rounder for early-mid game for using something different than Fire, Life, Light, or High Magic in a campaign. This is a Lore you should not necessarily ignore or pass up.

• Beasts = Wild Heart (Passive), Flock of Doom, Wyssan's Wildform
  
• Shadows = The Enfeebling Foe, Melkoth's Mystifying Miasma, The Penumbral Pendulum
  
• Death = Life Leeching (Passive), Spirit Leech
  
• Metal = Metalshifting (Passive), Glittering Robe, Transmutation of Lead

The remaining Lores of Magic all have useful and powerful spells, however why recruit a dedicated caster when the most used spells from these Lores can be acquired from a Top Tier Trait, or Loremaster skills? This is why these Lores are not placed higher up for High Elves.

Specific traits only available to the Noble:

• Diplomatic Relations +5 with High Elves and Men
  
• Lord Recruit Rank +2 (Faction Wide)
  
• Hero Recruit Rank for Nobles +2 (Faction wide)
  
• Recruit Rank +1 all units (Hero's Army)

Conscientious is a must-pick for Nobles. The trait offers a faction-wide increase to Noble and Hero recruit rank - something you'll be doing over the course of a campaign. Free level gains from a trait is something no one should pass up if the opportunity arrives.

The trait also provides +1 recruit rank to new units, booting your army. The diplomatic relations contribute to easier trade partners and confederations.

• Charge Bonus +30
  
• Melee Attack +10
  
• Enables sundering attacks

Dangerous is danger! Danger for enemy Heroes and Lords. The sundering attacks destroy! Amazing hunter.

• Campaign movement range +5% (Accompanying Lord)
  
• Leadership +5 (Lord's Army)

Before the patch, this trait's effects where much different. This trait was nerffed and offers nothing special, compared to other specific Noble-only traits. I would avoid.

(Lord's Army)

• Upkeep -15% all units

An additional -15% upkeep for all Units? Yes please! Pair this up with the Lord trait Efficient and you'll have a base reduction of -40% for Archers, Spearmen, Silver Guard, LSG, Shadow Warriors, Shadow Walkers, SoA, Bolt Throwers. And that's without the additional Lord Skills!

This trait boosts your economy by keeping upkeep cost low.

• Public Order +1 (All Regions)
  
• Public Order +5 (Local Region)
  
• Income from all Entertainment Buildings +5% (All regions)

An amazing trait on higher difficulties such as Legendary, as you'll be building Public Order buildings (Entertainment building) in all of your provinces.

Specific traits only available to the Loremaster:

(All: Accompanying Lord)

• Leadership aura +50%
  
• Character's Leadership Aura
  
• Melee Defense +10
  
• Cooldown -10% to all spells

Pair this Loremaster with an Archmage! -10% cooldown to spells you'll be using magic all day!
And a Leadership area increase of 50%? This trait is worth it.

• Miscast Chance -15%
  
• WoM +10 to power reverses
  
• Ability: "Arcane Conduit"

Increased magic reverses, miscast chance and an ability to recharge magic? Yes please. Combo this with an army using a Mage / Archmage. Your go-to trait.

(All: Swordmasters and White Lions)

• -20% upkeep
  
• +10% charge bonus
  
• Recruitment time -1

Heavy Swordmaster build? An additional -20% upkeep sacked with an Doctrinal Lord is a killer combo. Low upkeep army with increased weapon strength and melee attack. Combo with a charge bonus and recruitment time? Swordmasters all day.

• Speed +12%
  
• Charge Bonus 25%
  
• Hero action success chance +10%

Once your Hero is levelled, an increased of 10% for success chance is barely noticeable. However - this trait is good for breaking walls before a siege attack early-mid game.

Specific trait only available to the Handmaiden:

(All: Lord's army)

• Magic Resist 5% All units
  
• Missile Resist 5% for Infantry units only
  
• Melee Defense +5 All units

This trait is only 10 Influence and only available to the Handmaiden. It's the equivalent of a Lord trait placed on a Hero. This is a trait you should never pass up. And did I mention it costs only 10 Influence!?

Some Heroes share traits. Traits mentioned before in this guide are not listed in the Key below:


(For Heroes)

• Physical Resist 30%
  
• Attribute: Unbreakable

(All: Heroes Army)

• Charge Bonus +10
  
• Weapon Strength +10

• +5 Melee Attack and Defense for Spearmen, Silver Guard, Rangers,
  Archers, LSG, Shadow Warriors, Shadow Walkers, Silver Helms

• Casualty Replenishment rate 10% (Heroes Army)
  
• Passive: Regeneration

• Growth +5 (All provences)
  
• Growth +50 (Local proevence)

Growth is important to build up settlements. Having a Fecund hero will help develop your infrastructure and quickly level up the gates to protect your lands.