Free promotions through upgrading

[Maniac]

I'd like to make a list of free beneficial promotions you can get by upgrading to a unit from a lower tier instead of building the unit directly. Anything I missed? Especially with all the unique units it's easy to miss something.

General

Horseman -> Chariot & Horse Archer
Cover I

Royal Guard -> War Chariot & War Elephant
Defensive

Magic

Warrior -> Archer
Enchanted Blade

Religious units

Acolyte -> Confessor
Medic I

Crusader & Paramander -> Paladin
Medic I

Soldier of Kilmorph -> Paramander
Dwarven & Guerilla II

Thane of Kilmorph -> Paramander & Stonewarden
Medic I, Guerilla I

Disciple of Leaves -> Priest of Leaves & Ranger
Woodsman I & Medic I

Archer of Leaves -> Ranger & Longbowmen
Elven

The Drown -> Stygian Guard
Undead, Vulnerable to Fire, Water Walking

Zealot -> Stygian Guard, Cultist
Dwarf Slaying, Medic I

Savant -> Ritualist (& Mage)
Elf Slaying & Medic I

Unique units

Chanter -> Shadow & Marksman
Channeling I & Dimensional I

Dragon Slayer -> Berserker
Courage & Dragon Slaying

Hammerfist -> Dwarven Berserker
Dwarven & Guerilla II

Dwarven Slinger -> Crossbowman
Dwarven

Dwarven Soldier -> Paramander & Pikeman
Dwarven & Guerilla II

Firebow -> Flurry & Marksman
Channeling I/II, Fire I, Sorcery, Flaming Arrows

Guardsman -> Maceman
Guardsman

Harlequin -> Druid & Beastmaster
Channeling I/II, Sorcery, Mind I, Chaos I

Lightbringer -> tier2 disciple
Sentry I

Lizardman Assassin -> Shadow
Orcish & Amphibious

Shieldbearer -> Shield Wall & Spartiatoi
Guardsman

Taskmaster -> Marksman & Courtesan
Taskmaster

Vampire -> Brujah
Channeling I/II, Body I, Death I, Sorcery

 

[Sureshot]

Warrior -> Drown
Civ specific promotions, like Elven, Nomad, Dwarven, Etc.

Warrior -> Archer
Commando/Combat I, if you have Raiders/Aggressive respectively

From promoted ones:

Warrior -> Archer
City Raiders, and a whole slew of other promotions unavailable to archers

Scout -> Horseman
Subdue Animal

Archer -> Ranger (for Elves)
Drill II+

 

[Maniac]

This list is going to be even bigger than I thought. :dizzy:

 

[Sureshot]

ya, depends whether you want to include non-initial promotions.

personally i think every good unit upgrade path starts with a warrior who's highly promoted, because they have access to like every promotion and so many others get the shaft on it (wish warriors could upgrade to horsemen, then theyd suck slightly less )

 

[Maniac]

I guess it's better to limit it to initial promotions. To get a highly promoted warrior and upgrade it, is actually an achievement and not a micromanagement trick.

For the record, the reason I'd like to make this list is to streamline some beneficial upgrade paths. Eg simply give all priests the Medic I promotion for free as well.

 

[QES]

I gotta say, I disagree with this idea. THe upgrade itself IS the benefit. It gets to keep any promotions it had, it just gets new strategies and equipment. I dont think that freebie promotions should be doled out.
-Qes

 

[Sureshot]

the promote method also costs a lot of money

funnest upgrade path is mutate a warrior, drown the good ones, then upgrade them to stygians

 

[BeefontheBone]

I gotta say, I disagree with this idea. THe upgrade itself IS the benefit. It gets to keep any promotions it had, it just gets new strategies and equipment. I dont think that freebie promotions should be doled out.
-Qes

It's not an idea, it's already in - units which get certain promotions for free get them when you upgrade something into them, so it's not worth giving, for instance, Cover to a horseman if you're going to upgrade it to a Horse Archer.

 

[onedreamer]

I'd like to make a list of free beneficial promotions you can get [...]

well, to be really precise not all promotions listed are fully beneficial. I'm referring to racial promotions, which also have the downside to be potential vulnerabilities (with +40% vs race).

 

[DieselBiscuit]

the promote method also costs a lot of money

funnest upgrade path is mutate a warrior, drown the good ones, then upgrade them to stygians

Try it with Doviello warriors with +4 Strength Mithril Weapons promotions. You will never look back.