Scout

A Scout is primarily a ranged damage-dealer, outclassing all the other classes at direct damage, but being heavily restricted in armor choice he is best kept away from melee. Like the Warrior, he is heavily dependent upon the quality of his gear, and can be outclassed if superior gear is unavailable to acquire. His primary attributes are more balanced than the other three classes.

Scout's unique starting attributes (without the initial Health bonus):

• Hit points: 17
• Attack: 4
• Counterattack: 3
• Resistance: 1

Scouts can use the following types of items:  

• Common 
• Melee Weapon 
• Ranged Weapon 
• Light Armor. 

Scouts start with a level 8 skill from the following: Swamp-, Hill- or Forest Knowledge, the skill is chosen at random.

Scouts can learn scout perks up to Mastery Level 3.

The primary stats of a level 0 Scout are: 1 Health; 0 Magic; 0 Command.

The primary stats of a level 9 Scout are: 4 Health, 3 Magic, 3 Command.

Perks

Reaction

Reaction increases the hero's initiative, speed, and defense.

• Level 1: Initiative +1, Ranged Defense +1, Resistance +1
• Level 2: Initiative +1, Ranged Defense +1, Defense +1
• Level 3: Initiative +1, Speed +1, Resistance +1
• Level 4: Initiative +1, Ranged Defense +1, Defense +1
• Level 5: Initiative +1, Speed +1, Resistance +1

Scouting

Scouting increases the speed of province exploration, allows the hero to spy on enemy forces, and perform acts of sabotage before attacking.

• Level 1: Exploration +5, Enables scouting
• Level 2: Exploration +5, Allows to raise a false alarm
• Level 3: Exploration +5, Allows to poison water supplies
• Level 4: Exploration +10, Allows to create panic
• Level 5: Exploration +10, Scouting and Sabotage 50% cheaper

Sabotage

• False alarm reduces enemy Stamina by 4 (+bonus sabotage) to a minimum of 2.
  • cost is 15 + sum of experience levels of enemy units (excluding tireless units) * 4
• Poison water supplies inflicts opponents with a 1 (+bonus sabotage) strength poison over 3 turns.
  • cost is 20 + sum of experience levels of enemy units (excluding poison immune units) * 5
• Create panic lowers enemy Morale by 4 (+bonus sabotage) to a minimum of 1.
  • cost is 30 + sum of experience levels of enemy units (excluding fearless units) * 6

Sabotage in New Horizons

In New Horizons mod, effects of Sabotage are slightly higher:

• The basic values are −6/−4/−2 for sabotaging Stamina/Morale/Hit Points, respectively.
• Each level of Sabotage ability (gained at level 10 when Scout becomes Ranger, increased at level 20 when he becomes Pathfinder) increases the effects of sabotage by 2.
• Each level of Saboteur bonus (gained randomly when hiring Scout hero, increased at level 10 when he becomes Ranger) increases the effects of sabotage by 1.

Act of Sabotage	Scout	Ranger (lvl 10+)	Pathfinder (lvl 20+)
False alarm (lowers Stamina)	−6 Stamina (−7)	−8 Stamina (−10)	−10 Stamina (−12)
Create panic (lowers Morale)	−4 Morale (−5)	−6 Morale (−8)	−8 Morale (−10)
Poison water (lowers Hit Points)	−2/×3 Hit Points (−3/×3)	−4/×3 Hit Points (−6/×3)	−6/×3 Hit Points (−8/×3)

Note: The numbers in parentheses are with Saboteur bonus, available as a random starting bonus for Scout heroes since version 21.0630.

Exploration speed

The Scouting exploration bonus affects exploration speed as follows:

Exploration per turn = 1 + (15 + Exploration bonus) * 20 / (20 + the current percentage explored)

• For example, with level 5 Scouting without any other modifiers, a 30%-explored Plains province would become 51% the next turn if there were no encounters or sites entered, which halt the exploration for that turn.
• Note that the exploration slows down the higher the percentage is already explored. With the same conditions, an 80%-explored province would become 91%-explored the next turn.
• Without Scouting skill, but otherwise same conditions, a 30%-explored province would become 37% and 80% would become 84%.

Marksmanship

Marksmanship increases the power and range of the hero's ranged attacks.

• Level 1: Ranged Attack +1
• Level 2: Ranged Attack +1
• Level 3: Ranged Attack +1, Range +1
• Level 4: Ranged Attack +2
• Level 5: Ranged Attack +2, Range +1

Looting

The Looting skill increases the number of battle trophies received and increases the chance of acquiring items from fallen enemies.

• Level 1: Spoils +10%
• Level 2: Spoils +10%
• Level 3: Spoils +10%
• Level 4: Spoils +20%
• Level 5: Spoils +20%

This skill only affects the spoils of war earned from slaying enemies in battle. It does not affect treasures that are looted from a location after the guards are defeated.

Pathfinding

Pathfinding gives the hero and his army knowledge of the countryside. Speeds up the global map movement of the army.

• Level 1: Forest Knowledge +1
• Level 2: Hills Knowledge +1
• Level 3: Swamp Knowledge +1, Mobility +1
• Level 4: Terrain Knowledge +3
• Level 5: Terrain Knowledge +4, Mobility +1

The first point of terrain knowledge removes the stamina cost of traversing that terrain on the tactical map and reduces its movement cost to 1. Additional points improve the defense, ranged defense and counterattack of units in that terrain. This skill also removes terrain movement penalties on the strategic map. Terrain Knowledge at level 4 and 5 grant points to all three terrain types.
Scouts start with a random Terrain Knowledge (8). Further bonuses are additive, this can make creatures with a native terrain very strong.
There exists also Desert Knowledge and Deadlands Knowledge but Pathfinding skill and the Scout starting bonus excludes those.

Archery

Archery increases the hero's armor penetration and spare ammo.

• Level 1: Precise Shot +1, Ammo +1
• Level 2: Precise Shot +1, Ammo +1
• Level 3: Precise Shot +1, Ammo +1
• Level 4: Precise Shot +2, Ammo +1
• Level 5: Precise Shot +2, Ammo +1

Diplomacy

Diplomacy increases the rewards for completing quests and winning arena battles, reduces the prices of items and repairs in province stores, decreases the cost of bribing guards, and opens additional opportunities during negotiations.

• Level 1: Rewards +10%, Prices -10%
• Level 2: Rewards +10%, Prices -10%
• Level 3: Rewards +20%, Prices -10%
• Level 4: Rewards +30%, Prices -10%
• Level 5: Rewards +30%, Prices -10%

Notes:

Archery & Marksmanship are the most useful skills for an offensive Scout, while Reaction gives the very important Initiative bonuses. Scouting is less important on a Scout who is the primary Hero, but becomes much more important on a secondary Hero, who will spend much more time exploring provinces. Looting is unimportant unless income is a serious problem; while at higher levels when clearing high-level dungeons, it can reap very large benefits, by that point you should expect to have a large base income anyway. Diplomacy is interesting: while it gives no combat benefits and the quest rewards will be minor over the course of the shard, Diplomacy unlocks many options for easy recruitment on the strategic map, particularly at the second and third levels. It can make it possible to flip certain kinds of Neutral Provinces at a reduced price or even freely, as well as making certain lairs cheaper, or improving the odds of event recruitments like Grazing Unicorn.

Subclasses

At level 10, the Scout gains a subclass.

Archer (pure Scout)

Once the path of the Scout is completed the hero becomes an Archer and gains the ability to take two shots per Turn.

• Can use the following types of items:
  • Common
  • Melee Weapon
  • Ranged Weapon
  • Light Armor.
• Possesses the skill Double Shot (stamina cost 5).
• Can learn Scout Perks up to Mastery Level 5.
• Maximum Stats: 8 Health, 6 Magic, 6 Command

Sharpshooter

At level 20, the Archer becomes a Sharpshooter.

• Stamina cost of Double Shot decreased to 3
  
  

Adventurer (Scout/Warrior)

A Scout who has mastered the art of fighting becomes an Adventurer and gains the ability to move and act in the same turn without expending additional stamina and obtain better rewards while searching special locations and performing quests.

• Can use the following types of items:
  • Common
  • Melee Weapon
  • Heavy Weapon
  • Ranged Weapon
  • Light Armor
  • Medium Armor
  • Heavy Armor
  • Shield.
• Finds 50% more gold and gems while searching locations.
• Receives twice as much gold for completing quests.
• Gains the Second Wind ability (attacking after moving does not consume extra stamina)
• Can learn Scout and Warrior Perks up to Mastery Level 3.
• Maximum Stats: 10 Health, 4 Magic, 6 Command

Mercenary

At level 20 the Adventurer becomes a Mercenary.

• Finds 100% more gold and gems while searching locations.
• Gains the Swiftness ability (can move after attacking)
• Gains Backstab Immunity
• Speed: +2
• Initiative: +3
  
  

Ringleader (Scout/Commander)

A Scout who mastered the skills of command becomes a Ringleader. He gains the ability to loot more trophies after battles and receive more riches while plundering. Additionally troops under the Ringleader possess increased Mobility.

• Can use the following types of items:
  • Common
  • Melee Weapon
  • Ranged Weapon
  • Banner
  • Light Armor
  • Medium Armor
  • Shield.
• Looting skill is increased by 3.
• Receives 25% more gold while plundering provinces.
• Mobility is increased by +1.
• Can learn Scout and Commander Perks up to Mastery Level 3.
• Maximum Stats: 8 Health, 4 Magic, 8 Command

Raider

At level 20, the Ringleader becomes a Raider.

.

• Looting skill is increased by 6.
• Receives 50% more gold while plundering provinces.
• Mobility is increased by +2.
  
  

Ranger (Scout/Wizard)

A Scout who mastered the secrets of conjuring becomes a Ranger who then gains the ability to explore provinces faster and sabotage enemies more efficiently.

• Can use the following types of items:
  • Common
  • Melee Weapon
  • Ranged Weapon
  • Wand
  • Light Armor.
• Province exploration speed +10.
• Sabotage efficiency +1.
• Can perform one act of sabotage more than the skill allows.
• Can learn Scout and Wizard Perks up to Mastery Level 3.
• Maximum Stats: 7 Health, 8 Magic, 5 Command

Pathfinder

At level 20 the Ranger becomes a Pathfinder.

• Province exploration speed +20.
• Sabotage efficiency +2.

Notes:

Archer is generally the superior choice. Double Shot is an incredibly powerful skill, especially on a high-Stamina character, and getting Scout perks to level 5 drives up damage potential even further. Sadly Adventurer's bonuses aren't large enough to compensate for the weakness of having two combat focuses: ranged & melee (not true, see comments). Ringleader offers superior Command, but his bonuses for his army aren't nearly as good as those of Tactician, the Commander/Scout dual-class. Ranger offers excellent exploration options, but as noted above those are more useful on a secondary hero, and his spell options will usually be less useful than Archer's superior damage output.