Each Hermit Has Different requirements but they function all the same: Upgrading a building.
The Ballista / Baker / Knight hermits upgrade this tower to their respective tower. It is possible to upgrade the tier 1 iron tower, however its basically a waste of gold. Best to upgrade these.
How to upgrade: You only need to have the desired hermit riding with you, walk to them, give them a coin then they will ride with you. Go and upgrade this tower and instead of iron tier 1, you will now have a hermit tower!
What about the Horn / Rancher hermits?
Horn and rancher are a little different than the norm. A Horn hermit will upgrade a Maxed iron wall to a slightly different “Horn Wall” (Don’t know official name). While the Rancher will upgrade a maxed farm to a Stable.
What Does Each Building Do?
- The Ballista Hermit Tower will replace a towers archers with a single builder. This allows them to leave and go hunt for you. It also has increased range + piercing. Super valuable building from behind an extra wall check that range!
- The Knight Hermit Tower will replace the tower with something completely new. I like to think of it as a mini castle, a knight stand. Rather than holding archers OR a builder. It allows you to recruit another Squire / Knight! This can be useful for going to a new Island with 3 Squires (Will discuss more in Strategy). However, I find this building pretty much unneeded. Sending 2 Groups almost always kills the portal, unless they meet a wave on the way.
- The Baker Hermit Tower will replace the tower as well with a small bakery. By spending some coins, you will purchase bread. This bread will attract vagrants no matter how far they are. This is favorite tower. Very useful on maps where the camps are far away. The vagrants will grab the bread and eat it, then stick around for awhile, useful for when you leave! You can hire them before they touch the bread and save some coin too!
- The Rancher Hermit will replace a farm with a Stable. The Stable is used to store a mount for easy swapping. Personally, never used it or cared since I was happy with 1 mount. However for an optimal playthrough, it would definitely be a benefit.
- The Horn Hermit Wall introduces a horn that can be used to call defenders. Personally have never used it, but it may be useful when expanding. To keep your troops behind higher quality wall or maybe a greed attack coming during the day.
If Your Hermit Was Taken?
You actually are either in an ok place or a bad place. However, your hermit is not actually gone. In the event your hermit is taken, you are now locked out of getting another one of that type, but you can save him! If your hermit is stolen, after clearing the final portal, they will be freed! However you are locked out of going and getting another until you lose your crown and start a new rein.
Safety Tip
Hermits have a tendency to walk outside the walls. For optimal safety, make sure you extend each side to the 2nd wall / tower combo!
I have played both the first and second one alot. One of my favorites on the game pass for xbox 1. This game chews up hours quick! Thanks for posting these tips, etc. I couldn’t for the life of me figure out what the horn on top actually did. I even tried blowing it at the flyers to see if it was a weapon against them.
Oh my gosh I could not tell what the horn did, I tried to keep putting money in it to see if you had to pay it’s value or something.