Cheat Codes

Heroes of Might and Magic 3 cheat codes are typed during a game after pressing Tab, and all start with "nwc" (for New World Computing). Each version has its own set: the original game and the HD Edition use codes such as nwcgeneraldirection (reveal the map), Armageddon's Blade uses nwcrevealourselves, and The Shadow of Death, the Complete edition and Horn of the Abyss use codes such as nwcwhatisthematrix.

Heroes of Might and Magic 3 cheat codes are typed during a game: press Tab to open the message line on the adventure map, type the code and press Enter (GameRevolution). Every code starts with "nwc", the initials of New World Computing, the studio that made the game, but the codes differ between versions: the 1999 original, The Restoration of Erathia, and Ubisoft's 2015 HD Edition share one set (nwcgeneraldirection reveals the map, nwcshrubbery adds gold and resources), Armageddon's Blade has another (nwcrevealourselves reveals the map), and The Shadow of Death has a third (nwcwhatisthematrix reveals the map, nwctheconstruct adds gold and resources), which is the set to try in the Complete edition and the fan-made Horn of the Abyss. Every code below comes from a named source; codes Vi.ki could not find in a reputable source are left out. Cheats are forbidden in rated online games. New players may get more from Beginner's Guide.

Quick facts

How to enter	Press Tab during a game, type the code, press Enter
All codes start with	nwc (New World Computing)
Reveal the map	nwcgeneraldirection (original, HD Edition); nwcrevealourselves (Armageddon's Blade); nwcwhatisthematrix (The Shadow of Death)
Gold and resources	nwcshrubbery (original, HD Edition); nwcwatto (Armageddon's Blade); nwctheconstruct (The Shadow of Death)
Cheat menu	The Shadow of Death: start the game with /nwcgrail, then press F4
HD Edition achievements	One achievement is for using a cheat; GIGA says others stop unlocking
Online play	Cheat codes are forbidden in Horn of the Abyss's online rules

How to enter a cheat code

Start or load a single-player game, press Tab on the adventure map, type the code and press Enter (GameRevolution; GIGA, May 24, 2023; GameRevolution, Jan 30, 2004). A code from the wrong version does nothing, so check which game you are running: the HD Edition is The Restoration of Erathia, while the Complete edition on Steam and GOG is the original game with both expansions.

The Restoration of Erathia and the HD Edition

GameRevolution lists these codes for the original 1999 game (GameRevolution, Feb 16, 2010). GIGA says the same codes work in the HD Edition (GIGA, May 24, 2023).

Code	Effect
nwcgeneraldirection	Reveals the whole map
nwcalreadygotone	Reveals the whole puzzle map (where the Grail is)
nwcshrubbery	Adds gold and resources (+10,000 gold, says GIGA)
nwconlyamodel	Builds every building in the selected town
nwctim	The hero gains every spell and 999 spell points
nwcavertingoureyes	The hero gains Archangels (35, says GameRevolution)
nwcfleshwound	The hero gains Black Knights (GIGA; GameRevolution says "Death Knights")
nwcantioch	The hero gains the war machines: First Aid Tent, Ballista and Ammo Cart
nwcigotbetter	The hero gains one level
nwccoconuts	The hero gets unlimited movement points
nwccastleanthrax	The hero gets the highest luck
nwcmuchrejoicing	The hero gets the highest morale
nwctrojanrabbit	Wins the scenario at once
nwcsirrobin	Loses the scenario at once
nwcphisherprice	Brighter colors

Armageddon's Blade

The 1999 expansion Armageddon's Blade has its own codes (GameRevolution, Jan 30, 2004):

Code	Effect
nwcrevealourselves	Reveals the whole map
nwcprophecy	Reveals the whole puzzle (obelisk) map
nwcwatto	Gives money and resources
nwccoruscant	Builds every building in the town
nwcmidichlorians	The hero gains full spell points and every spell
nwcpadme	The hero gains Archangels
nwcdarthmaul	The hero gains Black Knights
nwcr2d2	The hero gains all war machines
nwcquigon	The hero gains a level
nwcpodracer	The hero gets more movement

The Shadow of Death, Complete and Horn of the Abyss

GameRevolution lists these codes for The Shadow of Death (GameRevolution, Mar 16, 2010). The Complete edition sold on Steam and GOG contains The Shadow of Death, and the fan-made Horn of the Abyss, which installs only over The Shadow of Death or the Complete edition, documents changes to these same codes (nwczion and nwcneo, below), so this is the set to use there. Vi.ki found no reputable source that lists the Complete edition's codes separately.

Code	Effect
nwcwhatisthematrix	Reveals the whole map
nwcignoranceisbliss	Hides the map again
nwcoracle	Reveals the whole puzzle map
nwctheconstruct	Gives 100,000 gold and 100 of each resource
nwczion	Builds every building in the town
nwcthereisnospoon	The hero gains every spell and 999 spell points
nwctrinity	Fills the hero's empty army slots with 5 Archangels each
nwcagents	Fills the hero's empty army slots with 10 Black Knights each
nwclotsofguns	The hero gains all war machines
nwcneo	The hero gains one level
nwcnebuchadnezzar	The hero gets unlimited movement
nwcfollowthewhiterabbit	The hero gets the highest luck
nwcmorpheus	The hero gets the highest morale
nwcredpill	Wins the scenario at once
nwcbluepill	Loses the scenario at once
nwcphisherprice	Switches to an alternate color scheme

The cheat menu. The Shadow of Death also has a hidden cheat menu: add /nwcgrail to the end of the target of the game's shortcut, start the game, and press F4 to switch to windowed mode, where a "Cheat Menu" appears among the commands at the top of the window (GameRevolution, Mar 16, 2010).

Codes added by the HD mod and Horn of the Abyss

The fan-made, unofficial HD mod and Horn of the Abyss both change the cheats:

nwctheone (HD mod, for The Shadow of Death and HD+): reveals the whole map, puts 5 Archangels in each empty army slot, and gives infinite movement points and flight. It was added in HD mod 5.0 RC40 on Dec 2, 2018 (HD mod changelog).
nwcphisherprice: the HD mod's changelog records removing it in 5.0 RC16, Aug 30, 2018 (HD mod changelog).
nwcarchitect (Horn of the Abyss 1.8.0, Dec 31, 2025): gives the Grail to the current hero; from that version, nwczion no longer builds the town's Grail structure (HotA changelog).
nwcneo with a number (Horn of the Abyss 1.8.1, Aug 25, 2026): "nwcneo 20" gives that many levels at once (HotA changelog).

Horn of the Abyss 1.8.1 also made its "gosolo" command count as a cheat code and disabled it in online play (HotA changelog). More on Horn of the Abyss.

Cheats, achievements and online play

The HD Edition has Steam achievements, and one of them, "Fetchez la Vache!", is earned by using a cheat code (Gamepressure, last updated May 11, 2016). GIGA warns that once you enter a code, other achievements can no longer be unlocked (GIGA, May 24, 2023), so save before cheating if you hunt achievements.

In online play, the rules most players follow forbid cheats: Horn of the Abyss's online gaming rules say cheat codes, trainers and other side programs are not allowed in rated games and tournaments (HotA rules). See Multiplayer.

Frequently asked questions

How do you enter cheats in Heroes 3? In Heroes of Might and Magic 3, press Tab during a game, type the cheat code (they all start with "nwc") and press Enter; the code must match your version of the game.

What is the gold cheat in Heroes 3? The Heroes 3 gold cheat is nwcshrubbery in the original game and the HD Edition, nwcwatto in Armageddon's Blade, and nwctheconstruct in The Shadow of Death, which gives 100,000 gold and 100 of each resource according to GameRevolution.

What is the Heroes 3 cheat to reveal the map? The Heroes 3 map reveal cheat is nwcgeneraldirection in the original game and the HD Edition, nwcrevealourselves in Armageddon's Blade, and nwcwhatisthematrix in The Shadow of Death; the HD mod adds nwctheone.

Do Heroes 3 cheats work in the HD Edition? Yes. The Heroes 3 HD Edition uses the original Restoration of Erathia codes, such as nwcshrubbery and nwcgeneraldirection, according to GIGA, and GIGA warns that achievements stop unlocking after a cheat.

What does nwcphisherprice do? In Heroes of Might and Magic 3, nwcphisherprice switches the game to brighter, alternate colors; the fan-made HD mod's changelog records removing the code in 2018.

Can you use cheats in Heroes 3 multiplayer? Not in rated online games: the online gaming rules of the fan-made Horn of the Abyss for Heroes 3 forbid cheat codes, trainers and other side programs.