Help/advice needed when it comes to troops please

So i understand all the mana % requirements to drop to the next tile requirements for each speed so i dont need that info.

Im just curious if its generally better to always go highest mana possible? Is the extra mana beneficial even if it isnt enough for the next requirement? Does this increase the mana per turn gained on defense?

Example, winifred is a slow bard hero. With either mana or magic troop she will go down 2 tile requirements so which would be better to run? With the magic hitting the 25% with her bard is the extra 5% wasted? Or will that extra mana still help om defense and best to use it? Or go with the normal mana to get better dmg while still hitting the 20% requirement.

I hope this is clear as to what im asking, i wish some things was made a little more clear in game lol. Thanks to any help

The extra mana will help on defense. Plus you never know what SG will come up with down the road. Selecting mana nodes will typically be beneficial except for fast heroes who wont get much benefit. Mana nodes are also beneficial for charge heroes like ninjas. 23% is the magic number for those. So a 2% node wont help today but you don’t know what the future will bring. A magic troop at 20% wont benefit from the 2% so you need a bard to assist with 5%. I tend to take mana nodes because I’ve had heroes not charge at the same time when i was playing around with this over the years.

Well i have bunch of troops leveled, but in general more mana the better even if it doesnt hit the next tile requirement?

I use chunk mana heroes like Xnolphod Ray and hathor… But if you have a toxicandra or any of the hotms that have mana as part of their elemental link… It all can add up.

For roughian… I go 20% because when healed she gets a chunk mana… So I’d rather have the option that they can go off.

But… If you don’t get mana from strange places, then i usually go mana 15%