What do you get out of harping and whining and insulting the person who spent their own time to make this game so YOU could sit on your rumps and play it? Suck it up, princesses, or be constructive.
If you're almost at the end and you're level three, the problem is not increased gold/XP. That would just make the game even easier. The fact that the skills aren't even necessary is the problem here.
I explained that poorly. You need 20% MORE experience for the next level, with only a 5% bonus from the skill. It will actually pay off in the long run, but since you can beat the game at level three or four, there's no reason to do so.
Fast Learner makes you receive 5% more experience per map completed. However, to get a point in it, you need to level up. The next level, you will need 20% experience to level up. Hence, it doesn't end up being worth it at all. Calm down and think about things before you insult people.
For the "Hire 20 mages" elemental awards, the stats page counts warriors that were upgraded to that element as well, so you're probably going to have a number higher than 20 before you get the award. Not a bug.
Just tested the "first-mage-being-way-too-strong" thing on the first map. I upgraded my first mage to a quickspell with speed focus, so he did only 30 base damage. He was taking 150+ off the boss each hit.
I was level three when I reached the final level. There is absolutely no "leveling-up" necessary in this game if you place guys intelligently and upgrade them accordingly. One thing I just noticed, though. The award that makes your first-placed guy do an extra damage seems bugged, because my first guy is doing WAY more than the second. Like, killing things in one hit that he definitely shouldn't.
The actually acquiring of awards is a bit spotty, because if you lose a map but get the award requirement, it doesn't award you the achievement. Or something like that. The actual awards work fine now, though. It's getting them that is still a bit sketchy. :p
Once again, farming/grinding is NOT necessary. I was level three when I got to the last map. However, the skills are rather useless unless you do. Also, yes, the XP boost skill is completely useless as is, since that 5% is offset by the 20% increase in XP you need to level.
Speaking of awards: how on earth can you get Heroic Efforts? There's no way you can complete a map using only heroes, because you don't have enough gold to start with one.
I had very few of the awards/achievements. Some of the mage ones, sure, but you get those pretty quickly while playing through levels. You just have to look at the wave guide and figure out which type of units to use. Remember, warriors can become archers to deal with flying units. Warriors are MUCH better in this game than they were in the previous incarnations. Also, you don't get achievements/awards when you lose a map, as far as I can tell.
 "Protector III"){kind=icon}