Age of Mythology: Extended Edition – Culture Guide

This is a basic guide to the cultural differences in Age of Mythology: Extended Edition. This guide will be aimed at new players learning the game and the different bonuses each culture, main god and mini-god provides.

Being a completely factual guide, this information can be sourced from multiple websites and forums; some of the information is sourced from the game files themselves!

I have released this guide prior to it's completion, just to get exposure. Give it the thumbs up and follow if you enjoyed.

Culture Advantages - Basic Overview

Age Of Mythology: Extended Edition keeps the 3 main cultures alive as in the same; being the Egyptian, Norse and Greek cultures. Each Culture has their own variances, the main being the following:

Egyptian

The Egyptian culture allows many of the basic buildings, such as houses and storehouses, to be built for free. This is a huge bonus in conquest modes as you’re able to expand at a greater rate, without needing to pay for the main building units required. Furthermore, the Egyptian culture are able to build farms immediately; both the Norse and Greek are required to level up first. This again helps the culture gain an economical benefit early in the game.

The Egyptians also allow the unique building of statues or monuments. These items have several different advantages, such as preventing enemy God Powers to be invoked in a specific radius.

Norse

The Norsemen are known for their fighting. Their “villages” can be trained (instantly) to turn into an infantry unit known as an Ulfsark. The Norse also have a dedicated “villager” type for Gold mining; dwarfs.

Apart from the economical stance, the Norse obtain favor from initiating fights. Whether this be wild animals or enemy units, this is the quickest way to obtain favor from the gods.

Greek

The Greek are what this game is based upon; the travel of Arkantos and the downfall of Troy. The Greek are the “more prestige” race – stronger units (in general) and more expensive upgrades such as armor and training for units. The Greeks have no economic advantage over the other race, or ability to populate warriors from their villages.

The Greeks have an all-round stronger unit structure and God Powers to assist.

Major Gods & Abilities

Greek Gods (Main)

Zeus (Bolt): There are several military based bonuses you receive when you use Zeus as your main God. These are as follows:

1. Double Favor: 200 limit on Zeus rather than 100;
2. Faster Favor: Villagers are able to gain favour 37.5% faster;
3. Movement Speed: Hoplites (the main unit for Zeus) move 12% faster;
4. Infantry Damage: Infantry do double damage to buildings (based on base damage)

Poseidon (Lure): There are several military and economic bonuses when you use Poseidon as your main God. These are as follows:

1. Cheap Calvary: General cost of Calvary are reduced by 10%;
2. Stable Costs: The building of a stable costs 25% less;
3. Militia Units: When units are destroyed a militia is spawned. The amount are based upon the cost of a structure;
4. Hippocampus: When a temple is created, a hippocampus scout spawns at the dock.

Hades (Sentinels): Hades incurs a building assistance structure for the culture, if used as your main God. The following bonuses are present:

1. Shade Spawn: A 20% spawn chance for Shades occurs when a unit is killed;
2. Building Hitpoint and Attack: A 25% hitpoint bonus and 20% attack bonus is applied;
3. Archer Attack: Archers (entire unit) have an addition 10% attack.

Norse Gods (Main)

Odin (Great Hunt): Whilst all Norse Gods empower their culture with bonuses to warriors, Odin also includes minor economic boosts, such as:

1. Gathering Speeds: Hunters gather at 10% faster than that of other Norse Gods;
2. Raven Scouts: 2 Raven Scouts will be generated to allow scouting; they respawn when killed;
3. Hit Point Regeneration: All human soldiers regain hit-points when idle -0.8HP/s;
4. Additional Hitpoints: Huskarls, Rams and Ballistae have an additional 20% hitpoints; Jarls have an additional 10% hitpoint.

Thor (Dwarven Mine): Gold! That’s what Thor excels in. That and armory advantages. These are as follows:

1. Initial Units: In conquest you will spawn with 2 dwarves in place of gatherers;
2. Dwarf Bonus: Dwarves cost 10% less and gather wood and food at normal rates (usually 20% slower);
3. Special Armory: Ability to build an armory in the first age with no age restriction on tech research;
4. Armory Costs: Dwarven Foundry technologies cost less gold.

Loki (Spy): Loki has a nice mix of military and economic bonuses, as follows:

1. Bonus Myth Units: Hersir summons myth units randomly during fighting;
2. Movement Boost: Hensir moves 10% faster than normal units;
3. Training Speeds: Longouse units train 10% faster;
4. Ox Cart Bonus: Ox carts move 50% faster, cost 50% less however have 25% less HP.

Egyptian Gods (Main)

Ra (Rain): Using Ra as your main god empowers you with a plethora of economic advantages. The native traits are as follows:

1. Pharaoh Empowerment: 25% more resource empowerment, as opposed to 20%;
2. Priest Empowerment: Priests are able to empower buildings (however reduced rate);
3. Camel and Chariot Advantages: 12% more HP and 10% movement speed;
4. Monument Costs: 25% less cost-fee to build and 20% more hitpoints

Isis (Prosperity): Isis breeds immunity to God Powers and substantial economic advantages over the other cultures. The main abilities are as follows:

1. Technology Fee: All technologies cost 10% less food, wood or gold;
2. Monument Protection: When all monuments are built, no god powers can be targeted nearby;
3. Additional Population: Each town Centre adds +3 population;
4. Outpost Summoning: Priest have 60% faster build rate and a 33% cheaper build rate.

Set (Vision): Set is the odd God of the Egyptians. Set is focused on war and the ability to do additional damage. The bonuses of Set are as follows:

1. Converting and Obtaining Animals: Priests are able to generate animals for battle and are able to convert Gaia animals;
2. Additional Animals: Each age includes the spawn of additional animals from the temple, along with a scout Hyena;
3. Slinger and Chariot Advantages: Training of units is 20% faster and slingers have 10% more HP and 10% less hack vulnerability;
4. Migdol Stronghold: Cost 25% less.

Minor Gods & Powers - Classical Age

This information is sourced directly from the game files. This section will not go into the detail of what the GP performs, just an explanation of its ability.

Greek - Classical Age: Hermes - Ceasefire
Prevents combat from occurring for one minute’s duration. Fortress and tower construction is halted while in effect. God powers can still be invoked, however.


Greek - Classical Age: Athena – Restoration
Causes friendly units and buildings in a large area to recover hit points over 5 seconds.


Greek - Classical Age: Ares – Pestilence
Causes military buildings in the target area to stop producing units for 45 seconds. Has no effect on town centers, and technologies can still be researched.


Egyptian – Classical Age: Ptah – Shifting Sands
Instantly transports a group of units from one point on the map to another. Can be used to move both the player's units and the enemy's, however it will choose the enemy units to be transported randomly, and may not transport all of them, whereas it will transport most or all of the player's units. Has a reduced effect on enemy villagers.


Egyptian – Classical Age: Bast - Eclipse
Increases the attack of all myth units (including their special attacks) by 50% and their speed by 20%. Eclipse lasts for just over one minute, and no other god powers can be cast while it is in effect.


Egyptian – Classical Age: Anubis – Plague of Serpents
Summons friendly cobras to guard the target location on the map. The player has no control over the serpents, but shares their line of sight. If cast on water, this god power creates 'sea serpents', which are naval versions of the cobras summoned on land.


Norse – Classical Age: Freyja – Forest Fire
Sets trees on fire. The fire spreads to other trees in a limited radius before they collapse. Any units and buildings nearby the flames take damage.


Norse – Classical Age: Foresti – Healing Spring
Creates a healing spring which heals any idle friendly units within range at a rate of 2.5 HP/second. The spring can be captured by enemy units.


Norse – Classical Age: Heimdall - Undermine
Deals damage to walls, towers, town centers and fortresses. Undermine is powerful enough to destroy walls and towers instantly, but only deals limited damage to town centers and fortresses.

Minor Gods & Powers - Heroic Age

Greek - Heroic Age: Dionysus - Bronze
Increases the hack armor and pierce armor of all friendly human units in a small area for one and a half minutes.


Greek - Heroic Age: Apollo – Underworld Passage
Creates two tunnel portals between any locations on the map. Units entering one are instantly transported to the other. The portals can be destroyed by enemy units.


Greek - Heroic Age: Aphrodite - Curse
Turns a number of enemy units in the target area to pigs. The change is based on HP, so it will change more injured units, or less tough units. Does not affect MU’s or heroes. Has a reduced effect on villagers.


Norse - Heroic Age: Skadi - Frost
Freezes in place all enemy units in a large area for a minute, but gives them 99% armor to all attacks.


Norse - Heroic Age: Njord – Walking Woods
Transforms several trees into walking trees that will attack any enemy units or buildings they sight. The player has no control over the trees, but shares their line of sight. The trees remain until killed.


Norse - Heroic Age: Bragi – Flaming Weapons
Increases the attack of all human units and heroes on the map by 50% for one minute.


Egyptian - Heroic Age: Hathor – Locust Swarm
Creates three locust swarms that wander randomly around the target area for 20 seconds. Any farms the swarms touch are instantly destroyed. Other units have damage dealt to them. Can only be targeted at a location where there are enemy farms, villagers or fishing boats.


Egyptian - Heroic Age: Nephthys - Ancestors
Summons an army of 13 minions over the same number of seconds to serve the player for the god power's duration - one minute in length. When the god power ends, the minions die. Minions are fairly tough melee units with a fast move rate. Ancestors can be cast on water to summon 'lost ships', which like minions will die after one minute's time.


Egyptian - Heroic Age: Sekhmet - Citadel
Converts a friendly Town Center into a Citadel, which has 50% more HP, slightly more attack, and supports 25 population.

Minor Gods & Powers - Mythic Age

Greek - Mythic Age: Hera - Lightning
Deals significant amounts of damage to enemy units in the target area. The more units there are in the area, the more damage is done. Does not harm friendly units, deals almost no damage to buildings.


Greek - Mythic Age: Hephaestus - Plenty
Creates a vault that generates 15 food, wood and gold every 5 seconds. The vault can be captured by enemy units – it is controlled by whoever has the most units in the area.


Greek - Mythic Age: Artemis – Earthquake
Deals massive amounts of crush damage across a wide area – with more damage being dealt towards the center of the area of affect, and less towards the edges. Does not affect farms.


Norse - Mythic Age: Tyr - Fimbulwinter
Summons four packs of Fimbulwinter Wolves to attack enemy towns on the map. The player has no control over the wolves, and they die after the god power finishes. No other god powers can be invoked while Fimbulwinter is in effect. Fimbulwinter lasts for 20 seconds.


Norse - Mythic Age: Hel - Nidhogg
Summons the powerful dragon Nidhogg to serve the player. Nidhogg is particularly tough and quite effective against buildings, and does splash damage against groups of enemy units. Nidhogg cannot be healed.


Norse - Mythic Age: Baldr - Ragnarok
All villagers/dwarves are instantly converted into Heroes of the Ragnarok. Heroes of the Ragnarok are similar to Norse Hersir, they are melee infantry units with a huge bonus against myth units.



Egyptian - Mythic Age: Osiris – Son of Osiris
Converts the Pharaoh into Son of Osiris, which has greatly increased attack and HP, and hits up to four enemies at once when attacking.a powerful unit with a devastating attack. When Son of Osiris dies, the regular Pharaoh regenerates, so you can only use Son of Osiris once, and he cannot be healed in any way.


Egyptian - Mythic Age: Horus - Tornado
Creates a tornado that deals a large amount of damage to both units and buildings. The tornado will wander randomly about the target area for 20 seconds before dissapearing.


Egyptian - Mythic Age: Thoth - Meteor
Causes Meteors to rain down randomly over the target area. Meteor strikes do massive amounts of damage to buildings, but not much to units. Lasts 20 seconds.

Cultural Buildings

Each culture share similar buildings (Town Centre, Houses, Temple, Armory, Market, Wonder etc.) but also have their own buildings. This will define the roles of the buildings in Age of Mythology: Extended Edition. Any additional buildings not present in the Greek string will be added in their own section.

Greek – Economical

Town Centre: Trains villagers and heroes; allows villagers to add resources to your stockpile. The Town Center fires arrows at attackers that come within range, and units may take refuge inside from enemy units. Town Centers support 15 population, which can be increased to 20 by researching the City Center upgrade. You can only build one Town Center until you reach the Heroic age.

Armory: Provides technologies that improve the hack armor, pierce armor and attack of all human units.

Market: Allows a player to sell and buy food and wood in exchange for gold. Players can also gain gold by sending Caravans to travel to a Town Center belonging to himself or an ally - the longer the distance travelled, the more gold gained per trip.

Storehouse: Allows villagers to add lumber and gold to your stockpile. Researches improvements to woodcutting and gold mining.

Granary: Allows villagers to add food to your stockpile. Researches improvements to farming, hunting and herding.

Farm: Provides an infinite source of food for when other sources such as hunting or foraging have run out, however farming is slower than other food sources and expensive to set up.
House: Houses increase your population cap by 10 slots. You can only build 10 houses...beyond that if you want to support more population, you must build more town centers.

Greek – Military

Temple: Trains mythological units. Relics gathered by Greek heroes can also be placed here to utilize their unique bonuses. Some technologies unique to minor gods are researched from the temple, but most are researched from the building they are appropriate to - for example a technology benefiting infantry would be researched from the Academy.

Academy: Trains and improves infantry units.

Archery Range: Trains and improves ranged units.

Stable: Trains and improves cavalry units.

Fortress: Trains heroes, siege weapons and unique units. Also a defensive tool, as it attacks enemies within range and allow friendly units to take refuge inside. Costs favor to build.

Dock: Trains and improve naval units. Fishing boats drop food gathered here, and can also be garrisoned at any time. Naval mythological units are also trained at the dock. The dock must be built on a suitable coastline.

Sentry/Watch Tower: Sentry towers are the most basic upgrade level of defensive towers in AoM. They cannot attack until they are upgraded into Watch towers in the classical age, however units can still garrison inside. Towers have the ability to fire arrows at enemy attackers, and allow foot units to take refuge inside. The Greeks can further upgrade watch towers into Guard Towers.

Wall/Gate: Walls prevent enemy passage through a part of the map. They can be upgraded to make them harder to destroy.

Norse – Economical

Dwarven Foundry: Thor can research all armory upgrades right from the start of the game, including an extra fourth tier of technologies improving Attack, Hack and Pierce Armor. Like the regular armory, for Thor the Dwarven Foundry is the prerequisite for advancing to the Heroic Age.

Ox Cart: Not actually a building, the Ox Cart fulfils the role of the Egyptian and Greek resource drop points. It allows villagers to add food, lumber and gold to your stockpile, and researches improvements to gathering these three resources.

Egyptian – Economical

Lumber Camp: Allows villagers to add lumber to your stockpile. Researches improvements to woodcutting. This structure is free for the Egyptians.

Egyptian – Military

Siege Camp: Trains and improves siege weapons.

Obelisk: Obelisks are cheap and quickly placed structures that only provide line of sight. Egyptian priests have the ability to place Obelisks.

Mining Camp: Allows villagers to add gold to your stockpile. Researches improvements to gold mining. This structure is free for the Egyptians

Monuments (General): The Egyptians gain favor through special buildings, called monuments. There are five different monuments, each of different sizes and costs that generate favor at a constant rate, and you can task your pharaoh to empower a monument for it to generate favor faster. Each monument you build unlocks the ability to construct a more powerful monument - one that is more expensive, generates favor faster, and is tougher to destroy. You can only have one of each monument at any time, though you can replace them if they are destroyed by enemies.

Note: The different cultures have their own names; e.g. Barracks/Longhouse or Stronghold/Fortress. This has not been explained here.

This information is also sourced from several sources, such as HeavenGames.org

[☣MAXEE☣]

TY

[Infectedwaffle]

This guide doesnt cover unique techs and fails to be an actual "guide".

Still a spreadsheet of information about the absolute basics is still useful. Thanks

[NetFlicks]

o and no lag on game ranger, unless someone actually has 700ms

[NetFlicks]

just play the game... you woud get to know so much more, plus try out game ranger i've got about 6000hours in age of mythology there, if anyone have any questions feel free to ask me ill help out.

[DjDeets]

I agree with Blyatman, I personally have much of an idea how to play Atlantean

[k!po]

Thank you detailed guide.

[Darth Jimmi]

Atleteans and chinese would be cool :)

[Mark Antony (Non-Greek)]

@A Lamp - Perhaps, I'll need to get back into the game.
@Meh, I always do this.... ;p

[Silent]

You spelled Zeus wrong throughout the Greek section. Just an FYI.

[Kijin]

you forgot about the atlanteans :\