Demeter’s Wrathful Gaze Update

This patch brings a few new additions to Demeter! Some new technologies to improve Demeter’s utility, a new portrait, and balance changes.

Players who own the New Gods Pack: Demeter can now choose an alternate appearance for Demeter. Bring out the wrathful side of Demeter by swapping her portrait to the new glowing eyes version.

To opt in to using the alternate version of Demeter’s portrait, you can swap it at any time, similar to other alternate portraits. You can view this helpful guide on how to swap portraits here.

Three new technologies have been added to Demeter to enhance your gameplay experience and available utility while playing as Demeter.

Guiding Flame

Hestia’s guiding flame increases your ships line of sight and attack range.

Harvest of Souls

Persephone enhances your infantry allowing them to harvest souls whenever they defeat an enemy, increasing their damage and attack speed for a short duration.

Hymn of the Wildwood

Pan teaches your heroes the hymn of the wildwood, which allows them to heal nearby allied units in the area.

New Obsidian Mirror Random Map – Tenochtitlan’s Heart

This update brings a new Random Map to players who own the Obsidian Mirror DLC!

Located before the founding capital of the Aztec Empire, this urban map features winding canals and capturable landmarks that drive constant conflict. Narrow causeways and tightly packed districts create natural chokepoints, forcing a balanced aggression in a competition for key resources.

New Obsidian Mirror Cheat Codes

This patch adds two new cheat codes for players who own the Obsidian Mirror DLC.

Stability & Performance

• Minor general improvements to stability.
• Fixed a crash that could occur while performing pathfinding.
• Prevented a crash that can occur when the maximum number of unique water types is exceeded. Water types that go beyond the limit may not render correctly.
• Fixed a crash that could occur while entering the main menu if you rapidly interact with some actions.
• Fixed a crash that could occur when some types of units die from reflective damage. Animals of Set attacking Thorned Walls would result in a crash due to their conversion to Nature on death.
• Fixed an infinite loop that could have occurred for any unit that dies during its own action updates.
• Fixed a stack overflow crash that could occur in some rare situations while finding content to render.
• Fixed a crash that could occur during a game login reconnection success during some game states.
• Fixed a crash that could occur if you reference an encrypted image in a place that does not expect encrypted images. When this happens, no image will show, instead of a crash.
• Performance improvements while rendering unit health and resource bars. These savings in high-intensity situations reduced from 25 milliseconds to 350 microseconds after the performance improvement was applied.
• Performance improvements for Pillar of Tlalocan. The Pillar of Tlalocan’s attacks were never cleaned up in memory after they triggered due to no duration. These are now cleaned up after 15 seconds. The result was a continually growing list of tracked powers that would never reduce.
• Performance and memory improvements for power management by reusing empty slots instead of continually growing the power list for every newly cast power.
• Performance improvements for many places that perform large numbers of additions and removals on arrays that preserve their order. The main situations in which this was noticed occurred during the first few updates after loading into a Giant Mirkwood match with 12 players. During this time, the lists processed for the first few frames can contain 130,000+ objects. In these cases, performance improved to more than twice that of the previous implementation.
• Performance improvements for unit queries and unit visibility updates when they pass more than 128 elements. Revealing and hiding large quantities of units results in unit queries with 10,000+ units. Unit queries rely on unique unit lists, generated via linear searches for uniqueness. These become expensive to perform using a linear search as the numbers grow larger. After exceeding 128 elements, these queries dynamically switch to significantly cheaper set-based lookups for insertions. The result is that revealing the entire map using DEVASD or other non-cheat methods will occur faster, and general gameplay on high-unit-density maps will perform slightly faster in the worst situations.
• Fixed some potential cases of cyclic UI references in the Arena of the Gods Lobby that could have led to memory leaks in some cases.
• Fixed a soft-lock that could occur during campaign missions and scenarios if the game was paused right as the mission completes.

Localization

• Updates to some translations to improve translation quality.

Graphics

• The War Hut and Nobles Hut now have unique construction-stage models that better fit their final structures.
• The Pillar of Tlalocan will now be shown in full detail across all texture detail graphics settings to prevent blurry visuals at lower settings.
• Fixed some cases where Tonalli could appear underwater. Tonalli now always appears on the surface of water when it spawns.
• Fixed the Siege Crossbow not changing appearance when the Engineers technology is researched.

Audio

• Stealth sounds are now quieter to ensure they remain audible without overwhelming the player. Stealth sounds are often active around the map while playing as an Aztec Pantheon. In most cases, this has been set to 25% of the original volume.
• Adjusted the structure of some FMOD events to ensure they more closely resemble the file data structure. This helps ensure consistency when evaluating audio issues.
• Audio tables are now tracked in all lower-case to ensure case-insensitive lookups.
• Further updates to audio for God Powers:
  • Kusanagi’s birth audio event now uses Spatializer (Attenuate), and its listener type is now set to “All”.
  • Positional God Powers can now play while off-screen.
  • Great Flood now plays its audio depending on whether it is on screen.
  • God Powers now track all sounds they use in their effects to ensure fading works correctly.
• Added sounds to the Japanese Titan’s Bored animation.

Hotkeys

Changes to Hotkeys:

• Added Pre-Queue Convert to Gate: You can now Pre-Queue conversions from Walls to Gates!
  • Convert to Gate is now available for use when Wall buildings are at the foundation stage.
  • Using the normal action (or Hotkey) will act as a Pre-Queue similar to the previous changes for the Calpulli. You can also Pre-Queue when the Wall is fully built if you currently have insufficient resources.
• Removed Divine Labor and Gracious Hospitality Hotkeys from the Town Center Hotkeys.
• Added Gracious Hospitality to House Hotkeys.
• Added Divine Labor to Granary Hotkeys.
• Sacred Land now defaults to S to account for the move of Divine Labor.
• Removed Pan’s Pioneers Hotkeys from the Greek Temple Hotkeys.
• Added Pan’s Pioneers Hotkeys to the Granary and Storehouse Hotkeys.
• Added Hymn of the Wildwood Hotkey to the Greek Temple Hotkeys.
• Added Guiding Flame as a Hotkey in the Shared Dock Hotkeys.
• Added Harvest Souls Hotkey to the Armory and Military Academy Hotkeys.

Hotkey bug fixes:

• Fixed a bug that caused Attack Move to fail for Norse Military when assigned to the same Hotkey as Build Farm.
• The Warrior Priest to Teixiptla and Axolotl to Mutant Hotkeys will no longer activate from their normal bindings while in the combined abilities view. These actions now trigger from their Grid Hotkey equivalent.
• The Warrior Priest’s build actions (such as Temple) will no longer start placement while you are in the combined abilities view.
• The Argo is no longer selectable through Find Hero Hotkeys.
• Fixed typo in Hotkey data where Pre-Queue Chthonic Rites was missing a space.

UI

• Cosmic Guard now shows a notification for the activating player and a tooltip when hovering over the effect duration that shows in the power active area of the UI.
• Removed the word “Team” from dropdown entries for the Team number dropdown. This change ensures that the team is clearly visible in all languages, including when 10+ teams are actively in use.
• Fixed some cases where Narration could trigger incorrectly while navigating the Gauntlet Labyrinth UI.
• If you manage to earn all the Daily Celestial Challenge rewards, you will now see a message congratulating you.
• Midas’ Touch now shows a Tooltip instead of a string ID if you hover over the passive ability icon.
• Fixed a bug where you could enter a sub-menu of the main menu before first seeing the main menu. There is now a momentary delay of a few frames after you first reach the main menu before it is possible to interact.
• The Overhelmer and Retaliator AI Personality now have 4K versions of their icons.
• Fixed situations where the Minimap sometimes appeared when it should remain hidden. The minimap will remain hidden if you save and load during a mid-mission cinematic.
• Event icons that are now available as part of the Ultimate Fan Pack will show a tooltip to tell you that you can unlock them by obtaining the DLC.
• Fixed player color not showing for some unit icons: Fork Boy, UFO, Shinobi Wan Kenobi, and the Regent.
• Hovering over the Neutral icon in the Diplomacy pop-up will now show “Neutral” instead of an empty Tooltip.
• Fixed wording used in the Tunkuluchu’s Tooltip.
• Adjusted Pause behavior for some pop-ups during gameplay to ensure they do not unpause the game.
• Fixed a bug that caused AI Personalities to reset whenever a player joined a custom Multiplayer Lobby.
• You can now use the icon tag in text to show encrypted images. To do this, you will need to specify a ! character at the start of the path.
  For example:
  <icon="(32)(!greek\static_color\major_gods\legacy\hades_icon.png)">
  The ! character gives a hint that it might be encrypted and will allow decryption for this case. If the same text was shown without the ! character, it would fail to load the image, and you would not see an image.
• Fixed the Stealth cursor not showing on Shorelines (or Shallow Water) when you have an Ahuizotl unit selected.
• The Axolotl to Mutant Axolotl and Warrior Priest commands are now visible in the combined abilities view, and both show the correct Grid Hotkey binding.
• The Amazon Archer now appears in the Tech Tree and God Picker.
• Fixed a bug that caused damage stats to show on the base version of the Calpulli despite its inability to attack.
• Added missing icons for Dolphin and Eagle animals.
• The Japanese Shrine now has an “Eject all Garrisoned units” action.
• Fixed a bug that caused incorrect notifications for the Expansion Pass DLC to appear on Xbox that said the content was ready for install. These notifications would appear even in cases when all the Expansion Pass content was already installed.
• Fixed missing entries in the Compendium:
  • Added missing Quetzal entry.
  • Added missing Turkey Vulture entry.
  • Added missing entries for all the Aztec Trees.
  • Fixed Argive Patronage not showing up in the Compendium since the prior effect name change when it became available with Demeter’s Amazon Archers.

Controller

• Fixed tooltips not showing for the Difficulty and Personality settings in the Skirmish lobby while playing with a controller.
• Fixed missing Site Command options for Citadel Centers. You can now use the Construct Farm and Send Livestock actions on Citadel Centers while playing with a controller.
• Fixed a bug that caused navigation to function incorrectly and become stuck after using a controller button to back out of the Arena of the Gods Difficulty dropdown.

Fixes

• Tasking a Villager with resources to drop them off at a damaged dropsite building will now prioritize the drop-off command instead of the repair command.
• Fixed bugs that were causing your army to slow down when issuing repeated move commands.
• Fixed Box Formation failing for some selections of units and unit types.
• Fixed bugs that were causing Villagers to go idle instead of attacking during Attack Move commands.
• Improved Attack Move to make it more responsive.
  • One of the primary problems causing units to become idle during the Attack Move was exceeding path-check limits; many changes have been made to address that issue. This was worked on with Villagers as a focus, but applies generally to all Attack Move behavior.
  • Increased pathing limits for players that can be checked during each update.
  • Smarter checks to reduce the need for full path generation in some situations, saving on hitting limits.
  • After hitting pathfinding limits, units and squads that were unable to take their turn at pathfinding will have their priority shifted, causing them to process first on subsequent squad updates.
  • Attack targets are pre-sorted before checking paths, reducing the need to check multiple paths.

Developer Note: We are continuing to evaluate these changes in case additional situations require attention. The fixes that have been applied should make a noticeable difference in many situations that caused frustration due to idle units during combat.

• Fixed a bug that prevented chained Move actions from working after queuing a Dropoff-type action with a Relic to a Temple. You can now chain move actions after the Temple dropoff.
• Fixed a bug that prevented Goshinboku from spawning myth units while captured by an Aztec player.
• Fixed Blazing Prairie dealing significantly less damage than was intended. The fire on the ground from the Blazing Prairie power has resumed dealing damage by burning nearby units. The ArcadianMeadowDamageReceiver rate tag had been causing the damage-over-time effect to only work against Arcadian Meadow.
• Fixed a bug that allowed unintended duplication of bonuses by moving Relics in and out of Temples repeatedly. This issue would have affected the reversal for all cases of damage multiplier-type data effects. This issue would have been present for all of these Relics: Gaia’s Book of Knowledge, Feather of Bifang, Onikiri Demon Slayer, Tower of Sestus, Khopesh of Horus, Xiuhcoatl, and Hummingbird’s Beak. The problem occurred because the base amount for the default multiplier was treated as 0% instead of 100%.
• Fixed a bug that was preventing Farms from regenerating health when the Coatepec Shrines technology was researched.
• The “GREEK TO ME” cheat no longer has a chance to grant the Infestation God Power.
• Fixed Auto-Devotion failing if the Temple is not close to a Town Center. The Temple will now search without a set range, extending beyond those limits if no valid Town Center is found.
• Fixed a bug during the Auto-Supply Devote action where units were not counted correctly while they were moving to become devoted. This led to incorrect evaluations while determining if more units need training to supply the action.
• Fixed a bug that caused Gullinbursti to move more slowly when spawned after cloning the God Power with Obsidian Mirror. The fix for this issue would have affected any God Power that you try to clone with the Obsidian Mirror that has an InRange placement check.
• Japanese Villagers (Commoners) are now susceptible to attacks from predatory animals, similar to Villagers from other Pantheons.
• Minor adjustment to Goshinboku’s placement to make it easier to place.
• Maquizcoatl is now a little easier to click.
• Sphinx’s Whirlwind VFX now has a hitbox for selection.
• Kuafu units no longer run away in fear from Animals of Set. They have overcome their fear and will now stand their ground to fight.

Gauntlet Events

• Reduced damage done to Herdable units for some Chaos Events from 100% → 20%. This change applies to the following cases:
  • The Tornado Chaos Event.
  • The Thunder Burst Chaos Event.
  • The Children of Nidhogg Chaos Event.
  • The Lightning Strike Chaos Event.
  • The Cluck Cluck Boom Chaos Event.
  • Shinobi Wan Kenobi that are spawned by a Chaos Event.
  • Flaming Monkeys that are spawned by a Chaos Event.

Developer Note: A common complaint has been that Chaos Events cause too much damage to your Herdables if you keep them near your Town Center. This change ensures that the damage they do take will be less frustrating in cases where you have not already moved them away from danger.

Shared

• Various myth units have had their obstruction sizes reduced to better fit their respective sizes; see the specific culture sections for details.

Myth Units

• Myth units from a previous age now have their hitpoints and damage increased from +20% → +25%.

Developer Note: This change aims to keep myth units from previous ages a little more relevant in later stages of the game.

Buildings

• Town– and Village Center: damage per garrisoned unit increased from +3% → +5%.
• Tower: damage per garrisoned unit increased from +5% → +10%.

Developer Note: This change aims to alleviate early-game pressure when defending against various units, which can cause significant idle time. That idle time is now being rewarded with more damage output on defensive structures.

Technologies

• Advanced Fortifications: adjusted as follows
  • Now also affects Tower damage by +50%.
  • No longer affects the Hack armor of Fortress-type buildings by -10% hack vulnerability.
• Ballistics: adjusted as follows
  • Availability changed from Heroic → Classical age.
  • Cost reduced from 200 wood 200 gold → 150 wood 150 gold.

Relics

• Great Tzompantli: Now also grants a 0.01 favor per second trickle.
• Atlatl of Ehecatl: Ranged unit and building attack interval reduction reduced from -10% → -5%.
• Mayahuel’s Maguey: Human Soldier food, wood and gold refund on death reduced from 10% → 5% of the unit’s cost.

                      Greek Pantheon

• Favor curve adjusted so that villagers gather a little bit faster when gathering with large numbers of Villagers, example rates below:
  • Favor income for 3 villagers increased by ~2.5%.
  • Favor income for 10 villagers increased by ~9.5%.
  • Favor income for 30 villagers increased by ~24%.
  • Favor income for 50 villagers increased by ~37%.

Major Gods

Hades

• Vaults of Erebus (Technology): gold trickle rate reduced from 2 → 1.75 gold per second.

• God Bonuses have been adjusted as follows:
  • Removed:
    • +1 Villagers can work on a Farm.
    • Village Centers have additional HP and increased attack per garrisoned Villager.
    • Buildings build faster when close to Gold mines.
  • Added:
    • Village Centers trains units 25% faster.
    • Herdables fatten 25% faster, and can fatten 15% more.
    • Human soldiers and myth units train +10% faster per age.

Developer Note: As part of a soft redesign of Demeter, we are putting more power budget and focus on the economic aspect of Demeter rather than the defensive side, and giving her a fitting myth unit-related bonus, as all Greeks have.

• Herdables spawned from aging up no longer follow rallypoints.
• Divine Labor (Technology): adjusted as follows
  • No longer increases Villager wood & gold carry capacity.
  • Villagers gather from Herdables and Farms 10% faster.
  • Villager hitpoints healed for each drop-off reduced from 18 → 10.
  • No longer researchable at Town or Village Centers, it is instead researchable in the Granary.

Minor Gods

Athena

• Restoration (God Power): adjusted as follows
  • Cost increased from 100 → 125 favor.
  • Repeat cost increased from 20 → 25 favor.
  • Cooldown increased from 120 → 180 seconds.

Pan

• New Technology: Hymn of the Wildwood
  • Heroes heal nearby units for 0.75 HP/s, in a 5 radius.
  • Costs 150 gold 20 favor.
  • 40 second research time, available in the Temple.
• Pan’s Pioneers (Technology): adjusted as follows
  • No longer spawns Lykaons upon Town or Village Center completion.
  • New effect: Buildings cost -10% less wood.
  • New effect: +1 Villagers can gather from farms.
  • Cost increased from 100 gold 15 favor → 200 food 20 favor.
  • No longer researchable in the Temple, instead researchable in the Storehouse & Granary.
• Thorned walls (Technology): now also affects Towers and Fortresses.
• Predatory Instinct (Technology): adjusted as follows
  • Renamed to Call of Lykaion.
  • No longer increases damage by +2 hack.
  • No longer increases speed by 8.33%.
  • No longer allows Lykaons to be transformed at will, as this feature is present on the base unit.
  • New effect: Town and Village Centers now spawn 1 Lykaon for each present and future.
  • New effect: Lykaons now gain +25% damage.
  • Cost changed from 300 food 20 favor → 200 food 14 favor.

Dionysus

• Bronze (God Power): repeat cost increased from +10 → +25.

Hestia

• Communal Hearth (God Power): adjusted as follows
  • Repeat cost increased from +5 → +25.
  • Cooldown increased from 150 → 180 seconds.
  • Villager gather rate multiplier increased from 10% → 15%.
• New Technology: Guiding Flame
  • Increases ship line of sight by +4.
  • Increases ship attack range by +15%.
  • Costs 200 wood 15 favor.
  • 25 second research time, in the Dock.
• Gracious Hospitality (Technology): adjusted as follows
  • No longer increases population for Farms near Town Centers.
  • Now increases the House build limit by +2.
  • Cost increased from 150 food 20 favor → 275 gold 22 favor.
  • No longer researchable from the Town Center, it is instead researchable from houses.

Persephone

• Underworld Invasion (God Power): adjusted as follows
  • Hitpoint reduction of Eidolon units reduced from -33% → removed.
  • Now spawns a minimum of 30 Eidolons at base, with +30 per Town Center. (Maximum 150 total units)
  • The casting player can no longer build any Town or Village Centers during the duration of the power.
  • Only human soldiers are valid Eidolon targets.
  • Active time reduced from 200 → 180 seconds.
  • Repeat cost reduced from +75 → +50.

Developer Note: These changes aim to make the power more similar to Ragnarok’s playstyle by creating clear counter-play through myth units.

• New Technology: Harvest of Souls
  • Infantry attack 20% faster and deals 15% more damage upon killing an enemy unit.
  • Costs 150 food 150 gold 25 favor.
  • 40 second research time, in the Armory and Military Academy.
• Sacred Land (Technology): adjusted as follows
  • No longer gives farms a healing aura.
  • New effect: Villagers working on farms also grant 0.1 gold per second while gathering.
  • New effect: Villagers gather 10% faster from farms.
  • Cost increased from 100 gold 15 favor → 200 food 20 favor.

Hephaestus

• Forge of Olympus (Technology): adjusted as follows
  • Armory research speed reduced from +100% → +50%.
  • Cost increased from 200 gold 20 favor → 250 gold 25 favor.

Myth Units

• Lykaon (Pan): adjusted as follows
  • Can now transform at will, without needing an upgrade.
  • Bonus damage multiplier vs siege 2x → removed.
  • Bonus damage vs sentry towers 2.5x → 4x, and applies to all tower-type buildings.
  • Food gathering rate from Huntable and Herdable animals increased from +25% → +50%.
  • Cost changed from 100 gold 80 wood 15 favor → 165 gold 15 favor.
  • Population cost reduced from 2 → 1 (Villager version only).
• Centaur (Hermes): adjusted as follows
  • Arrow Volley area damage reduced from 21 → 19 pierce damage over time.
  • Hitpoints increased from 250 → 300.
  • Damage increased from 18 → 20 pierce.
  • Attack range reduced from 12 → 10.

Developer Note: These changes aim to shift the power budget from the centaur more into the base stats away from the special attack, making them less reliant on micro management.

• Nemean Lion (Aphrodite): adjusted as follows
  • Damage increased from 22 hack 14 crush → 24 hack 16 crush.
  • Obstruction size reduced from 1.24 → 0.99.
• Hamadryad (Hestia): cost reduced from 200 wood 50 gold 20 favor → 230 wood 20 favor.
• Chimera (Artemis): adjusted as follows
  • Obstruction size reduced from 1.24 → 0.99.

Human Units

• Hippeus: hitpoints increased from 150 → 155.
• Prodromos: adjusted as follows
  • Pierce armor increased from 10% → 15%.
  • Damage bonus multiplier vs cavalry increased from 3.5x → 4x.
• Amazon Archer (Demeter): adjusted as follows
  • Build limit 10 → removed.
  • Movement speed increased from 4.0 → 4.8.
  • Bonus damage multiplier vs buildings 2.2x → removed.
  • Hitpoints reduced from 160 → 120.
  • Population cost increased from 2 → 3.
  • Cost changed from 85 wood 65 gold → 85 food 95 wood.
  • Train time reduced from 12 → 9.5 seconds.
  • Damage reduced from 13 pierce 2 divine → 13 pierce 1 divine.
  • Attack range reduced from 26 → 24.
  • Weight class increased from 5 → 6.

Developer Note: We’ve adjusted the design of the Amazon Archer to be the first gold-less human unit, and shifted its power into being a fast, long-range super archer, rather than a slow, build-limited super archer with bonus damage against buildings.

                       Egyptian Pantheon

Major Gods

Ra

• Berry gather rate increased from +25% → +30%.

Myth Units

• Sphinx (Bast): adjusted as follows
  • Cost reduced from 120 gold 20 favor → 120 gold 18 favor.
  • Obstruction radius reduced from 1.24 → 0.99.
• Scorpion man (Nephthys): cost reduced from 200 wood 24 favor → 200 wood 22 favor.
• Petsuchos (Sobek): obstruction radius reduced from 1.24 → 0.99.

Hero Units

• Pharaoh: damage in the Archaic age increased from -90% → -75%.

Human Units

• Spearman: bonus damage multiplier vs cavalry increased from 1.75x → 2x.

Buildings

• Lighthouse: cost reduced from 300 → 200 gold.

                      Norse Pantheon

Major Gods

Thor

• Dwarven Armory: Archaic age research speed reduced from 0.5x → 0.33x.

Loki

• Spy (God Power): cost reduced from 60 → 30.

Minor Gods

Njord

• Vikings (Technology): Raiding Cavalry divine damage increased from +1 → +1.5.

Skadi

• Frost (God Power): duration reduced from 50 → 45 seconds.

Myth Units

• Draugr (Ullr): cost reduced from 225 wood 14 favor → 200 wood 14 favor.
• Rock Giant (Aegir): Obstruction size reduced from 1.49 → 1.24.
• Frost Giant (Skadi, Hel): adjusted as follows
  • Hitpoints increased from 600 → 700.
  • Damage increased from 36 hack 30 crush → 40 hack 32 crush.
  • Obstruction size reduced from 1.24 → 0.99.
• Fire Giant (Baldr): Obstruction size reduced from 1.24 → 0.99.
• Fenris Wolf Brood (Tyr): Obstruction size reduced from 1.24 → 0.99.
• Nidhogg (Hel): adjusted as follows
  • Hitpoints increased from 2800 → 3200.
  • Cooldown reduced from 90 → 60 seconds.

Hero Units

• Hersir: damage in the Archaic age increased from -90% → -75%.
• Godi: movement speed increased from 4 → 4.3.

Human Units

• Raiding Cavalry: adjusted as follows
  • Hitpoints increased from 105 → 110.
  • Hack armor increased from 15% → 20%.
• Throwing Axeman: adjusted as follows
  • Hack armor reduced from 30% → 20%.
  • Pierce armor increased from 15% → 25%.
  • Damage reduced from 6 → 5 hack.
  • Damage bonus multiplier vs infantry increased from 3x → 4x.

Developer Note: These changes aim to help the Throwing Axeman survive a little longer against ranged units, such as Slingers or Toxotes, and weaken them against cavalry units or fast infantry. Making their damage more specialized against infantry also aims to make them a unit that requires a bit more control, but with greater payoff.

                 Atlantean Pantheon

Major Gods

Oranos

• Shockwave (God Power): adjusted as follows
  • Cooldown increased from 150 → 180 seconds.
  • Cost increased from 15 → 20 favor.

Minor Gods

Leto

• Spider Lair (God Power): adjusted as follows
  • Cost increased from 0 → 4.
  • Spiders from Spider Lair can now be revealed within 3 radius by any unit, or 8 radius by scout units, and remain visible once revealed.

Developer Note: This change effectively removes the free second cast, as its cost was 0 + 4. Now you have to start paying after your first free cast.

• Perception (Technology): cost reduced from 50 food 100 wood → 50 food 50 wood.

Oceanus

• Frontline Heroics (Technology): adjusted as follows
  • Infantry hero food and gold cost reduction reduced from -30% → -20%.
  • Cost reduced from 100 gold 15 favor → 100 gold 12 favor.

Hyperion

• Chaos (God Power): cooldown increased from 180 → 240 seconds.
• Heroic Renewal (Technology): adjusted as follows
  • Hero regeneration rate reduced from 1.5 → 1 hp/s.
  • Research time reduced from 40 → 30 seconds.

Rheia

• Horns of Consecration (Technology): research time reduced from 40 → 25 seconds.

Myth Units

• Automaton (Leto): adjusted as follows
  • Hack armor increased from 30% → 35%.
  • Pierce armor reduced from 55% → 50%.
  • Train time reduced from 10 → 9 seconds.
• Tartarian Spawn (Hekate): obstruction size reduced from 1.24 → 0.99.
• Argus (Atlas): adjusted as follows
  • Obstruction size reduced from 1.49 → 1.24.
  • Movement speed increased from 4.1 → 4.3.
  • Hitpoints increased from 760 → 840.
• Centimanus (Helios): hitpoints increased from 900 → 960.
• Lampades (Hekate): cost reduced from 220 gold 22 favor → 200 gold 20 favor.

Hero Units

• Oracle (Hero): damage in the Archaic age increased from -90% → -75%.
• Contarius (Hero): adjusted as follows
  • Cost increased from 50 food 30 gold → 55 food 30 gold.
  • Hitpoints increased from 155 → 170.

Human Units

• Contarius: adjusted as follows
  • Cost increased from 65 food 40 gold → 75 food 40 gold.
  • Hitpoints increased from 140 → 155.

Developer Note: The goal of this change is to make Contarius a more pop-efficient unit so it may perform better in the late game, scaling its power and cost up roughly equally.

                Chinese Pantheon

• Favored land: income adjusted as follows
  • Tile 0-3000, favor income reduced from 0.01 → 0.0075 favor per tile.
  • Tile 3000-5000, favor income increased from 0.005 → 0.0075 per tile.
  • Tile 5000+, favor income increased from 0.001 → 0.0025.

Developer Note: The intent behind these changes is to make expansion feel more rewarding by giving you more favor if you are proactive in securing the map, and to offset the Kuafu unit’s early-game favor cost reduction.

Major Gods

Nuwa

• Kuafu Chieftain (Technology): Cost reduced from 150 food 15 favor → 150 food 10 favor.

Shennong

• Prosperous Seeds (God Power): gather rate increased from +50% → +60% faster than a normal farm.

Minor Gods

Xuannu

• Qilin’s Blessing (Technology): cost reduced from 100 food 100 gold 25 favor → 100 food 100 gold 15 favor.

Chiyou

• Son of Loong (Technology): cost reduced from 150 gold 10 favor → 125 gold 8 favor.
• Rage of Slaughter (Technology): cost reduced from 150 wood 10 favor → 150 wood 5 favor.

Houtu

• Sinister Defiance (Technology): cost reduced from 150 food 50 gold 15 favor → 150 food 25 gold 10 favor.

Goumang

• Forest Protection (God Power): cost increased from 100 → 125 favor.

Gonggong

• Last Stand (Technology): cost increased from 300 food 15 favor → 300 food 25 favor.

Myth Units

• Yazi (Chiyou): adjusted as follows
  • Hitpoints increased from 300 → 320.
  • Obstruction size reduced from 0.99 → 0.74.
• Baihu (Rushou): obstruction size reduced from 1.24 → 0.99.
• Taotie (Nuba): obstruction size reduced from 1.49 → 1.24.
• Hundun (Huangdi): adjusted as follows
  • Cost reduced from 220 food 30 favor → 220 food 28 favor.
  • Hack armor increased from 45% → 50%.
• Qinglong (Gonggong): adjusted as follows
  • Special attack initial impact damage reduced from 35 pierce → 10 divine.
  • Special attack damage over time puddle lifespan increased from 1 → 3 seconds, with a divine damage of 5 per second.
  • Hitpoints increased from 600 → 660.

Developer Note: The special attack changes shift power budget from the initial impact to the puddle, allowing for some counterplay by maneuvering units out of the puddle.

• Xuanwu: obstruction size reduced from 2.99 → 2.49.
• Yinglong (Huangdi): hitpoints increased from 2400 → 2700.

Hero Units

• Pioneer (Hero): damage in the Archaic age increased from -90% → -75%.

Human Units

• Ge Halberdier: adjusted as follows
  • Damage increased from 4 → 5 hack.
  • Damage bonus multiplier vs cavalry reduced from 5x → 4.5x.
• Tiger Cavalry: hitpoints reduced from 170 → 165.

Other Units

• Peasant: gather rates increased from 80% → 85% compared to those of a Greek Villager.
• Kuafu: adjusted as follows
  • Train time increased from 42 → 42.5 seconds.
  • Cost reduced from 50 food 100 gold 10 favor → 50 food 100 gold 8 favor.

Developer Note: These changes aim to shift some of the power budget away from Kuafu as the dominant target for favor spending.

                 Japanese Pantheon

Major Gods

Susanoo

• Kusanagi (God Power): repeat cost increased from +5 → +10.
• Crushing Waves (Technology): cost increased from 50 food 10 favor → 100 food 15 favor.
• Kitsune bushido XP trickle rate reduced from 0.75 → 0.5 per second.

Minor Gods

Ame-no-Uzume

• Katagi (Technology): Bushido XP on death from infantry increased from 75 → 100.

Minakatatomi

• Shrine of the Hunt (God Power): adjusted as follows
  • Wolves spawned from the shrine are no longer myth units; instead, they now behave the same as serpents.
  • Hitpoints reduced from 180 → 90.
  • Damage bonus multiplier vs heroes -50% → removed.
  • Crush armor increased from 80% → 99%.

Developer Note: This change aims to make them stronger against early heroes, and a bit weaker against Villagers in rare offensive use-cases.

• Kumiki (Technology): cost increased from 100 wood 50 gold 10 favor → 100 wood 50 gold 15 favor.

Hero Units

• Onmyoji: population cost increased from 3 → 4.

Developer Note: This unit has been performing too well when massed in the late game. Increasing the pop cost to match the unit’s price is intended to make this more manageable.

Human Units

• Yari Spearman: damage bonus multiplier vs cavalry reduced from 3x → 2.5x.
• Shinobi: hitpoints increased from 110 → 120.

                 Aztec Pantheon

• Devotion: adjusted as follows
  • Favor earned from devoting Villagers increased from 15 → 18.
  • Passive favor income per devoted Villager increased from 0.4x → 0.5x that of the Greek favor gather rate, and is adjusted to match the new Greek favor formula.
  • Number of Villagers needed to reach maximum passive favor income from devotion reduced from 20 → 15.
  • Devotion favor reward reduction reduced from -90% → -80% at maximum scaling, resulting in twice as much favor earned as before in the late game, once the max is reached.

Developer Note: These changes result in a increase of 17.64 → 22.44 favor per minute passively, once at the maximum passive favor cap. The amount earned at the bottom rate per Villager directly is also increased from 1.5 → 3.6 favor.

• Tonalli can now be collected on water by the Arrow Canoe, Atlatl Siege Canoe, and Tepoztli Canoe.
• All Teixiptla will now adjust their Lifespan as a percentage of their previous Lifespan whenever a technology is researched that modifies it.

Developer Note: For example, if the Lifespan was increased from 30 seconds to 60 seconds, this would previously have reset the full Lifespan on active units to 60 seconds, regardless of whether it was at 29 seconds or 1 second remaining. With this change, if you were at 15 seconds, that would mean 50% of the Lifespan is completed, and the technology change for the active unit would adjust it to 30 seconds (of the new maximum of 60). This change was made to reduce the effectiveness of abusing research timings during raids to gain a second wind of attack time with active Teixiptla.

• Cosmic Guard: adjusted as follows
  • Number of myth units changed from 3 → 2.
  • Number of human soldiers needed to sacrifice reduced from 15 → 12.

Major Gods

Huitzilopochtli

• Blood Pact (God Power): adjusted as follows
  • Now also scales Hitpoints and Damage of the target unit per age as follows
    • Archaic Age: 1.5x
    • Classical Age: 2.0x
    • Heroic Age: 2.5x
    • Mythic Age: 3.0x
    • Wonder Age: 4.0x
• Temple, Great Temple, Town- and Village center refund on completion reduced from 33% → 25%.

Tezcatlipoca

• Now has access to farms in the Archaic Age, allowing him to use Shennong’s Prosperous Seeds.

Quetzalcoatl

• Nobles’ Hut unit hitpoints reduced from +15% → +10%.

Minor Gods

Malinalxochitl

• Infestation Nest (God Power): adjusted as follows
  • Initial Large Scorpions spawned reduced from 3 → 2.
  • Number of Large Scorpions spawned on death reduced from 3 → 2.
  • Lifespan increased from 180 → 240 seconds.

Developer Note: These changes aim to slow down the Nest’s early power, while keeping the number of spawns overall the same.

• Omen of Malinalco (Technology): adjusted as follows
  • Maquizcoatl on death explosion armor reduction increased from -15% → -20% hack & pierce.
  • Cost reduced from 150 food 15 favor → 120 food 12 favor.

Itzpapalotl

• Purge (God Power): duration reduced from 6.5 → 6 seconds.

Coyolxauhqui

• Starfall (God Power): small strike divine damage increased from 5 → 6.

Tlaloc

• Pillar of Tlalocan (God Power): adjusted as follows
  • Hitpoints reduced from 2800 → 2400.
  • Damage changed from 40 hack 20 divine → 40 pierce 10 divine.
  • Damage area of strike reduced from 6 → 5.
  • Can no longer target siege weapons with its water strikes.
• Tlaloques (Technology): Calpulli upgrade discount reduced from -90% → -75%.

Mictlantehcutli

• Omen of Death (Technology): adjusted as follows
  • Teixiptla hack damage on death increased from 40 → 50.
  • Teixiptla bonus damage multiplier on death increased from 5x → 6x.
  • Cost reduced from 250 food 25 favor → 150 food 20 favor.
• Necklace of Eyeballs (Technology): now affects all heroes rather than just Teixiptla’s.

Myth Units

• Centzon Totochthin (Patecatl): adjusted as follows
  • Hitpoints and damage per veterancy tier increased from +20% → +25%.
  • Hitpoints increased from 240 →260.
  • Pierce armor increased from 45% → 50%.
• Soul guide (Xolotl): is now a valid Blood Pact target.
• Axolotl: now follows the same heal logic as other healers, fixing an issue where they could heal otherwise unhealable units.
• Quinametzin: adjusted as follows
  • Hitpoints increased from 500 → 600.
  • Hack armor increased from 15% → 25%.
  • Cost reduced from 300 gold 10 favor → 300 gold 5 favor.
  • Obstruction size reduced from 1.24 → 0.99.

Human Units

• Tlamanih Spearman: damage bonus vs cavalry reduced from 3.5x → 3x.
• Ocelotl Warrior: hitpoints increased from 155 → 165.
• Shorn One: adjusted as follows
  • Terror Whistle damage area reduced from 2 → 1.
  • Terror Whistle duration reduced from 5 → 4 seconds.
  • Damage reduced from 13 → 12 hack.
• Eagle Warrior: adjusted as follows
  • Cost increased from 75 wood 45 gold → 80 wood 45 gold.
  • Train time increased from 20 → 21 seconds.
  • Hitpoints reduced from 95 → 90.
  • Attack range reduced from 19 → 18.

Hero Units

• Teixiptla (Huitz): adjusted as follows
  • Damage reduced from 18 → 15 divine.
  • Damage over time reduced from 1 → 0.75 Divine, per second, for 5 seconds.
  • Damage bonus multiplier vs myth units increased from 8x → 9x.
  • Lifespan in the Classical age reduced from 30 → 25 seconds.
• Teixiptla (Tez): adjusted as follows
  • Damage reduced from 10 → 8 hack.
  • Special Attack damage reduced from 40 → 32 hack.
  • Damage bonus multiplier vs myth units increased from 8x → 9x.
  • Lifespan in the Classical age reduced from 30 → 25 seconds.
• Teixiptla (Quetz): adjusted as follows
  • Damage reduced from 20 → 16 divine.
  • Damage bonus multiplier vs myth units increased from 8x → 9x.
  • Lifespan in the Classical age reduced from 30 → 25 seconds.

Buildings

• Calpulli (Craft Workshop): hitpoints increased from 600 → 800.

Developer Note: The Livestock Pen and Lumber Outpost each have 800.

• Spike Trap: cost reduced from 80 → 50 wood.
• Smoke Trap: cost reduced from 15 wood 15 gold → 10 wood 10 gold.

General

• Updated Doxygen documentation and VS Code Extension.
• Blood and Bones DLC new addition! All variations of blood and bones can now be placed in the Editor! This includes both the original red, the darker red, and the prismatic color variations. It also includes both the white and bloodied versions of all skeleton models. You can find all of these in the Editor with “Blood Pack” at the end of their names.
• Fixed a bug that prevented Mods from overriding encrypted image files. It is now possible to mod and override God Portraits and other assets again. This was not functioning correctly after the previous update, when the UI swapped to using DDS files for images.
• Added a new Tech Tree flag “SpecialAgeUpgrade” that can be used to negate incorrect cases where special alternate versions of Age Up technologies are used for campaigns. This is used for ClassicalAgeMalinalxochitlDummy to fix the “GREEK TO ME” cheat.
• Added new tags to the UnderworldInvasion power type.
  • Added new tag EidolonMin, which is used for (EidolonMin + (Town Centers Count * EidolonStep)).
  • Added new tag DurationTechEffect, which defines a technology that applies during the first update of Underworld Invasion and then is removed at the end of the effect.
  • Added new tag OnlyApplyDurationTechEffectIfTechActive that only applies the DurationTechEffect if this tech is active.
• The ChargedModify action type now supports multiple child Charged tags with KillEnemy as the activation type. Previously, it would never trigger more than the first listed upon killing an enemy. Only the first ChargedModify ProtoAction with KillEnemy will work, so you will still need to combine all KillEnemy activation types onto one ProtoAction for any individual ProtoUnit. This fix was applied to ensure the new Harvest Souls technology could modify two different stats.
• Abilities flagged with DisplayWithAbilities will now show correctly with Grid Hotkeys as the default.
• Added new functions that allow custom map creators to return to the old LOS in Free For All, where you can see Allies’ vision.
  • Added new random map function: void rmSetCanSeeAllyLOSInFFA(bool canSee): Sets whether fog of war allows vision of Ally LOS in the match. Change applies during post-random map startup LOS fixup.
  • Add new trigger function: void trSetCanSeeAllyLOSInFFA(bool canSee, bool applyFogChangeNow): Sets whether fog of war allows vision of Ally LOS in the match. Change may only be visible in most situations if you call applyFogChangeNow. This may not be necessary if it is done before other situations that would force a mass fog update.
  • Added new editor trigger: Player: Toggle FFA Ally LOS
  • Adding rmSetCanSeeAllyLOSInFFA(true) to a custom map script will let the LOS behave the old way. This can be toggled mid-match with trigger function calls to trSetCanSeeAllyLOSInFFA.
• Added functionality to support alternate behaviors when the Lifespan type Data Effect is applied.
  • Added a new attribute for Lifespan Data Effects “updateLifespanAsPercent” that can be set with true or 1 as a value. Scoped to a single Data Effect change.
  • New Protounit flag “UpdateLifespanAsPercentOnDataChange” that triggers the same functionality scoped to that ProtoUnit for all Data Effects (if the values before and after were both greater than 0).
  • While applying a Lifespan Data Effect and either of the above is set, the relative change is calculated (as multiplier = new / old), and then this multiplier is applied instead to all already existing units.
  • These changes were applied to ensure that age-ups (and other Lifespan-type changes) would not reset the timer on active Teixiptla.
• SoundSetEnter, SoundSetExit, and SoundSetUpdate tags in Tactic files can now include a volume attribute with a multiplier from 0.0 to 1.0 to adjust audio volume. This is used for Stealth sounds to modify how they sound.
• Fixed a bug that could cause Gauntlet-type events to become active behind the scenes in the Scenario Editor and when playtesting from the Scenario Editor. In some cases, this may have meant that effects were incorrectly activated at times when they should not have been.
• Fixed a comment spotted by Modders that incorrectly referred to Pan as a Major God.

Investigation

As always, we are continuing to track issues reported by the community for future updates.

For other known issues, please visit this page to see what’s being tracked!

Coming Up…

We truly appreciate all the player feedback and community discussions that continue to inform much of our work, helping us identify the areas where updates can make the biggest difference.

Alongside this, the team is actively focused on improving the Age of Mythology experience, including ongoing efforts to stabilize gameplay, addressing any outstanding issues and refine overall balance to create a more cohesive and dependable experience.

We’re grateful to have you as part of the journey.

DISCLAIMER

Please note that this list is subject to change and should not be considered a comprehensive list of all the known issues we’re tracking. The above is to inform you of the team’s current priorities, which will change as other issues arise or take precedence.

For the latest updates and announcements, please visit our social channels.

Stability & Performance

• Fixed a crash while viewing a Player Profile if the game was force stopped using the Steam client.
• Fixed a crash happening on 4v4 skirmish games with 8 AI players.
• Fixed a crash on consoles that would occur when pressing Left Bumper on the gamepad while in the Villager radial Build Menu.
• Fixed a crash related to Lou Chuans attacking after the Thunderclap Bombs Unique Technology was researched.
• Fixed a rare crash that would occur when canceling the creation of a Villager at the Town Center.
• Fixed a rare crash where siege units in groups could affect movement speed.
• Fixed a rare crash that could appear if a player tries to click the “Block Player” button while also leaving the post-game statistics screen.
• Fixed performance degradation spikes that occurred whenever a terrain tile was modified.
• Improved game performance when the Building and Aura Range indicator appears for many units and buildings.
• Improved the stability of File Transfers in Custom Games lobbies and prevented players from being kicked upon transfer failures.
• Fixed a crash that reduced the memory usage during map generation.

Achievements

• Fixed the “Can I be Frank with you?” achievement being granted regardless if the “Tours (732)” Co-op Historical Battle has been completed or not.

Graphics

• Fixed Hulk Ships for Byzantines, Italians, Spanish, Portuguese, Armenians, and Georgian civilizations appearing with African ship sails while attacking.
• Reduced the size of some graphics assets (saving ~2GB with EGP installed).

Audio

• Fixed low-quality audio when using Bluetooth devices.

UI

• A new ‘More Content’ section can be accessed from the Main Menu, listing all available owned and not owned content DLCs. DLC that is not owned will also be displayed on the Main Menu screen.
• Fixed an issue where changing lobbies between the Base Game and Return of Rome variant would cause a Civilization to become automatically selected when entering the lobby.
• Fixed an issue where using Mouse and Keyboard on consoles would cause the Search Bar on the Civilization Select screen to be unresponsive.
• Fixed an issue that locked “Women’s History Month Icons” for players that had them unlocked.
• Fixed Civilization Emblem background images found in the Civilization Selection menu appearing blurry and low resolution.
• Fixed Civilization Shield icon not appearing in Ranked and Quickplay lobbies when Civilization is set to Random.
• Fixed Match Settings not appearing on the loading screen for games that used the Time Limit Victory Condition.
• Fixed typo in lobby chat notification after being locked from sending messages. Fixed text: “You cannot send any more chat messages at the moment. Please wait a few seconds and try again.”
• In the Tech Tree menu, Trade Cart icons now appear with regional Civilization icons.

Hotkeys

• Fixed an issue that, when the game is set to Windowed, using an ALT + hotkey combination would produce a Windows beep sound.
• “Select all Town Centers” hotkey now correctly includes Town Centers’ foundations.

PC

• Improved memory usage on PCs.

Xbox

• Improved memory usage on Xbox One and Xbox Series consoles.
• Fixed an issue on Xbox consoles that would allow profiles that do not own the game to launch the title and enter a game match, which would result in a crash.
• Fixed an issue showing player slots as “Ready” (green text) when players set themselves as Ready and then left the lobby.
• Fixed the Map Pool Menu to display the map list on parity with all the other platforms.
• Fixed a crash that would occur after multiple games were played in succession on Xbox One and Xbox Series consoles.

PlayStation

• Fixed an issue showing player slots as “Ready” (green text) when players set themselves as Ready and then left the lobby.

Fixes

• Fixed an issue that allowed dying Monks with Relics to drop the Relic over corners of walls.
• Fixed an issue where Dark Age and Feudal Age Houses would take increased damage from Knights.
• Fixed a rare issue that made Villagers attack their own farms/pastures instead of gathering from them.
• Fixed ‘Going Above and Beyond’ cheat code not applying for Archer upgrades.
• Fixed Jurchens Civilization bonus ‘Siege and fortification technologies cost -75% wood and are researched 100% faster’ not applying to Murder Holes.
• Fixed Oystering Fishing Ships that were garrisoned inside a Dock not firing arrows at enemy ships.
• Fixed projectiles destroying resources such as Gold and Stone Mines when the projectile owner is killed while the projectile is still mid-air.

Art of War

• Art of War: ‘Early Economy’: Fixed an issue where the Stockpile 500 Food objective will be marked incomplete if the player spends Food resources after completing.

Campaign Missions

• Arariboia 2: ‘Seeds of Vengeance’: Fixed some units showing as belonging to a wrong civ.
• Liu Bei 1: ‘The Oath of the Peach Garden,’ Legendary: Fixed Yellow Turbans player’s Light Cavalry units not receiving +3 attack bonus before the player completes the ‘X/3 Animals Captured’ objective and still get -3 attack removed when the objective is completed.

Co-op Campaign Missions

• Fixed an issue when loading into a co-op campaign level, the loading screen map preview appeared as Coastal.

General

• Slinger
  • Cost adjusted from 70 food 10 wood → 50 food 25 wood.
  • Conversion resistance increased from 0 → 2.
• Champi Warrior-line
  • Champi Warrior-line train time reduced from 45/40/26/21 → 42/34/26/21 seconds.
  • Champi Runner upgrade cost reduced from 120 food 60 gold → 90 food 60 gold.
  • Champi Runner upgrade research time reduced from 50 → 40 seconds.
  • Champi Warrior upgrade cost reduced from 200 food 175 gold → 150 food 175 gold.
• Xolotl Warrior
  • Now affected by the following technologies: Garland Wars, Holcans, Fabric Shields, Herbalism, Caciques, Butalmapu.

Naval

• Dock maximum number of arrows changed from 5 → 0/3/4/5 in Dark/Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
• Dock bonus vs. ships changed from +3 → +0/2/3/4 in Dark/Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
• Watch Tower-line bonus vs. ships reduced
  • Watch Tower from +6 → +5.
  • Guard Tower from +8 → +7.
  • Keep from +9 → +8.
• Sea Tower bonus vs. ships reduced from +8 → +5.

Armenians

• Elite Composite Bowman HP increased from 45 → 50.
• Gain access to Siege Ram.

Burgundians

• Economic technology food cost discount civilization bonus increased from 33% → 40%.
• Relics generating food in addition to gold team bonus reduced from 30 food/minute → 20 food/minute.

Inca

• Food discount on military units civilization bonus increased from 5/10/15/20% → 15/20/25/30% in Dark/Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
• (Elite) Kamayuk food cost adjusted to be unchanged.

Mapuche

• Foragers drop off more food civilization bonus increased from 20% → 25%.

Muisca

• Settlement discount civilization bonus increased from 25% → 33%.
• (Elite)Temple Guard cost reduced from 80 food 45 gold → 70 food 45 gold.
• (Elite)Temple Guard attack bonus vs. cavalry increased from +3 → +5, Elite from +6 → +8.
• (Elite) Guecha Warrior HP increased from 50 → 55, Elite from 50 → 60.
• Huaracas effect of faster Slinger train time increased from 25% → 50%.

Tupi

• Blackwood Archer train time increased from 14 → 18 seconds (Elite unchanged).

Wei

• (Elite) Tiger Cavalry HP reduced from 115 → 110, Elite from 130 → 125.
• (Elite) Tiger Cavalry train time increased from 15 → 18 seconds.

General

• Fixed an issue on consoles where empty slots would remain colored Green if a player readies up and the leaves the lobby.
• Fixed Party members having a visible, but non-functioning “Remove” button that appeared next to other player names in Ranked lobbies.
• Fixed “Failed to download match content” message appearing when spectating a custom map.
• Fixed an XS error happening in custom lobbies upon transferring Random Maps or Custom Scenarios including XS files.
• Fixed file transfers for XS scripts failing on restored lobbies.

General

• AI Engine: Fixed AI exploration commands (up-send-scout) sometimes being unintentionally sent to units nearby, rather than the Scout itself.
• AI Engine: Fixed the AI falsely reporting sighted Enemy Gates as archers. (While using players-unit-type-count.)
• AI Engine: Fixed the AI incorrectly reporting Town Centers as Coustilliers if a Treaty is set and it expires.
• AI Engine: Fixed fe-exclude-from-attack-group lists from resetting upon saving and reloading the game.
• AI Engine: Fixed Object-data-next-attack from being falsely 0, preventing the AI from looping Ranged Unit animations and failing to fire when performing hit and run attacks.
• AI Engine: Fixed the AI from attempting to convert Town Centers.
• Fixed an issue making Extreme AI try to set Building Foundations on invalid terrain (like woodlines or mines) when game resources were set to Ultra High.

Pathfinding

• Fixed an issue preventing Villagers from moving towards a SHIFT-queued resource after the initial resource they were gathering depleted.
• Improved consistency on Trebuchets SHIFT-queued movement+attack behavior.
• Improved control groups that consist of single Units following SHIFT-queued commands.
• Improved Lumberjacks pathfinding and prevented them from autonomously picking a different woodline when in large groups.
• Improved Units SHIFT-queued responsiveness when belonging to groups of Units far away from each other.
• Improved Villagers pathfinding upon being tasked to go out of Gates with buildings close to them.
• Increased stopping range for Mule Carts near resources to allow more space for Villagers to path.

Scenario Editor

• Renamed the “Enable/Disable Attackable” effect to “Enable/Disable Unit Attackable State”.
• Renamed the “Enable/Disable Unit Targeting” effect to “Enable/Disable Unit Targetable State”.
• The “Display Instructions” effect no longer applies the <TAG> text color to the icon. The “Source Player” field is now used for this option as originally intended.
  • A new option called “Use Tag Color For Icon” has been added to the “Display Instructions” effect, which will be on by default for scenarios affected by this bug to preserve old behavior.
• Fixed Composite Bowman not appearing as a unit available in the Editor with Italian language selected.

XS Scripting

• Added new XS functions:
  • int xsGetLocale()
    • Gets the current locale of this player.
    • Note: See the Language Constants section of Constants.xs for all values
  • string xsGetString(int stringId, bool localized = false)
    • Gets a string from the strings file
  • string xsGetPlayerAttributeName(int resourceId, bool localized = false)
    • Gets the Editor resource name
  • string xsGetObjectAttributeName(int attributeId, bool localized = false)
    • Gets the Object Attribute name
  • string xsGetDamageClassName(int damageClassId, bool localized = false)
    • Gets the UI Damage Class name
  • bool xsIsObjectValid(int objectId, int playerId)
    • Checks whether an object exists in data
  • int xsGetPlayerNumberOfObjects(int playerId)
    • Gets the number of data objects of a player
  • int xsGetLocalPlayerId()
    • The local player number is unique for every player in the game. It signifies their player number in the game. Do not use this function for anything outside of things like display and chat—it will cause desyncs.
  • string xsGetPlayerColorTag(int playerId)
    • Gets the player color tag like <RED> for the given player. Works when the color has been changed in a scenario from the Players menu as well.
    • Note: See the Color Constants section of Constants.xs for all values
  • int xsGetMapSeed()
  • int xsGetTechAttribute(int playerId, int techId, int techAttribute, int indexOrCostType)
    • Gets a specific attribute from a tech
    • Note: See the Tech Attribute Constants section of Constants.xs for all values
• The following functions all work similarly to their trigger effect analogues. Note that passing -1 to the playerId field of any of these functions applies it to all players.
  • bool xsPlaySound(string eventOrSoundFileName, int playerId, vector position, float angle, int objectId, bool global = false)
  • bool xsDisplayInstructions(string msg, int time, int sourcePlayer, int iconObjectId, int panelPosition, bool useTagColorForIcon, bool playSound, string soundFilename, int playerId = -1)
    • Note: the sourcePlayer corresponds with the editor “Source Player” option. The playerId parameter corresponds to which player to show this instruction to.
  • bool xsClearInstructions(int panelPosition, int playerId = -1)
  • bool xsDisplayTimer(int timerId, string msg, int time, int timeUnit, bool resetTimer, int playerId = -1)
  • bool xsClearTimer(int timerId, int playerId = -1)
  • float xsGetTimerTimeRemaining(int timerId, int timeUnit, int playerId = -1)
  • bool xsSendChat(string msg, int playerId = -1, bool silent = false)
  • void xsDeclareVictory(int playerId, bool victory = true)
• Math-related functions:
  • float ln(float x)
  • float log2(float x)
  • float log10(float x)
  • float round(float x)
  • float radians(float x)
  • float degrees(float x)
  • float dist(vector v1, vector v2)
  • int bitAnd(int v1, int v2)
  • int bitOr(int v1, int v2)
  • int bitNot(int v1)
  • int bitXor(int v1, int v2)
• Fixed the XS main function not being invoked in replays.

Investigation

As always, we are continuing to track issues reported by the community for future updates.

For other known issues, please visit this page to see what’s being tracked!

Controller UI on PC

Starting with this patch, you can now switch between the standard PC mouse and keyboard UI and the controller UI on Steam or Microsoft Store! This includes access to controller-specific features like the Site Menu System and Villager Priority System.  

With this change, we’ll also be delivering the same player experience found on the consoles optimized for certain handheld devices, including: 

• Steam Deck
• ROG Xbox Ally
• ROG Xbox Ally X
• ASUS ROG Ally
• ASUS ROG Ally X

Note that player count is limited to 4 players in total on these devices. 

Campaign

• Reduced the use of the attack horn sound effect in several campaign missions. 
• Fixed an issue where the player could build multiple instances of Landmarks in several campaign missions. 
• Fixed an exploit in the Northern Expedition mission where players could avoid enemy encounters by completing the objectives out of order. 
• Adjusted timings for enemy attacks in the Central Plains mission. 

Ranked Map Pool

1v1: 

• Dry Arabia 
• Cliffside 
• Craters 
• Hill and Dale 
• Migration 
• Danube River
• West Lake 
• Himeyama 
• Highwoods 

Team Game: 

• Dry Arabia 
• Carmel 
• Rocky River 
• Lipany 
• Migration 
• Canal 
• Gorge 
• Flankwoods 
• Hedgemaze 

General Map Changes

• Sheep distribution has been tuned to spawn mainly around player bases and only sparsely around the neutral parts of map in the following maps: Oasis, Nagari, Flankwoods. Rocky River, High View, Carmel. Socotra, Hill and Dale. 
• Herbalist hut and Ancient Stele POIs were added to the distribution attributes and can now be used by the modding community for custom generated maps. 

Map-Specific Changes

Socotra 

• Herbalist-Hut Point of Interest added, and will spawn at the center of the map by the boar. 
• Fixed a bug where the map could have spawned with its center flooded. 
• Fixed an issue where the island could spawn with an irregular shape favoring one faction or limiting the other. 

Dry Arabia 

• Neutral markets now spawn mirrored / flipped in a symmetrically correct way. 
• Neutral Markets can no longer spawn in the safe area between the player’s TC to the nearest map corner (“behind” the player) in 1v1s. 
• The number of neutral sheep in 1v1s has been reduced from 10 to 6. 

Nagari 

• The central lake is now generated more symmetrically with similar distance to the edge of the map on both sides. 
• Fixed an issue where one player would have less starting territory around their base compared to the opponent. 
• Fixed an issue where too many mountains would spawn on one side of the map. 
• Fixed an issue where the starting pond would “spill” across the map. 
• Fixed an issue where fish would spawn outside the water and inside the mountains. 

Carmel 

• Fixed an issue where sometime all deer would spawn only on one side of the map. 
• Total amount of neutral deer has been slightly decreased. 
• Total amount of tiny neutral gold mines increased. 

Flankwoods 

• All starting gold deposits in player bases have been reduced from small to tiny deposits. 
• Boars now consistently spawn in the neutral zone in all ranked team game configurations 
• Starting resources in 1v1 spawn more consistently. 

Gorge 

• Fixed an issue in team games where large golds often spawned in a line close to each other and closer to one team more than the other. 
• Fixed an issue where gold, trees, or stone could rarely spawn in the lower path between the teams. 

Enlightened Horizon 

• Fixed a bug where one player would have one extra relic on their side of the map in 1v1. 

Hill and Dale 

• Forests can no longer form a “Wall” dividing the map into 2 through the center. 

High View 

• Fixed a bug where the 2nd deer packs would frequently fail to spawn. 
• The 2nd deer pack is now set spawns before the stealth woodlines at the bottom of the player’s starting “hill.” 

Oasis 

• Boars and sacred sites were moved out of the central clearing and into the outer neutral zone. 
• Deep fish no longer spawn at the central pond. 
• Relics can no longer spawn trapped in the center of the map. 

Prairie 

• Players’ starting resources now have a more consistent distance from the players. 
• The starting gold deposit has decreased from a large to a small(4k) deposit. 
• The starting stone deposit has decreased from large to small deposit. 

Waterholes 

• Decreased the size of the ponds. 
• Forests are more evenly distributed on the map, creating a more open environment. 
• Added small groups of huntable animals to the center of the map. 

Haywire 

• Drastically increased the forest clearings to reach the outside of the map when only two players were present. 

Wetlands 

• Forests and ponds are now more evenly distributed across the map. 
• The forest coverage has decreased slightly. 

Mountain Clearing 

• All gold deposits have been reduced from large to small deposits. 
• Increased the neutral number of huntable animals on the map. 

Hideout 

• Pushed settlements and holy sites closer to the center of the map. 
• Slight increase to the amount of neutral resources. 

General Changes & Bugfixes

• Caster mode: the “View Next Player” button now functions properly. 
• Fixed an issue where ranged siege that fire multiple shots would not fire fully when holding position. 
• Fixed an issue where the idle religious unit selection hotkey would not select idle Monks. 
• Fixed an issue where units would sometimes not properly chase their target when ordered to attack or attack move. 
• Crucible: Meng’an Mouke Defenders and Mounted Grenadiers are no longer affected by the Quality over Quantity boon. 
• Takeda Clan now displays the correct icon in the Tech Tree. 
• The Khan’s Hunter is now correctly connected to the Archery Range in the Mongol Tech Tree. 
• Fixed a bug which caused Trade Posts to intercept Springald projectiles. 
• Fixed a sync error caused by Golden Horde’s Battering Ram converted to Beachhead when it tries to find nearby enemies to attack. 
• Fixed issue where enabling some community event challenges causes the game to be disconnected to the server. 
• PS5 only: fixed an issue that causes the cursor to not be visible when changing the preferred input device from controller to keyboard & mouse. 
• The tech tree for the Order of the Dragon now shows the correct Handcannoneer unit. 

                        Abbasid Dynasty

• Trade Wing reworked:  
  • Now called the Administrative Wing. 
  • No longer grants 4/5/6 traders upon completion. 
  • Now passively provides a +50% bonus to each tier of Golden Age bonuses. 
  • Spice Roads technology removed. 
  • Armored Caravans: 
    • Moved from the House of Wisdom to the Market. 
    • Armor reduced from +3 → +2. 
  • New Technologies by Age: 
    • II: City Planning – Identical buildings placed adjacent to each other within Golden Age influence are each granted +8% health and +8% work rate. 
    • III: Siege Directive – Siege Weapons deal +25% bonus damage and are field-constructed 50% faster. 
    • IV: Grand Bazaar – Moved from Castle Age. 
  • Culture Wing 
    • New upgrade: Algebra 
      • Replaces Medical Centers. 
      • The House of Wisdom generates 3 Food, 3 Wood, and 2 Gold for each military technology researched. 
    • Medical Centers:  
      • Moved to the Keep. 
      • Now requires the Imperial Age. 
      • Healing reduced from 2 → 1. 
• Golden Age: 
  • Now has 5 tiers instead of 3. 
    • Previously: 
      • 10 buildings: +15% Villager gather rate 
      • 30 buildings: +20% Research speed 
      • 60 buildings: +20% Villager gather rate, +20% research speed, +20% production speed 
    • New: 
      • 10 buildings: +15% Villager gather rate 
      • 20 buildings: +20% Construction speed 
      • 30 buildings: +15% Camel Rider damage 
      • 50 buildings: +20% Trader income 
      • 75 buildings: +10% Melee infantry damage 

                            Ayyubids

• Atabeg health bonus increased from +20% → +25%. 
• Advancement Wing: 
  • Feudal Age cost reduced from 225 Food 100 Gold → 200 Food 100 Gold. 
  • Castle Age cost reduced from 900 Food 500 Gold → 850 Food 500 Gold. 
  • Imperial Age cost reduced from 1500 Food 750 Gold → 1350 Food 700 Gold.

                             Byzantines

• The Golden Horn Tower unit production toggle no longer appears when the landmark is selected together with other buildings. 
• Olive Grove oil income reduced from 20% → 15% of Food gathered. 
• Cataphract: 
  • Trample Damage reduced from 12 → 10. 
  • Numeri effect reduced from 15% for 12 seconds → 10% for 10 seconds. 
• Cistern cost reduced from 125 → 100 Stone. 
• Mercenary Camp cost reduced from 150 → 100 Wood. 
• Hardened Limitanei health increased from 100 → 105. 
• Imperial Hippodrome: 
  • Triumph health regeneration for cavalry increased from 2 → 2.5 per second. 

                               Chinese

• Fixed an issue which caused Fishing Ships to drop off significantly more resources to buildings within the Imperial Academy’s influence. 

                         Delhi Sultanate

• The Tower of Victory now contains Blacksmith technologies in addition to improving infantry attack speed. 
• Compound of the Defender fortification discount improved from 20% → 25%. 
• Fixed a bug which prevented the Compound of the Defender from reducing the cost of emplacements. 

                                 English

• Fixed a bug causing the Wnyguard Footman to be significantly more difficult to select compared to similar units. 

                             French

• College of Artillery: 
  • No longer capable of producing Royal Culverins. 
  • The Artillery Shot ability is now exclusive to Royal Cannons and is no longer granted to regular Cannons. 
  • Now additionally grants Royal Ribauldequins the new ‘Fortify Ribauldequin’ ability: 
    • Deploys 5 palings and grants +30% range. 
    • Palings and range bonus last until the Ribauldequin is moved away from that position. 
  • Royal Cannons and Royal Ribauldequins now cost 25% less Gold. 

                        Golden Horde

• Torguud health reduced from 220 → 200. 
• Stockyard cost increased from 250 Wood → 275 Wood. 
• Fixed an issue causing Kipchak Archers to have 1 less damage than intended after researching Incendiary Arrows. 

                    Holy Roman Empire

• Inspired Warriors: 
  • Now also inspires units adjacent to the target in a 0.5 tile radius. 
  • Damage effect reduced from +15% → +10%. 
• New civilization bonus: Bursae 
  • Universities provide +30 population space. 
  • University technologies are -10% cheaper. 
• New technology: Concave Lens 
  • Available at the University. 
  • Effect: Increases the Line of Sight of all units and ships by +2 tiles. 
  • Cost: 150 Food 350 Gold. 

                         House of Lancaster

• Lancaster Castle now has 8 garrison slots that provide garrison arrows. 

                              Japanese

• Shinobi Shunshin ability range increased from 4 → 5 tiles. 

                              Jeanne d’Arc

• College of Artillery: 
  • No longer capable of producing Royal Culverins. 
  • The Artillery Shot ability is now exclusive to Royal Cannons and is no longer granted to regular Cannons. 
  • Now additionally grants Royal Ribauldequins the new ‘Fortify Ribauldequin’ ability: 
    • Deploys 5 palings and grants +30% range. 
    • Palings and range bonus last until the Ribauldequin is moved away from that position. 
  • Royal Cannons and Royal Ribauldequins now cost 25% less Gold. 

                              Jin Dynasty

• Grassland Horse spawn time reduced from 90 → 75 seconds in the Feudal Age. 
• Jin Mounted Villagers can now correctly gather from all types of shoreline fish. 
• Fixed a bug which caused the Mountain Hall to start anywhere from 0 to 100 Karma upon being constructed. Now always starts with 100 Karma. 
• Fixed an issue with Bribe and Conversion being able to target garrisoned units. 
• Fixed an issue which prevented the Great Wall Bastion from being damaged by Bombard, Culverin, or Cannon projectiles at certain angles. 
• Fixed a bug which caused Meng’an Mouke to fail to attack non-aggressive enemies like Monks, Imperial Officials, and packed up siege weapons. 
• Mohe Tribesman trained from a Grassland now correctly get the fire visual when Incendiary Arrows is researched. 
• Meng’an Mouke now properly spawns for Monk-type units 
• Meng’an Mouke now properly return to their outpost if there is a Greek Fire patch lingering on the ground but no nearby enemies. 
• Fixed an issue where Jin could convert and keep mounted villagers as mounted villagers from enemy Jin players. Now correctly converts mounted villagers into villagers as Jin vs Jin. 
• Fixed an issue where Jin Spearman that are converted with the Storm Lance technology researched will no longer fire the ranged projectiles after being converted. 
• The Flower Garden’s VFX are no longer visible to enemies in the fog of war. 
• War Stable outskirts visually updated. 
• Fixed an issue which prevented many of the gathering sounds from playing while a Mounted Villager was gathering resources. 
• Handcannon Slits now have the ‘Unique to’ icon. 

                            Knights Templar

• Pilgrim income reduced by ~10%. 
  • The cap remains unchanged at 130 Gold if the Pilgrims travel far enough. 

                             Macedonians

• The Golden Horn Tower unit production toggle no longer appears when the landmark is selected together with other buildings. 
• Varangian Warcamp reinforcement cost reduced from 6x → 7x the cost of fallen units. 
• Hippodrome Champion healing reduced from 1 → 0.6 health per second. 

                              Malians

• The Military Festival at the Griot Bara has been renamed to the Production Festival and its description has been updated to more accurately reflect that it affects all units except Traders. 

                           Mongols

• Attack speed cap while Mangudai are moving improved from 1.97 → 1.66. 
• Double Villager production cost reduced from 125 → 120 Stone. 
• Ovoo: 
  • Castle Age gather rate increased from 130 → 140. 
  • Imperial Age gather rate increased from 160 → 170. 
• Fixed an issue causing the Improved version of the Lightweight Beams technology to quadruple Ram train time from the Siege Workshop. 

                     Order of the Dragon

• Gilded Villager gather rate reduced from 28% → 27%. 
• Inspired Warriors: 
  • Now also inspires units adjacent to the target in a 0.5 tile radius. 
  • Damage effect reduced from +15% → +10%. 

                              Ottomans

• Sipahi: 
  • Cost increased from 120 Food 40 Wood → 120 Food 45 Wood. 
  • Production time increased from 30 → 31 seconds. 
• Anatolian Hills and Akinji System are now in the correct locations on the Xbox Vizier radial menu. 

                                Rus

• Wooden Fortress cost reduced from 175 → 150 Wood. 
• Bounty Food gather rate bonus increased from 5/10/15% → 10/15/20% per tier. 

                       Tughlaq Dynasty

• Ballista Elephant: 
  • Cost reduced from 300 Food 350 Gold → 250 Food 350 Gold. 
  • Train time reduced from 45 → 40 seconds. 
• Compound of the Defender discount increased from 20% → 25%. 
• Fishing Ships no longer benefit from the Elephant Economics bonus. 

                        Zhu Xi's Legacy

• The Shaolin Temple is now able to connect to the Jiangnan Tower’s influence. 

Investigation

Your reports continue being crucial to our prioritization and implementation of fixes and features in the game. Keep them coming!

For other known issues, please visit this page to see what’s being tracked!

Coming Up…

As we’ve mentioned previously this year, the Age IV team is hard at work on another expansion planned for this Fall, which will bring the Vikings to our shores! We can’t wait to share more about our plans soon. In the meantime, we’ll also be re-enabling seasonal events starting shortly; you can find the schedule of events here.