Age of Wonders 4: Best Units of Each Type

Age of Wonders 4: Best Units of Each Type

The text you provided discusses the different unit types and abilities for each culture in the game “Age of Wonders 4“. Here is a summary:


In “Age of Wonders 4,” there is a diverse array of unit types. Some units originate from the city that manufactures them, while others become accessible through the exploration and research of Tomes. Additionally, a select number of unique units can be obtained by conquering Ancient Wonders.

As a passionate fan of “Age of Wonders 4,” I have come to realize that not every unit is created equal in terms of effectiveness and usefulness. While high-tier units undeniably bring danger to the battlefield, they sometimes carry gimmicks that can limit their utility compared to the reliable low-tier warriors. So, which culture’s units truly hold the upper hand against all others?

The Unit Categories

Age of Wonders 4: Best Units of Each Type

Every combat unit in the game fits into one of 14 categories. They are:

  • Battle Mage
  • Fighter
  • Polearm
  • Ranged
  • Scout
  • Shield
  • Shock
  • Skirmisher
  • Support
  • Mythic
  • Siegecraft
  • Tower
  • Hero
  • Ruler

Each category has its own unique icon, and this icon appears on top of the unit’s picture in recruitment lists and in armies. This lets you know at a glance how to use the unit in question.

Battle Mage

In simpler terms, battle mages are characters who wield magic to inflict harm or debilitate enemies. They have a ranged attack that can be used multiple times, based on their remaining action points. Each strike typically involves an elemental damage type. Battle mages excel in causing damage but lack defensive capabilities. Their symbol is represented by a fiery orb, symbolizing their destructive powers.

Fighter

In simple terms, this is the fundamental combat unit in the game. Unlike fighter units which may possess unique skills, this type solely focuses on inflicting melee physical harm. They frequently attack in succession and can withstand several blows before being incapacitated. The fighter unit’s icon resembles a pair of crossed swords.

Polearm

Polearm units are similar to infantry in combat, yet they possess a unique feature: when engaged in melee battles, they have the advantage of striking first against assailants. This applies to all melee attacks, including charge assaults from shock troops. The polearm symbol is represented by three spear-points.

Ranged

Ranged units dispense physical harm at a distance from their adversaries. Certain ones unleash multiple strikes in succession, whereas others execute only one strike. The symbol representing ranged units is that of a bow and arrow.

Scout

Scouts in the game are primarily designed for exploration rather than effective combat. Their quick speed and enhanced vision make them ideal for mapping out the terrain. Scouts are an affordable unit to produce, but losing all of your scouts early on often indicates a rough start to the game. In terms of battle, scouts are swift and possess some form of ranged physical or elemental assault. The scout symbol is represented by a compass image.

Shield

Shield soldiers function as valiant warriors, boasting enhanced protection for themselves and the added capability of safeguarding neighboring units. During defensive maneuvers, having a shield soldier in place grants a bonus defense of 3 points to adjacent allies. The symbol representing shield soldiers is depicted by the emblem of a sword and shield.

Shock

Shock troops are quicker than standard units, enabling them to rush enemies and inflict greater damage. They can disrupt defensive positions by knocking adversaries out of combat readiness and halting their counterattacks (with the exception of polearm units). Unlike regular troops, shock troops execute individual powerful strikes rather than continuous attacks. Although these strong hits deal more damage per attack than a single repeated strike, they conclude your troop’s turn immediately. The shock symbol represents a clenched fist.

Skirmisher

As a fan of strategy games, I’d describe skirmishers as versatile units that offer both close-quarters combat with their repeating melee attacks and long-range engagements through single ranged attacks. While they may not be able to absorb as much damage as melee units, their agility allows them to dodge enemy attacks and swiftly retreat without provoking opportunity attacks. Moreover, they are adept at evading enemy ranged assaults. The skirmisher’s icon symbolizes their dual nature – a dagger for close combat and an arrow for ranged engagements.

Support

Support units function in a manner akin to battle mages, yet their skills are geared towards enhancing and restoring the health of allies rather than inflicting damage on adversaries. They retain a fundamental elemental attack, though it manifests as a solitary strike instead of a series. Furthermore, they possess a unique defensive mechanism that bestows additional resistance upon adjacent teammates, symbolized by the support unit’s icon being an ankh.

Mythic

Mythic entities possess extraordinary might and defy typical classifications. Their unique abilities call for creative strategies to maximize their potential in combat. The symbol representing mythic entities is depicted as a trio of shining stars.

Siegecraft and Tower

In the context of siege battles, two distinct unit types emerge: siegecraft units and tower units. Siegecraft units are accessible to the attacking force if they have constructed the necessary projects. On the other hand, towers fortify the defensive position. Both types of units wield significant damage capacity against multiple targets. However, they possess limited mobility and hit points. Siegecraft units can be identified by their gear icon, while tower units bear a tower icon.

Hero and Ruler

Hero units distinguish themselves from common units through unique experience gain methods and the ability to wield magical items and diverse weapon types, altering their attack styles. Hero units may adopt the characteristics of multiple unit classes or embody a combination thereof. In contrast, rulers share heroic qualities but carry the additional burden that if they perish, strategic and battlefield spells become inaccessible until they resurface from the netherworld. The hero symbol is depicted as a winged helmet, while the ruler symbol takes the form of a golden crown.

Units by Culture

Age of Wonders 4: Best Units of Each Type

In this game, every culture among the half dozen options boasts access to six distinctive unit types. The Mystic civilization, however, comprises three distinct subgroups, but most of their units share similarities. For the sake of clarity, let’s exclude scout units from our discussion as they generally lack prowess in battles. A crucial point to remember is that a city’s Town Hall must reach or surpass the unit tier level to enable recruitment.

Feudal

Name

Category

Tier

Special Abilities

Archer

Ranged

I

Peasant Pikeman

Polearm

I

  • Feudal Training (unit gets extra XP and becomes a Defender upon reaching the Legendary rank)

Bannerman

Support

II

  • Bullwark Standard: the caster and adjacent friendlies get extra Defense and Resistance.
  • Soothing Standard: the caster and adjacent friendlies get +20 temp HP and +10 Morale.

Defender

Shield

II

Knight

Shock

III

  • Inspiring Killer (gives double the Morale bonus to everyone after killing an enemy)

Units organized under feudal structures gain the “United in Battle” capability, boosting their attack power by 20% when a comrade is next to them on the battlefield. Yet, this advantage comes with risk as they become more susceptible to damage from area attacks.

High

Name

Category

Tier

Special Abilities

Dawn Defender

Shield

I

  • Shield of Light (Dormant, extra Defense and Resistance)

Dusk Hunter

Ranged

I

  • Seeking Arrows (Dormant, extra attack range)

Daylight Spear

Polearm

II

  • Guardian (Dormant, two retaliation attacks instead of one)

Sun Priest

Support

II

  • Twin Awakening (target and additional friendly unit within 2 hexes become Awakened and activate Dormant traits for 3 turns)
  • Mending Awakening (target gains +30 temp HP and becomes Awakened for 3 turns)
  • Radiant Light (Dormant, base attacks may inflict Distracted, causing all attacks for the rest of the round to be flanking)

Awakener

Battle Mage

III

  • Exposing Light (targets in 1-hex radius lose Defense and Resistance)
  • Radiant Light (Dormant, base attacks may inflict Distracted)

The central mechanic of High Units revolves around the Awakening ability, granting unique bonuses based on each unit’s specific type. While effective, this requires having a Sun Priest in every force. High-culture factions are also gifted with the spell “Awaken Inner Radiance,” but using it prevents casting another spell.

Industrious

Name

Category

Tier

Special Abilities

Anvil Guard

Shield

I

  • Taunt (high chance of forcing enemy to target unit, also enters Defense Mode)

Arbalest

Ranged

I

  • Overdraw Crossbow (costs 3 action points, but deals extra damage and acts like a Charge attack)

Halberdier

Polearm

II

  • Rune of Retaliation (attackers take 40 percent of the damage they deal)

Steelshaper

Support

II

  • Strength from Steel (replaces Defense and Resistance buffs with temp HP and Strengthened stacks that add damage)
  • Grant Defense (no action point cost; target unit gets +2 Defense)

Bastion

Shield

III

  • Defensive Sweep (enemies adjacent to target take half damage, unit enters Defense Mode)
  • Inspiring Defense (no action point cost; unit and adjacent units get +1 Defense)

Industrious units come equipped with the abilities Bolstering and Watchful. With Bolstering, they gain an extra defense point when physically attacked and an additional resistance point when hit by elemental attacks. Moreover, their melee units are capable of launching two retaliation attacks instead of the usual one due to the Watchful ability.

As a passionate fan of strategy games, I can tell you that among the six fundamental cultures, the Industrious one stands out as the most defensive. This culture is unique in providing two Shield units and a Support unit that focuses on fortifying your troops’ defenses through tactical spells. It’s an excellent choice if your preferred strategy involves enduring longer than your adversaries. However, if you’re more of an aggressor at heart, then Industrious might not be the culture for you.

Barbarian

Name

Category

Tier

Special Abilities

Sunderer

Skirmisher

I

Warrior

Shield

I

  • Shield Bash (target has a high chance of being Stunned, Warrior enters Defense Mode)

Fury

Ranged

II

  • Frenzy (each time the Fury hits, it gets +10 percent damage, up to a max of +50 percent)

War Shaman

Support

II

  • Invigorate (friendly units in 1 hex radius get +10 temp HP, +10 percent damage, and Regeneration)

Berserker

Shock

III

  • Frenzy (as Fury above)
  • Berserker’s Rage (when down to one-third HP, the unit becomes uncontrollable for one round but can’t die)

Shield Bash is an efficient tactic to halt enemy turns, as well as pushing the Warrior into Defense Mode if the attack misses. The Frenzy ability strengthens the impact of Furies and Berserkers over time. Although the War Shaman heals less HP compared to other support classes, it compensates by empowering all allies with a single cast of its spell.

In addition, Barbarian units are equipped with the battle tactics Overwhelm Tactics and Savage Strike. The former increases their chances of dealing critical hits by 20 percent when fighting in close proximity, while the latter enables them to inflict additional Blight damage upon doing so.

Mystic

Name

School

Category

Tier

Special Abilities

Arcane Guard

All

Polearm

I

Arcanist

All

Battle Mage

I

Soother

All

Support

II

  • Soothing Breeze (target and extra friendly unit within 2 hexes gain +20 temp HP)

Spellshield

All

Shield

II

  • Stunning Flash (has a chance to stun every adjacent enemy unit)

Summoner

Summoning

Support

III

  • Spirit Summon (what they summon depends on the affinity of the last friendly combat spell)
  • Astral Bond (target Magic Origin unit gets +2 retaliation attacks, +30 accuracy, and +10 percent damage after each hit)

Spellweaver

Potential

Battle Mage

III

  • Weavers Overchannel (faction leader can cast one extra spell this round)
  • Arcane Conduit (get +5 combat casting points when present)

Spellbreaker

Attunement

Battle Mage

III

  • Star Purge (enemy units in 1-hex radius lose all buffs and take damage; Magic Origin units take double damage)
  • Attuned Cast (get +10 combat casting points when present)

Aside from the unique tier-three unit, each Mystic school also gets a different combat buff.

  • Attunement Mystics get Star Blades, which gives all units an elemental damage boost based on what combat spells you’ve cast.
  • Potential Mystics inflict Dissonance with each strike, which turns into lightning damage when casting an overcharged spell.
  • Summoning Mystics get Astral Resonance and Astral Connection, two buffs that improve Magic Origin units.

In “Age of Wonders 4,” the distinction between Mystic and Feudal units is not significant in terms of interest level, as there is a notable requirement for Magic Origin units when utilizing the Mystic faction, regardless of your focus on the Summoning school.

Dark

Name

Category

Tier

Special Abilities

Dark Warrior

Shock

I

Pursuer

Ranged

I

Night Guard

Polearm

II

Warlock

Battle Mage

II

  • Weakening Bolts (standard attack, but also has a high chance to inflict Weakened)
  • Sundering Curse (target takes damage and suffers -2 Defense, -2 Resistance, and Weakened)

Dark Knight

Shock

III

  • Dark Surge (deals damage in 2-hex cone, double damage if target has a debuff)

In contrast to other cultures, the Dark realm doesn’t include a Support class among its base units. However, this omission is not a disadvantage for them, as each Dark culture soldier naturally possesses the ability called “Cull the Weak.” This skill offers the following advantages:

  • Base physical attacks have a high chance to inflict Weakened, which lowers the target’s damage by 10 percent each time, up to a maximum of -50 percent.
  • Melee attacks against Weakened enemies deal extra damage, and heal the attacker by 10 temp HP.

Although Materium and Shadow don’t represent conflicting inclinations, Industrious and Dark civilizations present stark contrasts. The former emphasizes buffs and attrition for players, whereas the latter thrives on inflicting debuffs and dealing damage. Consequently, aggressive gamers will find a comfortable fit with Dark units, while defensive ones may face considerable challenges.

Which Culture’s Units Are Best?

Age of Wonders 4: Best Units of Each Type
  • If you favor defensive tactics, Industrious is the best.
  • If you favor aggressive tactics, Dark is best.
  • The Feudal culture has a few Morale boosters, but its lack of focus makes it less effective.
  • The High culture has powerful units, but you have to spend time and turns on applying an otherwise useless buff.
  • The Mystic culture has interesting perks, but its basic units are almost intentionally boring.
  • As such, the culture with the best base units is Barbarian. A well-timed Shield Bash can save a combat, Frenzy and Invigorate cover offense and defense, and extra critical hits that deal extra damage are always nice.

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2024-07-13 18:06