SUFI
Sufi Mosque | Age of Empires Series Wiki | Fandom
Summary
War Elephants:
They are just a weaker/cheaper version of Mahout Lancer. To set them apart I’d give them a +0.25 speed bonus to make them more unique. Mahout’s speed is 6.0, so War Elephants would be +0.25 faster than Mahouts.
NEW TECHS:
- Sufi Elephant Endurance (150w, 150c): The same endurance learned in the holy site are linked to your elephants.
New effect: All elephants gain +10% melee armor and +5% ranged armor - Why: This an example of how specific techs should be: it targets Sufi War Elephants, but it gives more reasons to Indians/Ethiopians, who have Elephants, to pursue this alliance.
Lore: “There were many military purposes for which elephants could be used. In battle, war elephants were usually deployed in the centre of the line, where they could be useful to prevent a charge or to conduct one of their own. Their sheer size and their terrifying appearance made them valued heavy cavalry”. War elephant - Wikipedia
- Sufi Clash of Elephants (300w, 300c): The Sufi prepares a trio of triple threat to your cause.
New effect: Delivers 3 War Elephants. This tech has a long research time (90s).
Why: The Sufi lacked a military tech: This tech makes having War Elephants (600f, 240w) considerably cheaper (300c, 300w), however, it takes quite a few time to be ready, so it’s a interesting trade.
Lore: "Parade of elephants, Herd of elephants or Clash of elephants are all terms used to describe a group of elephants”. Collective noun elephants
- Tariqa (300f, 300c) Practice tariqa, one of the four stages of Sufism to welcome the dawn of a new age to your town.
New effect: Increases the HP of all your land military units by 5%.
Why: This is a mix of military and economic perk.
Lore: "A tariqa is a school or order of Sufism, or specifically a concept for the mystical teaching and spiritual practices of such an order with the aim of seeking which translates as “ultimate truth”. Tariqa - Wikipedia
REWORKED TECHS:
- Fasting (200w, 200c): Villagers (and Fishing Boats) get -40% hit points but gather 10% faster
REWORK: Hitpoints reduced to -35% instead.
Why: Great coat and similar techs counter balance this “con”, but considering several cards and techs already boost gather rate, having -40%HP is just too excessive. - Sharia (100f,100c): Villager train limit +10%.
REWORK: Villagers train limit +10. Change the kill XP of your villagers to 1 XP.
Why: On paper it’s a cheap and good tech. In reality only Dutch get the best value because it is quite circumstancial. The new perk is small but it’s a reason to use it sooner.
Summary
REWORKED TECHS:
- Fasting: It’s fine like this, but instead of reducing the resistance points of the villagers, you should rather slow down their creation. It could become a button in the town center or trading post, where you can toggle between slowing the creation of villagers to get the bonus or vice versa .
NEW TECHS
- Pasture: Cattle are cheaper.
Lore: The Bedouins are expert herdsmen and they know how to obtain resources for cattle in the desert. - Bedouin families: Villagers have more resistance points and better attack.
Lore: The Bedouins teach you how to endure the harsh conditions of the desert and obtain its resources.
Bedouin - Wikipedia
Note: My proposals would apply more to Bedouins than to Sufis, however I leave them there.
TUPI
Tupi | Age of Empires Series Wiki | Fandom
Summary
NEW TECHS
- Ruvicha (200f, Age I):
New Effect: Delivers 1 hero (can have as many as the available TP’s), Shoots musket, takape for melee, have warchief aura that increases infantry attack damage by 10%(does not stack), has the 90s cooldown ability “Fearsome ritual” to insta melee kill a single unit (including enemy hero). - Poison arrows (150w,150c, Age II): .
New Effect: Gives Blackwood archers posion damage (3 damage for 5 seconds).
Lore: Poison arrows were used by the Chiriguaná and Tupinambá
- Ka’a (yerba mate)(200w, Age II):
New Effect: Delivers a Yerba-mate grove, task settlers to gather endless coin from it (faster than mills, slower than mines).
Lore: Tupi fought and allied the Spanish. Eventually employ spanish tercio tactics under the direction of the Jesuits (1640), the use of yerba-mate (ka’a) was popularice from that point
- Lingua franca of the south (yerba mate)(150c, Age II):
New Effect: reveals the location of enemy buildings (300 seconds cooldown). - Marriage alliances (500w, Age III):
New Effect: reduce the cost of settlers 20 %.
Lore:The Tupi had alliances by marriage
UNITS
- Blackwood archer (50f, 50w/ Age I): Reworked unit- Archer, good against heavy infantry, bad against cavalry, use takape for melee (the same as original up to here) can hunt and gains poison damage upon technology research…
- Hunter with boleadora (60f, 30c/ Age II): ranged infantry can hunt, good at range against cavalry (slow down when hit), good melee (stone axe) against heavy infantry (same model as Inca but without the shield). Max: 10;
- Pajé (Shaman) (60f, 30w/Age II): Monk/iman, heal nearby units, has aura to increase infantry movement speed by 1 (does not stack), can “revive” fallen heroes at 10% their health. (Max :1 non hero);
Lore: The tupi had in common the figure of the Pajé (Shaman) that lead migrations - Ava (person) Warrior (90f, 30c/ Age III): heavy infantry, shoots musket, sabre for melee, almost strong as janizary, when trained, each subsequent unit is 10 resourses cheaper. (Max: 10);
CONCLUSION: With this changes it gives you early advantage(I), intel(II), economic push(II) and a good number of decent units (III)
REWORKED TECH
- Tupi Poison Arrow Frogs: the Tupi archer should have a poison attack, that it can be enabled by default or by upgrading their Tupi Poison Arrow Frogs technology
NEW TECH
- Herbalism: Villagers gather wood 10% faster Native warriors and civilian units regenerate hit points when close to trees and/or Berry Bushes (Same as Yoruba Herbalism)
Summary
NEW TECHS
- Tupi Guarana Seeds (200f, 200c): Consuming guarana will improve the HP and damage of all your units temporarily.
New Effect: For 300s: all units get +8% hit points and attack and their speed is boosted by 5%.
Why: I don’t like bland HP & damage buffs, but I feel the lore matches the effect. It applies to land and water units. It’s like the Mexicans’ pepper cards.
Lore: As a dietary supplement or herb, guaraná seed (native to the Amazon basin and especially common in Brazil) is an effective stimulant: it contains about twice the concentration of caffeine found in coffee beans. Guarana - wikipediaThe Legend of Guaraná
- Tupi River Fishing (250w, 250c): The Tupi and other tribes fish.
New Effect: Boats gather yield rate +20% (aka: fish last 20% longer). Delivers 2 Canoes and canoes fish 10% faster.
Why: Fishing was an important part of Tupi culture, specially to the ones nearby Amazon River. I didn’t add anything regarding farming because it is too present in legacy and african natives.
Lore: Agriculture, hunting, fishing and gathering of fruits were also based on Indian traditions". Tupi people - wikipedia
- Urucum Body Painting Ceremony (250f, 250c): The Pajés start a ceremony with body painting to strength your units.
New Effect: Delivers 1 Pajé Hero (Medicine man) that can heal units greatly (15HP/s) even when they are moving and has a protection Aura (reduce the damage taken by your Natives Warriors by 5%). All units that regenerate their HP will now do it 10% faster (10HP/s-> 11HP/s).
Why: I would like to keep giving original or unique effects. Only a few units have auto healing (heroes, Spahi and a few others) so this tech is pretty cheap.
Lore: It may also be referred by its original Tupi name uruku , urucu or urucum (“red color”), which is also used for the body paint prepared from its seeds.
Body painting has several meanings: rites of passage, group or individual protection, wedding ceremonies, mourning or healing ceremonies, or the warrior or religious function ; Body painting- arte indigena
Article - Indian paintings: ethnicity & identity- in portuguese
- Tupi Black Forest Echoes (200w, 200c): Inside the deep forest they live in, the Tupi natives know the paths and terrain.
New Effect: For 5s: Reveals the enemy line of sight. When they detect a tree: Pets, Explorers, settlers and archers move 10% faster.
Why: This one is more based on the richness and extension of Amazon back in the 16th century and the fact Tupi tribes dominated South America.
Lore: “As you walk through the rainforest, you may be surprised by how dark it is. Because of the dense canopy of leaves and tree branches above, only a tiny amount of light actually reaches the forest floor.” Visiting the Amazon Rainforest
REWORKED TECHS
- Tupi Poison Arrow Frogs (Archers get +10% attack):
Rework: Archers get +15% ranged attack. Tupi Blackwood Archer’s arrows do poison damage.
Why: Why not?
My suggestion: +1 range with every buff and poison damage after the ‘Tupi Poison Arrow Frogs’ update.
UDASI
Udasi Temple | Age of Empires Series Wiki | Fandom
Summary
Overview: Pretty mediocre minor civilization with pretty uninteresting and situational effects. The focus is giving them much more variety while adapting sikh culture and applying it to both unit and lore.
NEW TECHS
- Langar (150f, 150c): Sikh community kitchen provides a steady income of food to your people
New Effect: Gives a trickle 2.1 food/s. For each Udasi Temple you control increase this food trickle by 0.8 food.
Why: This one promotes the maintainance of the alliance (2.9f) since it provides less income if you lose their trading post. It cost food so you can only see the benefit quite some time after and you can use it along my Bhakti tech.
Lore: “A langar is the community kitchen of a gurdwara (place of assembly and worship for Sikhs), which serves meals to all free of charge, regardless of religion, caste, gender, economic status, or ethnicity. The meals served at a langar are always vegetarian.”
Langar_(Sikhism)
- Udasi Science of Weapons (150w, 150c): Build this alliance so the Sikh can set up bootcamps and train your army more efficiently.
New Effect: Ships 2 military rickshaws (builds barracks, stables, War Hut…). Train time of all military units: -5%.
Why: This technology promotes the discipline and respect of Shastar Vidya. Udasi also lacks military improvements, so this one is pretty straightforward and attractive to any civilization.
Lore: “Sanatan Shastar Vidya” is a centuries-old Indian battlefield art which translates to “the science of weapons”. Since the mid-16th century, the Sikh tribes of the Punjab became the chief custodians and masters of this fighting system. In North India it is believed that this art is the father of all martial arts. Shastar Vidya
- Gatka (300w, 300c): Sikh martial arts are taught to your soldiers.
New Effect: All land military units do +5% damage. Grenade Troopers (Chakram, Arsonist, Grenadiers) gain +10% instead.
Why: It’s an overall buff but Chakram is one of the few Grenade troopers in the game so they gain an extra buff.
Lore: "Gatka is a form of martial art associated primarily with the Sikhs of the Punjab and other related ethnic groups. It has been handed down in an unbroken lineage of Ustads (masters), and taught in many akharas (arenas) around the world.
Gatka was employed in the Sikh wars and has been thoroughly battle tested. It originates from the need to defend dharam (righteousness), but is also based on the unification of the spirit and body (miri piri). It is, therefore, generally considered to be both a spiritual and physical practise. Shastar Vidya
REWORKED TECHS
- Punjabi New Year: Villagers gather from Mills, Farms, Rice Paddies, and Plantations 10% faster; Livestock fattens 10% faster when tasked to Livestock Pens, Farms, and Villages;
New Effect: Also: crates deliver 10% more resources.
Why This technology is not impressive at all. So I’ve added “+10%” for something else. - Army of the Pure: Increases the range and LOS of Chakrams by 2.;
New Effect: Cost increased. Increases the range and LOS of Chakrams by 2 and their HP by 20%.
Why: This tech was nerfed in D.E but it was the only thing that made Chakram shine although they gained extra range.
ZAPOTEC
Zapotec | Age of Empires Series Wiki | Fandom
Summary
REWORKED TECHS
- Zapotec Cloud People: (Passive Upgrade) You will now receive 100 wood every 4 minutes and receive 100 input when performing this upgrade as long as the alliance is maintained.
NEW TECHS
- Zapotec irrigation systems: Zapotec irrigation channels keep your crops moist even during dry seasons, keeping production efficient all year round.
New Effect: Crops 5% more productive.
Why: the truth is that I only put it as a tribute to the irrigation systems of Central American civilizations.
(this is a picture of an inca irrigation system, but i guess it is similar).
Lore: “There is a dry season from November until May but along the rivers it is possible to plant and harvest crops twice big booties are traversed from north-west to south by the Atoyac River which provides water for a small strip of land bordering the river, when it periodically floods. To provide water for crops elsewhere in the valley away from the river, the Zapotecs used canal irrigation. By using water from small streams, the Zapotecs were able to bring water to Monte Albán, situated 400 meters above the valley floor. Archaeologists found remains of a small irrigation system consisting of a dam and a canal on the south-eastern flank of the mountain. As this would not have been enough to support all the population of Monte Albán, it is assumed that there were many other irrigation systems.[13] Likewise, crops grown in the valley were not enough to sustain the rapid population growth in the Monte Albán I phase. Therefore, crops were grown on the foothills where the soil is a less fertile and artificial irrigation was needed.” Zapotec civilization - Wikipedia
- City of the dead (Mictlán): The war dead are brought to the city the god ‘Mictlantecuhtli’ to be honored, earning you experience for the kills of your own ground units.
New Effect: When Zapotec soldiers die, all experience from their kill goes to you and not to the enemy team. This upgrade will give you 5 experience points for each lightning warrior you have lost so far.
In the case of your own units, the enemy gains 75% of the experience and 25% of it goes to you.
Why: It seems to me that the reward should not always be for those who kill the troops. Also it is somewhat annoying for the enemy to kill units that do not grant experience reward. XD
Lore: “In the Zapotec culture, when someone lost his life, a turkey was offered to the god Pitao Pezeelao, he was also asked when he went to war to obtain victory and to calm epidemics of great mortality, the sacred city of Mitla was his greatest center ceremonial.” Mictlantecuhtli - Wikipedia, la enciclopedia libre Mitla - Wikipedia
NEW UNIT:
- Zapotec Villager(200 food, 150 coins.): Zapotec villager who only works on crops,and once it starts working, it bonuses all crop production by 1%. Max: 5 units.
Lore: The Zapotecs are excellent farmers and they know how to cultivate these lands and they share their knowledge.
Note: Some more speed for this unit. It’s called ‘lightning warrior’ after all.
Summary
NEW TECHS
- Zapotec Logosyllabic System (100w, 100c): Understand the old Zapotecs’ hieroglyphs to be able to contact natives and train units.
Effect: Zapotec Lightning warrior and other natives can be trained at your Native Embassy even if lose their Alliance. Native Trading Posts also trickle XP (0.1XP/s).
Why: Filler tech. Might be useful with Maya too.
Lore: The Zapotec hieroglyphs record the rise and fall of the Zapotec state between 500 B.C. to A.D. 700. This system is considered the precursor of the later developed by the Mayas, Mixtecs and Aztecs and spread widely in southwestern Mesoamerica. Famsi.org;
- Zapotec Obsidian Artifacts (100f, 100c): The Zapotec treasures can help you uncover more mystery.
Effect: Native warriors, Explorer and settlers get +1.0x multiplier vs treasure guardians and every treasure claimed also awards 50c. Zapotec Lightning Warrior gets +0.25 speed.
Why: At first I would add a military improvement but Zapotec ended up having too many. I have no idea what to add here. Filler.
Lore: Obsidian was a highly integrated part of daily and ritual life, and its widespread and varied use may be a significant contributor to Mesoamerica’s lack of metallurgy. Field Musem- Zapotec archaeology; Youtube- Mesoamerican weaponry ; Worldhistory
- Zapotec Heritage Urn (250w, 250c): Zapotec Cult of dead will grant new warriors for each one fallen so far. Can be used two times:
Effect 1: Ships 1 Zapotec Lightning Warrior for each 2 you have lost so far (up to a maximum of 15).
Effect 2: Ships 1 Zapotec Lightning Warrior for each 5 you have lost so far (up to a maximum of 15). Boost their HP by 5%
Why: Okay. I’ve copied this one from their cousin’s newest cards: the Aztec. I think it suits them better than the Aztec but Lightning Warriors are quite inferior to Jaguar Warrior so the secodn time also boosts their stats.
- Zapotec Ancestry Honor (50f, 50w, 50c): The Zapotec afterlife cults present in their culture grants you reward as the time passes by. Available on Commerce Age.
Effect: Delivers 1 random crate with 500 resources for every age before this one. This tech is more expensive (+50f,+50w,+50c) each following age.
Why: This one is inspired by the Italians’ Pizza card. You can receive any amounts of different crates. Using it during Fortress Age cost 100 of each resource but grants you two 500 res crates: it might give you 500f+ 500c, 500w + 500c,500f +500f…
Lore: The Zapotec worshiped their ancestors and, believing in a paradisaical underworld, stressed the cult of the dead. The afterlife cults inherited from these beliefs are symbolically celebrated on the Dia de los Muertos - Day of the Dead. Easyvoyage; Infoplease
REWORKED TECHS
- Zapotec Food of the Gods: Horrible. They have the same tech as the Maya but it cost 50% more (and Maya’s isn’t even that good
). Considering thy were an agricultural people the tech could boost farms more than the other food sources: 15% or 20% - Zapotec Cult of the Dead: It used to be fair but hand infantry is so bad nowadays. Reducing the cost or buffing it a bit should make the use worth it.
ZEN TEMPLE
Zen Temple | Age of Empires Series Wiki | Fandom
Summary
NEW TECHS
- Monastic Conducts (150f, 150c): Monastic conducts enhance the focus of your warriors.
New Effect: Heals all your mercenary units by 25% of their max HP (capped at 500HP of healing). Sohei Naginata can regenerate life points even while idle.
Why: Mercenary are so expensive and it always bothered me they couldn’t heal themselves. Since Zen Temples were a place for enlightment I think I can put Sohei Naginata here.
Lore: Monkhood, is a religious way of life in which one renounces worldly pursuits to devote oneself fully to spiritual work. Monastic life plays an important role in many faiths such as Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism. Monasticism
- Zen Fervor (250f, 250c): The monks’ fervor and beliefs for the cause increases Naginata Sohei’s damage in battle.
New Effect: For every Naginata Sohei killed, boosts the hand damage of all other remaining Naginata Sohei by 20% for 4s. This buff caps at 40% damage and 8s duration. Reduces their cavalry multiplier by 0.5x.
Why: Considering they dedicated their lives for the cause, I think the inspiration effect suits their brotherhood better.
Lore: Their growing power base (warrior monks) was eventually to attract the attention of warlords like Oda Nobunaga and Tokugawa Ieyasu, who recognized their opposition to samurai rule, their determination, their strength, and their numbers. Sōhei
- Companionship (250w, 250c): The friendships with Zen gain the trust of civilian around the temple.
New Effect: Your next Harbor Home City card arrives much faster. Delivers 1 Wokou Junk and 2 fishing ships.
Why: Not great but when I had finished Zen, I realized they were mostly on naval maps but they lacked any naval improvement. By “Harbor HC card” read as: any card from “The Messenger”, “The Harbor”, “The Waterplace”, “Customs House”…
Lore: (…)these new groups, calling themselves Ikkō-ikki, followed the dictates of the Jōdo Shinshū sect of beliefs. They were essentially coalitions of religious fundamentalist priests, farmers, and families, who were willing to literally fight for their beliefs. Sōhei
- Loyalty Pacts (300f, 300c): Following monastic conducts enhance the focus from warriors.
New Effect: All Mercenary shipments and mercenaries hired on the map (except outlaws): -15% coin cost and arrive 10% faster. Only once: You can use 1 single mercenary home city card that you have already shipped before this tech again (if you do it that shipment will be 50% cheaper instead).
Why: Zen would be allied/hired by the Daimyos, so a Mercenary technology is valid here.
Lore: Sohei were trained for war and defense of the Temples using physical rather than spiritual means.
REWORKED TECHS
- Master Lessons (Melee infantry get +10% attack)
Rework: Also: Naginata Sohei +10%HP.
UNIT
Sohei Naginata: It would’ve been nice seeing a “charge ability” on this unit. Like Carolean’s.