World's Edge and Forgotten Empires rebuilt the 2002 Ensemble Studios strategy game and shipped it on 4 September 2024, keeping the Greek, Egyptian, Norse and Atlantean pantheons and rewriting the parts that had aged badly. The largest change is that god powers are no longer single use: the first cast is free and every reuse costs favor on a ramping scale, so Bolt at 75 favor becomes a tool rather than a one time trick. Freyr joined the Norse as a fourth major god, and the Immortal Pillars expansion on 4 March 2025 added the Chinese pantheon with Fuxi, Nuwa and Shennong plus a nine level campaign called Pillars of the Gods. Each pantheon generates favor by a completely different method, which is what makes the matchups feel unlike any other real time strategy game.
Combat in Age of Mythology: Retold rewards knowledge over reflexes. Understanding how each mechanic works (and how they interact) is what turns a struggling player into a dominant one. New here? Start with our beginner's guide for the basics.
Core Combat Mechanics
1. Reusable god powers with ramping favor costs
The first cast of any god power is free. The second costs a fixed base reuse price, and every cast after that adds an incremental amount on top, with a cooldown between uses. Zeus's Bolt sits at a 75 favor reuse cost and instantly kills any single unit except ox carts and transport ships.
Why it matters: This is the foundation of all combat. Everything else builds on this.
2. Five pantheons with separate favor economies
Greeks send villagers to pray at the Temple, Egyptians build up to five Monuments and reach 28.6 favor per minute with all five standing, Norse earn favor by dealing damage to units and buildings with each unit capped by a lifetime bounty, Atlantean Oracles produce 0.08 favor per second while standing still, and Chinese generate it through Favored Land, an aura projected by buildings that pays more the more continuous ground it covers.
Why it matters: The most underrated mechanic. Players who master this early have a massive advantage.
3. Minor god picks at every age up
Advancing to Classical, Heroic and Mythic ages means choosing one minor god from a pair, and that choice decides your myth unit, your technologies and a second god power. Freyr has three exclusive minor gods of his own: Ullr at Classical, Aegir at Heroic and Vidar at Mythic.
Why it matters: Unlocks a new layer of gameplay depth once understood.
4. Myth units countered by heroes
Myth units beat regular soldiers badly and heroes beat myth units badly, which is the triangle the whole game runs on. Greeks buy discrete named heroes, Egyptians use Pharaohs and Priests, Norse promote Hersir, and Atlanteans promote ordinary units into heroes instead of training separate ones.
Why it matters: The tactical edge that separates average players from advanced ones.
5. Titan Gate and the Mythic Age endgame
Building a Titan Gate in the Mythic Age and filling it releases a Titan, a single unit large enough to change a stalled game on its own. It is slow and expensive, so it functions as a threat that forces the opponent to act rather than a reliable win button.
Why it matters: The endgame optimization mechanic. Small improvements here compound into massive gains.
How These Mechanics Combine
Understanding how mechanics interact is where real optimization happens:
Reusable god powers with ramping favor costs + Five pantheons with separate favor economies
The first cast of any god power is free. When combined with Five pantheons with separate favor economies, greeks send villagers to pray at the temple, egyptians build up to five monuments and reach 28. This combination is the core of every effective build.
Minor god picks at every age up + Myth units countered by heroes
Advancing to Classical, Heroic and Mythic ages means choosing one minor god from a pair, and that choice decides your myth unit, your technologies and a second god power. Paired with Myth units countered by heroes, myth units beat regular soldiers badly and heroes beat myth units badly, which is the triangle the whole game runs on. This is why the tier list favors builds that leverage both.
Titan Gate and the Mythic Age endgame as a Multiplier
Building a Titan Gate in the Mythic Age and filling it releases a Titan, a single unit large enough to change a stalled game on its own. It is slow and expensive, so it functions as a threat that forces the opponent to act rather than a reliable win button. This system amplifies everything else. The better your Titan Gate and the Mythic Age endgame optimization, the more your other mechanics pay off.
Combat by Build
Each build approaches combat differently:
Greek (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key equipment: Minotaur Primary mechanic: Reusable god powers with ramping favor costs
Greek offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.
Egyptian (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key equipment: Medusa Primary mechanic: Five pantheons with separate favor economies
Egyptian offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.
Norse (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key equipment: Anubite Primary mechanic: Minor god picks at every age up
Norse offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.
Atlantean (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key equipment: Frost Giant Primary mechanic: Myth units countered by heroes
Atlantean offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.
Chinese (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key equipment: Behemoth Primary mechanic: Titan Gate and the Mythic Age endgame
Chinese offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.
Advanced Combat Techniques
Damage Optimization
- Match your equipment to your build's stat priorities
- Exploit Reusable god powers with ramping favor costs for maximum damage windows
- Chain Five pantheons with separate favor economies and Minor god picks at every age up for combo damage
- Use Myth units countered by heroes to create openings
Survivability
- Learn enemy patterns before committing to attacks
- Cast every god power once as early as it is useful. The first use of any power is free, and holding it back the way you did in the 2002 original just wastes it.
- Position using Reusable god powers with ramping favor costs to control spacing
- Save defensive options for guaranteed survival, not comfort
Boss Combat
Bosses test your understanding of every mechanic. See our boss guide for fight-specific strategies.
- Phase awareness: Most bosses change behavior at health thresholds
- Patience over aggression: One extra hit per opening beats dying to greed
- Build preparation: Swap gear and equipment for specific fights when needed
Common Combat Mistakes
- Button mashing: Committed attacks have recovery frames. Mashing locks you into animations.
- Ignoring Five pantheons with separate favor economies: This mechanic exists for a reason. Players who use it take significantly less damage.
- Wrong equipment for the situation: Check our weapons guide for situational picks.
- Not learning from deaths: Every death teaches something. If you don't know why you died, you'll die the same way again.
- Overcommitting: Trading hits works in Anatolia but will get you killed in Ghost Lake.
More Age of Mythology: Retold Guides
- Age of Mythology: Retold Age of Mythology: Retold Overview
- Age of Mythology: Retold Best Builds
- Age of Mythology: Retold Tier List
- Age of Mythology: Retold Walkthrough
- Age of Mythology: Retold Beginner's Guide
- Age of Mythology: Retold Tips & Tricks
- Age of Mythology: Retold Weapons Guide
- Age of Mythology: Retold Boss Guide
- Age of Mythology: Retold Maps & Locations
- Age of Mythology: Retold Crafting Guide
- Age of Mythology: Retold Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Age of Mythology: Retold, check out these related guides:
- Sid Meier's Civilization V Combat Guide: strategy game with similar mechanics
- Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord Combat Guide: strategy game with similar mechanics
- RimWorld Combat Guide: strategy game with similar mechanics
