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.
Your choice of equipment defines your damage output and playstyle. This guide ranks every major option, explains what makes each one strong, and tells you which builds they pair best with.
Equipment Rankings
| Equipment | Tier | Best For | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minotaur | S | Greek Classical Age pushes against massed infantry before heroes are on the field | Athena's Classical Age myth unit for the Greeks, and one of the earliest heavy myth units available in a game. |
| Medusa | A | Greek Mythic Age armies that need to delete high value enemy units instantly | Hera's Mythic Age myth unit, and one of the few units in the game that removes an enemy outright rather than damaging it, by turning it to stone. |
| Anubite | A | Egyptian armies that need speed to catch fleeing ranged units and villagers | The Egyptian myth unit granted by Anubis, fast and able to leap onto a target, which makes it a chaser rather than a line unit. |
| Frost Giant | B | Norse pushes that need to pin an army in place while Ulfsark and Hersir close in | The Norse myth unit from Skadi, which freezes what it hits and holds it in place. |
| Behemoth | B | Atlantean attacks on walls, towers and Town Centers in the Classical and Heroic ages | Gaia's Classical Age myth unit for the Atlanteans, enormous for how early it arrives and extremely good at demolishing buildings. |
S-Tier: Minotaur
Athena's Classical Age myth unit for the Greeks, and one of the earliest heavy myth units available in a game. It throws infantry through the air and tears through a soldier line, which is exactly why the opponent has to buy heroes rather than more spearmen.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | S |
| Best For | Greek Classical Age pushes against massed infantry before heroes are on the field |
| Key Mechanic | Reusable god powers with ramping favor costs |
| Recommended Build | Greek |
How to get it: Available from mid-game onward. See our walkthrough for the exact progression point.
Best builds using Minotaur: Pairs naturally with Greek thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: Medusa
Hera's Mythic Age myth unit, and one of the few units in the game that removes an enemy outright rather than damaging it, by turning it to stone. That makes her value depend entirely on what she is looking at, and one Medusa in a large battle is worth more than her cost suggests.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Greek Mythic Age armies that need to delete high value enemy units instantly |
| Key Mechanic | Five pantheons with separate favor economies |
| Recommended Build | Egyptian |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Medusa: Pairs naturally with Egyptian thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: Anubite
The Egyptian myth unit granted by Anubis, fast and able to leap onto a target, which makes it a chaser rather than a line unit. Egyptians normally play defensively behind Migdol Strongholds, so Anubites are the piece that lets them punish a retreat.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Egyptian armies that need speed to catch fleeing ranged units and villagers |
| Key Mechanic | Minor god picks at every age up |
| Recommended Build | Norse |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Anubite: Pairs naturally with Norse thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: Frost Giant
The Norse myth unit from Skadi, which freezes what it hits and holds it in place. Since Norse favor comes from dealing damage, a Frost Giant that locks down the enemy front line is also indirectly funding the next god power cast.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Norse pushes that need to pin an army in place while Ulfsark and Hersir close in |
| Key Mechanic | Myth units countered by heroes |
| Recommended Build | Atlantean |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Frost Giant: Pairs naturally with Atlantean thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: Behemoth
Gaia's Classical Age myth unit for the Atlanteans, enormous for how early it arrives and extremely good at demolishing buildings. It is slow, so it works as a siege piece escorted by an army rather than as something you send in alone.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Atlantean attacks on walls, towers and Town Centers in the Classical and Heroic ages |
| Key Mechanic | Titan Gate and the Mythic Age endgame |
| Recommended Build | Chinese |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Behemoth: Pairs naturally with Chinese thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
Equipment Progression Path
The order you should acquire equipment as you progress:
- Starting gear → Enough to clear Anatolia
- Medusa → Your first real upgrade, available early
- Anubite → Mid-game upgrade with good scaling
- Minotaur → Best-in-slot, aim for this by late game
- Upgrade to max → The power spike from max upgrades is enormous
Equipment Tips
- Always upgrade your primary equipment before diversifying. One strong option beats three mediocre ones.
- Match your equipment to your build's stat priorities for maximum scaling.
- 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.
- Check our tier list for how equipment rankings affect overall build effectiveness.
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 Combat 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 Weapons Guide: strategy game with similar mechanics
- Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord Weapons Guide: strategy game with similar mechanics
- RimWorld Weapons Guide: strategy game with similar mechanics
