Ubisoft Mainz released Anno 1800 on 16 April 2019 and built it around five Old World population tiers that each demand more goods than the one below. Sunken Treasures followed on 30 July 2019 with Cape Trelawney and Crown Falls, a continental island roughly three times the size of anything in the base game and 103 Influence to settle. Later sessions add the New World, the Arctic and Enbesa, each with its own residents, goods and shipping problem.
Picking the right build determines how your experience plays out. These builds are ranked by overall effectiveness, factoring in damage, survivability, gear requirements, and how well they scale into endgame. New to the game? Start with our beginner's guide first.
Quick Rankings
| Build | Tier | Playstyle | Core Gear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Farmers | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Workers | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Artisans | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Engineers | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Investors | A | Balanced | Best available |
For detailed meta rankings, see our Anno 1800 tier list.
A-Tier: Farmers
Farmers is a top-performing option in Anno 1800.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Schooner | The cheap early sail ship with three cargo slots, fast enough to run expeditions and small enough that its Influence cost barely registers. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Five Old World population tiers | Farmers, Workers, Artisans, Engineers and Investors upgrade in sequence, and each tier keeps every need of the tier below. |
How to Play Farmers
Farmers focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Schooner does the damage and Five Old World population tiers keeps it running, which is why this sits at the top of the list. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Highest overall performance
- Straightforward gearing path
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Popular pick, resources may be contested
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Workers
Workers is a strong option in Anno 1800.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Clipper | Four cargo slots and the best sail speed in the game, which matters on the long haul between the Old World and the New World session. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Island-wide shared workforce | Every residence contributes labour of its own tier to a single island pool, and a Steelworks needs Workers specifically, not just bodies. |
How to Play Workers
Workers focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Pair Clipper with Island-wide shared workforce and the build stops depending on a good start, so it holds up across most content. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Most versatile option
- Straightforward gearing path
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Lower peak damage than S-tier
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Artisans
Artisans is a strong option in Anno 1800.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Cargo Ship | The steam hauler with six cargo slots. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Influence spent on islands and ships | Influence comes from total population and pays for settling extra islands, keeping ships in service, buying Trade Union and Town Hall items and running propaganda. |
How to Play Artisans
Artisans focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Influence spent on islands and ships covers the gap Cargo Ship leaves open, so the build stays usable even when a fight goes badly. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Best survivability
- Straightforward gearing path
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Slower clear speeds
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Engineers
Engineers is a specialized option in Anno 1800.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Ship of the Line | Heavy sail warship with broadside cannons and enough hull to survive a pirate ambush. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Trade Union item slots | A Trade Union covers a radius of production buildings and holds items that raise output, cut input cost or change a recipe entirely. |
How to Play Engineers
Engineers focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: This one leans on Trade Union item slots rather than raw numbers, and Ship of the Line is what makes that trade pay off. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Strong in group/team content
- Straightforward gearing path
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- Weaker solo performance
- Requires deep game knowledge
A-Tier: Investors
Investors is a specialized option in Anno 1800.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Monitor | Ironclad steam warship built for shore bombardment and for punching through defended harbours in the late game. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Expeditions to other sessions | Ships loaded with a crew, supplies and equipment sail off-map to resolve text events with skill checks in categories such as Diplomacy, Force and Medicine. |
How to Play Investors
Investors focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Monitor and Expeditions to other sessions pull in the same direction here, which separates this from the safer picks above. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Unique, rewarding playstyle
- Straightforward gearing path
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- High skill floor, punishing when misplayed
- Requires deep game knowledge
Build Progression Path
- Start with Workers: the most forgiving option for learning the game
- Transition to Farmers once you understand core mechanics and have access to Schooner
- Keep a Artisans setup for content that keeps killing you
- Try Investors for a fresh experience once you've mastered the basics
Follow our walkthrough for the optimal progression path through each area.
Gearing Tips
- Invest in your primary equipment first, since it gives the biggest power spike. See our weapons guide for rankings.
- Read the fertility list in the island panel before you plant a flag. An island without Grain fertility can never bake its own Bread, and hauling Bread across the map for 5,000 Workers costs more shipping than the island is worth.
- Do not upgrade every Worker residence the moment the button lights up. Steelworks, Weapon Factories and Sawmills all need Worker labour specifically, and an island full of Artisans will show every factory idle with a red workforce icon.
- Don't spread upgrade resources across multiple builds until endgame
More Anno 1800 Guides
- Anno 1800 Anno 1800 Overview
- Anno 1800 Tier List
- Anno 1800 Walkthrough
- Anno 1800 Beginner's Guide
- Anno 1800 Tips & Tricks
- Anno 1800 Weapons Guide
- Anno 1800 Combat Guide
- Anno 1800 Boss Guide
- Anno 1800 Maps & Locations
- Anno 1800 Crafting Guide
- Anno 1800 Classes & Characters
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