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How to choose a Major God
In Age of Mythology: Retold, a Major God shapes your pantheon’s emphasis through its focus and god power. The best fit depends on what you want that choice to support—not just on a god’s theme or a tier-list label. Consider whether you want to pressure the map early, protect an economy, field particular kinds of units, expand through territory, or use powers that reward flexible timing.
The recommendations below translate the developer’s pantheon descriptions into playstyle matches. They are not a ranking of win rates: the official descriptions do not establish a universal or current mode-specific strongest god. Map, matchup, mode, patch and player experience can all change which choice suits a game.
Best pantheon choices by playstyle
| Choose | Good fit if you want… | What the pantheon offers | Trade-off to consider |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greek | A versatile starting point | The developer describes Greeks as versatile, with a broad soldier and Myth Unit roster. Your Major God can further emphasize infantry and heroes, ranged soldiers and buildings, or cavalry and economy. | The three Major Gods emphasize different parts of the roster and economy; pick for the style you want rather than treating the pantheon as one fixed build. |
| Norse | Early aggression and map pressure | Aggressive soldiers earn Favor through battle. Mobile dropsites and quickly established forward camps support pressure away from home. | The official overview notes weaker buildings and fewer fortification upgrades, so this is a less natural fit if you want to rely on a heavily fortified position. |
| Egyptian | A defensive opening with later strength | Early defensive strengths include a free Classical Age Tower upgrade; later options include elite troops, siege and specialized Myth Units. The Pharaoh can empower buildings. | Protect access to Gold and make use of the Pharaoh’s building support; the official description particularly emphasizes the faction’s later strengths. |
| Atlantean | Flexible god-power timing and unit promotion | God powers are generally less powerful, but cheaper and faster to recharge. Citizens do not need dropsites, and units—including citizens—can be promoted to heroes. | Do not choose this expecting the most powerful individual god powers; the stated advantage is their cost and recharge profile. |
| Chinese | Expanding outward and using siege | Buildings extend Favored Land, and the official overview highlights a strong siege roster. | Peasants are less efficient, and the faction has no early cavalry, according to the developer’s overview. |
| Japanese | Combat progression and elite infantry | The Bushidō system unlocks human-soldier upgrades through battle. Dojo units can receive an upgrade beyond Champion. | This progression is tied to combat; it is a better match for players who want upgrades to develop alongside fighting than for those seeking a different faction identity. |
| Aztec | Aggressive infantry, sacrifice and deception | Fallen units release Tonalli, which fuels Favor and other mechanics; stealth, fear and illusion can shape engagements. | The official overview says Aztecs lack heavy walls and siege engines, so those are not the faction’s strengths. |
Which Greek Major God should you pick?
Greeks are the clearest choice if you want a flexible pantheon and then want to tune its emphasis through the Major God. The official Greek overview calls the pantheon versatile; its three listed gods illustrate how much the focus can shift within one faction.
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- Play in a 36-scenario, single-player campaign that allows players to take part in an epic mythological tale, inspired by a number of popular myths
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- Zeus: Focuses on infantry and heroes; his god power is Bolt.
- Hades: Focuses on ranged soldiers and buildings; his god power is Sentinel.
- Poseidon: Focuses on cavalry and economy; his god power is Lure.
These are different strategic emphases, not a sourced ranking of the three. Choose the one that supports the army and economy you intend to build. World’s Edge’s Greek pantheon overview describes the faction and its Major Gods.
What makes the Aztec gods different?
Aztec choices revolve around a distinct resource and battlefield identity. Tonalli—the life force released by fallen units—supports Favor and other mechanics, and sacrifice can also generate Favor. The pantheon’s stealth, fear and illusion mechanics make deception part of its appeal, while its lack of heavy walls and siege engines is an important limitation.
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- Quetzalcoatl: The official expansion announcement associates him with wind and strengthening culture and learning; the pantheon page highlights Warrior Priests, Nobles Hut Warriors and the Tailwind power.
- Tezcatlipoca: Associated in the announcement with night, chaos, sorcery and illusion.
- Huitzilopochtli: Associated with the sun, war, sacrifice and devotion.
These descriptions explain the gods’ themes and some of their mechanics, but do not establish that one is strongest. See the official Obsidian Mirror announcement for the expansion overview and the official game page for the current pantheon index.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Which pantheons are available?
The current official pantheon index links seven pantheons: Atlantean, Aztec, Chinese, Egyptian, Greek, Japanese and Norse. Some broad game descriptions still name only the original four—Greek, Norse, Egyptian and Atlantean—so they do not reflect the full current roster. The Aztec pantheon arrived in the 2026 Obsidian Mirror expansion; Chinese and Japanese are also expansion additions. Which gods you can select depends on the content you own and the bundle or edition you buy.
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- Enjoy: up to 7-day exclusive Advanced Access, exclusive "Freyr" New Gods Pack, Legacy Deity Portrait Pack, Expansion 1 (all-new Chinese pantheon), and Expansion 2 (additional new pantheon).
- Requires Age of Mythology: Retold, sold separately or via Game Pass subscription (Ultimate, PC, Console)
The Age of Empires purchase FAQ, updated July 17, 2026, lists PC through Microsoft Store and Steam, Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5. It describes Premium Edition contents including the base game, Freyr, Legacy Deity Portrait Pack, Immortal Pillars, Heavenly Spear and an exclusive Tsukuyomi portrait. Those listed contents should not be assumed to include every later pack: World’s Edge’s July 30, 2026 update describes the Expansion Pass as delivering the Demeter Gods Pack, Ultimate Fan Pack, Blood & Bones Pack and Obsidian Mirror. Check the current regional storefront listing to confirm what a particular edition or bundle includes.
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- Transport back to a time of monsters, gods, and mortals in this real-time strategy game
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- Use mythological creatures or call upon the gods as you advance through 4 distinct ages
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