Age of Mythology is a true gem of the RTS genre, mixing classic Age of Empires RTS gameplay with fantasy-style mythology to create a thoroughly enjoyable strategy game. Importantly, Age of Mythology has an impressive set of gods to choose from, with the Extended Edition and DLC totaling 15 Major Gods representing 5 different civilizations, and that's not even mentioning the suite of Minor Gods that have great benefits of their own.
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Each of these gods has a unique playstyle, meaning that it’s worth trying all of them to see which might suit a player best. Age of Mythology is also remarkably well-balanced, and basically, any of the gods can be viable and enjoyable to play with some time and effort invested. However, there are admittedly some clear favorites, so it’s worth knowing which Age of Mythology gods are the best overall. While most people can argue that the Major Gods are undoubtedly better because of how they influence one's play style from the get-go, there are numerous minor gods who deserve their time in the spotlight too.
Updated on July 15, 2024, by Ritwik Mitra: Age of Mythology: Retold is shaping up to be an absolute treat for long-time RTS fans who loved the amazing twist to the Age of Empires formula, coupled with one of the best story modes in a real-time strategy game to date. Players will love to relive the adventures of Arkantos as his devotion to Poseidon is tested throughout the story, culminating in an amazing finale that shows Age of Mythology at its very best. Whether it be this memorable campaign or the numerous skirmishes that players can partake in, one thing to keep in mind is the various Age of Mythology gods and how they can augment one's play style as they strive to attain victory by any means necessary.
16 Hera
Civilization: Greek
- God Power: Lightning Storm
Despite being a Minor God, Hera is one of the best options for Greek civilizations who are progressing to the Mythic Age. This Age of Mythology god provides players access to the powerful Lightning Storm god power that can be used to take out enemies who get too overzealous and mount a major attack at the player's base.
Along with this, players gain access to the powerful Medusa coupled with a passive attack bonus of +25% for all myth units. This is one of the biggest reasons why most people choose Zeus as their major god since the benefit of taking Hera's powers is so immense that players can walk over most of their opposition using an army of powerful myth units.
15 Shennong
Civilization: Chinese
- God Power: Timber Harvest
Age of Mythology: Tale of the Dragon may not be the best expansion pack for this amazing game, but the idea of messing around with a brand-new civilization while engaging in an original story based on Chinese Mythology was a blast. Hopefully, Age of Mythology: Retold will do a better job of balancing this civilization while making the story mode more palatable for the masses.
Shennong is one of the Major Age of Mythology Gods players can choose to worship if they wish to play as the Chinese. Using Monks in this game is a blast and brings back fun memories of using this unit in Age of Empires, so it's always a bonus to use Shennong's innate powers to make Monks stronger while making the resource-hunting side of things easier to manage.
14 Gaia
Civilization: Atlantean
- God Power: Gaia Forest
Players who want to ensure that their endeavors to enrich their settlement's economy are as fruitful as possible should make it a point to worship Gaia as one of the Atlanteans. With the bonuses afforded to citizens and the like, players will make quick progress through the ages as resource collection becomes smoother than ever before.
Gaia's powers may not be as eye-catching as some of the other gods in the game, but it's the utility of her powers that makes her such a powerful god to worship. Buildings regenerate, resource gathering is faster, and economic research is cheaper. All of this, combined with a wealth of other benefits, make Gaia one of the best Age of Mythology gods for players who want to build a well-protected settlement and form a huge army as quickly as possible.
13 Thor
Civilization: Norse
- God Power: Dwarven Mine
The Norse civilizations can be a pain to control in Age of Mythology. It can be easy to create structures near enemy bases if the builders can competently defend themselves. But gathering enough resources to form a large army can take a bit too long for most people's liking, especially since the only reliable way to generate Favor with this civilization is to engage in acts of warfare regularly, which can be a huge drain on a player's economy after a point since they'll need to replace the units they've lost time and time again.
However, pro players can make things look easy as they control the Norse civilization and use its strengths to their fullest. Thor can be useful in his regard. His Dwarven Mine gives players access to gold in a jiffy and makes armory upgrades a bit cheaper too.
12 Loki
Civilization: Norse
- God Power: Spy
The Trickster God is one of the three Norse deities in Age of Mythology. Players who want to build a powerful force of Hersir will love Loki for the bonuses he brings to this department.
Not only are the powerful Hersir slightly faster, but they have the chance to randomly summon Myth Units after fighting for a long while. This is useful if players employ effective strategies while deploying these troops. In fact, Myth Units themselves are cheaper to produce as well, which is a boon given how expensive these powerful units are.
11 Poseidon
Civilization: Greek
- God Power: Lure
The Greek Civilization is the most similar to a regular Age of Empires playthrough, meaning that beginners in Age of Mythology will find it easier to check out this civilization first because of how approachable they are. The three Greek Gods are also pretty solid, boasting unique units and powers that are fun to use.
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While Poseidon is a competent god in his own right, many people find him to be inferior to the two other Greek gods. His powers are useful, but situational only to cavalry, forcing players to rely on a unit that can be countered pretty easily with the right strategy. However, players can still do a great job here as long as they diversify their units and have a backup plan in case their strongest units bite the dust. His God Power, Lure, is also useful in the early run for players who want a reliable source of food to get a head start.
10 Isis
Civilization: Egypt
- God Power: Prosperity
Isis has a solid late-game, with powerful attacks and especially strong with the minor god Hathor giving players access to powerful units and buffs. Isis also makes technologies 10% cheaper, buffs the population from Town Centers, and protects monuments from god powers. These bonuses combined with technologies and her Prosperity god power that temporarily doubles gold gathering means Isis can potentially develop a strong economy.
However, Isis struggles on many maps and is often an inconsistent pick. It is especially difficult to keep up with other gods in the early game, so Isis remains a somewhat inconsistent and niche option, but still a decent option for those who know how to play her well.
9 Kronos
Civilization: Atlantean
- God Power: Deconstruction
Though often overlooked, Kronos is notable for a particularly exasperating playstyle in the earliest stages of a game, using Oracles and Greek Scout Units, to harass enemy resource production. This can be a strong strategy and may even cripple opponents outright, especially as Kronos has access to unique technology that buffs Oracles.
That being said, this strategy relies largely on opponents making mistakes, so Kronos is slightly inconsistent. However, Kronos is still an enjoyable option because of its unique abilities like being able to timeshift buildings anywhere within line of sight, which allows for more eccentric styles of play.
8 Odin
Civilization: Norse
- God Power: Great Hunt
Odin is able to put forward a particularly impressive army composition, as he has access to a number of powerful units and buffs focused on improving these units. For example, Huskarls, Ballistae, and Portable Rams have 20% more health, and Jarls have 10% more. Additionally, all human soldiers gradually regenerate their health, meaning that Odin allows players to create a very strong army.
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However, Odin’s god powers are on the weaker side, meaning that even a powerful army can be beaten by gods with destructive powers. Nonetheless, Odin is still a great choice with tough units.
7 Hades
Civilization: Greek
- God Power: Sentinel
Hades is a somewhat niche god, and when playing as Hades players may often be forced onto the defensive, especially on maps where Hades is a weaker option. This is helped by a significant buff to the health and attack of buildings, but it is a struggle to punish opponents for mistakes in the early game.
However, Hades gets much stronger in the late game with access to more powerful buildings for gold production, and the excellent Gastraphetes mythic unit, an archer unit with excellent damage, especially because of the 10% damage buff for archers available to Hades.