​

Greeks:

Prodromos:

• Bonus Multiplier vs Siege Units increased to x1.25 (baseline), from 1.00

> Balance Team's Comment: One of the Greek civilization's biggest weaknesses is its immobility. This allows Battering Rams to be used to great effect against them. Since most of the Greek army's DPS comes from Pierce-type damage, we feel like they struggle against Rams in Age 3 a little more than they should, so we're giving Prodromos a baseline damage multiplier against Siege in Age 3, but keeping the final amount intact by changing the Prodromos Champion upgrade.
​

[Tech] Prodromos Champion:

• Now increases bonus vs Siege by 20%, from 50%. Still grants all other effects.

> Balance Team's Comment: See "Prodromos"

​

Gastraphetes:

• Movement Speed increased to 5.5, from 5

> Balance Team's Comment: As the most specialized Archer in the game, Gastraphetes take care of every Infantry unit with ease. However, between Toxotai and Ballistae, we feel like they are being neglected due to players having the option of Speed with Toxotai and Area Damage with Ballistae and therefore skip making Gastraphetes. This change is aimed to address that, but in order to prevent a major powerspike for the unit, we're gradually increasing their speed in two steps; First, a baseline Movement Speed increase, and some additional Movement Speed with their Champion Upgrade, so that they reach the standard 6 Speed when fully upgraded.
​

[Tech] Gastraphetes Champion:

• Now also grants +10% Movement Speed

> Balance Team's Comment: See "Gastraphetes"
​

--------------------
Egyptians:

Chariot Archer:

• Movement Speed increased to 8.5, from 8. DPS reduced to 34, from 35.

> Balance Team's Comment: Egyptian Chariot Archers have been the backbone of any Egyptian Age 3 army with unmatched DPS and very good mobility. In the earlier Balance Patches, we reduced their Movement Speed and increased their DPS to make more of a frontline unit rather than a raiding unit, but after the changes that were done to Skirmisher-type units (such as Peltasts and Takabara), we feel like they don't perform as well in head-on fights anymore either, so we're dialing back on those earlier changes a little bit.
​

--------------------
Persians:

-
--------------------
Celts:

Slinger:

• DPS reduced to 7, from 8. Bonus Multiplier vs Ranged increased to x4.0, from x3.5

> Balance Team's Comment: Celtic Slingers dominate the battlefield in Age 2 with their huge Pierce Armor, bigger Health pool than any other Slinger in the game and most importantly, the sustain provided by Druids, allowing players to make huge Slinger groups and making constantly effective trades against the enemy army, whilst getting healed back up to full Health thanks to druids. We feel that they are a little too powerful for what it takes to kill them, so we're toning them down a bit, without touching their effective DPS against Ranged units. This allows Celt players to make just enough Slingers to deal with Ranged units, whilst maintaining focus on making more Infantry units, as is the focus of the Celtic civilization.
​

[Tech] Reinforced Wall:

• Now available to the Celtic civilization, but only grants +30% Health, instead of +70%

> Balance Team's Comment: As one of the most aggressive civilizations in the game, the Celts lack in defensive powers, and rightfully so. However, in the light of the new metagame and the great rise in the usage of Battering Rams, we feel like they are a little too defenseless against them in the lategame, so we're giving them an additional Wall Upgrade in Age 3, although it's less effective than other civilizations.​

(PF2K's Personal Note: If you were wondering, YES, this upgrade is ONLY available in Champion Mode! If you want pretty Celtic Walls, play PvP!)

--------------------
Babylonians:

Siege Tower:

• Ranged Attack (when garrisoned by units) range decreased to 18, from 22. Given back via the Siege Tower Champion Upgrade.

> Balance Team's Comment: Babylonian Siege Towers are unique in that they allow Babylonian players to garrison units inside of them and gain access to a very long-range tanky Siege unit that rains down fire upon enemies from great distance. However, in Age 3, there is very little that can be done against a unit with a huge Health pool attacking from 22 range. In Age 4, that's not an issue but since Siege Towers are available in Age 3, we are dialing down their Ranged Attack Range a little bit, but giving it back in Age 4 to keep the late-game stats of the Siege Tower intact.
​

[Tech] Siege Tower Champion:

• Now also increases Siege Towers' Ranged Attack range by 25%

> Balance Team's Comment: See "Siege Tower"
​

War Chariot:

• DPS increased to 25, from 20.

> Balance Team's Comment: Babylonian War Chariots are one of the units that have received the most amount of nerfs, both in their multiplier against Ranged units, and their base Health amount. While this DPS increase of 25% may seem very significant, consider that they are a 4-pop unit and they still do a lot less damage per population than most archer units, especially considering the fact that they are an Age 4 unit. But this increase in DPS should help them regain their old strength back a bit. We realize that this change may be huge and we are keeping an eye on it for further adjustments, should the need arise.
​

[Tech] Total War:

• Bonus Multiplier vs Villagers decreased to 25%, from 50%. Upgrade cost increased to 500f/500w/500g, from 400f/400w/400g.

> Balance Team's Comment: As one of Babylon's most powerful technologies, Total War allows Babylonian players to further upgrade their Military Units' damage by an additional 10%, something no other civilization has access to, while also giving them a huge Multiplier against Villagers. Considering the fact that Armory Upgrades do not affect villagers, we believe that this extra 50% against villagers scales too well with upgrades in the lategame, so we're toning it down, while making the upgrade a little more expensive.​

--------------------
Norse:

​

Chief:

• Health Buff Aura range decreased to 18, from 24

> Balance Team's Comment: The Norse Age 4 Army has access to the Chief, giving every nearby friendly unit an extra 20% Health. This is an incredibly strong effect, allowing Norse to have extremely pop-efficient Armies in late-game battles. However, we feel like the range at which the Norse Chief applies this bonus is too large and doesn't put the Chief at risk on the battlefield as much as it should, so we're making the Aura range smaller so that players either have to sacrifice extra Health on their frontline units, or risk having their Chief killed in battle trying to do so.​

Ulfhedinn:

• Hitpoints increased to 290, from 280.

> Balance Team's Comment: Norse Ulfhedinns keep getting buffed and buffed but still see no use. Maybe third time's the charm?
​

[Tech] Berserker Champion:

• Berserkers now move 100% faster while charging, from 75%. Charge range increased to 24, from 22.

> Balance Team's Comment: As one of Norse's most powerful units, Berserkers gain access to Charge with their Champion Upgrade. We feel like they need a little love on their Charge mechanics, especially considering the fact that they have a lower base Speed than other units that have Charge, such as Babylonian Lancers or Celtic Woad Raiders.
​

--------------------
Global:


Battering Rams:

• Melee-Infantry Armor removed, from 0.20

> Balance Team's Comment: We feel like Battering Rams provide too much value for their cost, and don't get countered by Infantry as well as they should. This upgrade also helps Villagers at killing them, since they do Melee-Infantry DPS.
​

Single-Target Heal Priests: (Greek/Babylonian Priest, Persian Magus, Celtic Augur)

• Now heal friendly units in-combat and prefer healing over converting. Healing Rate decreased to 25, from 40.

> Balance Team's Comment: Greek Priests had already received this change in a previous Balance Patch, so we're extending this change to other priests of the same kind.

​

[Tech] Reinforced Wall (Age III Wall Tech)

• Now increases Wall Hitpoints by +70%, from +100%

> Balance Team's Comment: The first Wall upgrade provides +50% Health for Walls. However, Reinforced Wall grants them an additional +100%, without increasing the cost of the Wall itself. We feel like it makes for Walls that are way stronger than they cost, so we're decreasing the Health increase provided by this tech.​

--------------------

Remember, as always, these changes affect Champion PvP (And Champion Skirmish) mode ONLY and do not affect Quests, Regular Skirmish Mode, Crete or Geared PvP!

You can also see the entire Champion Mode Tech Tree (for all civilizations) here!

Feel free to discuss the changes below!