​

Greeks:

Priest:

• Can now heal single units in-combat, and prefers healing friendly units over converting enemy units. Healing rate reduced to 25, from 40

> Balance Team's Comment: Single-Target converting Priests are one of the least utilized units in PvP mode right now. We are trying to change the utility of these Priests by allowing them to heal single units in-combat to reward good mechanics and micro. We will keep an eye on this change to see how it impacts gameplay and go from there.​

[Tech] Divine Vision:

• Upgrade Cost reduced to 600 Gold, from 800 Gold

> Balance Team's Comment: We feel like quite a few of the lategame Champion Upgrades don't see much use because they are too expensive for what they offer. This change aims to address this issue.​

[Tech] Ballista Champion:

• Upgrade Cost reduced to 800 Gold, from 1000 Gold

> Balance Team's Comment: See "Divine Vision"
​

[Tech] Peltast Champion:

• Upgrade Cost reduced to 600 Gold, from 800 Gold

> Balance Team's Comment: See "Divine Vision"​

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

Chariot Archer:

• DPS increased to 35, from 33

> Balance Team's Comment: After the change to Chariot Archers' movement speed, they haven't been seeing as much play as we'd like, so we're giving them more head-on fighting power so that they can perform better in big battles.​

[Tech] Axeman Champion:

• Now grants +15% Health, from 10%. Still grants 10% Damage and Area Damage

> Balance Team's Comment: Axemen in Age III are not surviving long enough to make use of their Splash Damage attack, so we're giving them a little more health so they are a little sturdier in battle.
​

[NEW TECH - CHAMPION MODE ONLY] Ptolemy's Masonry:

• Available at: Fortress
• Improves Fortress
• Effect: -20% Build Time, -30% Cost
• Upgrade Cost: 250 Wood, 250 Gold
• Required Age: AGE IV
• Research Time: 60 seconds

> Balance Team's Comment: Elephant Archers are still not being used very much, despite the changes made to them. We think one major reason for this is because Egyptian players are simply not able to have enough Fortresses to produce War Elephants AND Elephant Archers. This new tech allows them to build more fortresses, more quickly.
​

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

Immortal:

• Hitpoints reduced to 260, from 280

> Balance Team's Comment: While we are happy with how more frequently Immortals are getting used in Age III, we still believe that they are overperforming for that stage of the game. This change combined with the changes they received on Balance Update #13 should help fine tune them for Age III.​

[Tech] Takabara Champion:

• Upgrade Cost reduced to 600 Gold, from 800 Gold

> Balance Team's Comment: See "Divine Vision"​

[Tech] Net Weights:

• Now available to the Persian Civilization (in PvP mode only)

> Balance Team's Comment: Persians are the only civilization in the game with access to a single fishing upgrade. This change should help them even the playing field a little bit more.​

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

Bard Hall:

• Now available in Age II, instead of Age III. Wood cost reduced to 150, from 200.
• The old Bard Hall techs have been split into two parts, and moved down one age:
  • Furor Celtica: Moved to Age II, from Age III. Upgrade cost reduced to 75 Food and 75 Gold, from 250 Food and 250 Gold. Research Time reduced to 20 seconds, from 60 seconds.
  • Brewing: Moved to Age II, from Age III. Upgrade cost reduced to 150 Food, from 250 Food. Research Time reduced to 20 seconds, from 60 seconds.
  • Headhunting: Moved to Age III, from Age IV. Upgrade cost reduced to 300 Gold, from 800 Gold. Research Time reduced to 30 seconds, from 60 seconds.
• New Techs (exclusive to PvP mode) have been added to the Bard Hall:
  • Call of the Stag: (Requires Furor Celtica First)
    • Improves Infantry
    • Effect: +5% Movement Speed
    • Upgrade Cost: 150 Food, 150 Gold
    • Required Age: AGE III
    • Research Time: 40 seconds
  • Call of the Boar: (Requires Brewing First)
    • Improves Infantry
    • Effect: +5% Health
    • Upgrade Cost: 300 Food
    • Required Age: AGE III
    • Research Time: 40 seconds
  • Call of the Bull: (Requires Headhunting first)
    • Improves Infantry
    • Effect: +5% Damage
    • Upgrade Cost: 600 Gold
    • Required Age: AGE IV
    • Research Time: 60 seconds
  • Call of Ratis:
    • Improves Ram
    • Effect: +25% Attack Speed
    • Upgrade Cost: 350 Gold
    • Required Age: AGE III
    • Research Time: 60 seconds

> Balance Team's Comment: Bard Hall is the only unique Tech building available to the Celtic civilization. But it is lacking compared to other civilizations' unique Tech buildings since it only has 3 Techs in it. We are trying to encourage players into utilizing this building more often by adding more Techs to it and making it available earlier than it used to be.
​

Ram:

• Hitpoints increased to 330, from 300

> Balance Team's Comment: Celtic Rams and Norse Farbjodrs are still dying too fast to either static defensive buildings or mobile units. We are trying to make them slightly more survivable so we are increasing their hitpoints.
​

Swanship:

• Hitpoints reduced to 850, from 880

> Balance Team's Comment: Swanships in Age II are still the most oppressive Arrow Ship, outmatching any other Age II ship. We want to reduce their power level slightly and therefore are going to change their hitpoints by a small amount.
​

Town Center:

• Age Up Techs' Research Time has been increased:
  • Bronze Age: Age Up time increased to 40 seconds, from 35 seconds.
  • Silver Age: Age Up time increased to 55 seconds, from 50 seconds.
  • Golden Age: Age Up time increased to 65 seconds, from 65 seconds.

> Balance Team's Comment: The Celts age up faster than all other civilizations. We felt like this difference between the age up times was slightly too much, so we are increasing their age up research times slightly so it's still faster than other civilizations, but slightly less so than before.​

​

[Tech] Bowman Champion:

• Upgrade Cost reduced to 800 Gold, from 1000 Gold

> Balance Team's Comment: See "Divine Vision"
​

[Tech] Gold Rush:

• Moved to the Gold Mine building. Call to Arms has been added back to the Town Center.

> Balance Team's Comment: Having Gold Rush in the Gold Mine building itself makes it easier to research since you don't have to sacrifice Town Center production time to get it.​

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

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

Throwing Axeman:

• DPS increased to 7.5, from 6.5. Hitpoints reduced to 185, from 200

> Balance Team's Comment: Norse Throwing Axemen are powerful units, but they seem not to have a clear-cut role in the Age II Norse army. We are going to make them more of a Damage Dealer Unit that needs the protection from other units.
​

Guard Towers:

• No longer receive bonus damage against Ranged units for free after aging up to Age III, but instead have a new Tech added:
  • Freyja's Blessing:
    • Improves Guard Tower
    • Effect: +30% bonus damage against Ranged Units
    • Upgrade Cost: 100 Wood and 100 Stone
    • Required Age: AGE II
    • Research Time: 60 seconds

> Balance Team's Comment: One of the Norse civilization's biggest weaknesses in mid-to-late Age II is dealing with large numbers of Ranged Units. Initially we attempted to fix this by giving their towers extra power against Ranged Units upon reaching Age III. Now we are going to try this solution instead. Having the bonus damage granted via a Tech makes it easier for Norse to deal with this problem while keeping their Tower Rushing potential in check.
​

Farbjodr:

• Hitpoints increased to 285, from 260

> Balance Team's Comment: See "Ram"
​

[NEW TECH - PVP MODE ONLY] Hammer of Thor:

• Available at: Armory
• Improves Infantry
• Effect: +30% Building Construction Time
• Upgrade Cost: 300 Gold, 300 Stone
• Required Age: AGE III
• Research Time: 80 seconds

> Balance Team's Comment: Norse Infantry had their Building Construction Speed reduced in Balance Update #6. We want to give them their Speed back but only in Age III so now Norse players can research this upgrade in their Armory to have their Infantry build Buildings as quickly as before.
​

[Tech] Bowman Champion:

• Upgrade Cost reduced to 600 Gold, from 800 Gold

> Balance Team's Comment: See "Divine Vision"​

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

[NEW TECH - PVP MODE ONLY] Healing Ointment:

• Available at: Town Center
• Improves Scout
• Effect: +2 Health regeneration per Second
• Upgrade Cost: 25 Food, 25 Gold
• Required Age: AGE II
• Research Time: 20 seconds

> Balance Team's Comment: Scouting is pivotal in Age of Empires Online. We wanted to reward players who pay attention to their scout and are always on top of their scouting with a little bit of extra survivability. This upgrade allows players to heal up their scout in Age II and onwards, while not touching the early game power of Scouts in Age I, since they can turn the tide of battle in small unit skirmishes easily with their big health pool and the fact that no unit does bonus damage against them.

​

[NEW TECH - PVP MODE ONLY] Trading Contracts:

• Available at: Dock
• Improves Merchant Transports
• Effect: +20% Movement Speed, +20% Gold Trade
• Upgrade Cost: 500 Food, 500 Wood
• Required Age: AGE IV
• Research Time: 60 seconds

> Balance Team's Comment: Merchant Transports are one of the more underutilized units in the game. We want to give players more incentive to make and use these units. This tech is aimed to help with that.
​

[Maps] Big Island:

• Now Guarantees a forest spawned for every player.

> Balance Team's Comment: Big Island is one of the more popular PvP maps, however it has always had the problem of clunky spawns where one player wouldn't have a nearby woodline, exposing their early economy to Spearman rushes. This will not be a problem anymore!​

--

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!

Feel free to discuss the changes below!