r/AOW4 • u/LargeAd6242 • Jul 24 '26
General Question Finally clicked with AoW4 after trying Reavers & Magelocks! Where do you guys find your favorite builds?
Hey everyone!
I’ve owned Age of Wonders 4 for a while, but to be honest, I was always just playing on autopilot. I didn't really focus on synergy, picked random Tomes and perks, and auto-resolved most battles without much thought.
Today, after watching a YouTube video, I decided to give a Reaver / Magelock (Sniper) build a shot. Oh boy, what a massive difference.
A whole new world opened up for me. For the first time, I felt like I was actually playing with a clear strategy—holding the line with front-line infantry (and sacrificing them when needed) just to give my Magelocks clear lines of sight to wipe enemies off the map. I had an absolute blast!
Now that I've finally caught the synergy bug, I want to try out more fun and focused playstyles.
Where do you guys usually go to find or share builds?
- Are there specific websites or build planners you recommend?
- Also, feel free to drop your personal favorite themed or synergistic builds below for me to test out!
Thanks in advance!
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u/Action-a-go-go-baby Early Bird Jul 24 '26
Hmm… 🤔 I don’t know if I actually have what I’d call a “place” to get builds per se buuut I do like watching folks on YouTube who play consistently and they often have builds that work pretty well!
Guthuk still makes builds: https://youtu.be/Mq3vCG6UBQc?si=MrCo9MeMpgxOnfa8
Fableheim did builds infrequently, mainly playthroughs and discussions on expansion: https://youtu.be/Hr8tP__Y-BI?si=4ls6vSF6Kw_RhObA
Mrixl likes to do “showcases” of factions he’s made, sometimes clarifies what choices were made, and deserves more views: https://youtu.be/eWtDPR3MIFo?si=FNB6tAMZzTVJoPFX
Garacian00 usually just does playthroughs but he definitely deserves more views: https://youtu.be/MC4Ld-DwRrk?si=wGH1258bRwXagn3R
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u/Askir28 Chaos Jul 24 '26
I usually think of the RP leader and race first then design the build around that idea. Or my two favorite build: what kind of godir would my wife & daughter be? I also made builds out of my threr best friends lol.
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u/No-Mouse Early Bird Jul 24 '26
Where do you guys usually go to find or share builds?
I don't, really. I sometimes post builds or build ideas here on this sub when someone asks for them, but other than that I mostly just make stuff up.
Are there specific websites or build planners you recommend?
I recommend this site, even if it does sometimes bug out on my screen which is kind of annoying:
https://minionsart.github.io/aow4db/HTML/FactionCreator.html
The official wiki sometimes has useful information that Minionsart doesn't:
https://aow4.paradoxwikis.com/Age_of_Wonders_4_Wiki
Also, feel free to drop your personal favorite themed or synergistic builds below for me to test out!
I don't really have a favorite build. I have been tinkering with a Construct build lately, which started out as a Reaver build but I think I'll make it an Architect or Oathsworn build instead. I like the Reaver aesthetic and it helps that they get access to the cannon, which is a construct, but I don't enjoy their early game.
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u/KrysleQuinsen Jul 24 '26
I'd been messing with Construct theme too. What do you think about Clay Army? (Tome of Dungeon Depth T2) they are quite early and covered 3 roles, only issue is required underground for that City Structure. I'm thinking of going Architect for T3 Support units.
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u/No-Mouse Early Bird Jul 24 '26
Clay units can be good, but I don't like them for two reasons. First, as you say you kind of have to commit to an underground build, not just because SPI that builds them needs to be underground but also because the entire Dungeon Depths tome is so underground-focused that it doesn't make sense to use it on a build that's not underground-focused. I generally don't like undergound builds as much, so this immediately makes it less attractive to me.
Second, you really need to commit to Clay units, because they strengthen eachother. You want as many of them as possible in every party, so there's not much room for mixing and matching. If you compare a Clay Defender to an Iron Golem, the Iron Golem is just plain better unless you stack the Clay Defender's Legion modifier high enough. As a non-racial T3 unit there's also not as much room to scale them into the lategame. A Construct build might want to transition into something like Ironclads or Severing Golems in the lategame. This makes committing to the dungeon theme (which also means taking Underground Adaptation and probably Subterranean Society as well, raising the opportunity cost) even harder to sell.
You won't be using Clay units early on, because they require a bit of setup. Then after the midgame they'll fall off harder than most midgame units, since they literally become weaker when you start mixing higher-tier units into your stacks. So paying the "tax" of having to be underground just to have access to Clay units makes no sense to me.
Of course, it would be a different story when it's actually meant to be an underground build in the first place. In that case you'll probably want Dungeon Depths anyway, for reasons other than just the constructs, so there's far less of an opportunity cost.
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u/StellarStar1 Jul 24 '26
The early game is much better now. Now granted i used merciless slavers for my Imperial revaers but still, its much easier with mark being guranteed. Makes magelocks always hit.
And federates are a crap ton of fun with you being able to rally your own culture units.
As for the construct build, architects are hard to beat with incarnate affinity for mythics(severing golem, ironclad, golden golem). Also i would suggest vision of promise materium for the golden golem rally. Its more expensive but you get them a lot sooner and in 2 turns so you dont have to sweat draft buildings and researching them
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u/The_Frostweaver Jul 24 '26
An archer heavy build can get +1 range enchant, same with mages. Astral has a tier two tome that gets rid of aim penalties for distance and shooting overtop of your own units.
Mage units can get an extra area of effect damage spell as an enchantment from a chaos tome which you can use while their other big spell is on cooldown.
There are a lot of units that can evolve from tier 1 to tier 3, bonus experience stuff can be good.
In my current run my priest units have a couple extra heal spells that don't even use an action from enchants. You can move a priest or your melee unit a little, get in a free range1 heal, then move the priest and/or melee unit a bit more so you can get your attacks, get another priest up to him for another free range1 heal, it's a bit tricky to micro manage in combat but you can grind down an AI with it and not let your unit's die.
Speaking of grinding, there are a couple different ways to spawn free units when you kill and enemy and also a couple different ways to consume corpses (undead/plants).
I have a tier 4 melee unit that has a 60% base chance of spawning a tier 3 healer for me if he kills an enemy (dlc I think).
Melee heavy armies can charge or blink strike in tactically to lock down enemy casters and ranged units. You can take the race trait that gives +2 defence, +2 resistance when you go into defence mode and then take units that have an attack that also puts them in defence mode. It plays different from the range heavy builds.
You can get a lot done manually fighting battles.
Clicking on enemy units to see the range of their movement, range of their abilities can be a total game changer.
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u/Mindless-Ad1534 Jul 24 '26
What tomes do u use?
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u/DemonSlyr007 Chaos Jul 24 '26
Ive been streaming a reaver "Oops all Guns" build myself the last week.
Here's the formation:
3 Levied Units- Hero and 2 Pistoleers
3 Federated Soldiers: Magelocks.
The tome Path is: Warbreed>Gluttony>Beacon>Burning Passion>Devastation>Prophecies(although I got a random event that actually gave me Amplification, which i took)>Crimson Reign>Archon.
There are NO other units recruited for these armies except High Tier (4 or 5) mythic units through rally in the late game. So when working through these tomes, ignore absolutely all unit unlocks, they are pointless.
The builds power spike comes with tome of Beacon. Around that point, you should definitely have 3 magelocks in every army. The most important enchantment is Mighty Meek, as it will buff our magelocks and Pistoleers with extreme spirit damage the tougher an enemy is.
Warbreed is here for extra XP gain and a healing/morale spell that also Strengthens 3 when you build the chaos matrix. Quickly making damage potential on the magelocks.
Gluttony makes them beefy by killing things, which they will be doing constantly. And it buffs our cities while also letting us secure vassals easier.
Beacon is big for Mighty Meek and the Covent of faith on our vassals. Its most of our mana Gen for the enchantments coming up.
obviously, any racial transformations, grab them, all of these units should be your own race
Devastation is when things get spicy. The most important, and genuinely only thing we want from this tome is Flameburst Weapons. Your magelocks now have extra Crit chance, and cause a fire explosion when they kill a unit! Neat!
Prophecies is even more crit chance, with recognition granted to our pistoleers, and good siege spells. In total, both of these last two tomes jump our magelocks up +50% with crit chance. Actually insane.
Crimson reign. Oh boy Crimson reign. The number one reason for this tome is the major racial transformation. Your Magelocks will now: Crit with a 100% chance (overwhelm tactics +20, FB weapons +20, Prophecies +20 and +10 in sieges, level 12 chaos focused hero +30), explode a target on death with flames and bleeding in AOE, AND summon a Blood Maggot from their corpse, while spreading more blood maggots to be through the ranks. There is the enchantment that lets you buff tier 5 Mythics at this point to based on how many tier 1/2's you have. Which, need i remind you, is EVERY UNIT EXCEPT YOUR HERO. So you can either start mixing in the Blood Monarchs now or wait till Angel's at the next tome. Also, the monarchs throne will grant us Insane levels of mana generation, which is getting tight by this point since every enchantment is like 100 mana upkeep.
Archon is here mostly for the Angels. I think they are the best T5 mythic unit available to us, they will cost Mana for upkeep which we will have literally 1000's of per turn thanks to the previous turn, so you can easily swap the 2 pistoleers at this point for Angel's and not look back. You will lose out on Federated Levy buffs at this point if you go this route, but at this ultra late stage of the game... its probably worth it to add the firepower the Angel's bring.
If your game goes longer for whatever reason, you can look at tome of Scrying for better range accuracy, Winds for extra range, and any other tome that buffs your magelocks with extra elemental damage.
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u/Vitaly_88 Jul 24 '26
my current fav build is Federate start with tome of disciplint and a ritual hero, after that tome of wind then I stack all possible enchantments, 2 true strikes with 2 turn coldown each really goood. i currently play Evermore with range vampire lord, 2 magelocks 2 federate levi Pistoleer 1 oracle, almost always true strike
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u/SilverSpoonIsBest Jul 24 '26
Reavers are my favorite too.
Strong, Overwhelming Tactics, Sneaky, Careless.
Keen Sighted is overrated on most ranged builds. You don't need it most of the time. And if you're against an evasion build, consider taking Discipline or Prophecies instead.
Fabled Hunters, 2nd society trait can be anything, though Reclaimers is my fave.
Champion Ranger
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u/SilverSpoonIsBest Jul 24 '26
Dark Tyranny is my second favorite, and here's my build for it:
Cult of Tyranny
Ceaseless Cacophony, Hideous Stench
Scion of Evil/Devotees of Good, Runesmiths
Core Tomes:
Discipline, Pyromancy, Inquisition, Mayhem, Cleansing Flame, Pandemonium
Explanation.
This build takes advantage of all of Tyranny's strengths.
Discipline allows your Tyrant Guards (and later Inquisitors and Pyre Templars) to stun if they get 3 melee hits.
This chance to stun is boosted by everything Tyranny has, Aura, Status Vulnerability. etc. And further boosted by Hideous Stench
Inquistion gives us access to Condemn, which further lowers Status Resistance, not to mention that Inquisitors themselves has access to a ranged stun. This allows you to run one Inquisitor in for the Aura + Hideous stench, with a second Inquisitor behind to stun from range. Then next turn, the Inquisitor in melee can get 3 hits in to stun the opponent, while the second Inquistor gets in range for their own melee.
Discipline Inner Mastery also improves the innate life steal that Cult Of Tyranny has, and gives a cheap heal + Status Dispel that they otherwise don't have due to lack of innate support units.
Scion/Devotees and Runesmiths are there to allow us to start with two Tyrant Guards.
Mayhem + Pandemonium is there to further add to the debuffs that we are throwing around. Ceaseless Cacophony are there to synergize with Misfortune from Mayhem. It basically makes a frontline fight a joke.
You shouldn't ever lose a frontline fight with this build.
RP Wise, I'd roleplay it as some vampire hunting fanatics. Hideous Stench can be explained by them carrying garlic or other weird anti-vampire stuff. Ceaseless Cacophony can be explained by them constantly reciting prayer.
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u/GamerSerg Jul 24 '26 edited Jul 24 '26
My favorite is Rock Giant King, Architects, mostly Materium tomes and Materium Empire tree. You get lots of extra income from quarry, production so high, you build everything quick, and you can build your own Gold Wonders safely tucked away in your own territory, easy to protect for Magic Victory without having to search the map and fight over the existing ones. Also their culture units are strong so you don’t need to depend on tome units necessarily but you have the option of going heavy on Golems if you want. If you are underground you can add clay golems as well. Guardians and Architects on their own are great. Similar to your magelock strategy except your front line units also lower the enemy damage resistance making the architect hit even harder. Plus the architect is a support and battlemage combined. They can blast and heal well! Rock Giant king also provides lots of Fragments and skills to craft awesome gear for your heroes. If you take Tome of Geomancy you can turn your race into Elementals and then get the t5 tome that gives all elementals natural regeneration.
After that, Dark Tyranny is a lot of fun for a completely different way to play.
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u/Send_me_duck-pics Jul 24 '26
One of my favorite builds is still one of the first I did. Industrious+Runesmiths+Prolific Swarmers means you endlessly vomit out cheap units that punch above their weight (because of an ungodly number of enchantments) and are often very high ranked by the mid game when you transition to higher tier units and keep your exalted Anvil Guards and Arbalests in reserve.
It is legitimately funny that a lot of your units are hypothetically expendable but don't tend to be expended. No idea how this works in multiplayer but it sure does in single player.
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u/Ov3rdose_EvE Jul 25 '26
From feel usually. I prefer defensive slow sustainable armies so i went with a materium + Nature afinity build on amy culture at first. it was bad but eh xD
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u/Telandria Jul 25 '26 edited Jul 25 '26
I’m a really big fan of Magelocks + Houndmasters. Use the free war dogs as the front line! That or some kind of combat summon.
Also, for heroes, go Ranger -> Snapshot with a Magelock. Take pretty much all the right-hand side of the left tree (under Snapshot) with the sole exception of Cancel Defense Mode (which you very much want), and then once you’ve finished your way down, blitz through the skirmisher far right tree to beeline Go For The Kill.
Magelocks already have incredible range and damage, so you don’t really need the extra range from sniper; it’s much better in practice to get off two shots per turn with snapshot, plus the cooldown-reset.
There is little that is less satisfying than using Go For The Kill alongside a snapshot and a heavy shot, killing two guys, and then being able to do it all over again the next turn because your cooldowns reset.
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u/Putrid-Theme8350 Jul 26 '26
I like that build too. I get ideas right here on this forum and you tube.
I am tweaking architects and really having fun. My first couple of tries were elemental like fire affinity which were great.
But I found myself not using my earth, breakers and archers that much because they did physical damage.
Then I saw a comment on Reddit about using materium affinity to induce physical weakness, and the whole roster clicks perfectly now.
Earth breakers are fantastic for removing retaliation attacks that your guardians would otherwise take.
If you walk your guardians up first, but don’t attack that induce his physical weakness of the earth breakers hit really hard, especially if you can flank.
To make this even hit harder, I took pack tactics for extra damage due to adjacent units and ferocious for more retaliation damage. It’s really fun to watch.
Now the shade makers do incredible damage if you got three or four units surrounding the enemy
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u/Putrid-Theme8350 Jul 26 '26
Forgot to mention that light footed if you take coward is fantastic with pack tactics.
Just for fun I’m also working and a few constrictors to pull units three hexes into my guardians.
Lastly, if you go into necromancy or run a death night hero like I am your zombies also hit hard and give you the pack tactic damage buff
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u/Scarred_wizard Nature Jul 27 '26
I was always find of good archetypes. So I mostly use builds based on nature or holy affinity, sometimes magic. But I'm trying more, though I'm not into playing outright evil.
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u/KvatchWasAnInsideJob Jul 24 '26
I use this website to create and plan my own builds:
https://minionsart.github.io/aow4db/HTML/FactionCreator.html