Abilities are unusual attributes of a unit uncommon in other units. Abilities can be active (need player's attention and usually manual activation) or passive (happen automatically). Active abilities usually come with a cooldown. It is subjective when an attribute becomes unusual enough to become an ability. It is possible that an ability in one game is natural in another game of the series.
Age of Empires[]
Active[]
Passive[]
Age of Empires II[]
- Main article: Ability (Age of Empires II)
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Active[]
- Unit transformation: With Flemish Revolution, all Villagers on map are transformed into Flemish Militia, an infantry unit. The transformation is different from a permanent upgrade.
- Weapon switch: Originally planned for the Samurai and the Cataphract, this was implemented in the Ratha. Usually created to make a unit be able to switch between a melee mode and a ranged mode depending on the circumstances. However, this works by swapping whole units instead of weapons, which makes it way more versatile.
- Conversion: Religious units can make non-allied units to join their side.
Charged[]
- Agility: The Shrivamsha Rider can absorb some incoming projectiles over a period of time taking no damage in the process. Unlike siege weapons, it cannot absorb enemy projectiles directed at allied units.
- Charge attack: The Coustillier can charge its attack over time to do a very strong attack in its first hit.
- Charge area attack: The Urumi Swordsman can charge its attack over time to do a very strong attack in its next hit in an area affecting all units. The blast attack does not work with its normal attacks.
Passive[]
- Healing
- Armor-tearing attack: Attacks of the Obuch can damage the melee and pierce armor of the receiving unit by 1, unless the armor is less than 1 already. Basically on the ith attack, if , otherwise . Melee and pierce armor are damaged independently, that is, one of them can be damaged even if the other has reached its limit.
- Armor-ignoring attack: The Leitis was the first unit to ignore armor of enemy units while attacking. It was later joined by Dravidian infantry and cavalry with Wootz Steel in Dynasties of India and by Composite Bowmen in The Mountain Royals. This ability does not work on buildings and, since Dynasties of India, it does not work on siege and ships either.
- Cover: Siege weapons can absorb enemy projectiles from defensive structures from reaching allied units, if they are covering the allied units. This phenomenon is very commonly seen when Villagers are repairing siege weapons and the defensive structure cannot hit them even when in range.
- Deflection: When allied units taking damage are protected by a Hussite Wagon ensuring that enemy projectiles pass through its collision box, the allied units take half the normal damage and the Wagon takes 1 damage in the process.
- Missed shots dealing 100% damage: The Arambai, the Chakram Thrower, and secondary projectiles of Organ Gun and Hussite Wagons deal 100% damage even if they hit unintended targets, which normally does 50% damage.
- Respawn: The Konnik is created as a cavalry. When it dies, it respawns as an infantry on the spot.
- HP regeneration: The Age of Kings released something which was never seen before, but now is pretty common - Berserks healing on their own without the help from Monks or garrisoning in buildings. With The Conquerors, this ability was also given to hero units. Further expansions gave this ability to other units:
- The African Kingdoms: Berber camel units with Maghrebi Camels.
- Dawn of the Dukes: Polish Villagers.
- Dynasties of India: Bengali ships and Dravidian elephant units with Medical Corps.
- The Mountain Royals: Georgian mounted units.
- Pass-through damage: Scorpions when attacking could damage several units in a straight line due to their bolts passing through units. This feature was later shared by the Caravel, Ballista Elephant, Chakram Thrower, and Georgian towers with Svan Towers.
Other[]
- Military units constructing buildings: The Serjeant can construct and repair the Donjon.
- Military units healing and carrying Relics: The Warrior Priest can heal allied units and carry Relics.
- Unusual population requirement: The Karambit Warrior is the only unit which does not cost the standard 1 population, but 0.5. Bengali Villagers and Monks with Mahayana drop their population cost to 0.9. Georgian mounted units with Aznauri Cavalry drop their population cost to 0.85.
- Resource-generation: Generating a constant trickle of a resource out of nothing or another resource. The Feitoria was first of its kind, generating all resources out of nothing. Later they were joined by Farmers with Burgundian Vineyards generating gold, Polish Stone Miners generating gold, Lumberjacks with Paper Money generating gold and Portuguese Foragers generating wood. The Keshik also works similarly, generating gold by attacking enemy units. Viking infantry with Chieftains researched also generate gold when they kill enemy Villagers, Monks, or trade units.
- Longer lasting resources: Some Villagers can collect more from a resource than it actually has. The Maya were the first civilization with this ability, with all of their resources lasting 15% longer. They were later joined by the Tatars who could get +50% food from herdable animals. With Dawn of the Dukes, the Malians can mine +30% gold.
- Castle unique unit at regular building: The Goths since The Conquerors and Huns since The Forgotten can create their Castle unique unit at their Barracks and Stable as well respectively with their Castle Age unique technologies.
- Natural conversion resistance: The scout units had only 1/3rd in The Age of Kings and 1/8th the normal chances of conversion since The Conquerors till the Definitive Edition. Since then, they are made immune to conversion till the 8th chant, but their conversion chances are restored.
Age of Mythology[]
- Main article: Ability (Age of Mythology)
Age of Empires III[]
- Main article: Ability (Age of Empires III)
Age of Empires IV[]
- Main article: Ability (Age of Empires IV)