Bracer is a technology in Age of Empires II that can be researched at the Blacksmith once the Imperial Age is reached. Once researched, it increases the range and attack of units and buildings that attack with arrows, most notably archers, Castles, and towers, by +1. Town Centers receive +1 attack and Line of Sight, but no range bonus.
Galleys, Longboats, Caravels, Harbors, and Kreposts also benefit from Bracer as well as Skirmishers, Genitours, and Bombard Towers, even though the latter three do not use arrows.
Availability chart[]
Maximum range[]
Several civilizations also have either bonuses or unique technologies that increase the range of either units or buildings:
- The Armenians have Cilician Fleet, which provides +1 range to their Galleons, and have access to Bracer. As a result, they have the Galleons with the longest range.
- The Britons have a bonus that gives their foot archers +1/+2 range in the Castle/Imperial Age, as well as Yeomen, which increases the range by one and also benefits Skirmishers, and access to Bracer. As a result, they have the foot archers and Skirmishers (the latter tied with the Aztec one with Atlatl) with the longest range.
- The Magyars have Recurve Bow, which provides +1 range and attack to their Heavy Cavalry Archers and Kipchaks (with a Cuman ally), and have access to Bracer. As a result, they have the Cavalry Archers with the longest range.
- The Koreans have Eupseong, which gives their towers +2 range, and have access to Bracer. As a result, they have the Keeps with the longest range.
- The Turks have Artillery, which gives their Bombard Towers +2 range, and have access to Bracer. As a result, they have the Bombard Towers with the longest range.
- Despite lacking Bracer, the Teutons have the Castles with the longest range, thanks to Crenellations, which gives their Castles +3 range.
Civilization bonuses[]
- Bulgarians: Bracer costs 50% less food.
- Chinese: Bracer is 15% cheaper.
- Spanish: Bracer costs no gold. Receive 20 gold after researching Bracer.
Team bonuses[]
- Bulgarians: Researching Bracer is 80% faster.
- Portuguese: Researching Bracer is 25% faster.
Trivia[]
- Most of the civilizations that lack Bracer have access to the Paladin. The Slavs, Malians, and Romans are exceptions, lacking both Paladins and Bracer, presumably due to the presence of Boyars, Farimba, and Centurions with Comitatenses, respectively.
History[]
ā | The bracer was a hard leather guard worn on an archer's forward hand. This improvement had the duel advantage of supporting the wrist, which would grow quite weary after many shots, and protecting the inside of the arm from the fletching of launched arrows. Without protection, the arm could be cut over the course of many shots and weaken the archer to the point of taking him out of combat. The bracer was an important improvement for archers that made them more effective. | ā |
—Age of Empires II manual |
Changelog[]
Definitive Edition[]
- Bulgarians: Initially, Blacksmiths work 50% faster. With update 42848, Blacksmiths work 80% faster.
- Bulgarians: With update 42848, Blacksmith technologies cost 50% less food.
- Portuguese: With update 42848, all technologies are researched 30% faster.