Church

This article is about the building in Age of Empires III. For similar buildings, see Monastery or Temple.

Church

Definitive
Original

Information

Introduced in

Age of Empires III

Type

Building
Economic

Civilization(s)

Europeans (except the Italians and Ottomans)

Japanese

Ethiopians

Use

Trains healing units and Spies
Researches town and unique technologies
Generates 0.7 XP per second

Building

Built by

Settler

Church Wagon

Cost

150

Wood

Max. builders

8

Build time

20

seconds

Build limit

1

Statistics

Size

3.5x5

Build XP

20

Kill XP

40

“	Trains healers and provides colony improvements and unique improvements.	”
—In-game description before the Definitive Edition

“	Trains healers, provides town improvements and trickles XP.	”
—In-game description in the Definitive Edition

The Church is an economic building in Age of Empires III that is available once the Commerce Age is reached. It trains healers such as Priests or Missionaries, as well as Spies in The WarChiefs expansion, and provides technologies for the player's colony as well as unique technologies for each civilization that requires a certain Home City Card (see below) to be sent. It also generates 0.7 XP per second.

Instead of the Church, the Ottomans, United States, Mexicans, and Italians have the Mosque, Meeting House, Cathedral, and Basilica, respectively, which are identical in function with the Church (with the latter two buildings having unique abilities to their respective civilizations). The African civilizations have the Mountain Monastery and University serving as its equivalent, respectively, with different technologies and technologies that are unique to their respective civilizations. However, they can both gain access to Churches and Mosques by allying with either the Jesuits for the Ethiopians or the Moroccans for the Hausa.

As for the Native American and Asian civilizations, they lack an equivalent building to the Church; although the Monastery is the Asian spiritual equivalent of the Church, it merely functions as a Tavern instead (however, it also provides an XP trickle, and can provide upgrades to improve Monks). The Japanese can build one Church through the Church Wagon shipment from the Consulate with Dutch relations.

Units[]

Unit	Cost	Pop.	Limit
Missionary	50 wood 50 coin	0	10
Priest	100 coin	1	30
Surgeon	225 coin		30
Spy*	110 coin		∞

Units with an asterisk (*) are added in The WarChiefs.
The Missionary replaces the Priest for the Spanish.
The Surgeon requires the Master Surgeon Home City Card to be trained at the Church.

Technologies[]

Technology	Cost	Effect	Civ.
Bastion	600 wood 600 coin	Upgrades Walls into Bastions with +400% hit points but build time +50%	All
Mission Fervor	125 food 125 wood	Healing units get +50% hit points, -50% train time, and +50% healing rate
Town Watch	150 food	All units get +3 Line of Sight
Gas Lighting	75 food	All buildings get +4 Line of Sight
Mercantilism	1,500 coin	Gives 2,000 XP
Roger's Rangers	800 food	Ships 5 Rangers; turns all Longbowmen into Rangers; requires The Glorious Revolution Home City Card	British
Thin Red Line	Free	Musketeers* get +20% hit points and -10% speed; requires The Glorious Revolution Home City Card	British
Coffee Trade		Bank build limit +2; Banks get -20% hit points; requires Religious Freedom Home City Card	Dutch
Code Napoleon		Villagers gather resources 10% faster; buildings cost +25%; requires Edict of Nantes Home City Card	French
Young Guard	500 food	Ships 4 Young Guards; Grenadiers can be trained at Barracks, Artillery Foundries, Forts, and Galleons; Grenadier unit upgrades can be researched at both Barracks and Artillery Foundries; Artillery Foundries can be built in the Commerce Age; requires Edict of Nantes Home City Card	French
Tilly's Discipline	Free	Infantry get +20% speed and +10% cost; requires Treaty of Westphalia Home City Card	Germans
Tax Burden		Ships Chests of 100 coin for every minute the game has lasted, up to 30 minutes; villagers get -40% hit points; requires Royal Decree to Claim the New World Home City Card	Knights of St. John
Teutonic Knights		Hospitallers get +25% attack and -20% speed; requires Papal Bull Home City Card	Maltese
Crusader Knights	250 wood	Sentinels and Hospitallers gain their benefits near enemy buildings (respectively Defensive Aura and Courage Aura)	Maltese
Encomienda Manor	Free	Villagers gather 20% faster from Mills but 5% slower from anything else; requires Treaty of Tordesillas Home City Card	Portuguese
Corselet		Heavy infantry get +25% hit points and -15% speed; requires Royal Decree to Claim the New World Home City Card	Spanish Knights of St. John
Push of Pike		Hand infantry get +10% speed and +10% train time; requires Treaty of Roskilde Home City Card	Swedes
Gustavian Guards	1,500 food	Ships 16 Gustavian Guards (Halberdiers); Halberdiers get +5% resistance and +0.25 speed; requires Treaty of Roskilde Home City Card	Swedes
Grand Encampment	Free	Infantry get +25% hit points and -25% speed; requires Royal Decree to Claim the New World Home City Card	United States (campaign)
The Black Watch	1,000 food	Ships 8 Black Watches (Highlanders); Highlanders can be trained at the Tavern, get +3 Line of Sight, +1 range, and the Regeneration ability; requires The Glorious Revolution Home City Card	British
Red Lancers	1,000 coin	Ships 5 Red Lancers (Stradiots); Stradiots can be trained at the Tavern, get +0.2 hand attack multiplier against infantry, -10% against heavy infantry, and are tagged as Lance cavalry; requires Religious Freedom Home City Card	Dutch
Middle Guard	1,000 food	Ships 8 Young Guards and renames them to Middle Guards; researches Incendiary Grenades; requires Young Guard and Edict of Nantes Home City Card	French
Wallenstein's Contracts	1,500 coin	Mercenary cost -15% and train time -10%; Mercenary shipments cost -50% (except infinite and TEAM cards); requires Treaty of Westphalia Home City Card	Germans
Indian Friendship	1,000 wood	Native warriors get +25% hit points; requires Royal Decree to Claim the New World Home City Card	John Black's Mercenaries
Customized Merc Weapons	Free	Mercenaries get +30% attack; buildings cost +30%; requires Royal Decree to Claim the New World Home City Card	John Black's Mercenaries
High Crusade	Free	Ships 8 Hoop Throwers; Hoop Throwers get +25% hit points and +20% attack; other military units get -5% hit points; requires Royal Decree to Claim the New World Home City Card	Knights of St. John
Knights of the Hospital	1,500 wood	Ships 1 Hospitaller for each Hospital built (up to 25); Hospitallers can build Hospitals; requires the Papal Bull Home City Card	Maltese
Westernization	400 wood, 400 coin	Upgrades Streltsy, Rekruts, Poruchiks, Cossacks, and Grenadiers to Veteran (if not already); requires Reformist Tsar Home City Card	Russians
St. Petersburg Dragoons	1,000 wood	Ships 9 Counter Dragoons (Guard Dragoons); replaces Cavalry Archers from Home City shipments with Counter Dragoons	Russians
Royal Halberdiers	1,000 wood	Ships 13 Royal Halberdiers (Guard Halberdiers); Halberdiers get the Regeneration ability and Combat Promotions; requires Royal Decree to Claim the New World Home City Card	Spanish
Wild Geese	1,500 food	Ships 12 Wild Geese (Irish Brigadiers*); Irish Brigadiers can be trained at the Tavern, get -15% hand attack Rate of Fire and +0.25 speed; requires Royal Decree to Claim the New World Home City Card	Spanish
Savolax Jaegers	1,500 wood	Ships 6 Savolax Jaegers (Jaegers which cost 80 wood, 80 coin, have +5% hit points and Stealth mode); upgrades Jaegers to Savolax Jaegers and allows them to be trained at the Barracks; requires Treaty of Roskilde Home City Card	Swedes
American Patriots	Free	Ships 16 Militiamen; requires Royal Decree to Claim the New World Home City Card	United States (campaign)
Standing Army	350 coin	Infantry train time -25%	All
Mass Cavalry	750 coin	Cavalry train time -35%	All
Queen's Rangers	2,000 coin	Ships 30 Rangers; upgrades Rangers to Veteran; Rangers can be trained at Barracks, Forts, and Galleons, instead of Longbowmen; requires Roger's Rangers and The Glorious Revolution Home City Card	British
Blue Guards	2,000 coin	Ships 30 Blue Guards (Guard Musketeers); requires Religious Freedom Home City Card	Dutch
Old Guard	2,000 food	Ships 15 Young Guards and renames them to Old Guards (also changes their visual); Grenadiers and Old Guards get a Mortar attack and +2 Line of Sight; Old Guards get +100% hand attack and +10% hand, ranged and siege resistances; requires Middle Guard and Edict of Nantes Home City Card	French
Zweihänder	1,800 coin	Ships 12 Doppelsoldners; Doppelsoldners get +10% hit points and +1 hand attack range; requires Treaty of Westphalia Home City Card	Germans
Ordenança	2,000 food	Ordinance Rifleman and Pikeman train time -30%; upgrades Pikemen to Veteran and Royal Guard (if not already); turns all Crossbowmen into Ordinance Riflemen; Ordinance Riflemen can be trained at Barracks, Forts, and Galleons instead of Crossbowmen; requires Treaty of Tordesillas Home City Card	Portuguese
Order of the Tower and the Sword	2,000 wood	Ships 11 Order Knights (Black Riders); Black Riders can be trained at the Tavern, get +15% hit points and +30% hand attack; requires Treaty of Tordesillas Home City Card	Portuguese
Petrine Reforms	1,600 wood, 1,600 coin	Upgrades Streltsy, Musketeers, Halberdiers, Cossacks, Oprichniks, Cavalry Archers, and Grenadiers to Guard/Royal Guard (if not already); requires Westernization and Reformist Tsar Home City Card	Russians
Lifeguard Jaegers	2,000 coin	Ships 23 Counter Jaegers (Schiavone-like infantry); replaces Oprichniks from Home City shipments with Counter Jaegers; requires Reformist Tsar Home City Card	Russians
Walloon Guards	2,000 coin	Ships 14 Walloon Guards (Fusiliers); Fusiliers can be trained at the Tavern and get the Regeneration ability; requires Wild Geese and Royal Decree to Claim the New World Home City Card	Spanish

Civilization differences[]

The Japanese can build one (and only one) Church by allying with the Dutch at the Consulate, which provides the Church Wagon shipment that ships the namesake unit capable of building a Church.
The Ethiopians can build one Church by allying with the Jesuits to advance into the Commerce Age or higher, which ships a Church Wagon. The Ethiopian Church can train Missionaries and Spies, has Mission Fervor, Town Watch, Gas Lighting, Mercantilism, Standing Army, Mass Cavalry, and City Walls available for cost in influence (see their pages' civilization differences for the exact values).

Further statistics[]

Building strengths and weaknesses
Strong vs.	Nothing
Weak vs.	Everything
technologies
Hit points	Flying Buttress (+20%) Byzantine Legacy (+15%)
Line of Sight	Gas Lighting (+4)
Build time	Cree Textile Craftsmanship (-25%)
Cost	Tupi Forest Burning (-20% wood) Cree Textile Craftsmanship (-10%)
Other	Church Wagon (ships 1 Church Wagon; Japanese only)
Penalties	Customized Merc Weapons (+30% cost; John Black's Mercenaries only) Code Napoleon (+25% cost; French only)

Home City Cards[]

Click for a list of Home City Cards related to the Church

Some cards are highlighted with:
Green	TEAM Shipment that is sent to each player in a team

All[]

Card	Description	Age
Improved Buildings	Buildings get +40% hit points
TEAM Improved Buildings	Buildings get +25% hit points

"Improved Buildings" is available to Europeans (except the Maltese) and Japanese.
"TEAM Improved Buildings" is available to the Inca, Indians, and Maltese.

British[]

Card	Description	Age
The Glorious Revolution	Provides the Church with the Thin Red Line, The Black Watch, Roger's Rangers, and Queen's Rangers technologies

Dutch[]

Card	Description	Age
Religious Freedom	Provides the Church with the Coffee Trade, Red Lancers, and Blue Guards technologies

Ethiopians[]

Card	Description	Age
Gondarine Architecture	Buildings get +25% hit points; Town Centers and Palaces get +50% hit points; Walls and Mountain Monasteries get +100% hit points

Europeans[]

Card	Description	Age
Master Surgeons	Surgeons can be trained at the Church, Mosque, Field Hospitals, and Cathedral, and heal 50% faster
Bahia	Ships 16 Conquistadors and 2 Church Wagons; Church build limit +2; upgrades Conquistadors to Veteran (if not already); costs 1,000 coin
Monumental Architecture	Buildings get +30% hit points; Town Centers get +35% attack

"Master Surgeons" is not available to the British, Italians, Maltese, and Spanish.
"Bahia" is available to the Dutch, Italians, and Portuguese upon revolting to Brazil.
"Monumental Architecture" is available to the Portuguese and Spanish upon revolting to Peru.

French[]

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Louvre	Gives a trickle of 0.1 XP/sec.; Town Watch, Gas Lighting, Standing Army, Mass Cavalry, Medical Science, and Mission Fervor cost -50%; Kebra Nagast, Book of Axum, and Solomonic Dynasty cost -10%
Edict of Nantes	Provides the Church with the Code Napoleon, Young Guard, Middle Guard, and Old Guard technologies

Germans[]

Card	Description	Age
Treaty of Westphalia	Provides the Church with the Tilly's Discipline, Wallenstein's Contracts, and Zweihänder technologies
Witch Hammer	Ships 3 Inquisitors; Inquisitors can be trained at Tavern/Mercenary Camps, Town Centers, Church and Outposts; outlaws take -2 population; +2 Uhlans

Japanese[]

Card	Description	Age
Land Reforms	Villagers and rickshaws build buildings 50% faster; buildings grant +100% build bounty

Maltese[]

Card	Description	Age
Carmelite Churches	Ships 2 Church Wagons; Church build limit +2 and can be build in the Exploration Age
Papal Bull	Provides the Church with the Teutonic Knights, Crusader Knights, and Knights of the Hospital technologies

Portuguese[]

Card	Description	Age
Treaty of Tordesillas	Provides the Church with the Encomienda Manor, Ordenança, and Order of the Tower and the Sword technologies

Russians[]

Card	Description	Age
Reformist Tsar	Provides the Church with the Westernization, St. Petersburg Dragoons, Petrine Reforms, and Lifeguard Jaegers technologies

Spanish[]

Card	Description	Age
Royal Decree to Claim the New World	Provides the Church with the Corselet, Royal Halberdiers, Wild Geese, and Walloon Guards technologies