Dynasties are a gameplay mechanic available to the Chinese and Zhu Xi's Legacy in Age of Empires IV. These civilizations have access to four different dynasties, each providing a bonus and access to unique units or buildings: the Tang Dynasty, The Song Dynasty, the Yuan Dynasty and the Ming Dynasty. The player will always start in the Tang Dynasty, and can switch to one of the others by building both Landmarks of the corresponding Age.
Gameplay[]
To be able to switch Dynasties, the player has to build both Landmarks that correspond to that Dynasty. Both Landmarks will not be available for construction from the get-go. The player will have to build the first Landmark for a specific Age first and trigger a regular Age advancement. Only then will the other Landmark for that Age be unlocked. By finishing the second Landmark (at the same price and build time as the first one), the player will switch to the corresponding Dynasty.
Switching dynasties does not have to be done in order. The player can (for example) switch to the Yuan Dynasty before switching to the Song Dynasty. Each Dynasty can only be switched to once. Upon switching, the bonus effect of the Dynasty is replaced with the bonus effect of the new Dynasty, but any unlocked units or buildings remain unlocked.
List of dynasties[]
The dynasty requirements, and the bonuses, units and buildings they unlock are discussed as follows. The description of unique units and unique buildings is skipped here, as it is better suited for their respective pages.
| Dynasty | Parameter |  Chinese
|
 Zhu Xi's Legacy
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
Bonus | Scouts +30% Line of Sight. | Landmarks cost -15%. |
| Building |  Village
|
Village
| |
|
Requires |  Imperial Academy Barbican of the Sun
|
 Meditation Gardens Jiangnan Tower
|
| Bonus | Villagers -25% time to train - train in 15 seconds instead of 20. | Economic buildings cost -30% wood. | |
| Unit |  Zhuge Nu
|
N/A | |
| Building |  Granary
|
Granary
| |
|
Requires |  Astronomical Clocktower Imperial Palace
|
 Shaolin Monastery Mount Lu Academy
|
| Bonus | Villagers, Imperial Officials and non-siege military units +15% movement speed. | All units cost -10%. | |
| Unit |  Fire Lancer
|
N/A | |
| Building |  Pagoda
|
Pagoda
| |
|
Requires |  Great Wall Gatehouse Spirit Way
|
 Zhu Xi's Library Temple of the Sun
|
| Bonus | All military units +15% hit points. | Zhu Xi's Legacy unique units +20% attack. | |
| Unit |  Grenadier
|
N/A |
Observations[]
- Both civilizations unlock the same buildings in the same dynasties.
- Neither civilization unlocks any unit in the Tang Dynasty.
- Neither civilization unlocks any building in the Ming Dynasty.
- Zhu Xi's Legacy does not need dynasties to unlock units.
- All dynasty buildings are limited to three.
- The Village is always available.
Changelog[]
- Originally, Dynasty units and buildings were only available within their respective dynasties. With the Season One Update, once dynasty units or buildings are unlocked, they can be always be built, even if progressing to another dynasty.
- Originally, the Village, Granary, and Pagoda were unlocked in the Song, Yuan, and Ming Dynasties respectively. With the Season One Update, the Village is unlocked by default, and the Granary and Pagoda are unlocked in the Song and Yuan Dynasty respectively.
- Originally Chinese Song Dynasty Villagers trained in -35% time. With Server-Side Patch 5.1.148.1, they train in -25% time.
- Originally, the Zhu Xi's Legacy Song Dynasty reduced the cost of all non-military buildings by 40%. With patch 9.2.628, it now reduces the cost of only economic buildings by 30%.
- Originally, the Chinese Ming Dynasty increased the hit points of all military units by 10%. With patch 11.1.1201, it increases hit points by 15%.
