Guilds is a technology in Age of Empires II available at the Market upon reaching the Imperial Age. Once researched, it reduces the commodity trading fee from 30% to 15%. In other words, resources cost less and earn more when they are exchanged at the Market.
Guilds is very useful when resources are beginning to run out on the map, since it means the players receive more when they sell surplus resources (usually food). It is also cheaper to buy other resources.
The Saracens only pay a 5% trading fee due to their civilization bonus, more than negating the fact that they cannot research this technology. The Hindustanis also can only pay 10% trading fee due to Grand Trunk Road.
Availability chart[]
Available | Unavailable |
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Civilization bonuses[]
- Burgundians: Can research Guilds in the Castle Age. Guilds costs -33% food.
- Spanish: Receive 20 gold after researching Guilds.
- Vietnamese: Researching Guilds is 100% faster.
Team bonuses[]
- Bohemians: Researching Guilds is 80% faster.
- Portuguese: Researching Guilds is 25% faster.
Changelog[]
The Forgotten[]
The African Kingdoms[]
Definitive Edition[]
- Portuguese: With update 42848, as a civilization bonus, Guilds is researched 30% faster.
Lords of the West[]
- Burgundians: With update 47820, Guilds costs -50% food.
Dynasties of India[]
- Burgundians: With update 66692, Guilds costs -40% food. With update 78174, Guilds costs -33% food.
- Portuguese: With update 73855, as a team bonus, Guilds is researched 25% faster.
Return of Rome[]
- Hindustanis: With update 87863, they lose access to Guilds.
- Vietnamese: With update 87863, researching Guilds is 100% faster.
The Mountain Royals[]
- Poles: With update 95810, lose access to Guilds.
History[]
ā | Political and economic power during the Dark Ages was held by barbarian chiefs. This power eventually shifted to kings, churchmen, and powerful nobles. Near the end of the Middle Ages the middle class of townspeople grew more important and took a share of this power. One innovation of the middle class was the creation of guilds. Guilds controlled a specific enterprise such as cloth trading, butchering, or iron making within a town or region. They set the prices and determined who would work in the business. Outsiders were blocked from working. In return for a monopoly, usually bought from the king or town, they provided a superior product. Controlling trades through guilds resulted in high standards of living for guild members, a quality product, and high prices. | ā |