| “ | You have advanced to the Classical Age in the earthen embrace of Houtu! | ” |
| —Age-up text | ||
Houtu (后土) is a Classical Age Chinese minor goddess in Age of Mythology: Retold - Immortal Pillars. She is available to Nüwa and Shennong.
Attributes[]
God power[]
Earth Wall: Target a friendly building to surround it with earthen walls.
Myth unit[]
- Qiongqi: Ground myth unit that can take to flight to move faster.
Myth technologies[]
- Advanced Defenses: Increases the damage, range, and Line of Sight of towers and Baoleis; also enables upgrading wall towers into ranged towers.
- Chasing the Sun: Increases the construction speed of buildings.
- Abundance: Increases the resources which are dropped off in drop sites placed in Favored Land by 5%.
- Sinister Defiance: Increases the hack and pierce vulnerability reduction of Qiongqis by 1% for every enemy (max 25) within 6 range.
Technology tree[]
 Houtu |
Age |  |
|---|---|---|
| God power |  Earth Wall | |
 Temple |
 Qiongqi |
 Sinister Defiance |
 Silo |
 Abundance |
|
 Town Center |
 Chasing the Sun |
|
 Sentry Tower |
 Advanced Defenses |
|
 Wooden Wall |
||
 Baolei |
Strategy[]
Houtu focuses on improving the player's economy and defenses. Her Advanced Defenses technology not only increases the damage, range, and Line of Sight of defensive structures, but also allows quick upgrading of wall corners into ranged towers. This allows for a more strongly-defended base that is more difficult to raid. Chasing the Sun allows Peasants and Kuafus to construct buildings more quickly, with a variety of applications. Silos and Farms can be built more quickly for economic purposes, while military production buildings, Temples, and Baoleis can be constructed more quickly for both offensive and defensive purposes. Abundance provides the player with an economic advantage, as it boosts resources dropped off at Silos on Favored Land. Both Chasing the Sun and Abundance are especially helpful for Nüwa players due to her focus on Peasants, Kuafus, and defenses, particularly as her buildings spread Favored Land further.
Her myth unit, the Qiongqi, is a winged tiger capable of flight. This ability can be used either for scouting, to strike behind enemy lines, or to retreat to safety. The Qiongqi fares well against human soldiers, but it cannot attack while in the air. Likewise, when in the air, it can only be attacked by ranged units. Sinister Defiance allows the Qiongqi to gain additional hack and pierce armor for every enemy unit that surrounds it in a radius of 6, up to a maximum of 25 units, increasing its survivability in combat.
Houtu provides a highly powerful defensive god power, Earth Wall. When invoked on a friendly building, it raises a circular wall from the earth that slowly constructs itself. While vulnerable to attack during the construction phase, the Earth Wall becomes much more impervious to damage once completed. It can be used defensively to protect an allied base, especially in tandem with Houtu's Advanced Defenses technology. Aging up with both Houtu and Zhurong permits both Nüwa and Shennong to use a one-two god power combination of Earth Wall and Blazing Prairie, encircling enemies before raining fire from above. This can be used defensively against enemy raids with potential offensive applications.
For Nüwa players, choosing Houtu in the Classical Age will also allow them to capitalize on Nüwa's building bonuses, with all buildings (except for Town Centers) constructing automatically, or more quickly with Chasing the Sun, and with increased damage, range, and Line of Sight for defensive structures, as well as allowing wall corners to be upgraded into towers at half the time required to build them by workers.
Mythology[]
| “ | Houtu, also known as the Earth Mother, is an important deity in Chinese mythology. She is often portrayed as a compassionate goddess who represents the fertile soil that sustains all life. Houtu holds a vital role in overseeing agriculture, fertility, and the underworld, symbolizing the natural cycles of life, death, and rebirth. As the embodiment of the earth, Houtu was often prayed to for fertile land and abundant harvests. In ancient China, offerings were also made to her at burial sites to ensure the proper care of the deceased. |
” |
| —In-game help section | ||
Trivia[]
- Rushou, Goumang, Gonggong, Zhurong, and Houtu represent the Five Phases, with Houtu associated with Earth (土).
- Houtu is the child of Gonggong and, according to the Classic of Mountains and Seas, the grandchild of Zhurong. She is also a descendant of Shennong.
- Houtu was originally depicted as a male figure. Over time, through various periods and under the influence of Taoism, Houtu came to be perceived as a female deity.
