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This article is about the unit in Age of Mythology. For the unit in Age of Empires, see Medusa (Age of Empires). For the unit in Age of Empires: Mythologies, see Medusa (Age of Empires: Mythologies). |
| “ | Ranged myth unit that petrifies most units at range. Good against human soldiers. | ” |
| —In-game description | ||
| “ | Myth unit. Petrifies most units at range. | ” |
| —In-game description | ||
The Medusa (plural: Medusai) is a Mythic Age Greek myth unit, trainable by players worshiping the minor god Hera.
Ability[]
Petrification (Charged): Turns human units or myth units (but not Titans, Qilin (Tale of the Dragon version), wild animals, and Animals of Set*) at range of 16 to stone for 8 seconds and deals 400 divine damage. Units turned into stone are stunned and have -30% hack, -30% pierce, and +30% crush vulnerability. Does not affect flying units. Recharge time: 20 seconds.*- Solar Flare (Passive, requires Sun Ray): Projectiles reveal the area around where they land. (since Retold)
Further statistics[]
God bonuses[]
- Zeus: -1 population cost.
General technologies[]
- Ballistics: fires more accurately at moving enemy targets. (since Retold)
- Burning Pitch: +3 damage multiplier against buildings.
Myth technologies[]
Specific[]
- Face of the Gorgon: Upgrades Medusai to Medusa Matriarchs, granting +5 ability and ranged attack range, and -25% ability recharge time.*
General[]
- Oracle (Apollo): +5 Line of Sight.
- Sun Ray (Apollo): +10% damage, projectiles reveal the surrounding area.
- Dionysia (Dionysus): +5% hit points.
- Monstrous Rage (Hera): -25% Rate of Fire, +15% speed.*
Age bonuses[]
- Wonder Age: +100% hit points, +100% damage, +20% speed.
Relics[]
- Jade Hare: +5% movement speed.
- Bow of Artemis: -10% wood and gold cost.
- Pandora's Box: -15% favor cost.
- Pelt of Argus: +6 Line of Sight.
- Scales of a Catoblepas: -15% pierce vulnerability.
- Tail of Cerberus: -25% ability recharge time.
- Scales of Echidna: -15% cost except favor.
Strategy[]
Medusai have a powerful ranged attack. Their special attack turns its target to stone, inflicting 400 damage regardless of resistances. The petrification effect wears off after eight seconds if the petrified unit survives. While a unit is petrified, it becomes immobile and is more vulnerable to crush damage, but less vulnerable to hack and pierce damage. This ability's effectiveness is maximized when used on the most powerful or expensive units, including strong or durable myth units like the Mummy or Rock Giant. Due to this, the Medusa is best micro-managed and supported by other units in combat, rather than being left to her own devices. This special attack does not work on heroes, wild animals, Animals of Set, or airborne units like the Phoenix, but can be used against naval myth units like the Kraken or Man O' War.
Medusa inflicts a low amount of crush damage, which makes her slightly effective at demolishing enemy buildings, but not as effective as in the original game. For this reason, it is best to create a small or medium group of Medusai, with siege weapons additionally acting as support, if they are to be used to destroy buildings. This is made easier with Zeus' bonus of making all his myth units take up one less population slot. As with other myth units, Medusai get a bonus attack against other myth units, but ultimately fall easily to heroes, who will slay them easily while also enjoying immunity to their Petrification ability.
As noted above, the Medusa can use her special attack against naval myth units, helping turn the tide in a naval battle close to the shore. Tougher myth units like the Kraken and War Turtle may hope to survive at least one petrification before eventually falling if petrified at full health. However, the Medusa should be protected against The Argo, which will easily kill her. Likewise, the Medusa can also use her special attack to protect fragile units (e.g. siege weapons) against powerful human soldiers like the Egyptian War Elephant.
Medusai have a powerful ranged attack. Their special attack turns one targeted enemy to stone. This ability is best used on the most powerful or expensive units. Due to this, the Medusa myth unit is best micro-managed in combat, rather than being left to her own devices. This special attack does not work against heroes, but can be used on animals - in the case of the latter, it is best used on animals that provide a lot of food, such as Elephants, to prevent enemies from hunting these animals for food, or Set Priests from converting these animals.
Though non-siege units with ranged attacks commonly tend not to be effective at destroying buildings, the crush damage dealt by Medusa's ranged attack makes her surprisingly effective. Like all myth units, the Medusa gets bonus damage against human units and can even take on other myth units, but are countered by heroes and airborne units, especially the Vermilion Bird and Phoenix, which the Medusa cannot turn to stone.
The Medusa can also be used near the water to protect friendly Docks and ships from powerful naval or amphibious myth units like the Dragon Turtle, Azure Dragon, or Kraken, as she can petrify naval myth units, instantly eliminating them. She should still be kept out of the range of The Argo, though, as it will easily defeat her.Changelog[]
Age of Mythology[]
- Medusai have 360 hit points, 10 range, 15 pierce / 12.5 crush attack, 18 Line of Sight, cost 250 gold, 40 favor, and take 5 population.
- Petrify instantly kills its target and can be used on wild animals or Animals of Set. It also has a damage multiplier of ×8 vs. human soldiers, villagers, hunt, and myth units.
The Titans[]
- Medusai cost 32 favor and have a damage multiplier of ×2 multiplier vs. myth units and ×0.25 vs heroes. Petrify now only grants a ×2 multiplier vs myth units and ×0.25 vs. heroes.
Extended Edition[]
Tale of the Dragon[]
Retold[]
- Medusai have 500 hit points, 16 range, 16 Line of Sight, deal 35 pierce / 5 crush damage, cost 250 wood, 24 favor, and take 4 population.
- Petrify deals 400 divine damage and turns its target to stone, stunning them and giving -30% hack, -30% pierce, +30% crush vulnerability for 8 seconds. It can no longer be used on wild animals or Animals of Set.
- Medusai gain +100% hit points, +100% attack, and +20% speed in the Wonder Age.
Mythology[]
| “ | Scientific name -- Gorgon chrysaorus Size -- 7' tall Diet -- carnivore, largely humans Medusa was one of three sisters known as the Gorgons, children of sea gods with live sea snakes for hair, scaly necks, boar-like tusks, golden hands, and bronze wings. One tale is that Medusa was once a beautiful maid who boasted of being more beautiful than Athena, who turned her into a monster so ugly that those who gazed upon her were turned to stone. She was killed by Perseus, with the help of Athena and Hermes. From her blood was created the winged horse, Pegasus. Her head was used as a weapon to kill the sea monster Cetus and then the head was mounted on Athena's shield. |
” |
| —In-game help section | ||
Trivia[]
- The icon and in-game appearance (including the "Petrifying Attack" animation) of the Medusa unit are based on the depiction of Medusa in the 1981 film "Clash of the Titans". The classical depiction of Medusa has been a woman with snake hair (and no lamia body).
- Medusa is the name of a specific creature. A more accurate name for the generic monster would have been Gorgon, as mentioned in the mythology section.
Gallery[]
Video[]
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