Resists

Resist is a statistical value in Age of Empires III that is similar to melee and pierce armor from previous games. In contrast to previous games, a unit cannot have both melee and pierce defenses; units only have one resist value for the other. A value (for example, 0.30) translates as a percentage (30%) of enemy attack deducted due to the unit's resistances. Since the Definitive Edition, a shield icon was added in the unit's statistics table, to indicates the resistance value.

Each value is displayed as a decimal number on the unit's statistics tab table near the relevant icon. The sword symbol indicates that the unit "resists" hand attacks, while the musket crossed with an arrow indicates "resists" against ranged attacks. The cannon symbol indicates "resists" against siege attacks, such as attacks from artillery or Flamethrowers.

As a rule of thumb, heavy infantry usually resists melee damage while ranged infantry and most cavalry resists ranged damage. Artillery and ships resist ranged damage, usually 50% or 75%. Before the Definitive Edition, building wagons, travois and rickshaws were the only units to resist siege damage. With the release of the Definitive Edition, however, this exclusivity was shared with the Nizam Fusilier, the only military unit with siege damage resistance aside from melee infantry units, which get a hidden 50% siege damage resistance while in Cover Mode formation.

The only units which can receive an upgrade to their resistance are the Iron Flail and the Meteor Hammer, with the "Double-Faced Armor" card, the Inca Villagers, with the "Alpaca Wool" card, and the Inca infantry and shock infantry units, with the Hualcana technology. The Carolean can change his resistance type from melee to ranged with the "Svea Lifeguard" card.

Units with high hand attack resistance

Infantry

• Barbary Corsair - 40%
• Highlander - 40%
• Petard - 40%
• Rodelero - 40%
• Ronin - 40%
• Inca War Chief - 30%
• Revolutionary - 30%
• Pirate - 30%
• Samurai - 30%
• Swiss Pikeman - 30%
• Wokou Pirate - 30%
• Changdao Swordsman - 20%
• Musketeer - 20%
• Puma Spearman - 20%
• Rajput - 20%
• Skull Knight - 20%

Cavalry

• Black Rider - 40%
• Manchu - 40%
• Yojimbo - 40%
• Cavalry Archer - 30%
• Bow Rider - 30%
• Rifle Rider - 30%
• War Wagon - 20%

Units with high ranged attack resistance

Infantry

• Flamethrower - 64%
• Iron Troop - 60%
• Arsonist - 50%
• Chakram - 50%
• Huron Mantlet - 50%
• Mantlet - 50%
• Ram - 50%
• Cassador - 45%
• Arrow Knight - 40%
• Grenadier - 40%
• Jaeger - 40%
• Nootka War Chief - 40%
• Sharpshooter - 40%
• Cetan Bow - 30%
• Longbowman - 30%
• Ranger - 30%
• Skirmisher - 30%
• Yumi Archer - 30%
• Crossbowman - 20%
• Chu Ko Nu - 20%
• Shinobi - 20%

Cavalry

• Flail Elephant - 50%
• Yabusame - 45%
• Jat Lancer - 40%
• Mameluke - 40%
• Apache Cavalry - 30%
• Conquistador - 30%
• Elmeti - 30%
• Kanya Horseman - 30%
• Keshik - 30%
• Naginata Rider - 30%
• Raider - 30%
• Uhlan - 30%
• War Elephant - 30%
• Zamburak - 30%
• Musket Rider - 25%
• Axe Rider - 20%
• Cuirassier - 20%
• Dragoon - 20%
• Howdah - 20%
• Hussar - 20%
• Oprichnik - 20%

Artillery

• Culverin - 75%
• Falconet - 75%
• Flaming Arrow - 75%
• Gatling Gun - 75%
• Mortar - 75%
• Sebastopol Mortar - 75%
• Hand Mortar - 50%
• Leather Cannon - 50%
• Siege Elephant - 30%

Ships

• Atakabune - 75%
• Fluyt - 75%
• Frigate - 75%
• Fuchuan - 75%
• Galleon - 75%
• Ironclad - 75%
• Tekkousen - 75%
• Tlaloc Canoe - 75%
• Chincha Raft - 60%
• Galley - 60%
• Caravel - 50%
• Fire Junk - 50%
• Fune - 50%
• Monitor - 50%
• War Junk - 50%

Gallery

The stats of a Musketeer, an example of a unit with hand damage resistance

The stats of a Falconet, an example of a unit with ranged damage resistance

The stats of a Covered Wagon, an example of a unit with siege damage resistance