| “ | With new gunpowder, Handcannoneers gain +5 damage against melee infantry and gain a brief increase to their movement speed after firing their weapon. | ” |
| —Age of Empires IV description | ||
Serpentine Powder is a technology in Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition that was introduced in the Season Nine update 12.0.1974. It can be researched at the University in the Imperial Age.
Serpentine Powder grants Handcannoneers and their unique replacements +5 bonus damage vs melee infantry and provides them a 20% movement speed increase for 1.5 seconds after firing their weapon. As the Ottomans do not have access to this technology, Janissaries cannot benefit from it. The Knights Templar and Zhu Xi's Legacy do not have access to it due to lacking the Handcannoneer or any unique equivalent.
Civilization bonuses[]
Abbasid Dynasty: Research speeds are +15%/+20% faster while Golden Age tiers 2/3 are active. If Preservation of Knowledge has been researched, this technology costs -20%.- Ayyubids: Research speeds are 25% faster while Golden Age tier 2 is active
- Byzantines: Research speeds are 30% faster per water level at buildings within the influence of a Cistern with the Dialecticus ability active.
- Chinese: The technology researches 150% faster when the University is supervised by an Imperial Official.
- Delhi Sultanate: The technology is free, but takes 12x as long to research (720 seconds instead of 60 seconds).
- House of Lancaster: This technology is 15% cheaper if King's College has been constructed.
- Malians: Technologies take less time to research based on how much gold has been obtained through trade.
- Mongols: The technology is available in the Blacksmith.
Changelog[]
- Originally, Serpentine Powder granted +8 attack bonus against infantry. With patch 12.1.2454, the bonus is +5.
