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{{for|unit in the [[Age of Mythology|PC game]]|the unit in the [[Age of Empires: Mythologies|handheld video game]]|Sphinx (Age of Empires: Mythologies)}}
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{{Infobox AoM units
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|Image = [[File:SphinxIcon.png]]
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|Intro = ''[[Age of Mythology]]''
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|Civilization = [[Egyptians (Age of Mythology)|Egyptians]]
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|Age = [[File:ClassicalAge.png|22px]] [[Classical Age]]
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|God = [[File:BastIcon.png|22px]] [[Bast]]
 
|Unit Type = [[Myth unit]]
 
|Food = 120
 
|Favor = 18
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|Population = 4
 
|HAttack = 11
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|PAttack = -
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|CAttack = 5
 
|Range =
 
|HP = 300
 
|HArmour = 45
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|PArmour = 60
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|CArmour = 80
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|Speed = 5.3
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|LOS = 22
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|Train At = [[File:TempleAOMIcon.png|22px]] [[Temple (Age of Mythology)|Temple]]
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|Train Time = 17
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}}The '''Sphinx''' is a legendary human-faced leonine creature in ''[[Age of Mythology]]''. It is a [[myth unit]] available in the [[Classical Age]] to worshipers of [[Bast]].
   
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=== Special Attack ===
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Whirlwind: causes 20 hack damage to all adjacent enemy units. Recharge time: 12 seconds.
   
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=== Attack bonuses ===
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* Myth units ×3
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* [[Hero (Age of Mythology)|Heroes]] ×0.5
   
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== God Bonuses and Upgrades ==
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* [[File:Criosphinx.png|22px]] [[Criosphinx]]: upgrades to Criosphinx with +50HP, +20% hack and +50% crush damage.
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* [[File:Hieracosphinx.png|22px]] [[Hieracosphinx]]: upgrades to Hieracosphinx with +20% speed, +20% hack and +50% crush damage.
   
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== Strategy ==
{{Template:AoMUnits
 
 
Powerful at melee, Sphinxes deal both hack and crush damage - this, combined with their high speed, low cost and early availability makes them excellent rush units. They deal high bonus damage to myth units as well. Sphinxes have a special attack that consists of them turning into a sandstorm, dealing multiple ticks of damage to the enemy that they have targeted. Bast offers two sphinx-specific upgrades, renaming them Criosphinxes and finally Hieracosphinxes; the two upgrades improve every aspect of the sphinxes, including their hit points, speed, and attack.
|Image = Sphinx.jpg
 
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|Name = Sphinx
 
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In addition to these attacks, Sphinxes also make great [[siege unit]]s. Because of their high hit points and large crush attack against [[Buildings (Age of Mythology)|buildings]], the Sphinx can easily be used in a rush to destroy an enemy's economy early in the game.
|Age = Classical Age
 
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|Building = Temple
 
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==Mythology==
|Type = Myth Unit
 
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''Scientific name -- Sphingo andro''<br>
|Wood = 0
 
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''Size -- about 600 lbs.''<br>
|Food = 120
 
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''Diet -- precious stones, incense fumes, lotus flowers. Some eat humans as an act of terror, but they derive little nutrition from proteins or lipids.''
|Gold = 0
 
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|Favor = 18
 
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''"Sphinx" was originally a [[Greeks (Age of Mythology)|Greek]] word ("to strangle") that was applied to the pharaoh-headed lion statues that the Greeks saw in Egypt, that Herodotus named "androsphinx". The Greek sphinx was a monstrous brood of Typhon and Echidna, usually depicted as a winged [[lion]] with a female head. She sat on a rock near Thebes and asked passersby the now famous question, "What animal is that which in the morning goes on four feet, at noon on two, and in the evening upon three?" Those who could not answer were eaten. Oedipus knew the correct answer (humans) and caused the sphinx so much consternation that she cast herself from her rock and died.''
|Hit Points = 300
 
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|Attack = 11
 
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''However, the sphinx as a monster probably predates Greek mythology. Assyrian myths have sphinxes guarding temple entrances. Sphinx-like creatures appear in Phoenician and Persian art as well.''
|Range = 0
 
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|Armour = 45
 
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''The Egyptians called their sphinxes "Hu". In addition to the man-headed androsphinx, they also depicted ram-sphinxes that Herodotus named "criosphinxes" and falcon-headed sphinxes named "hieracosphinxes".''
|Pierce Armour = 60
 
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|Speed = 5.3}}Appearing as a lion with the face of a human, the '''Sphinx''' is a strong [[Classical Age]] [[Myth units|myth unit]] available to worshippers of [[Bast]]. Powerful melee units, they deal both hack and crush damage - this, combined with their high speed, low cost and early availability makes them excellent rush units. Sphinxes have a special attack that consists of them turning into a sandstorm, dealing multiple ticks of damage to the enemy that they have targeted. Bast offers two sphinx-specific upgrades, renaming them Criosphinxes and finally [[Hieracosphinx]]es; the two upgrades improve almost every aspect of the sphinxes, including their hitpoints, speed, and attack.
 
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==Trivia==
[[Category:Egyptians]]
 
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* The Sphinx's upgrades (and mythology section) refer to ram-headed and falcon-headed Sphinx units, but no visual change occurs, the Sphinx remaining an Androsphinx.
[[Category:Myth Units]]
 
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* Criosphinx derives from the words krios (Κριός: Ancient Greek for ram) and Sphinx (Σφίγξ: {she} who squeezes), whereas Hiercaosphinx derives from hierakon (Ἱεράκων: Ancient Greek for falcon/hawk) and Sphinx.
[[Category:Egyptian Units]]
 
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*Originally there were smaller Sphinx statues, which were reused in the [[Isis]] wonder.
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*The Sphinx originally had the ability to teleport, this was however replaced by a Dust Devil ability for unknown reasons.
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*The Sphinx originally wore a Headdress that used Whites and Player colors and was also lighter in color.
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== Gallery ==
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<gallery>
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Sphinx.jpg|Sphinx in-game
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Sphinx.jpg.png|Sphinx on sand terrain
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player2sphinx.JPG|Player 2's Sphinx
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WonderIsis.png|The [[Wonder (Age of Mythology)|Wonder]] of [[Isis]] is a Sphinx statue
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</gallery>
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{{wpalso}}
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{{Myth units}}
 
[[Category:Myth units]]
 
[[Category:Egyptian units]]
 
[[Category:Classical Age]]
 
[[Category:Classical Age]]
 
[[Category:Age of Mythology]]
 
[[Category:Age of Mythology]]

Revision as of 12:55, 28 March 2020

Info icon
This article is about the unit in the PC game. For the unit in the handheld video game, see Sphinx (Age of Empires: Mythologies).

The Sphinx is a legendary human-faced leonine creature in Age of Mythology. It is a myth unit available in the Classical Age to worshipers of Bast.

Special Attack

Whirlwind: causes 20 hack damage to all adjacent enemy units. Recharge time: 12 seconds.

Attack bonuses

God Bonuses and Upgrades

  • Criosphinx Criosphinx: upgrades to Criosphinx with +50HP, +20% hack and +50% crush damage.
  • Hieracosphinx Hieracosphinx: upgrades to Hieracosphinx with +20% speed, +20% hack and +50% crush damage.

Strategy

Powerful at melee, Sphinxes deal both hack and crush damage - this, combined with their high speed, low cost and early availability makes them excellent rush units. They deal high bonus damage to myth units as well. Sphinxes have a special attack that consists of them turning into a sandstorm, dealing multiple ticks of damage to the enemy that they have targeted. Bast offers two sphinx-specific upgrades, renaming them Criosphinxes and finally Hieracosphinxes; the two upgrades improve every aspect of the sphinxes, including their hit points, speed, and attack.

In addition to these attacks, Sphinxes also make great siege units. Because of their high hit points and large crush attack against buildings, the Sphinx can easily be used in a rush to destroy an enemy's economy early in the game.

Mythology

Scientific name -- Sphingo andro
Size -- about 600 lbs.
Diet -- precious stones, incense fumes, lotus flowers. Some eat humans as an act of terror, but they derive little nutrition from proteins or lipids.

"Sphinx" was originally a Greek word ("to strangle") that was applied to the pharaoh-headed lion statues that the Greeks saw in Egypt, that Herodotus named "androsphinx". The Greek sphinx was a monstrous brood of Typhon and Echidna, usually depicted as a winged lion with a female head. She sat on a rock near Thebes and asked passersby the now famous question, "What animal is that which in the morning goes on four feet, at noon on two, and in the evening upon three?" Those who could not answer were eaten. Oedipus knew the correct answer (humans) and caused the sphinx so much consternation that she cast herself from her rock and died.

However, the sphinx as a monster probably predates Greek mythology. Assyrian myths have sphinxes guarding temple entrances. Sphinx-like creatures appear in Phoenician and Persian art as well.

The Egyptians called their sphinxes "Hu". In addition to the man-headed androsphinx, they also depicted ram-sphinxes that Herodotus named "criosphinxes" and falcon-headed sphinxes named "hieracosphinxes".

Trivia

  • The Sphinx's upgrades (and mythology section) refer to ram-headed and falcon-headed Sphinx units, but no visual change occurs, the Sphinx remaining an Androsphinx.
  • Criosphinx derives from the words krios (Κριός: Ancient Greek for ram) and Sphinx (Σφίγξ: {she} who squeezes), whereas Hiercaosphinx derives from hierakon (Ἱεράκων: Ancient Greek for falcon/hawk) and Sphinx.
  • Originally there were smaller Sphinx statues, which were reused in the Isis wonder.
  • The Sphinx originally had the ability to teleport, this was however replaced by a Dust Devil ability for unknown reasons.
  • The Sphinx originally wore a Headdress that used Whites and Player colors and was also lighter in color.

Gallery

Template:Wpalso

Myth units in Age of Mythology
GreekPortrait Greeks
ArchaicAge Archaic Age PegasusIcon Pegasus · HippocampusIcon Hippocampus
ClassicalAge Classical Age CentaurIcon Centaur · MinotaurIcon Minotaur · CyclopsIcon Cyclops
HeroicAge Heroic Age NemeanLionIcon Nemean Lion · HydraIcon Hydra · ScyllaIcon Scylla · ManticoreIcon Manticore
MythicAge Mythic Age ColossusIcon Colossus · MedusaIcon Medusa · CarcinosIcon Carcinos · ChimeraIcon Chimera
SecretsOfTheTitans Titan Age TitanGreekIcon Titan
EgyptianPortrait Egyptians
ArchaicAge Archaic Age BaboonIcon Ape of Set
ClassicalAge Classical Age AnubiteIcon Anubite · PlagueOfSerpentsIcon Serpent · PlagueOfSerpentsIcon Sea Snake · SphinxIcon Sphinx · WadjetIcon Wadjet · GazelleIcon Gazelle of Set · HyenaIcon Hyena of Set
HeroicAge Heroic Age PetsuchosIcon Petsuchos · RocIcon Roc · ScarabIcon Scarab · LeviathanIcon Leviathan · ScorpionManIcon Scorpion Man · MinionIcon Minion · GiraffeIcon Giraffe of Set · CrocodileIcon Crocodile of Set
MythicAge Mythic Age PhoenixIcon Phoenix · WarTurtleIcon War Turtle · AvengerIcon Avenger · MummyIcon Mummy · HippopotamusIcon Hippopotamus of Set · RhinocerosIcon Rhinoceros of Set
SecretsOfTheTitans Titan Age TitanEgyptianIcon Titan
NorsePortrait Norse
ArchaicAge Archaic Age RavenIcon Raven
ClassicalAge Classical Age TrollIcon Troll · ValkyrieIcon Valkyrie · EinherjarIcon Einherjar
HeroicAge Heroic Age KrakenIcon Kraken · MountainGiantIcon Mountain Giant · WalkingWoodsIcon Walking Tree · FrostGiantIcon Frost Giant · BattleBoarIcon Battle Boar
MythicAge Mythic Age JormundElverIcon Jormund Elver · FimbulwinterWolfIcon Fimbulwinter Wolf · FenrisWolfBroodIcon Fenris Wolf Brood · FireGiantIcon Fire Giant · NidhoggIcon Nidhogg
SecretsOfTheTitans Titan Age TitanNorseIcon Titan
AtlanteanPortrait Atlanteans
ClassicalAge Classical Age AutomatonIcon Automaton · PrometheanIcon Promethean (Offspring· CaladriaIcon Caladria · ServantIcon Servant · CarnivoraIcon Carnivora
HeroicAge Heroic Age NereidIcon Nereid · SatyrIcon Satyr · StymphaliaBirdIcon Stymphalian Bird · DryadIcon Dryad · BehemothIcon Behemoth
MythicAge Mythic Age HekaGigantesIcon Heka Gigantes · ManOWarIcon Man O' War · ArgusIcon Argus · LampadesIcon Lampades · TartarianSpawnIcon Tartarian Spawn
SecretsOfTheTitans Titan Age TitanAtlanteanIcon Titan
ChinesePortrait Chinese
ClassicalAge Classical Age QilinIcon Qilin · MonkeyKingIcon Monkey King · TerracottaWarriorIcon Terracotta Warrior
HeroicAge Heroic Age WarSalamanderIcon War Salamander · JiangshiIcon Jiangshi · PixiuIcon Pixiu
MythicAge Mythic Age AzureDragonIcon Azure Dragon · DragonTurtleIcon Dragon Turtle · VermilionBirdIcon Vermilion Bird · WhiteTigerIcon White Tiger · EarthDragonIcon Earth Dragon
SecretsOfTheTitans Titan Age TitanChineseIcon Titan
Other
Campaign Special-c-azure-dragon-icon Ao Kuang · Titan Gaia Icon Gaia · Titan Kronos Icon Kronos · PolarBearIcon Polaris · Titan Prometheus Icon Prometheus · AnubiteIcon Theris*
Cheat Bella icon Bella · WalkingWoodsIcon Walking Berry Bush
Scenario Editor-exclusive AoM Vulture Icon Harpy · MountainGiantIcon Santa · AoM Vulture Icon Vulture
Cut ApepIcon Apep · MinotaurIcon Golem · Griffon Icon Griffon · CyclopsIcon Trollkarien