The Taotie is a menacing, eye-less creature, which grows larger as it devours enemy units (human soldiers and villagers), eventually reaching absurd sizes. This size increase comes with an even greater attack. The Taotie also has a special ability that is fueled by the humans it consumes. When activated, the Taotie releases a fiery blast, scorching any enemies caught in its path. Each release reduces its size and its associated benefits like the increased attack.
Fuel Consumption (Charged): Consumes an enemy human soldier to gain more attack damage and +1 charge of 'Fuel Expulsion'. (Deals 1000 divine damage to the target human unit (including regular Caravans and workers, but excluding Kuafu and heroes), instantly killing them and gaining +1 charge. Each charge increases the unit's size by 7.5% and also exponentially increases the damage from all actions by 20%. Max charge 10, Recharge time: 15 seconds)
Note: Since Fuel Consumption kills a human soldier in one hit, the damage increase effect it has is mostly cosmetic.
Fuel Expulsion (Active): Expels a fiery blast at a targeted area. Consume enemies with 'Fuel Consumption' to use this ability. (Shoots a fiery blast with range 16, dealing 25 divine damage (2× multiplier vs. myth units, 0.25× vs. heroes) in an area of 4. It also creates a fire hazard in the impact area for 5 seconds, dealing 2 divine damage per second to all enemies in an area of 5. Min charge 0, cannot be used if no charge, a number at the bottom left of the ability icon shows current charges. Fiery blast damage can be increased by the Fuel Consumption effect, and its total value is calculated before the charge is lost. Recharge time: 1 second)
Shennong: Spawn at the Temple via Gift of Beasts Blessing in the Classical Age. When on Favored Land, recover 3/4.5/6 hit points per second in the Classical/Heroic/Mythic Ages, respectively.
The Taotie's strength and size are dependent on the current charge level of its Fuel Expulsion ability: every time it devours a human unit, one charge level is added to Fuel Expulsion, making the Taotie grow larger in size and exponentially increasing its attack damage by 20%. At the maximum charge level (achieved by eating 10 human units), the Taotie becomes quite large and powerful to the point it can take out other myth units and even enemy buildings easily. When using the Fuel Expulsion ability, the Taotie releases a flaming projectile that damages all units in the targeted area, at the expense of its strength and size decreasing each time this ability is used. As such, it should be saved for when the Taotie is at or close to maximum size and strength.
The Taotie's Fuel Consumption ability can be used on any human soldier, although it is most effective when used on the most powerful human units in an army, namely the EgyptianWar Elephant. Alternatively, Taoties can be made to sneak up on a group of enemy workers gathered far away from the safety of their base and devour said workers, allowing them to grow in strength and size without the risk of being attacked in return. With the Bottomless Stomach technology, the Taotie can use its Fuel Consumption ability more often, thus allowing it to reach maximum size and strength more quickly.
As with all myth units, Taoties are weak against heroes, who are naturally immune to being devoured. Likewise, Taoties also cannot devour myth units and siege weapons, although they can still hold their own against them.
One of the 'Four Perils' or 'Four Great Malevolent Beasts' in Chinese legend, Taotie has an appearance similar to that of a sheep and symbolizes unending greed.
Taotie's insatiable appetite makes it a symbol of war and slaughter.
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—In-game help section
Trivia[]
Its in-game Latin scientific name means "Chinese Voracious Beast".
If Traitor is invoked on a Taotie, it will always be reset to its unfed state (i.e. no Fuel Consumption charges).
Fuel Consumption (Charged): Consumes an enemy human soldier to gain more attack damage and +1 charge of 'Fuel Expulsion'. (Deals 1000 
