Villager (Age of Empires III)

This article is about the Villager in Age of Empires III. For the Villager in other games, see Villager.

Villager
Unit information
Introduced in	The WarChiefs (Native American) The Asian Dynasties (Asian) The African Royals (African)
Type	Villager
Civilization	Native Americans Asians Africans
Age	Discovery Age
Abilities	Gather resources Build buildings Claim Treasures Dance at the Fire Pit (Native Americans)
Training
Trained at	Town Center Native Embassy (Native Americans, with Kinship Ties Home City Card)
Food	100 (with The Raj Home City Card for Indians)
Wood	100 (Indians) 60 (with Zen Diet Home City Card for Japanese)
Training time	25 seconds
Training limit	99 75 (Japanese)
Statistics
Hit points	150
Resists	20% vs. Melee
Speed	4.0
Line of Sight	14
Population	1
XP train bounty	10
XP bounty	10
Melee attack
Damage	8
Rate of Fire	1.5
Ranged attack
Damage	3
Multipliers	×4.0 vs. Huntables ×2.0 vs. Pet and Artillery ×0.5 vs. Villager
Range	12
Rate of Fire	3.0
Siege attack
Damage	5
Range	6
Rate of Fire	3.0

“	Villager that gathers resources.	”
—In-game description

“	An Indian villager that does not eat livestock. Gathers all other resources.	”
—Indian Villager in-game description

“	A Japanese villager that does not eat meat. Gathers all other resources.	”
—Japanese Villager in-game description

“	Villager that constructs buildings and gathers resources.	”
—African Villager in-game description

The Villager is an economic unit in Age of Empires III, the functional equivalent to the Settler for Native American civilizations in The WarChiefs, Asian civilizations in The Asian Dynasties, and African civilizations in The African Royals.

Tasks

Villagers can be assigned with the same tasks as Settlers.

Civilization differences

• Native American Villagers can be tasked to the Community Plaza to perform ceremonies which provide powerful bonuses for the civilization (see the Community Plaza article for details).
• Asian Villagers automatically gather export as they gather resources, which can be spent at the Consulate.
• Indian Villagers cost 100 wood instead of 100 food and cannot gather food from livestock (which generates XP instead). They also receive a Villager with every Home City shipment (except TEAM and infinite ones).
  • "The Raj" Home City Card changes the Indian Villager's cost to 100 food as with other civilizations' Villagers.
  • The "Sepoy Resistance" Home City Card turns all Indian Villagers into Sepoys.
• Japanese Villagers cannot gather food from animals, whether it is huntable ones or livestock (which increases Shrines' resource trickle instead), and has a train limit of 75.
  • Japanese Villager shipments can be sent twice, as with most other Japanese Home City Cards.
  • The "Zen Diet" Home City Card changes the Japanese Villager's cost to 60 wood.

Further statistics

Unit strengths and weaknesses
Strong vs.	Nothing
Weak vs.	Everything, especially Oprichniks
Improvements
Gathering speed	Civil Servants (+5% from natural resources; Asians only) Imperial Bureaucracy (+10% from natural resources; Asians only) Klamath Work Ethos (+5%) Fasting (+10%) Punjabi New Year (+10% from Mills, Farms, Plantations, and Rice Paddies) For food: Hunting Dogs (+10% from huntable animals; Europeans and Native Americans only) Steel Traps (+20% from huntable animals; Europeans only) Seed Drill (+15% from Mills, Farms, and Rice Paddies; Europeans only) Artificial Fertilizer (+30% from Mills, Farms, and Rice Paddies; Europeans only) Large Scale Agriculture (+50% from Mills, Farms, and Rice Paddies; Europeans only) Encomienda Manor (+20% from Mills; Portuguese only) Great Feast (+10%; Native Americans only) Harvest Ceremony (+15%; Native Americans only) Green Corn Ceremony (+20%; Native Americans only) Large Scale Gathering (+50%; Native Americans only) Hunting Eagles (+5% from huntable animals; Chinese and Indians only) Hanami Parties (+5% from Berry Bushes and Cherry Orchards; Japanese only) Professional Hunters (+10% from huntable animals; Chinese and Indians only) Yozakura Lanterns (+10% from Berry Bushes and Cherry Orchards; Japanese only) Paddy Threshing (+15% from Rice Paddies, Mills, and Farms; Asians only) Irrigation Channels (+15% from Rice Paddies, Mills, and Farms; Asians only) Dike-Controlled Canals (+15% from Rice Paddies, Mills, and Farms; Asians only) Mechanized Rice Cultivation (+50% from Rice Paddies, Mills, and Farms; Asians only) Maya Calendar (+10%) Zapotec Food of the Gods (+10%) Vegetarianism (+40% from Berry Bushes) For wood: Gang Saw (+10%; Europeans only) Log Flume (+20%; Europeans only) Circular Saw (+30%; Europeans only) Lumber Ceremony (+20%; Native Americans only) Forest People Ceremony (+20%; Native Americans only) Forest Spirit Ceremony (+20%; Native Americans only) Deforestation (+50%; Europeans and Native Americans only) Water Wheel (+5%; Asians only) Regenerative Forestry (+10%; Asians only) Timber Trade (+30%; Asians only) Tropical Timber Trade (+50%; Asians only) Wood Clearing (+20%) For coin: Placer Mines (+10% from mines; Europeans and Native Americans only) Amalgamation (+20% from mines; Europeans only) Bookkeeping (+10% from Plantations and Rice Paddies; Europeans only) Homesteading (+20% from Plantations and Rice Paddies; Europeans only) Refineries (+30% from Plantations and Rice Paddies; Europeans only) Excessive Taxation (+50%; Europeans only) Earth Ceremony (+10%; Native Americans only) Earth Gift Ceremony (+20%; Native Americans only) Excessive Tribute (+50%; Native Americans only) Blanket Filters (+5% from mines; Asians only) Flume and Ditching (+10% from mines; Asians only) Rice Surplus (+10% from Rice Paddies and Plantations; Asians only) Rice Trade (+20% from Rice Paddies and Plantations; Asians only) Rice Markets (+20% from Rice Paddies and Plantations; Asians only) Rice Exports (+20% from Rice Paddies and Plantations; Asians only) Collective Economy (+50%; Asians only) Incan Metalworking (+20% from mines) Navajo Craftsmanship (+20%)
Hit points	Great Coat (+35%; Europeans only) Spirit Medicine (+35%; Native Americans only) Eastern Medicine (+35%; Asians only) Nootka Bark Clothing (+50%) Apache Cactus Use (+15%)
Attack	Blunderbuss (+3; Europeans only) Spirit Medicine (+3; Native Americans only) Eastern Medicine (+3; Asians only)
Range	Blunderbuss (+4; Europeans only) Spirit Medicine (+4; Native Americans only) Eastern Medicine (+4; Asians only)
Sight	Blunderbuss (+4; Europeans only) Spirit Medicine (+4; Native Americans only) Eastern Medicine (+4; Asians only)
Speed	Apache Cactus Use (+15%)
Creation speed	Christian Schools (-15%)
Other	Sharia (+10% train limit)
Penalties	Encomienda Manor (-5% gather rate from anything but Mills; Portuguese only) Fasting (-40% hit points)

Home City Cards

Click for a list of Home City Cards related to the Villager

Green: TEAM Shipment that is sent to each player in a team Red: Shipment that can be sent TWICE (Japanese only) All Card Description Age HC level Pioneers Villagers get +65% hit points 1 Sawmills Villagers gather wood 15% faster 10 Exotic Hardwoods Villagers gather wood 20% faster 25 Silversmith Villagers gather from mines 20% faster 10 Food Silos Villagers gather from Farms, Mills, and Rice Paddies (food) 15% faster 1 Sustainable Agriculture Villagers gather from Farms, Mills, and Rice Paddies (food) 15% faster 10 Furrier Villagers gather from huntable animals 15% faster and gather from Berry Bushes and Cherry Orchards 20% faster 1 Spice Trade Villagers gather from hunted animals, Berry Bushes, and Cherry Orchards 20% faster 10 Rum Distillery Villagers gather Coin from Plantations and Rice Paddies (coin) 20% faster 1 Fulling Mills Villagers gather from livestock 300% faster 10 Medicine Villager train time -15% 25 TEAM Medicine Villager train time -15% 25 The Japanese has the TEAM Pioneers card instead of Pioneers. The Silversmith card is not available to the Sioux. The Japanese has Sawmills and Silversmith cards that can be sent TWICE instead of the standard ones. The Aztecs have the TEAM Exotic Hardwoods card instead of Exotic Hardwoods. The Iroquois have TEAM Food Silos and TEAM Furriers cards instead of Food Silos and Furriers. The Sustainable Agriculture card is not available to the Sioux. The Furriers card is not available to the Japanese. The Spice Trade card is not available to Aztecs and Japanese. The Rum Distillery card is available to Iroquois, Indians, and Japanese. The Fulling Mills card is available to Chinese and Iroquois. Since the Villager can only be trained by Native American and Asian civilizations, the Medicine card is only relevant for them. The TEAM Medicine card is available to Aztecs, Indians, and Iroquois; all of them except the Indians also have the regular Medicine card. Asians Card Description Age HC level Royal Mint Villagers gather coin 25% faster 10 Refrigeration Villagers gather food 20% faster 25 Cigar Roller Villagers gather from Plantations and Rice Paddies (coin) 20% faster 1 Textile Mill Villagers gather from Plantations and Rice Paddies (coin) 25% faster 10 The Refrigeration, Cigar Roller, and Textile Mill cards are not available to the Indians. Aztecs Card Description Age HC level TEAM 3 Villagers Ships 3 Villagers 10 8 Villagers Ships 8 Villagers 25 Stonemasons Villagers and travois build buildings 65% faster 10 TEAM Exotic Hardwoods Settlers, Coureurs des Bois, Settler Wagons, and Villagers gather wood 15% faster 25 TEAM Silversmith Settlers, Coureurs des Bois, Settler Wagons, and Villagers gather from mines 10% faster 1 Aztec Mining Villagers gather from mines 40% faster 25 Grain Market Villagers gather from Farms, Mills, and Rice Paddies (food) 20% faster 25 Chinampa Villagers gather from Farms, Plantations, Mills, and Rice Paddies (food, coin) 10% faster 10 Great Chinampa Villagers gather from Farms, Plantations, Mills, and Rice Paddies (food, coin) 15% faster 25 Temple of Xolotl Support Ships 10 Villagers and Villagers gather from Farms, Plantations and Rice Paddies (food, coin) 10% faster; costs 1,000 coin 10 British Card Description Age HC level TEAM Rum Distillery Settlers, Coureurs des Bois, Settler Wagons, and Villagers gather from Plantations and Rice Paddies (coin) 15% faster 1 Chinese Card Description Age HC level Northern Refugees Each Village and Town Center spawns 1 Villager 1 Western Refugees Each Village and Town Center spawns 1 Villager 1 Great Migration Each Village and Town Center spawns 1 Villager and 1 Fattened Goat 25 Town Rickshaw + 5 Villagers Ships 1 Covered Wagon and 5 Villagers 10 Acupuncture Unit train time -20% 10 Dutch Card Description Age HC level TEAM Spice Trade Settlers, Coureurs des Bois, Settler Wagons, and Villagers gather from huntable animals 10% faster and gather from Berry Bushes and Cherry Orchards 15% faster 10 Europeans Card Description Age HC level TEAM Ironmonger Settlers, Coureurs des Bois, Settler Wagons, and Villagers gather from mines 10% faster 1 The TEAM Ironmongers card is available to Ottomans and Spanish. French Card Description Age HC level TEAM Sawmills Settlers, Coureurs des Bois, Settler Wagons, and Villagers gather wood 10% faster 10 Indians Due to their civilization bonus, the Indians receive a free Villager with non-TEAM and non-INFINITE cards. Card Description Age HC level TEAM Shivaji's Tactics All units get +5% hit points and attack 25 The Raj Villagers cost 100 food instead of 100 wood +1 Villager 10 Sepoy Resistance Turns all Villagers into Sepoys +1 Villager; costs 2,000 wood 40 Woodcrafting Villagers gather wood 20% faster +1 Villager 25 Dravidian Martial Arts All units get +15% melee attack +1 Villager 40 Iroquois Card Description Age HC level TEAM Food Silos Settlers, Coureurs des Bois, Settler Wagons, and Villagers gather from Mills, Farms, and Rice Paddies (food) 10% faster 1 TEAM Furrier Settlers, Coureurs des Bois, Settler Wagons, and Villagers gather from huntable animals 10% faster and gather from Berry Bushes and Cherry Orchards 15% faster 1 Oneida Support Ships 1 Covered Wagon and 10 Villagers; costs 1,000 coin 10 The TEAM Food Silos card is also available to the Germans. The TEAM Furriers card is also available to the Russians. Japanese Card Description Age HC level 2 Villagers Ships 2 Villagers 1 4 Villagers Ships 4 Villagers 1 7 Villagers Ships 7 Villagers 25 TEAM Pioneers Villagers get +35% hit points 1 Zen Diet Villagers cost 60 wood instead of 100 food 10 Sawmills Villagers gather wood 15% faster 10 Silversmith Villagers gather coin from mines 20% faster 25 Reclaimed Land Ships 1 Rice Paddy Rickshaw and Villagers gather from Rice Paddies 5% faster 1 Flooded Parcel Ships 1 Rice Paddy Rickshaw and Villagers gather from Rice Paddies 8% faster 10 Terraced Hillsides Ships 1 Rice Paddy Rickshaw and Villagers gather from Rice Paddies 10% faster 25 TEAM Chonindo Settlers, Coureurs des Bois, Settler Wagons, Villagers, Fishing Boats, Caravels/Galleys/War Junks/Fune, Canoes, War Canoes, Tlaloc Canoes, and Marathan Catamarans gather 8% faster 40 Native Americans Card Description Age HC level 2 Villagers Ships 2 Villagers 1 4 Villagers Ships 4 Villagers 1 3 Villagers Ships 3 Villagers 10 5 Villagers Ships 5 Villagers 10 Warrior Culture Villagers get +200% attack 25 The 5 Villagers card is not available to the Sioux. The Warrior Culture card is not available to the Aztecs. Sioux Card Description Age HC level Adoption Villager train time -25% 25 Great Hunter Villagers gather from huntable animals, Berry Bushes, and Cherry Orchards 20% faster 10 Woodcrafting Villagers gather wood 20% faster 25 Spanish Card Description Age HC level TEAM Inquisition All units get +10 LOS 10

Trivia

• There is unused portrait for the Aztec Villager in the The WarChiefs files. This was corrected in the Definitive Edition, where the Aztec Villager uses its own portrait.
  • In the beta, the Inca Villager also used the portrait of the Aztec Villager.
• The inability for Indian Villagers to gather food from livestock is a reference to the fact that cows are honored as sacred animals in Hinduism – even killing one is said to be a mortal sin.
• The inability for Japanese Villagers to gather food from animals may be a reference to the fact that the consumption of livestock and wild animals (but not fishes and shellfishes) was, until the Meiji Restoration, banned in Japan.
• The African Villager reuses the in-game description of the Settler.

History

Native Americans

“

Highly industrious and loyal to a fault, the Villager lives to work for you. Whether it's chopping down the seventeen thousandth tree, scurrying across the map to a distant pile of silver ore, or endlessly toiling away at a mill, the Villager is ready to happily tackle any tedious task. The Villager’s hobbies include running away from enemy soldiers, being thrown into the river by enemy cannon fire, and crochet.

”

Asians

“

Highly industrious and loyal to a fault, the Villager lives to work for you. Whether it's chopping down the seventeen thousandth tree, scurrying across the map to a distant pile of silver ore, or endlessly toiling away at a mill, the Villager is ready to tackle any tedious task. The Villager’s hobbies include running away from enemy soldiers, being thrown into the river by enemy cannon fire, and screaming—a lot of screaming.

”

Gallery

From left to right: Native American Villagers, Chinese/Japanese Villagers, and Indian Villagers

The stats of a Villager (same with other civilizations)

Unused Aztec Villager portrait

In-game Aztec Villagers

In-game Iroquois and Sioux Villagers

In-game Chinese and Japanese Villagers

In-game Indian Villagers

The Asian Villager's history portrait, featuring the Chinese/Japanese Villagers