Age Of Mythology: Retold - How To Pick Up Relics

Age of Mythology: Retold pits you against others, tasking you with both building your settlement and raising an army to attack others. Of course, you can also find relics along the way and harness their powers in order to further your civilization. These provide helpful effects, with dozens available in the game.

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In this guide, we will take a look at how you can pick up relics. The process is pretty easy, but if you've never done it before, it can be quite puzzling. This will also include information on where to bring relics after picking them up for the first time.

Updated March 15, 2025, by Emre Pala: We have added how to train heroes for each pantheon, including the Chinese pantheon introduced with the Immortal Pillars expansion. Additionally, we have included a table with all the relics in the game and their effects in this article.

Where To Find Relics

Fortunately, relics aren't too hidden. While exploring the map, you have the chance to find them scattered around. There are no set locations, but you will be able to see them on your mini-map. Above, we've zoomed in and circled two relics, which are in the shape of upright rectangles.

On the map, these appear in white but are way smaller than the larger, settlement icons. When the relic gets picked up, the icon will disappear from the map.

How To Pick Up Relics

Not every unit can pick up relics. You’ll need Hero units to do so, and Heroes vary depending on the pantheon. When you select a Hero unit, you’ll see "Hero" next to its name. Additionally, Hero units have a blue outline around their icons.

After your Hero unit reaches the relic, you simply need to interact with it, which causes them to pick it up. From here, instruct them to head to the Temple, where they will deposit it for safekeeping.

Each Temple can hold five relics! This is a lot, but keep in mind that in total, there are a whopping 61 relics in Age of Mythology: Retold!

How To Train Heroes

The table below shows how to train heroes for each pantheon. You need a hero to collect relics, and the method of training heroes varies depending on the pantheon.

Pantheon

Description

Greek

If you’re playing as a Greek major god, you can train Heroes from the Town Center. Starting in the Heroic Age, you can also train them from the Fortress. All Greek Heroes can pick up relics without needing any upgrades. To find relics, you can use your Scout or train a Pegasus from the Temple to explore the map more efficiently.

Egyptian

If you are playing as an Egyptian god, you have two options for collecting relics. One of them is using your Pharaoh. However, keeping your Pharaoh at your base to empower buildings is a more advantageous choice. Another Egyptian hero unit is the Priest. Since they construct Obelisks, they can find relics more easily. However, for Priests to pick up relics, you need to research the Hands of Pharaoh upgrade at the Temple. Once upgraded, your Priests will be able to collect relics. You can train Priests at the Town Center or the Temple.

Norse

For the Norse, Hersirs are their Hero units, and they can pick up relics. You can train Hersirs from the Temple in the Archaic Age and from the Great Hall starting in the Classical Age. However, Hersirs shouldn’t be used to search for relics. Instead, use Berserks to scout, then send a Hersir to retrieve the relic.

Atlantean

Playing as the Atlanteans makes relic collection much easier because any non-myth unit can become a Hero. When you select a unit, you’ll see an option to promote it to a Hero. To locate relics, use Oracles, as their line of sight increases while standing still. Once you find a relic, you can promote an Oracle to a Hero and collect it.

Chinese

For the Chinese pantheon, your scouts are Pioneers, and they are Heroes by default. You can use their Sky Lantern ability to reveal an area and discover relics. However, despite being Heroes, Pioneers cannot pick up relics immediately. To enable them to collect relics, research Divine Light at the Temple. Starting in the Classical Age, you can also train Heroes from the Imperial Academy, and these Heroes can pick up relics without needing an upgrade.

All Relic Effects

Relics are randomly selected on each map. The number of relics varies depending on the map size and the number of players. Some maps may have more relics; for example, the center of the Marsh map contains plenty of relics.

Relic

Effect

Adamantite Shingles

Increases House Hitpoints by 200 percent, increases Manor Hitpoints by 100 percent.

Ankh of Ra

Increases Favor generation by 3 free Favor per minute.

Anvil of Hephaestus

Decreases Armory and Dwarven Armory Gold Upgrades cost by 50 percent.

Archimedes Ledger

Decreases Siege units' population cost by 1.

Armor of Achilles

Decreases Infantry Hack Vulnerability by 5 percent.

Arrows of Alfar

Increases Building Damage by 20 percent.

Arrows of Heracles

Increases Ranged Human Soldiers and Ranged Heroes Damage by 5 percent.

Black Lotus

Increases Villager Farm Gather Rate by 10 percent.

Blanket of Empress Zoe

Decreases Building Crush Vulnerability by 10 percent.

Blue Crystal Shard

Increases Villager Gold and Wood Gather Rate by 5 percent.

Bow of Artemis

Decreases Ranged Human Soldiers and Ranged Myth units Wood and Gold cost by 15 percent.

Bridle of Pegasus

Summons a Pegasus that respawns after 60 seconds if killed.

Canopic Jar of Imsety

Decreases Infantry Training Time by 25 percent.

Chariot of Cybele

Summons two golden lions for you to command. If killed, they respawn at the temple after one minute. Golden Lions are not particularly useful unless summoned early in the game.

Charon's Obol

Villagers refund 50 percent of their cost upon death.

Demeter's Throne

Decreases Dropsites, Ox carts, houses, and Manors cost by 25 percent and decreases build time by 50 percent.

Dwarven Calipers

Decreases Siege Wood and Gold cost by 20 percent.

Dwarven Horseshoes

Increases Cavalry Movement Speed by 10 percent.

Eye of Horus

Increases Population by 4 for each Town Center.

Eye of Ornlu

Increases Throwing Axeman, Hypaspist, Axeman Hack Damage by 5 percent, and increases Cheiroballista Pierce Damage by 5 percent.

Fetters of Fenrir

Increases Villager Damage by 20 percent.

Flagstone of Buhen

Gates are free.

Gaia's Book of Knowledge

Increases Infantry Damage against Titans by 300 percent (excluding Atlantean Heroes).

Gambanteinn Odin's Wand

Decreases Temple Upgrades cost by 25 percent.

Girdle of Hippolyta

Increases Toxotes, Throwing Axeman, Chariot Archer, and Arcus Hitpoints by 10 percent.

Glaucus Book of Prophecies

Increases Fishing Ships' gather rate by 30 percent.

Gungnir Odin's Spear

Increases Hoplite, Spearman, Hirdman, and Katapeltes Hack Damage by 5 percent.

Harmonia's Necklace

Increases Villager Gold Gather Rate by 10 percent.

Head of Orpheus

Increases Building Line of Sight (LoS) by 8.

Hekate's Torches

Increases Godpowers recharge speed by 10 percent and decreases their cost by 10 percent.

Hermes Winged Sandals

Increases Hero Movement Speed by 10 percent.

Hestia's Hearth

Decreases Villager Training Points by 5 percent.

Khopesh of Horus

Hero Bonus damage against Myth Units is increased by 100 percent.

Kithara of Apollo:

Villager Movement Speed is increased by 10 percent.

Nose of The Sphinx

Building Hitpoints are boosted by 15 percent.

Oseberg Wagon

Caravan Food cost is reduced by 25 percent, while Caravan Movement Speed is increased by 10 percent.

Pandora's Box

Myth Unit Favor Cost is reduced by 20 percent.

Pelt of Argus

Unit Line of Sight (LoS) is enhanced by 6.

Prow of The Argo

Warships gain 20 percent more Hitpoints.

Ptah's Sceptre

Farm Cost is decreased by 20 percent.

Pygmalion's Statue

Villager Hitpoints are raised by 40 percent.

Rhea's Crown

Town Center and Village Center costs are reduced by 10 percent, while Town Centers now generate 0.01 Favor per second.

Ring of Nibelung

Provides 30 free Gold per minute.

Scales of Catoblepas

Myth Unit Pierce Vulnerability is reduced by 15 percent.

Scales of Echidna

Myth Unit Food, Wood, and Gold costs are decreased by 15 percent.

Scarab Pendant

Crush Damage for Scarab, Colossus, Mountain Giant, Behemoth, Helepolis, Portable Ram, Siege Tower, and Fire Siphon is increased by 20 percent.

Shen of Nekhbet

Naval Myth Units' damage is doubled (100 percent increase).

Ship of Fingernails

Provides 30 free Food per minute.

Sistrum of Bast

Villager cost is reduced by 15 percent.

Skulls of The Cercopes

Summons 6 Relic Monkeys, which respawn 120 seconds after all six are destroyed.

Staff of Dionysus

Increases Villager Regen Rate by 0.5 HP per second.

Svadilfari's Sledge

No Favor cost applies to Fortress, Migdol, Hill Fort, and Palace.

Tail of Cerberus

Myth Unit Special Attack Recharge Time is reduced by 25 percent.

Texts of Imhotep

Building construction speed is increased by 10 percent.

Thundercloud Shawl

Human and Hero Pierce Vulnerability is reduced by 5 percent.

Titan's Treasure

Age up and Secrets of the Titans cost is reduced by 10 percent.

Tower of Sestus

Tower Bonus damage against Myth Units is increased by 40 percent.

Trojan Gate Hinge

Wall Hitpoints are raised by 20 percent.

Tusk of The Iron Boar

Cavalry Hitpoints are boosted by 10 percent.

Tyrfing Angantyr's Sword

Hero Lifesteal is increased by 10 percent.

Ullr's Bow

Archer Line of Sight (LoS) and Range are both increased by 2.

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