Age of Mythologyis a true gem of the RTS genre, mixing classicAge of EmpiresRTS gameplay with fantasy-style mythology to create a thoroughly enjoyable strategy game. Importantly,Age of Mythologyhas an impressive set of gods to choose from, with the Extended Edition and DLC totaling 15 Major Gods representing 5 different civilizations, and that’s not even mentioning the suite of Minor Gods that have great benefits of their own.
Each of these gods has a unique playstyle, meaning that it’s worth trying all of them to see which might suit a player best.Age of Mythologyis also remarkably well-balanced, and basically, any of the gods can be viable and enjoyable to play with some time and effort invested. However, there are admittedly some clear favorites, so it’s worth knowing whichAge of Mythologygodsare the best overall. While most people can argue that the Major Gods are undoubtedly better because of how they influence one’s play style from the get-go, there are numerous minor gods who deserve their time in the spotlight too.
Updated on July 08, 2025, by Ritwik Mitra:Age of Mythology: Retoldis shaping up to be an absolute treat for long-time RTS fans who loved the amazing twist to the Age of Empires formula, coupled with one of the best story modes in a real-time strategy game to date. Players will love to relive the adventures of Arkantos as his devotion to Poseidon is tested throughout the story, culminating in an amazing finale that shows Age of Mythology at its very best. Whether it be this memorable campaign or the numerous skirmishes that players can partake in, one thing to keep in mind is the variousAge of Mythology godsand how they can augment one’s play style as they strive to attain victory by any means necessary.
16Hera
Civilization: Greek
Despite being a Minor God, Hera is one of the best options for Greek civilizations who are progressing to the Mythic Age. ThisAge of Mythologygodprovides players access to the powerful Lightning Storm god power that can be used to take out enemies who get too overzealous and mount a major attack at the player’s base.
Along with this, players gain access to the powerful Medusa coupled with a passive attack bonus of +25% for all myth units. This is one of the biggest reasons why most people choose Zeus as their major god since the benefit of taking Hera’s powers is so immense that players can walk over most of their opposition using an army of powerful myth units.
15Shennong
Civilization: Chinese
Age of Mythology: Tale of the Dragonmay not be the best expansion pack for this amazing game, but the idea of messing around with a brand-new civilization while engaging in an original story based on Chinese Mythology was a blast. Hopefully,Age of Mythology: Retoldwill do a better job of balancing this civilization while making the story mode more palatable for the masses.
Shennong is one of the MajorAge of MythologyGodsplayers can choose to worship if they wish to play as the Chinese. Using Monks in this game is a blast and brings back fun memories of using this unit inAge of Empires, so it’s always a bonus to use Shennong’s innate powers to make Monks stronger while making the resource-hunting side of things easier to manage.
14Gaia
Civilization: Atlantean
Players who want to ensure that their endeavors to enrich their settlement’s economy are as fruitful as possible should make it a point to worship Gaia as one of the Atlanteans. With the bonuses afforded to citizens and the like, players will make quick progress through the ages as resource collection becomes smoother than ever before.
Gaia’s powers may not be as eye-catching as some of the other gods in the game, but it’s the utility of her powers that makes her such a powerful god to worship. Buildings regenerate, resource gathering is faster, and economic research is cheaper. All of this, combined with a wealth of other benefits, make Gaia one of thebestAge of Mythologygodsfor players who want to build a well-protected settlement and form a huge army as quickly as possible.
13Thor
Civilization: Norse
The Norse civilizations can be a pain to control inAge of Mythology. It can be easy to create structures near enemy bases ifthe builders can competently defend themselves. But gathering enough resources to form a large army can take a bit too long for most people’s liking, especially since the only reliable way to generate Favor with this civilization is to engage in acts of warfare regularly, which can be a huge drain on a player’s economy after a point since they’ll need to replace the units they’ve lost time and time again.
However, pro players can make things look easy as they control the Norse civilization and use its strengths to their fullest. Thor can be useful in his regard. His Dwarven Minegives players access to gold in a jiffyand makes armory upgrades a bit cheaper too.
12Loki
The Trickster God is one of the three Norse deities inAge of Mythology. Players who want to build a powerful force of Hersir will love Loki for the bonuses he brings to this department.
Not only are the powerful Hersir slightly faster, but they have the chance torandomly summon Myth Unitsafter fighting for a long while. This is useful if players employ effective strategies while deploying these troops. In fact,Myth Units themselves are cheaper to produceas well, which is a boon given how expensive these powerful units are.
11Poseidon
The Greek Civilization is the most similar to a regularAge of Empiresplaythrough, meaning that beginners inAge of Mythologywill find it easier to check out this civilization first because of how approachable they are. The three Greek Gods are also pretty solid, boasting unique units and powers that are fun to use.
While Poseidon is a competent god in his own right, many people find him to be inferior to the two other Greek gods. His powers are useful, but situational only tocavalry, forcing players to rely on a unit that can be countered pretty easily with the right strategy. However, players can still do a great job here as long as they diversify their units and have a backup plan in case their strongest units bite the dust. His God Power, Lure, is also useful in the early run for players who want areliable source of foodto get a head start.
10Isis
Civilization: Egypt
Isis has a solid late-game, with powerful attacks and especially strong with the minor god Hathor giving players access to powerful units and buffs. Isis alsomakes technologies 10% cheaper, buffs the population from Town Centers, and protects monuments from god powers. These bonuses combined with technologies and her Prosperity god power that temporarily doubles gold gathering means Isis can potentially develop a strong economy.
However, Isis struggles on many maps and is often an inconsistent pick. It is especially difficult to keep up with other gods in the early game, so Isis remains a somewhat inconsistent and niche option, but still a decent option for those who know how to play her well.
9Kronos
Though often overlooked, Kronos is notable for a particularly exasperating playstyle in the earliest stages of a game, usingOraclesandGreek Scout Units, to harass enemy resource production. This can be a strong strategy and may even cripple opponents outright, especially as Kronos has access to unique technology that buffs Oracles.
That being said, this strategy relies largely on opponents making mistakes, so Kronos is slightly inconsistent. However, Kronos is still an enjoyable option because of its unique abilities like being able to timeshift buildings anywhere within line of sight, which allows for more eccentric styles of play.
8Odin
Odin is able to put forward a particularly impressive army composition, as he has access to a number of powerful units and buffs focused on improving these units. For example,Huskarls, Ballistae, and Portable Rams have 20% more health, and Jarls have 10% more. Additionally, all human soldiers gradually regenerate their health, meaning that Odin allows players to create a very strong army.
However, Odin’s god powers are on the weaker side, meaning that even a powerful army can be beaten by gods with destructive powers. Nonetheless, Odin is still a great choice with tough units.
7Hades
Hades is a somewhat niche god, and when playing as Hades players may often beforced onto the defensive, especially on maps where Hades is a weaker option. This is helped by a significant buff to the health and attack of buildings, but it is a struggle to punish opponents for mistakes in the early game.
However, Hades gets much stronger in the late game with access to more powerful buildings for gold production, and theexcellent Gastraphetes mythic unit, an archer unit with excellent damage, especially because of the 10% damage buff for archers available to Hades.
