Total War: Pharaoh

Summary

Total War: Pharaoh introduces a more detailed religious system with multiple deities for players to worship, each offering unique benefits depending on the faction.
The Egyptian faction has the most deity options, but Canaanite and Hittite factions also have useful gods with their own bonuses.
Players can improve the benefits from worshiping a deity by constructing Shrines and Temples, and can switch gods using the "Local Deities" tab.

Total War: Pharaoh takes players to the glory days of Ancient Egypt as they seek to assert dominance over their rivals in an RTS format. Among the game's new and improved features is a more fleshed-out religious system with a variety of different deities depending on the player's faction. The Egyptian faction has the most options, but there are still plenty of useful and important gods among the Canaanite and Hittite factions.

Players will have to discover each god to draw any benefits from them. Once they have been discovered, there are a number of ways in which players can make use of them. Constructing Shrines and Temples will grant benefits and accelerate the advancement of deity worship to the next tier. Each tier will improve the benefits provided by the chosen god, and these apply to Devoted Generals and armies who Pray. Players can change the chosen God in each location by using the "Local Deities" tab in the upper-middle toolbar.

10 Horus (Egyptian)

Increased Movement Speed for Armies, and Attrition Immunity

The famous falcon-headed God of wisdom and tutelage, Horus, makes for a great deity to worship when preparing or bolstering armies. Horus provides a number of useful benefits in this area:

+3 Charge Bonus Upon Recruitment
+36% Movement Speed on Land and at Sea
+10 Influence and Attrition Immunity for a specific army

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When combined, these bonuses can make war preparations significantly faster and easier. They also providing a small combat bonus for when the armies are deployed to fight.

9 Baal (Canaanite)

Bolsters Armies with Defensive and Attacking Bonuses

Although the figure Baal has more recently become associated with occultism and the Balenciaga fashion brand, there was a time when this deity was revered among the Canaanites. Baal is useful when under attack, and provides a number of helpful bonuses:

+3 Melee Defense on Recruitment
+26% Charge Bonus
+25 Uncommon Ancillary Chance

Worshiping Baal can be advantageous in defensive settings. He will provide units with an extra boost that could make all the difference when it comes to defending cities and settlements.

8 Arinna (Hittite)

Significant Bonuses for Raiding Enemy Territories

The sun-goddess Arinna is best worshiped during times of social unrest or when raiding enemy settlements. In Total War: Pharaoh, the benefits of Arinna's worship include:

+6 Happiness (Local Province)
+12 Food (Local Province)
+31% Raiding Income
+26% Resources from both the "Sack" and "Loot and Occupy" commands when raiding a settlement.

Devoting a General to Arinna will grant their army additional benefits, including:

+24% Charge Bonus
-30% Upkeep
+10 Armor
+25 Morale

These bonuses can be huge in combat, and are particularly suited to large armies.

7 Ra (Egyptian)

Large Recruitment and Combat Bonuses for Armies

The Ancient Egyptian sun god, Ra, is one of the better known deities to emerge from that time. He is particularly useful in prosperous provinces with lots of production buildings. Ra's effects include:

+10 Workforce Growth
+3 Melee Defense on Recruitment
+2 Recruitment Rank

Having armies pray to Ra will also provide them with considerable bonuses:

+24 Morale
+24% Damage Resistance vs Missiles

These perks can be useful when outnumbered, and will serve to even the playing field in such circumstances.

6 Moloch (Canaanite)

Large Combat Bonuses for Devoted Generals

Moloch is another ancient Canaanite god whose name has not disappeared from popular culture. Often associated with demons and hell, Moloch's abilities are focused on waging war. In the game, he will give Canaanite troops a number of valuable bonuses, including:

+15% XP from Battles
+25 Damage Resistance vs Missiles
+18 to both Melee Attack and Defense for devoted generals

Moloch can also help to stimulate the economy, providing +8 Workforce Growth to any province with a dedicated Moloch Shrine. Local provinces will also receive +4 Melee Defense on Recruitment.

5 Kumarbi (Hittite)

Massive XP Gains for Armies, and Influence for Provinces

Kumbari was regarded by the Hittites as "King of the Gods," much like Odin and Zeus in the Viking and Greek cultures respectively. He is an extremely powerful deity offering bonuses to a variety of different areas. Effects of Kumarbi worship include:

+100 XP per turn
+7 Influence for the local province

Devoting a general to this god will bring the greatest benefits to the devoted general's army:

+25% Charge Bonus
+24 Melee Damage
+26% Speed
+30 XP from Battles
+50 XP Per Turn

Overall, this can create much stronger troops than normal, who can quickly ascend the ranks and gain an XP advantage over rivals.

4 Thoth (Egyptian)

Decreased Construction Time and Cost; and Fortified Armor

Thoth is another iconic Egyptian deity, depicted with the head of an ibis. Often regarded as the god of wisdom, writing, and knowledge, Thoth's main benefits relate to managing provinces more effectively. Therefore, it is best to worship Thoth during peacetime or in developing provinces facing few external threats.

Thoth worship will provide local provinces with:

+8 Happiness
-2 (Turns) Construction Time for Management and Military Support buildings
-45% Construction Costs for Resources, Management and Military Support buildings.

Additionally, a devoted general will give their army:

+22 Armor
+24% Armor-Piercing Melee Damage

3 Yamm (Canaanite)

Increased Food Production and Happiness; and Massive Raiding Bonuses

The Canaanite sea god, Yamm, provides a range of useful benefits applicable in both peace and wartime. In their local province, Shrines will provide:

+10% Food
+7 Happiness
-20% Recruitment Costs

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Armies who pray to Yamm by visiting a Shrine will gain the following:

+34% Resources from Razing
+42% Raiding Income
-30% Bronze Upkeep
-30% Gold Upkeep

This is especially useful for larger armies heading out to attack and conquer enemy territories, and will be particularly beneficial to armies containing expensive, elite units.

2 Anubis (Egyptian)

Allied Morale & Combat Abilities are Greater for Allies, Decreased for Target Enemies

Anubis, the canine-headed lord of the underworld, was equal parts feared and admired in Ancient Egyptian society. Worshipping this god is especially useful for demoralizing enemy armies, which will cause their units to route sooner during combat.

Shrines to Anubis will add +5% Missile Range and +4 Morale on Recruitment for allied units. Prayers targeting an enemy army can reduce Morale by 25. Devoted Generals for Anubis will receive +15 Armor for all units and +29% Charge Bonus for chariots.

1 Isis (Egyptian)

Bonuses To Workforce and Production; Reduces Enemy Happiness and Influence

The supreme goddess of Ancient Egypt, Isis can contribute to all areas of a faction and makes for a good default worshiping stance for the Egyptian faction. Shrines will add:

+2 Recruitment Rank for all units
+10 Workforce Growth
+8 Happiness
-1 Workforce Cost

Prayers can be used to target enemy territories, giving -8 Happiness and -5 Influence to a targeted province. This can be useful for weakening enemy defenses and demoralizing units, or stirring up rebellions to do the fighting instead.

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