Elite Plumed Archer unit icon - Age of Empires 2

Elite Plumed Archer

Archer
Wood55
Gold55
Hit Points65
Attack5
Melee Armor0
Pierce Armor2
Train Time16s
Speed1.2

Evolution

Food 700 Gold 1000

STRONG AGAINST

You win these trades cost-effectively.

?
Infantry
?
Siege
Archers
Archers
?
Slow units

WEAK AGAINST

Avoid these fights or bring support.

Elite Skirmisher
Elite Skirmisher
Elite Huskarl
Elite Huskarl
Siege Onager
Siege Onager
?
Heavy Cavalry

Strategic Analysis

Tactical Identity

The Elite Plumed Archer becomes a **premier mobile archer** with range and armor matching dedicated archer units.

Tactical Playbook

Archer Range

5 range matches Arbalesters. No longer outranged in archer fights.

Tanky Archer

2 pierce armor means Arbalesters only deal 4 damage. Very hard to kill with archers.

More HP

65 HP is significant. Survives much longer under fire.

Critical Point

**Still lower attack**. 5 base attack means you need more time to kill enemies. Quantity matters.

Understanding The Stats

The Elite upgrade significantly improves survivability while maintaining the signature speed.

More HP

65 HP

+15 HP over base. Survives longer in all fights.

Better Range

5 Range

+1 over base. Matches Arbalester range.

Strong Armor

0/2

+1 pierce armor. Takes only 4 damage from Arbalesters.

Same Speed

1.2 tiles/s

Still the fastest foot archer. Unchanged mobility.

Coach's Tip

65 HP with 2 pierce armor means Arbalesters need 17 hits to kill you. You're incredibly tanky for an archer.

Mechanics & Bonuses

Attack Bonuses

TargetBonus Dmg
Spearman+2
Infantry+2

Armor Classes

Archer

Vulnerable to Skirmishers and Huskarls.

Unique Unit

Vulnerable to units with bonus damage vs this class.