Warrior Priest unit icon - Age of Empires 2

Warrior Priest

Infantry
Food40
Gold50
Hit Points80
Attack11
Melee Armor1
Pierce Armor1
Train Time30s
Speed0.85

Base values, before Blacksmith upgrades. The Blacksmith raises attack and armour for infantry, cavalry and archers — Blast Furnace, for instance, gives "+2 Attack for infantry & cavalry". Late in a game, the real numbers are higher.

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Evolution

The coach's briefing

Commander, the Warrior Priest is a fighting healer. With 11 attack and 80 HP, he can actually engage in combat while healing nearby units. He's slower than regular infantry at 0.85 speed, but his healing aura is invaluable. Use Warrior Priests mixed into your infantry to sustain them during prolonged battles. They're especially powerful with tanky units like Legionaries.

STRONG AGAINST

You win these trades cost-effectively.

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Infantry Blobs
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Prolonged Fights

WEAK AGAINST

Avoid these fights or bring support.

Archers
Archers
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Cavalry
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Siege
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Strategic Analysis

Tactical Identity

Combat healer hybrid infantry

Tactical Playbook

Healing Aura

Warrior Priests automatically heal nearby units. Mix 2-3 into your infantry ball for sustained fighting power.

Combat Capable

11 attack and 80 HP means they can fight. They're not just support - they contribute to damage.

Infantry Synergy

Best paired with high-HP infantry like Champions or Legionaries who benefit most from healing.

Critical Point

Only 1/1 armor and slow speed. They die quickly to focused fire and can't escape cavalry.

Understanding The Stats

Warrior Priests bridge the gap between monks and infantry. They lack conversion but provide healing while fighting.

Combat Attack

11

Respectable damage for an infantry unit

Light Armor

1/1

Minimal protection against all damage types

Good HP

80

Durable enough to survive some combat

Slow Speed

0.85

Slower than standard infantry

Coach's Tip

80 HP with healing means they can sustain themselves. Put them in the middle of your infantry, not the front.

Mechanics & Bonuses

Attack Bonuses

TargetBonus Dmg
No damage bonus: this unit deals the same damage to every target.

Armor Classes

Infantry

Takes bonus damage from Hand Cannoneers, Slingers, and anti-infantry unique units.

Monk

Vulnerable to units with bonus damage vs this class.

Unique Unit

Vulnerable to units with bonus damage vs this class.

Key Upgrades

Civilizations

Armenians

* 1 civilizations have access to this unit.

AoE Coach analysis

Context & meta

The Warrior Priest is the Armenian unique Monastery Infantry: 40 food and 50 gold, 30 seconds to train, 80 HP, 11 attack, 1 melee/1 pierce armor, speed 0.85, and line of sight 3. It can heal friendly units, collect Relics, and bring them to Monasteries. The official help says it is strong against Infantry, but weak against the Scout Cavalry-line and Archery Units. It is tagged Infantry, Monk, and Unique Unit. It is therefore a hybrid support body: its 11 attack is real, but its slow movement and 50-gold cost are justified when healing, relic control, and a protected infantry group all matter.

History & balance

The Warrior Priest is the military face of the Armenian monastery identity. Armenians receive Mule Carts at 25% lower cost, make Mule Cart technologies 40% more effective, and unlock Spearman-line and Militia-line upgrades one age earlier. Their first Fortified Church receives a free Relic, while the team bonus gives Infantry +2 line of sight. The unique technology Fereters adds +30 HP to Infantry except the Spearman-line and makes Warrior Priests heal 100% faster. That history explains the unit's purpose: it is not a replacement for a Monk or a Champion, but the body that lets an Armenian infantry push carry relic and recovery value forward.

In pro play

Keep Warrior Priests behind the first Armenian Infantry contact, close enough to heal but not exposed as the first target. Their 0.85 speed and 30-second train time make a forward solo relic grab risky; use vision, a bodyguard, and a retreat route. The 40 food/50 gold price competes with military production, so every Priest should either stabilize a damaged group or secure a Relic that changes the long game. Fereters is a real power spike when the army already exists, especially because healing becomes faster. Let the 80-HP bodies fight only when the opponent is committed; otherwise preserve the support unit and its long-term value.

How to counter it

The classic mistake is to fight Warrior Priests with Infantry and let healing erase each small trade. The official help gives the categories: Scout Cavalry-line and Archery Units. Light Cavalry carry +10 against Monks and Scout Cavalry +6; Slingers add +4 against Monks and Infantry. Use fast cavalry to deny relic routes, keep Priests away from their heal targets, and focus the slow 0.85 body. If you keep losing to Warrior Priests without knowing what to produce or when, AoE Coach reads your match-up and gives you the counter composition and timing.