Divine Will is a gameplay mechanic in Total War Saga: Troy. The Divine Will system lets the player interact with the gods to attain their favour. The gods can affect the game in similar ways to their Homeric counterparts through their influence over factions, rather than direct intervention on the campaign and battlefield. Gaining their favour requires investment of time and resources, which provides various benefits as the game progresses and keeps their wrath at bay.
Gameplay[]
Players start the campaign with no favour, which puts all the cults at the neglected level. Developing the cults requires building temples, holding grand rituals and offering great sacrifices. The greater the influence of the cult, the higher the amount of benefits one receives.
Players have the ability to worship several gods at once, but maintaining their favour will be costly. At the highest level, each cult unlocks a unique mythical unit or epic agent to recruit in the campaign.
Having gods in the neglected state might incur their wrath, or that of their priesthood, in the form of incidents and demoralising ill omens. Temples can be rededicated to a different god without losing it's level provided they have the gold.
Favour[]
Favour may be gained a number of ways, all of them costly. It also decays by 10 per turn for each god.
The most significant options to gain favour include:
- Maintaining a priestess increases favour with the god or goddess she follows by 1 per turn. This bonus applies across any number of priestesses separately.
- Hecatomb rituals increase the favour of one god by 70 (+10 per temple built of any type) and cost 500 food (+25% per temple built, additively; for example, if there are two temples built of any level, the increase would be 50% for a cost of 750 food). They can only be performed every 5 turns.
- Any Priestess can perform a Ritual of Exultation every 3 turns for several hundred food to slightly increase favour with the god of the local temple. Base favour given is 20, however that amount can be increased by the priestess's skills. Each 5% increases the favour granted by the ritual by 1. Priestesses are a great way to maintain a cult at a certain level, but are not as efficient or as fast as hecatombs or building temples to increase cult levels.
- A seer epic agent may be used to perform a Ritual of the True Sight to increase favour with the god of the local temple to the maximum. Just as other actions of epic agents, this removes the agent.
- Building, upgrading or rededicating a temple in the Altar building chain increases favour of the respective god or goddess by 100, 200, or 350 depending on the level of the building. Upgrading a temple does not decrease favour by the amount provided by the replaced temple (for example, an Altar of Hera is built and then upgraded to a Sanctuary of Hera, providing a total of 300 favour prior to accounting for favour decay).
- The Entreating The Infinite Royal Decree, in the stone tree, increases favour with all gods by 3 per turn, which effectively decreases the favour decay of all gods from -10 to -7. It pays off especially if you choose to maintain many gods at certain cult levels at a time.
Tip: Three priestesses following the same god and Entreating The Infinite will reduce the decay of said god to -4.
Cults[]
- Neglected (under 50)
- Respected (at or above 50)
- Celebrated (at or above 300)
- Worshipped (at or above 600)
Hera[]
- I. Military Service (Respected)
- +20% to missile damage and armour-piercing missile damage of slingers (own armies factionwide)
- -7% to recruitment cost of all army units in provinces with 60% own influence (factionwide)
- II. Flourishing Homeland (Celebrated)
- -1 to construction time of all main buildings (factionwide)
- -10% to wood construction costs (factionwide)
- +50 to growth in provinces with 60% own influence (factionwide)
- III. Divine Protection (Worshipped)
- +10% to casualty replenishment rate of all armies (factionwide)
- Unlocks recruitment of Corybantes [Truth Behind the Myth and Mythological]
- +20% to morale of all units in own territory (factionwide)
- -15% food upkeep for all units (own armies in own territory) [Historical only]
Zeus[]
- I. Might of the Thunderbolt (Respected)
- +20% to melee attack of club units (own armies factionwide)
- +15% to missile and armour-piercing missile damage of javelin units (own armies factionwide)
- II. Father of Heroes (Celebrated)
- -50% to recruitment cost of Heroes and non-mythic agents (factionwide) [Truth Behind the Myth and Mythological]
- Grants Messenger of Thunder trait to all newly-recruited agents (factionwide)
- Grants "Descendant of Zeus" trait to all newly-recruited Heroes (factionwide)
- -50% to recruitment cost of Heroes and agents (factionwide) [Historical only]
- III. Regal Presence (Worshipped)
- Unlocks recruitment of Minotaur (factionwide) [Truth Behind the Myth and Mythological]
- -20% to construction cost of all main buildings (factionwide) [Historical only]
- +1 to happiness per defensive or military alliance, up to 5 (factionwide)
- +1 to influence per defensive or military alliance, up to 10 (factionwide)
Ares[]
- I. Eager to Fight (Respected)
- +1 to local recruitment capacity (factionwide)
- +20% to morale of sword and axe units (own armies factionwide)
- II. Delight for Violence (Celebrated)
- +20% to income from raiding, looting, and sacking (own armies factionwide)
- +1 to happiness per war, up to 5 (factionwide)
- +20% to melee attack of sword and axe units (own armies factionwide)
- III. Panic and Terror (Worshipped)
- +10% to battle speed of sword and axe units (own armies factionwide) [Historical only]
- +10 charge to all units (own armies factionwide)
- All Heroes frighten enemy units in battle
- Unlocks recruitment of Spartoi [Truth Behind the Myth and Mythological]
Apollo[]
- I. Piety (Respected)
- +3 to recruit rank of priestesses (factionwide)
- -20% to construction cost of all temple buildings (factionwide)
- II. Lord of the Silver Bow (Celebrated)
- +20% to range of archer units (own armies factionwide)
- +15% reload skill of missile units (own armies factionwide)
- III. The Light of Phoebus (Worshipped)
- -20% to action cost of all agents (own characters factionwide)
- Enables recruitment of a seer [Truth Behind the Myth and Mythological]
- +30 to favour gained from a hecatomb (factionwide) [Historical only]
- +25% to administration efficiency for royal decrees
Athena[]
- I. Protector of Cities (Respected)
- +20% to morale of spear units (own armies factionwide)
- -20% to fatigue in battle for all units while defending (own armies factionwide)
- II. Mentor of Heroes (Celebrated)
- +20% to melee attack of spear units (own armies factionwide)
- +4 to recruit rank of all Heroes (factionwide)
- +20% of melee defence of shielded units (own armies factionwide)
- III. Gorgoneion (Worshipped)
- Enables recruitment of a gorgon [Truth Behind the Myth and Mythological]
- +100 to experience per turn of all units (own armies factionwide) [Historical only]
- All Heroes are unbreakable in battle
- +10 to morale of all units in Hero's aura (own armies factionwide)
Poseidon[]
- I. Call of the Sea (Respected)
- +15% to campaign movement range at sea (own armies factionwide)
- -2 to enemy siege holdout time (minimum 1 turn) (own characters factionwide)
- II. The Riches of the Sea (Celebrated)
- +40% to treasures looted from battle (own characters factionwide)
- +100 food per turn for each own coastal region
- III. Blood of Poseidon (Worshipped)
- Enables the recruitment of Cyclops [Truth Behind the Myth and Mythological]
- -20% to fatigue in battle to mythic, mounted, and chariot units (own armies factionwide) [Truth Behind the Myth and Mythological]
- +30% to morale for mythic, mounted, and chariot units (own armies factionwide) [Truth Behind the Myth and Mythological]
- -15% to recruitment cost of chariot and mounted units (own armies factionwide) [Historical only]
- -20% to fatigue in battle to mounted and chariot units (own armies factionwide) [Historical only]
- +30% to morale for mounted and chariot units (own armies factionwide) [Historical only]
Aphrodite[]
- I. Love of All People (Respected)
- +10 to diplomatic relations with all factions
- +200% to all effects of Organise Games commandment (factionwide)
- II. Golden Apple (Celebrated)
- +30 to growth (factionwide)
- +1 to happiness per non-aggression pact, up to 5 (factionwide)
- +10% to battle captives taken (own armies factionwide)
- III. Invisible Guardian (Worshipped)
- Enables recruitment of a satyr [Truth Behind the Myth and Mythological]
- +10 to armour of all light infantry units (own armies factionwide) [Historical]
- +25% to damage resistance for Heroes (own armies factionwide)
- -30% to success chance of enemy agent actions (own characters factionwide)
Artemis[]
- I. Lady of the Forest (Respected)
- +2 to recruit rank of spies (factionwide)
- +15% to ammunition of archers (own armies factionwide)
- II. She of the Light Step (Celebrated)
- +10% to campaign movement range (own armies factionwide)
- +10% to missile damage and armour-piercing missile damage of archers (own armies factionwide)
- -10% to upkeep cost of light infantry units (own armies factionwide)
- III. The Wild Hunt (Worshipped)
- Enables recruitment of Orion [Truth Behind the Myth and Mythological]
- +15% to the reload skill of archer units (own armies factionwide) [Historical only]
- +15% to battle speed of missile units (own armies factionwide)
- All Heroes are tireless in battle (own armies factionwide)
Hephaestus[]
- I. Blessings of the Forge (Respected)
- -30% to construction cost of all production buildings (factionwide)
- +25% to gold production income per turn (factionwide)
- +25% to bronze production income per turn (factionwide)
- II. Divine Craftsmanship (Celebrated)
- +15% to battle speed of chariot units (own armies factionwide)
- +20% to melee defence of chariot units (own armies factionwide)
- III. Fire-touched (Worshipped)
- +30% to armour-piercing damage of melee units (own armies factionwide)
- +15% to armour-piercing damage of all missile infantry units (own armies factionwide) [Historical only]
- +20 to armour of Hero (own characters factionwide)
- Enables recruitment of divine craftsman agents [Truth Behind the Myth and Mythological]
Prayers[]
The effects of a prayer to a god, as well as the cost of the prayer, increase the higher the cult level you have with that god.
Prayer costs:
- 400 food and 20 gold at the Neglected cult level.
- 600 food and 30 gold at the Respected cult level.
- 800 food and 40 gold at the Celebrated cult level.
- 1000 food and 50 gold at the Worshipped cult level.
Only one prayer can be made per turn, and all prayer effects last 4 turns, starting one turn after the prayer was made. That means you may only have up to 4 prayer effects active at a time. You may not pray to a god or goddess while you already have an active prayer for him or her, so you can only pray for a god every five turns, which means only the latter four turns will have the actual prayer effect.
The level of the prayer is determined by the cult level you were at the time you made the prayer, which means you must always increase favour, given it will increase your cult level, before you activate the prayer, only, of course, if you want to get the stronger yet more expensive prayer. Losing a cult level, or gaining one after a prayer is activated, will not change the prayer's effect.
The tooltip on the Divine Will board, while hovering over a god or a goddess with your pointer, might show the effect according to the current cult level, not according to the actual level of the prayer in effect. To know what level your current prayer is, check the small icons in the faction effects at the top left.
Prayer to Hera[]
Neglected Effect
- +2 to siege holdout time (minimum 1 turn) (factionwide)
- +7% attrition casualties suffered by enemy armies in your territory
Respected Effect
- +3 to siege holdout time (minimum 1 turn) (factionwide)
- +7% attrition casualties suffered by enemy armies in your territory
Celebrated Effect
- +4 to siege holdout time (minimum 1 turn) (factionwide)
- +7% attrition casualties suffered by enemy armies in your territory
Worshipped Effect
- +5 to siege holdout time (minimum 1 turn) (factionwide)
- +7% attrition casualties suffered by enemy armies in your territory
Prayer to Zeus[]
Neglected Effect
- +5 to deal evaluation for all diplomatic agreements except barters
Respected Effect
- +10 to deal evaluation for all diplomatic agreements except barters
Celebrated Effect
- +15 to deal evaluation for all diplomatic agreements except barters
Worshipped Effect
- +20 to deal evaluation for all diplomatic agreements except barters
Prayer to Ares[]
Neglected Effect
- -5% to morale of all enemy units (enemy armies)
Respected Effect
- -10% to morale of all enemy units (enemy armies)
- +30% to generated rage in battle (own armies factionwide)
Celebrated Effect
- -15% to morale of all enemy units (enemy armies)
- +30% to generated rage in battle (own armies factionwide)
Celebrated Effect
- -20% to morale of all enemy units (enemy armies)
- +30% to generated rage in battle (own armies factionwide)
Prayer to Apollo[]
Neglected Effect
- +5% to success chance of all agent actions (own characters factionwide)
- +20% to campaign map line of sight around temples of Apollo (factionwide)
Respected Effect
- +10% to success chance of all agent actions (own characters factionwide)
- +35% to campaign map line of sight around temples of Apollo (factionwide)
Celebrated Effect
- +15% to success chance of all agent actions (own characters factionwide)
- +50% to campaign map line of sight around temples of Apollo (factionwide)
Worshipped Effect
- +20% to success chance of all agent actions (own characters factionwide)
- +70% to campaign map line of sight around temples of Apollo (factionwide)
Prayer to Athena[]
Neglected Effect
- +1 to recruit rank of all units (factionwide)
Respected Effect
- +2 to recruit rank of all units (factionwide)
- +1 to local recruitment capacity (factionwide)
Celebrated Effect
- +3 to recruit rank of all units (factionwide)
- +2 to local recruitment capacity (factionwide)
Worshipped Effect
- +4 to recruit rank of all units (factionwide)
- +3 to local recruitment capacity (factionwide)
Prayer to Poseidon[]
Neglected Effect
- Immune to deep-seas attrition (own armies factionwide)
Respected Effect
- +7% to battle speed of melee, mounted, and chariot units (own armies factionwide)
- Immune to deep-seas attrition (own armies factionwide)
Celebrated Effect
- +9% to battle speed of melee, mounted, and chariot units (own armies factionwide)
- Immune to deep-seas attrition (own armies factionwide)
Worshipped Effect
- +12% to battle speed of melee, mounted, and chariot units (own armies factionwide)
- Immune to deep-seas attrition (own armies factionwide)
Prayer to Aphrodite[]
Neglected Effect
- +20 to growth (factionwide)
- +2 to happiness (factionwide)
Respected Effect
- +30 to growth (factionwide)
- +3 to happiness (factionwide)
Celebrated Effect
- +40 to growth (factionwide)
- +4 to happiness (factionwide)
Worshipped Effect
- +50 to growth (factionwide)
- +5 to happiness (factionwide)
Prayer to Artemis[]
Neglected Effect
- +20% to success chance of ambushes (own armies factionwide)
- Light infantry units gain the "Strider" attribute (own armies factionwide)
Respected Effect
- Enables up to 2 Warriors of Artemis to be recruited from Forest settlements into the faction
- +30% to success chance of ambushes (own armies factionwide)
- Light infantry units gain the "Strider" attribute (own armies factionwide)
Celebrated Effect
- Enables up to 5 Warriors of Artemis to be recruited from Forest settlements into the faction
- +40% to success chance of ambushes (own armies factionwide)
- Light infantry units gain the "Strider" attribute (own armies factionwide)
Worshipped Effect
- Enables up to 10 Warriors of Artemis to be recruited from Forest settlements into the faction
- +50% to success chance of ambushes (own armies factionwide)
- Light infantry units gain the "Strider" attribute (own armies factionwide)
Prayer to Hephaestus[]
Neglected Effect
- +10% to morale of shielded units (own armies factionwide)
Respected Effect
- +15% to morale of shielded units (own armies factionwide)
- +6% to missile resistance of shielded infantry units (own armies factionwide)
Celebrated Effect
- +20% to morale of shielded units (own armies factionwide)
- +9% to missile resistance of shielded infantry units (own armies factionwide)
Worshipped Effect
- +25% to morale of shielded units (own armies factionwide)
- +12% to missile resistance of shielded infantry units (own armies factionwide)