Template:Infobox: BuildingRuins are structues on the map that units can move on, like villages. Unlike villages, though, they can occur on mountains or in oceans. Once a unit has moved into the ruin, it can be examined on the following turn and you will receive a reward. Below are all the possible rewards for a ruin to give you:
- Super Unit - Moves away your unit and creates a Giant, which can't move or attack on the turn that you receive it. Alternatively, if you are playing as the Aquarion, you will receive a Crab instead. If you are playing as ∑∫ỹriȱŋ, you will get a Dragon Egg.
- Scroll of Wisdom - Instantly gives a random available technology for free.
- Population - Rewards you with 3 free population to your capital.
- Explorer - Self-explanatory, spawns an explorer.
- Battleship (ocean only) - Similar to Giant, spawns a Warrior in a Battleship. If you are playing as ∑∫ỹriȱŋ, this is replaced with a Navalon.
- Resources - You receive 10 stars.
Because of the variety of possible rewards, it can be risky to go for ruins and rely on them. Especially in early game there is the question whether to go for ruins or new villages. If the ruin is in a place that you can easily defend, it's usually smart to first expand your territory and upgrade your cities before you spend too much time with your units on ruins. If the ruin is between your enemy and you, try to capture it. You definitely don't want to take the risk that your enemy gets a giant close to your village for free.
It is impossible to develop a tile with a ruin on it in any way, so you will not be able to place Lumber Huts on occupied forests. It is also possible for natural resources such as Whales to spawn under ruins, which you will not be able to see or harvest until the ruin is cleared.
Trivia
- If a ruin spawns on an 1x1 island, and you get a message saying that the reward is a giant, then the unit examining the ruin will disappear and the giant will spawn. This disappearance counts as a death, so be careful when examining ruins on small islands.
- The ∑∫ỹriȱŋ tribe can see Ruins through clouds.
Template:Navbox Ruin Rewards