Guide

Introduction

Tezcatlipoca is one of the three Aztec major gods in the Obsidian Mirror expansion for Age of Mythology: Retold. A god of night, destiny, and sorcery, he plays as a flexible trickster-style major god with strong control tools and shadow-themed myth units.

If you enjoy reactive play, information advantage, and punishing enemy mistakes, Tezcatlipoca is your angle.

Tezcatlipoca Kit (Obsidian Mirror Overview)

• Major god of night and destiny for the Aztec pantheon
• Access to unique myth units such as Acihuatl (aquatic scout) and Shadow of Mictlan–style shadow units (auto-produced in some army setups)
• Flexible minor gods focused on sorcery, attrition, and battlefield control

Core Gameplan

• Strong scouting and map info via Acihuatl and other tools
• Safe, solid Classical with an emphasis on positioning
• Play for favorable fights and attrition rather than pure all-ins
• Transition into late-game where your control tools and shadow units shine

Standard Tezcatlipoca Opening

This is a conservative, ladder-safe build that you can adapt as the Aztec meta matures:

Archaic Age

1. Send starting villagers to nearest hunt and build your first food drop-off
2. Train villagers non-stop — aim for 6–7 on food quickly
3. Add 2–3 villagers to wood for houses and early military buildings
4. Add 2 villagers to gold for techs and age-up
5. Build your Temple/ceremonial building when resources allow
6. Scout aggressively with your hero + Acihuatl along shorelines and map edges
7. Click Classical on a stable 4:30–5:00 timing depending on map and pressure

Early Classical

• Drop one or two military buildings to start training a balanced army (infantry core + ranged or cavalry as needed)
• Use your early myth units for scouting and skirmishing—not suicide raids
• Look to contest forward hunts and gold rather than diving TCs

Army and Tech Focus

• Core: Aztec infantry and archers, plus select myth units that reward micro (shadows, skirmisher-type myths)
• Upgrades: Favor upgrades and techs that improve your ability to sustain fights and control space
• Playstyle: Take lots of small, favorable trades — your god shines in drawn-out games

Tips for Tezcatlipoca

• Scout constantly. Your strength is knowing where and when to strike; keep Acihuatl and heroes active
• Avoid coin flips. Don’t commit to fights you’re unsure about — look for picks and exposed villagers instead
• Play the map. Contest relics, forward gold, and key chokes; your control tools are best there
• Scale your shadow units. As your economy grows, add more production and myth techs to make your shadow army harder to trade into