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There are six basic resources in Rise of Nations, which form the foundation upon which a nation builds itself and allows for the creation of units, buildings, and technologies. These resources are able to be gathered or earned by the player by using Citizens to harvest them (Food Food, Timber Timber, Metal Metal, and Oil Oil), using Caravans and increasing territory (Wealth Wealth), or using Scholars (Knowledge Knowledge).

Each of the basic resources (with the exception of Wealth Wealth) require a building and civilian units to gather/harvest them. Furthermore, there are buildings that can enhance the production rate of the civilian units. Additionally, sending Merchants to rare resources can also increase the gathering rate of the basic resources.

Resource Gathering unit Gathering building Enhancing Building
Food Food Citizen Farm Granary
Timber Timber Citizen Woodcutter's Camp Lumber Mill
Metal Metal Citizen Mine Smelter
Oil Oil Citizen Oil Well/Oil Platform Refinery
Wealth Wealth Caravan Market Temple
Knowledge Knowledge Scholar University University

For Food Food, Timber Timber, Metal Metal, and Oil Oil, a Citizen is needed at each gathering building in order to gather the resource. A Granary, Lumber Mill, or Smelter in a city increases the Food Food, Timber Timber, or Metal Metal production of Citizens in that particular city, respectively. Those buildings also have technologies that can further enhance the production of all Citizens in cities with those buildings. For Oil Oil, each Refinery increases the production of all Oil Wells and Oil Platforms on the map. For Wealth Wealth, a Market is needed to build Caravans, but it is gained largely by the Caravans and the amount of territory the player controls (through Taxation technologies researched at the Temple) and not the Market itself, though it provides a basic income of 10 Wealth Wealth. On sea maps, Fish can also be an important source of Wealth. For Knowledge Knowledge, the University produces Scholars (which reside in the University), has technologies to increase Scholar productivity, and also provides a basic income of 10 Knowledge Knowledge.

Metal Metal and Knowledge Knowledge become available once the nation reaches the Classical Age Classical Age. Oil Oil becomes available once the nation reaches the Industrial Age Industrial Age.

Despite the number of basic resources, each unit, building, technology, etc. requires at most 2 types of resources which makes resource usage more manageable. Additionally, different types of units and buildings require different resources, ensuring that with any resource mix, some unit or building can be made; the issue then is just a matter of whether or not that unit or building is well-suited for the task at hand.

Resource management[]

The following table summarizes which basic resources to use to increase other basic resources, in decreasing order of importance:

If you need... Use... To make...
Food Timber Farm, Fishermen, Granary and Agronomics technologies
Food Citizen (for Farms)
Metal Agronomics technologies
Wealth Granary
Timber Food Woodcutter's Camp, Citizen (for Woodcutter's Camps), Lumber Mill and Woodworking technologies
Metal Lumber Mill and Woodworking technologies
Metal Food Citizen (for Mines) and Metallurgy technologies
Timber Mine, Smelter and Metallurgy technologies
Wealth Smelter
Oil Timber Oil Well/Oil Platform and Refinery
Metal Oil Well/Oil Platform and Refinery
Food Citizen (for Oil Wells/Oil Platforms)
Wealth Timber Caravan, Fishermen, Market and Taxation technologies
Food Caravan and Taxation technologies
Knowledge Wealth Scholar and University
Timber University and University technologies

Additionally, you can deploy Merchants at the rare resources which provide the resource you're trying to get, or build the Wonder(s) which boost the production of a particular basic resource. You can also buy/sell different resources at the Market, converting them to/from Wealth Wealth. In an emergency, you can even raze your own buildings which give plunder in different basic resources. For example, Woodcutter's Camps require Food Food to build, but gives its plunder in Timber Timber. However, this is a very inefficient process, and not recommended for most situations. You can also request or trade resources (except Knowledge Knowledge) from other players.

Food Food[]

Main article: Food

Timber Timber[]

Main article: Timber

Metal Metal[]

Main article: Metal

Oil Oil[]

Main article: Oil

Wealth Wealth[]

Main article: Wealth

Knowledge Knowledge[]

Main article: Knowledge

Wonders[]

A number of Wonders will also increase resource production.

Age Wonder Resource-related bonus Cost
Classical Age Large Pyramids
Pyramids
200 Food
200 Timber
Colossus
Colossus
200 Timber
200 Wealth
Hanging Gardens
Hanging Gardens
Increases your Knowledge Knowledge production by 50. 200 Food
200 Wealth
Gunpowder Age Large Porcelain Tower
Porcelain Tower
Increases your income from rare resources (in your territory) and Markets by 200%. 400 Wealth
400 Metal
Temple of Tikal
Temple of Tikal
400 Food
400 Timber
Enlightenment Age Large Angkor Wat
Angkor Wat
500 Timber
500 Wealth
Industrial Age Large Taj Mahal
Taj Mahal
600 Timber
600 Wealth
Modern Age Large Kremlin
Kremlin
Raises your Commerce Limit Commerce Limit for Food Food, Timber Timber, Metal Metal, and Oil Oil by 200. 700 Food
700 Metal
Eiffel Tower
Eiffel Tower
700 Timber
700 Metal
Information Age Large Supercollider
Supercollider
The cost to buy goods at the Market is never higher than 125 Wealth Wealth; the price to sell is never lower than 50 Wealth Wealth. 800 Food
800 Knowledge

Trivia[]

  • Knowledge Knowledge is the only basic resource that cannot be bought or traded.
  • Food Food and Knowledge Knowledge are the only resources that are not dependent on the map (as they can be built by civilians whereas the other resources require forests, mountains, and oil patches).

See Also[]

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