At launch, Ara will feature 36 leaders available across 36 nations, with 5 additional leaders available as part of the Deluxe Digital and Premium editions of the game.
Each leader has a series of personality traits that provide gameplay benefits and drawbacks, as well as guides their AI playstyle.
Every leader is also equipped with a unique Leader Trait – a game changing ability that can dramatically impact their player’s pursuit of prestige, and ultimate victory.
For example, here is Isabella I, of Spain.
Isabella’s unique leader trait is New World – this ability gives her embarked units (i.e. land units being transported across the sea) additional visibility and speed, an important advantage. It also rewards additional quality of life improvements from the creation of Mints, an important economic improvement to cities – and finally strengthens her religious spread once the creation of the codex is unlocked.
Isabella’s unyielding trait provide her military forces with bonus experience from defeating enemy forces – and unlock for her a special war type (different types of wars in Ara have different triggers, prestige costs, and strategic aims).
Her mercantile trait provides her with an additional merchant – merchants individually provide goods for your people from trade agreements, the more merchants, the more types of goods you can receive.
Her seafaring trait greatly improves the wealth benefits of fishing nets, an important coastal improvement that can be used to harvest food, salt, and other materials from the ocean.
Finally, her spiritual trait allows her religion to spread more quickly and potently to all cities.
Isabella I is a well-rounded leader, that can thrive in both war and peace, though has a stronger advantage at peace when interacting with other powers, forming trade agreements, and focusing on her people’s faith to gain more religious verses and the unique abilities they provide.
She’s versatile at sea, and benefits dramatically from coastal cities – and has the tools necessary in her abilities to pursue quick intercontinental expansion, if the geography (and her neighbors) allow.