Buttercup the Pet Cougar
Buttercup the Pet Cougar is a pet unit in Age of Empires III. Its listed abilities and vision define its scouting or support role; availability depends on the scenario or civilization that provides it.
Recorded values
- Cost
- 100 Food
- Available
- Exploration Age · Town Center; Battleship (with the "Brethren of the Coast" card) ; Hero*
- Training
- 16 sec · 10 XP per train
- Durability & mobility
- 90 hit points · 10% hand resistance · 5.0 speed · 12 line of sight
- Hand attack
- 10 damage · 1.5 attack interval · bonuses: 3.0x vs. Treasure guardian; 0.1x vs. Villager
Role, availability & values
Production is available through Town Center, Battleship (with the "Brethren of the Coast" card), or Hero. It has 90 hit points. It moves at 5.0 speed. Training costs 100 Food; it takes 16 seconds to train. Attack profile: Hand attack deals 10 damage. Hand attack bonuses: 3.0× against Treasure guardian and 0.1× against Villager.
Matchup & timing
Buttercup is a 90-hit-point pet that moves at 5.0 speed and can arrive through a Town Center, a hero or the Brethren of the Coast Battleship card. Use the pet to support Treasure encounters and exploration; its 10-damage attack is specialized against Treasure Guardians and nearly ineffective against Villagers. Keep it out of ordinary army trades.
Treasure support and pet behavior
Buttercup is a pet cougar associated with Age of Empires III scenarios and special access rather than a standard military line. The recorded profile costs 100 Food, trains in 16 seconds and gives the cougar 90 hit points, 10% hand resistance, speed 5 and line of sight 12. Its 10-damage hand attack has a 3× multiplier against Treasure guardians but only 0.1× against Villagers. This makes Buttercup a helper for Treasure contests, not a worker-raiding unit or a replacement for ordinary infantry. Some access routes list the Town Center, a Hero, or a Battleship after the Brethren of the Coast card; the actual route depends on the game mode and scenario. Do not assume that every civilization can train the cougar in a normal match. Use its vision to accompany exploration, and let it attack guardians that it can handle while the Explorer collects the reward. Its relatively low health means that a dangerous guardian or enemy army can remove it quickly. The Food cost also competes with Villagers and early units, so the pet is worthwhile when its access is already part of the scenario or when the Treasure reward justifies the investment. Keep the cougar near the force that provides support and avoid sending it alone to attack enemy workers, against whom its damage is heavily reduced.
Scenario utility and safe Treasure collection
Buttercup’s most dependable use is helping a Hero or Explorer remove Treasure guardians. The cougar’s 3× damage multiplier against guardians makes its modest 10 base attack meaningful in that specific matchup, while its 0.1× Villager modifier makes direct economic harassment inefficient. Its 90 hit points are low beside ordinary military units, so keep it close to the main exploration group and retreat when an enemy force arrives. The unit’s access is special: recorded routes include a Town Center, a Hero, and a Battleship after the Brethren of the Coast card. Those routes are game-mode dependent, so a normal civilization may not be able to train it in every match. If Buttercup is available, account for the 100 Food cost and 16-second training time before spending resources that are needed for Villagers or an army. Its speed 5 and line of sight 12 let it accompany scouting and reveal nearby threats. Use the cougar to help clear a guardian, then allow the Hero to collect the Treasure and move the pet back to safety. Do not treat it as equivalent to the Explorer’s Dog or War Dog: each pet has its own access, statistics and matchup. Scenario creators may also use pet units as part of a mission force, in which case the scenario’s objectives determine whether preserving Buttercup matters more than risking it in a Treasure fight.
Keeping the pet useful
The cougar is at its best when its Treasure bonus saves the Explorer time or health. Clear the guardian first, collect the reward, and then retreat together; the pet is not intended to stand in a prolonged field battle. Its special access and low Villager multiplier distinguish it from a normal raiding unit.
Pet cougar and guardian damage
Buttercup the Pet Cougar is a special pet with a 10-damage hand attack and a 3× bonus against Treasure guardians. It has 90 hit points and five speed, making it a fragile companion for an Explorer rather than a frontline unit. Its 0.1× modifier against Villagers means it should not be used for worker raids. Keep Buttercup with the hero and nearby troops during a Treasure encounter, and withdraw if the guardian group threatens the pet.
Town Center and card access
Buttercup costs 100 Food and takes 16 seconds to train where access is available. The recorded routes include Town Center, Hero, and Battleship with the Brethren of the Coast card. These are mode-specific options, so check the current production menu before planning around the pet. Use it when the guardian bonus helps secure a valuable Treasure; otherwise Food may be better spent on workers or army production. Protect the pet after the encounter rather than sending it alone toward enemy units.