Island Prestige
Prestige is the island's weight in the archipelago. Stonework, study, scars, and ruin all leave marks on it. A young outpost rises quickly; a famous dominion has to earn every last inch.
Settlement & Life
Research
BuildingsPrestige Belongs to One Island
A realm can hold several islands, but prestige is not pooled between them. The port you neglect stays small even if your capital gleams. The island you invest in becomes the one that opens better trade, draws attention on the map, and stands higher in local waters.
What Raises It
Completed building levels and completed research levels are the substance behind prestige. Queued work does not count until it finishes. Full standing means every building has reached its highest level and every available research has been completed on that island.
The display uses a curve: early levels move the visible standing quickly, while the final tiers ask for a much deeper build. A new settlement can become respectable with practical work. A legendary island has almost nothing left unfinished.
Why It Matters
Prestige tiers shape more than the label beneath your island name. They decide which bazaar tier an island can buy from, change how developed the island appears on the world map, and announce new standing when a holding crosses a major threshold.
From Colony onward, prestige also counts as earned standing for upkeep. An active governor can let a mature island recover from neglect pressure, while a young or idle colony still needs regular work to keep its people settled.
What Can Knock It Down
Prestige is not a trophy nailed to the hall. Catapult damage that tears down buildings lowers the island's standing when prestige is recalculated. If a conquered island is razed, only the new foundation remains, and its prestige falls with the lost work.
When an inactive place returns to the wild, its prestige is cleared with the rest of the old settlement record. The sea remembers wreckage poorly.
Reference
Which prestige milestones exist?6 tiers
| Standing | Prestige | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Outpost | 0-19% | The first works have taken hold, but the island is still proving it can endure. |
| Settlement | 20-39% | Trade, labor, and stores have begun to root the holding in place. |
| Colony | 40-59% | The island no longer merely survives. It grows with confidence. |
| Stronghold | 60-79% | A mature holding with enough strength and production to matter in local waters. |
| Dominion | 80-94% | The island commands its surroundings and bears the marks of sustained rule. |
| Legendary Island | 95-100% | Only the harshest final gains remain, or none at all. |
What causes prestige to recalculate?main triggers
Prestige is recalculated after building completion, research completion, affair effects that change buildings or research, combat siege damage, colonization, and onboarding setup. If a place is reset back to the wild, its stored prestige is cleared.
Common questions
Do troops raise island prestige?
No. Troops matter for score and survival, but island prestige comes from completed buildings and research on that island.
Why did a small upgrade move the bar so much?
Early development is curved to show a young holding taking shape. The same level gained later can move the display less because higher tiers demand a more complete island.
Can prestige fall?
Yes. Siege damage and razing can remove building levels, and prestige follows the island's current condition.
Which island sets my bazaar tier?
When you shop from a specific island, that island's prestige tier matters. When no island is specified, the bazaar uses your highest prestige holding in the world.