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At the heart of Anno 1404's gameplay is the necessity to provide for your people's Needs. Every Inhabitant, including Beggars, has a variety of Needs that need to be satisfied for them to stay in your Cities. These Needs start off simple, but tend to become more complex as your Inhabitants become more sophisticated and reach higher Civilisation levels. Higher level Inhabitants also develop new Needs at certain Inhabitant thresholds.

Knowing when these thresholds are approaching can help you be better prepared, as your Inhabitant satisfaction can suddenly drop when these Needs are developed, until they are satisfied again. This page contains all the Needs for each Civilisation level, both the initial Needs and those that develop at certain Inhabitant thresholds. Studying these tables will help you to become familiar with how Needs develop so that you can plan and provide for them sooner in order to maximize your growth and tax revenue.

We make a distinction between Goods-based Needs and Building-based Needs. Building-based Needs are satisfied by placing the required Needs building in your Settlement and creating a Road connection from the building to the Houses in its Influence area. Goods-based Needs require a steady supply of Goods available in the Warehouse of your Settlement, as these are consumed by your Inhabitants.

Not all Needs are essential for keeping your Inhabitants satisfied, but ultimately all Needs need to be at least partially satisfied for Inhabitants to be able to advance to the next Civilisation level. In general, all the Needs of the previous level become essential after advancing, and the new Needs that are developed by that level are non-essential until they advance again. In addition to allowing Inhabitants to advance, better satisfying the Needs of your Inhabitants also increases the tax income you receive.

Needs types[]

The Needs of Inhabitants are shown in the Housing menu after clicking on any House. The Housing menu identifies 8 types of Needs. The individual Needs are displayed by clicking on one of the eight Needs bars. Note that not all Civilisation levels require all 8 Need types, and will only show the Needs they require. Patricians and Noblemen are the only Residents that display all 8 Need types. When other pages refer to Needs, they generally mean the Need types, instead of the individual Needs. However, on this page we will make a clear distinction between the two.


Goods-based Needs Requirements
Occidental Oriental
Anno 1404-needsmeters-food
Need for Food
FishSpicesBreadMeat DatesMarzipan
Anno 1404-needsmeters-drink
Need for Drink
CiderBeerWine MilkCoffee
Anno 1404-needsmeters-clothing
Need for Clothing
Linen garmentsLeather jerkinsFur coatsBrocade robes
Anno 1404-needsmeters-property
Need for Property
BooksGlassesCandlestick CarpetPearl necklacesPerfume
Building-based Needs
Anno 1404-needsmeters-company
Need for Company
Marketplace icon or Cathedral icon Bazaar icon or Sultans mosque
Anno 1404-needsmeters-faith
Need for Faith
Chapel iconChurch icon or Cathedral icon Mosque or Sultans mosque
Anno 1404-needsmeters-amusement
Need for Amusement
Tavern icon or Cathedral icon Bathhouse icon or Sultans mosque
Anno 1404-needsmeters-security
Need for Security
Debt prison or Cathedral icon

Need fulfilment levels[]

How well a Need is satisfied is expressed using a percentage-value and a fulfilment level. Building-based Needs are always either 0% satisfied or 100% satisfied; They either have access to them, or they don't. Goods-based Needs can range anywhere from 0% to 100%, depending on how much of the Goods are being made available. The fulfilment level is described using three levels: Not satisfied; Adequately satisfied; and Very well satisfied. The threshold for each fulfilment level depends on the Need, the Civilisation level, and the number of Inhabitants of that level. This means the margin for error shrinks as your Population grows.

Realistically, you can basically ignore the exact percentage values, since you generally want to overproduce Goods anyway. Still, it's worth understanding that this game mechanic exists, and how to play around it.


Needs development[]

Below is a breakdown of all the Needs types for each Civilization level, including the milestones at which new Needs are developed and the Needs percentages for each Satisfaction level. If a threshold indicates 0%+ for Adequately satisfied, this means this Need is non-essential. If the threshold for Adequately satisfied higher than 0%, this means you must meet this Need for at least that much or risk your people moving out or rioting. Together with the Inhabitant support page these thresholds can be used to find the minimal amount of production needed to satisfy the population, though it's generally always better to overproduce and provide all Needs at 100% to maximize Tax income.

Beggars[]

Beggars Distribution Thresholds
Needs food 100% Fish Fish 40%+ Adequately satisfied
95%+ Very well satisfied
Needs drink 100% Cider Cider 0%+ Adequately satisfied
95%+ Very well satisfied
Needs company 100% Marketplace or Cathedral Marketplace icon 90%+ Adequately satisfied
100% Very well satisfied
Needs faith 100% Chapel, Church, or Cathedral Chapel icon 90%+ Adequately satisfied
100% Very well satisfied

Peasants[]

Peasant Distribution Thresholds
Needs food 100% Fish Fish Increasing from 1 to 960+ Peasants:
 10% to 40%+ Adequately satisfied
 40% to 95%+ Very well satisfied
Needs company 100% Marketplace or Cathedral Marketplace icon 90%+ Adequately satisfied
100% Very well satisfied
60 Peasants
Needs drink 100% Cider Cider Increasing from 60 to 960+ Peasants:
 0%+ Adequately satisfied
 50% to 95%+ Very well satisfied
90 Peasants
Needs faith 100% Chapel, Church, or Cathedral Chapel icon 0%+ Adequately satisfied
95%+ Very well satisfied

Citizens[]

Citizen Distribution Thresholds
Needs food 40% Fish
60% Spices
Spices Increasing from 1 to 2000+ Citizens:
 15% to 55%+ Adequately satisfied
 55% to 95%+ Very well satisfied
Needs drink 100% Cider Cider Increasing from 1 to 2000+ Citizens:
 20% to 60%+ Adequately satisfied
 60% to 95%+ Very well satisfied
Needs clothing 100% Linen garments Linen garments Increasing from 1 to 2000+ Citizens:
 0%+ Adequately satisfied
 50% to 95%+ Very well satisfied
Needs company 100% Marketplace or Cathedral Marketplace icon 90%+ Adequately satisfied
100% Very well satisfied
Needs faith 100% Chapel, Church, or Cathedral Chapel icon 0%+ Adequately satisfied
95%+ Very well satisfied
355 Citizens
Needs entertainment 100% Tavern or Cathedral Tavern icon 0%+ Adequately satisfied
95%+ Very well satisfied

Patricians[]

Patricians Distribution Thresholds
Needs food 20% Fish
35% Spices
45% Bread
Bread Increasing from 1 to 4000+ Patricians:
 15% to 60%+ Adequately satisfied
 60% to 95%+ Very well satisfied
Needs drink 30% Cider
70% Beer
Beer Increasing from 1 to 4000+ Patricians:
 20% to 40%+ Adequately satisfied
 60% to 95%+ Very well satisfied
Needs clothing 35% Linen garments
65% Leather jerkins
Leather jerkins Increasing from 1 to 4000+ Patricians:
 25% to 40%+ Adequately satisfied
 40% to 95%+ Very well satisfied
Needs company 100% Marketplace or Cathedral Marketplace icon 90%+ Adequately satisfied
100% Very well satisfied
Needs faith 30% Chapel
70% Church
or
100% Cathedral
Church icon 20%+ Adequately satisfied
60%+ Very well satisfied
Needs entertainment 100% Tavern or Cathedral Tavern icon 20%+ Adequately satisfied
100% Very well satisfied
940 Patricians
Needs property 100% Books Books Increasing from 940 to 4000+ Patricians:
 0%+ Adequately satisfied
 45% to 95%+ Very well satisfied
1190 Patricians
Needs order 100% Debtor's prison or Cathedral Debt prison 0%+ Adequately satisfied
95%+ Very well satisfied
2850 Patricians
Needs property 40% Books
60% Candlestick
Candlestick Increasing from 2850 to 4000+ Patricians:
 0%+ Adequately satisfied
 45% to 95%+ Very well satisfied

Noblemen[]

Nobleman Distribution Thresholds
Needs food 20% Fish
20% Spices
25% Bread
35% Meat
Meat Increasing from 1 to 4000+ Noblemen:
 30% to 60%+ Adequately satisfied
 95%+ Very well satisfied
Needs drink 40% Cider
60% Beer
Beer Increasing from 1 to 1499 Noblemen:
 25% to 30%+ Adequately satisfied
 95%+ Very well satisfied
Needs clothing 50% Linen garments
50% Leather jerkins
Leather jerkins 20%+ Adequately satisfied
95%+ Very well satisfied
Needs property 100% Books Books Increasing from 1 to 2199 Noblemen:
 20% to 33%+ Adequately satisfied
 95%+ Very well satisfied
Needs company 100% Marketplace or Cathedral Marketplace icon 100% Adequately satisfied
100% Very well satisfied
Needs faith 100% Church
or
100% Cathedral
Church icon 100% Adequately satisfied
100% Very well satisfied
Needs entertainment 100% Tavern or Cathedral Tavern icon 100% Adequately satisfied
100% Very well satisfied
Needs order 100% Debtor's prison or Cathedral Debt prison 0%+ Adequately satisfied
95%+ Very well satisfied
950 Noblemen
Needs clothing 30% Linen garments
30% Leather jerkins
40% Fur coats
Fur coats Increasing from 950 to 4000+ Noblemen:
 20% to 60%+ Adequately satisfied
 95%+ Very well satisfied
1500 Noblemen
Needs drink 20% Cider
30% Beer
50% Wine
Wine Increasing from 1500 to 4000+ Noblemen:
 30% to 60%+ Adequately satisfied
 95%+ Very well satisfied
2200 Noblemen
Needs property 43% Books
57% Glasses
Glasses Increasing from 2200 to 2999 Noblemen:
 34% to 42%+ Adequately satisfied
 95%+ Very well satisfied
3000 Noblemen
Needs property 30% Books
40% Glasses
30% Candlestick
Candlestick Increasing from 3000 to 4000+ Noblemen:
 43% to 55%+ Adequately satisfied
 95%+ Very well satisfied
4000 Noblemen
Needs clothing 15% Linen garments
15% Leather jerkins
20% Fur coats
50% Brocade robes
Brocade robes 60%+ Adequately satisfied
95%+ Very well satisfied

Nomads[]

Nomads Distribution Thresholds
Needs food 100% Dates Dates Increasing from 1 to 2100+ Nomads:
 10% to 40%+ Adequately satisfied
 40% to 95%+ Very well satisfied
Needs company 100% Bazaar or Sultan's mosque Bazaar icon 90%+ Adequately satisfied
100% Very well satisfied
145 Nomads
Needs drink 100% Milk Milk Increasing from 145 to 2100+ Nomads:
 0%+ Adequately satisfied
 40% to 95%+ Very well satisfied
295 Nomads
Needs property 100% Carpets Carpet Increasing from 295 to 2100+ Nomads:
 0%+ Adequately satisfied
 40% to 95%+ Very well satisfied
440 Nomads
Needs faith 100% Mosque or Sultan's mosque Mosque 90%+ Adequately satisfied
95%+ Very well satisfied

Envoys[]

Envoys Distribution Thresholds
Needs food 100% Dates Dates Increasing from 1 to 4359+ Envoys:
 10% to 17%+ Adequately satisfied
 95%+ Very well satisfied
Needs drink 30% Milk
70% Coffee
Coffee 5%+ Adequately satisfied*
95%+ Very well satisfied
Needs property 100% Carpets Carpet 15%+ Adequately satisfied*
95%+ Very well satisfied
Needs company 100% Bazaar or Sultan's mosque Bazaar icon 90%+ Adequately satisfied
100% Very well satisfied
Needs faith 100% Mosque or Sultan's mosque Mosque 90%+ Adequately satisfied*
95%+ Very well satisfied
1040 Envoys
Needs property 40% Carpets
60% Pearl necklaces
Pearl necklaces 15%+ Adequately satisfied*
95%+ Very well satisfied
2600 Envoys
Needs property 20% Carpets
30% Pearl necklaces
50% Perfume
Perfume Increasing from 2600 to 7950+ Envoys:
 15% to 35%+ Adequately satisfied
 100% Very well satisfied
Needs entertainment 100% Bath house or Sultan's mosque Bathhouse icon 0%+ Adequately satisfied
95%+ Very well satisfied
4360 Envoys
Needs food 33% Dates
67% Marzipan
Marzipan Increasing from 4360 to 7950+ Envoys:
 17% to 30%+ Adequately satisfied
 95%+ Very well satisfied

*The thresholds for these Needs types are incorrectly displayed as 0% in-game. Values listed are observed thresholds.

Needs wheel[]

All eight types of needs are represented by needs wheels. There are also different needs wheels for each population level. The complexity of the needs wheel grows at each civilization level as more and more diverse needs make up each needs type. To view a needs wheel, left-click on any type of house and then left-click on any of the possible eight needs that are displayed.

The wheel itself can be anywhere from 0% and 100% full and is broken down into distinct portions when multiple factors affect a type of need. For instance, Citizens' food need requires both fish and spices, with fish making up 40% of the need and spices making up 60% of the need. If only fish was provided, the entire food need would only be met at 40%. The wheel gradually fills when either a good is in stock in the warehouse or a house has access to a needs building. The wheel is drained when a good is out of stock or access to a needs building is cut off.

An item can be denied to a population class by left-clicking the item on the needs wheel so that a red X appears on top of the item image. All people of that class will no longer have access to that item, even if it is in the warehouse, and that needs portion of the wheel will drain. Denying access to a good can be useful if you are not producing enough of that good to cover all your people. So you block access to a good that is only a minor need to one population class (as indicated by being a small portion of the wheel) to allow the good to not run out for other population classes that more highly value that good. Note that denying goods reduces the taxes you bring in, so it is not an advisable strategy and should only be used in emergency situations to prevent rioting.

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