Question is in the title...

I have had some luck playing the Amurites under Runes of Kilmorph for the extra gold it yields.

Then there is the Council of Esus with Gibbon, who makes a fine companion for Govannon.

This is just my take. Neither is as inherently powerful as the evil religions, but each has worked quite well for me in the past.

Council of Esus is kinda evil to... Are you asking role play wise? I generally like to role play instead of play to win, and I always wonder the same thing. The religions are so unique that they almost clash with civs they are not designed for. From a role play perspective only of course. Though it is kinda fun to role play say a Order Calabim civ.... Mages seem to be more free spirits and the only religions that seem to encourage that are AV or maybe the overcouncil one, forgive my forgetfulness, or the neutral alignment religions.

Yeah, I guess Council of Esus could be considered evil, but it's more like neutral with evil tendencies. Sorta like Kilmorph and Empyrean are neutral with good tendencies. Don't have to be good or evil to play any of these, but each excepts one extreme or the other.

Bending the very substance of the universe to your will in order to accomplish your own petty goals seems like it lends itself more to evil than good. Especially Arcane magic, which does not need the sanction of the deities to work (unlike Divine).

That only applies if you suffer a personal mistrust of research science.

I'd really like not sufferring that gimp feeling if I play amurites without using Death mana and AV.

Actually I do see the religions as a continuum:

Good: Order - Empyrean - Kilmorph - Leaves - Esus - Overlords - Veil :Evil

Basically all are good for the right civ, though of course evil offers the quickest "repay". On the other hand: in the long run evil will undermine your economy (hell territory).

If you want to get your mages out quick 'n dirty and don't care for later: go evil.
If you are more of a builder and want to come big but late: go good (or better: neutral-good).

Neutral has the flaw of letting the hell terrain spread to your lands when the AC reaches X (can't remember). Thus wrecking your economy, if farm based.

Fellowhsip o fLeaves is a little sorcery inclined--the preiests get sorcery, anyways, so your mages can focus away from life & nature. Being neutral fits with wanting power for it's own sake, more or less.

What I'd like to see, is a religion based on knowledge for the sake of knowledge, magic for the sake of magic. An obvious choice would be Oghma, but I have no idea how to make the religion myself. Any tips?

Replacing pagan temples with "shrines of rememberance" or "temples of knowledge", giving some benefit, as unique building might be the easiest way. Otherwise, copy-pasting AV and FoL codes together

I think for some of the "smaller religions" i.e. ones that would be civ based, a unique building for the pagan temple would be fine. An example would be the Clan of Embers getting a Alter t\of Bhall for a UB. I think a few others could be made as well, but even if not that one would make people happy. Amurites could get a shine of knowledge

I think for some of the "smaller religions" i.e. ones that would be civ based, a unique building for the pagan temple would be fine. An example would be the Clan of Embers getting a Alter t\of Bhall for a UB. I think a few others could be made as well, but even if not that one would make people happy. Amurites could get a shine of knowledge
Something like this? :mischief:
http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=229777

Ha. Yes exactly like that. Figures someone else would have thought of that long before I did.

I tend to go RoK or Order for thematic reasons.. (I'm one of those people who never ever bothers to play Dark Side in bioware games and other morality-optional venues.. I'm all sweetness and light)

Empyrean feels mostly like something that should almost be Malakim only... even their hero is sun mana affinity..

I always go RoK, the research is slower but you never have any problem having the cash to upgrade your adepts. Not to mention the research slider is always at 100%.

What do you mean with "religion for mage-play" ? Religion and Mages aren't really connected...

Yeah I tend to prefer Rok for the amurites over AV. I think its worth trying to found Rok for early on and OO for a late game religion -> hemah.

should dump cult of the dragon and make a neutral cult to Oghma.

Hmm agree with dumping cult of the dragon, but I think there are better alternatives then an Oghma cult.