1 Favorite per person, please Explain why you like it.
Octopus Overlords. Love the theme.

That's a hard one.
I've had a lot of fun with the Ashen Veil and the Order, and the Ljosalfar with FoL. But whenever I'm not sure what religion to pick, and am not aiming for religious victory, I always find myself leaning towards the Council of Esus. If nothing else, it simplifies diplomacy, and Nox Noctis is really nice.

OO, I almost always play OCC games and the Tower is perfect, then switch to something else later.

Love the Council. Play as the Hippus usually, get slaves to boost production of wonders and build, then form secret alliances with two or three nations, while using nightwatch to spy on and harass my temporary allies. Once my network has gotten strong enough, I unleash the dogs of war on the unsuspecting enemies. They're great with the Lanun too, the smugglers port goes amazing with the coastal theme, and the slaves work wonders for an archipelago map so you don't have to keep moving your workers from island to island.

OO. Hemah and OO Priests ftw!

I love OO. I like how it's a religion based on a lot of insane octopuses and is based so much off of insanity with aesylums and such. Even doin a modmod to better bring out the features I like so much.

I use the council for HN assasins and Shadows. I love destroying civilizations without actually decalring war.

I'd have to say that it would probably whichever one I've modded the most/most recently.

Thematically I'm closest to the Empyrean (which in my version is less militant and more great people oriented), but once I get around to implementing what I have planned in my modmod then OO will probably just be too cool to resist. (All the religions are getting better, but OO may be getting the biggest boost. I still haven't thought of enough ways to improve FoL.)

i am all in with empyrion. strongest hero and a most useful spell with all troops. a perfect warmonger religion :)

I use the council for HN assasins and Shadows. I love destroying civilizations without actually decalring war.
Shadows start with Mask regardless of your state Religion (since they always follow Esus), and if you just mass-build assassins in a city with Esus you'll get plenty with Mask as well.

I tend to go Empyrean or Order, depending on the size of my empire. If it's large, the Order's benefits to maintenance are very useful, but if small I'd rather go with Empyrean for Chalid and Rathas. Unless of course I'm one of the elven civs, in which case obviously I'm gonna start as FoL. Might switch to Order or Empy later once I've got enough Priests of Leaves and Ancient Forests everywhere, but Ancient Forested Towns are just too good to pass up.

RoK all the way. I want my money! Plus the music isn't half bad, and the hero is decently early.

Elves + FoL: Beautiful, powerful, deadly

they're all good, but I have had much fun with ashen veil as Hyborem. But then, it's just as fun getting a minimum of 2 :food: and 1 :hammers: in nearly every tile in your empire. And then it's also fun getting hundreds of gold every turn and having happiness and production bonuses because of it. The Dies Diei and Nox Noctis are useful as well, and there's always watching the seas rise in rebellion to any who dare challenge your might.

I like Order. Basilicas and courthouses for everyone! Great for huge empires, no unhappiness ever (with social order), easy to spread. And Sphener kicks ass, especially once Losha shares the Gift with him.
Yeah, Ordered Calabim ftw. In Unity Lies Strength. Also, Pub Snacks.

Used to be AV... though I still love AV...

Nowadays CoE all the way! Such a cool religion :)

Al

OO for the Lovecraftian theme.

For gameplay, Empyrean, see Slowcar's post.
For music, Veil
For thematic goodness, Runes

I voted Empyrean, tough choice between it and Runes (Veil just fails on the other two counts)

OO. It's probably a little weak compared to the other religions, but thematically it's awesome. Also, I detest building boats, so having units that can walk on water lets me fight sea battles without them.

RoK is definitely my favorite with CoE trailing closely. I usually switch from RoK to CoE at some point in the mid game to use the open border invasions.

Ashen Veil. First religion I chose in my first game. Miss the days when Ritualists could summon stuff. That was awsome.

I also love the theme of the religion and in most games, movies, and books the evil people are my favorite charachters.

Veil over OO and Order but just barely

FoL: because I hug trees! ;)

Voted for CoE because it is so me in a way and yeah, the CoE theme music is great.

CoE (sometimes as infiltrator in the overcouncil :D) for Gibbon, Backstabbing + HN Recons and decent diplomacy with everyone as well as Nox-Nocturnis. Most games i at least take + pay a small visit to the local shrine to esus.

RoK for the easy money. Arete usually saves my bacon too, when iron isnt around.

I really like OO thematically. In game, I like starting OO then switching something else. OO priests convert to very very nice druids and paladins. The tower of complacency is nice too (and you don't lose it if you convert to order, empyrian, fol, etc).

FoL because my favorite civ is the Ljosalfar (under Thessa), but Empyrean for basically anyone other than the Ljosalfar. Chalid is a house, and Rathas are amazing.

FoL because my favorite civ is the Ljosalfar (under Thessa), but Empyrean for basically anyone other than the Ljosalfar. Chalid is a house, and Rathas are amazing.The best thing about Rathas is their 'pedia entry...:mischief:

I like Empyrean for the non-insane Goodness of it. The Order are loons, and even the RoK and FoL can be weird at times, but Empyrean just seem like a bunch of reasonable people. No doubt Kael will tell us how they like to kick puppies soon though ;) For gameplay, RoK's really nice for the production and economy bonuses.

So hard to chose just one. They all have good uses, though I'd like to see them expanded even further. Probably... OO, thematicaly just can't beat that. And it's no slouch in power either. :cool: Empyrean is nice, very Arutherian. However that over council causes problems for my little vampire utopia.

The best thing about Rathas is their 'pedia entry...:mischief:

Now available with underbody neon lighting, spinner rims, and a spring loaded carbon brush suspension that allows you to "bounce" each wheel individually or together. Perfect for a night of pimping or out killing those heathen Doviello. (Note: warranty does not cover fireball damage.)
How long has that been there!?

It is funny, but of course it doesn't really seem to fit the Empyrean's theme. Pimping is definitely an Esus thing, and Slaying Heathen Doviello should be left to the Order.


I like Empyrean for the non-insane Goodness of it. The Order are loons, and even the RoK and FoL can be weird at times, but Empyrean just seem like a bunch of reasonable people. No doubt Kael will tell us how they like to kick puppies soon though ;) For gameplay, RoK's really nice for the production and economy bonuses.

No, they wouldn't kick puppies. Well, not unless the puppies were physically attacking them or their loved ones, and even then not until waiting for the results from an exploratory committee created to investigate the proper course of action. (Which really means never, since their deliberations would probably give the puppies a couple years to grow up first.)

How long has that been there!?
I think they added that as soon as they removed it from normal Chariot.

It is funny, but of course it doesn't really seem to fit the Esus theme. Pimping is definitely an Esus thing, and Slaying Heathen Doviello should be left to the Order.
You mean Empyrean Right?:confused:


No, they wouldn't kick puppies. Well, not unless the puppies were physically attacking them or their loved ones, and even then not until waiting for the results from an exploratory committee created to investigate the proper course of action. (Which really means never, since their deliberations would probably give the puppies a couple years to grow up first.)


They [The Emypean} wouldn't even lift a finger to save their own grandmothers from the Armies of Hell without orders signed in triplicate, sent in, sent back, queried, lost, found, subjected to public enquiry, lost again, and finally buried in soft peat for three months and recycled as firelighters.
Sorry, Couldn't Resist.:mischief:

The Empyrean only works well when there's an emergency, such as war.

Only then if there's a strong personality to force things through.

I've been playing the elves lately, so it's been FOL for me. I agree, though, that OO has the most flavor.

Only then if there's a strong personality to force things through.

Very, very true. Empyrean hero Chalid anyone?

We don't know anything about Chalid.

I made a topic on the lore board complaining about it but it didn't get any responses other than some guy chewing me out for whining about his portrait (if you recognize it, you know where I'm coming from.)

I'm aware of that.

FOL - Whatever I eventually intend doing, I usually try FOL for a bit to forest up.

It's so hard to choose one favourite religion. They're so different, fitted for different playing styles.
FoL is a no-brainer for the elves, I used to love it, but I'm taking a break from it right now.
RoK is great as your first religion, very solid economy-wise.
Empyrean, Esus, Order, Veil - those I use when the civ I'm playing fits it rp-wise.
At the moment OO is probably my favourite. Deep (;)) flavour and very good tactical possibilities (taking coastal city with Drowns emerging from the sea, preceded by a Tsunami - sweet :D).

How long has [rathas pedia] been there!? Probably since it was removed from the Malakim chariot (which is now a chariot with unique art) a unit Kael seems to have thought was especially spiffy.