Ensure a religion for Byzantium after Emperor?

I enjoy the extra belief featured in Byzantium's UA, but in most games I play, it's as much a gamble in application as Spain's UA. For Byz players, how do you ensure (>85%) a religion in higher-tiered games? Is it even possible?

Also, do people even consider Asceticism or Religious Center for Follower Beliefs? If so, when?

At Immortal:
You can get 85%+ rate by going Piety as your first tree, picking the top left one as your second policy. (That's not necessarily a good idea overall to go this way though ... )

In addition, if you play with Legendary map setting, my best guesstimate on Immortal is that 70% of starts would combine for a suitable pantheon / avoiding too many of the wrong AI opponents to found a religion even if go Tradition and skip all early wonders.

But if you don't have a suitable pantheon, then founding a religion will all come down to having to build Stonehenge; and my best guesstimate on Immortal on being able to successful build this wonder is 45%. (A slightly above average hammer start needed)

Religious Center is often my first follower when I go Tradition. No faith required to build the boring Temple and you still get two happiness.

I think Asceticism is the one that gives 1 happiness from Shrines??? If so, it's a plan B if I get beat out to better happiness beliefs.

Agree with Joncnunn. Going piety will virtually ensure you a religion though not necessarily a good one. Reason being, that far less AI go piety than there are available religions. Even if a few others get super lucky with a pantheon/terrain/CS alliance there is typically 2-3 left in my experience. I play immortal. I think piety opener should work in Deity just as well but haven't tried byzantium at that level...just immortal.

Now note, unless you get it super fast, your extra belief may still be crap if all the good things are taken. But don't underestimate the power of underused beliefs either...some of the medium-level ones are quite nice and can synergize really well. For instance, if you take as your extra belief another founder belief or a missionary power-up belief and go aggressive with spreading your religion then that combo can be quite powerful and there's usually plenty of these kinds of beliefs left.

I couldn't have an opportunity to try a religious civilization on Deity yet, but opening-up with piety is a must. Search for ruins and religious CS with multiple scouts in the very early game. Natural wonders are a bonus, and a faith-
related pantheon should be considered to secure your religion.

Enviado de meu ST25a usando o Tapatalk 2

We know the game mechanic for using two pantheons exists because we have the Religious Tolerance SP. I propose that Byzantium should get two pantheons as soon as they earn enough faith for one.

This way, they should be able to found a better religion, so that the extra follower belief would be more interesting and competitive.

Bliss said:

I couldn't have an opportunity to try a religious civilization on Deity yet, but opening-up with piety is a must. Search for ruins and religious CS with multiple scouts in the very early game. Natural wonders are a bonus, and a faith-
related pantheon should be considered to secure your religion.

Enviado de meu ST25a usando o Tapatalk 2

Click to expand...

Don't bother with a Scout, starting with a Monument and then opening up Piety and the extra Faith policy is a far more reliable way to get a good and quick(ish) Pantheon. Of course, you want to have useful resources if you do that.

I've built Stonehenge in 99% of my Immortal games, ensuring a religion.

The Great Engineer which spawns at around turn 150 from the wonder allows me to later snag Leaning Tower of Pisa if my faith is good enough as well as Sistine Chapel from the free GE.

If my science isn't great I go straight for SC.

I've never failed to get a religion with Byzantium by building Stonehenge.

There is still generally at least 1 religion left by turn 85-90+, which is plenty of time. For Immortal, that is.

I say generally because, sure, you will still get that random game where every AI seems to go religion, or get lucky with faith naturals or CS alliances.

Outside of the random factor, you can still get a religion 85%+ of the time.

Deity is a gamble, just reload until you get a start that allows for it. Even if you could force it, the amount of time and resources spent doing so would probably set you back in more critical areas. Start a map, play for the first 40-50 turns. If nothing religious is going your way, restart and try again.

There is a reason why Byzantium is often ranked as one of The Worst deity civs

As far as I'm concerned, re-rolling the map with Byzantium is fair game; just like it is with Spain. Get Desert Folklore, or a NW. Or re-roll.