Clam Spammer
Prince
When you found your first religion, do you immediately adopt it as your state religion or do you delay this until later on?
I have found that in my games I usually wait until adopting a religion will start having clear benefits, such as:
- Religious civic effects (usually I don't go for Monotheism so OR comes later. Besides that it's not my preferred civic choice)
- Minaret/Sankore bonuses
- Relations boost if another civ adopts the religion
- The extra happy face if I really need it (This isn't so urgent on Noble which I play).
The only possible exceptions are Spiritual leaders who don't suffer Anarchy when switching religions.
As far as I can see, adopting a religion before its effects really come into play can only be harmful. Chances are it will hurt your relations with a sizeable group of AI civs, especially if your religion is founded after the first two or three have started to take hold. Also, you don't get culture from other religions (if a new city suddenly becomes Holy it can save you a lot of effort with border pops, but not if you are running a state religion already). In extreme cases the Anarchy period could cause you to lose the race for a wonder or another religion.
Besides all this, I often find that my second religion spreads faster than the first due to the free missionary.
I would like to know what you think of this idea. What do you do when your first religion is founded? Am I doing the right thing or not? Do you found religions at all?
I have found that in my games I usually wait until adopting a religion will start having clear benefits, such as:
- Religious civic effects (usually I don't go for Monotheism so OR comes later. Besides that it's not my preferred civic choice)
- Minaret/Sankore bonuses
- Relations boost if another civ adopts the religion
- The extra happy face if I really need it (This isn't so urgent on Noble which I play).
The only possible exceptions are Spiritual leaders who don't suffer Anarchy when switching religions.
As far as I can see, adopting a religion before its effects really come into play can only be harmful. Chances are it will hurt your relations with a sizeable group of AI civs, especially if your religion is founded after the first two or three have started to take hold. Also, you don't get culture from other religions (if a new city suddenly becomes Holy it can save you a lot of effort with border pops, but not if you are running a state religion already). In extreme cases the Anarchy period could cause you to lose the race for a wonder or another religion.
Besides all this, I often find that my second religion spreads faster than the first due to the free missionary.
I would like to know what you think of this idea. What do you do when your first religion is founded? Am I doing the right thing or not? Do you found religions at all?