Unique Ability Elimination Thread

[crawf0rd]

Same rules as the other elimination threads, +1 to boost an ability you like, -2 to hurt an ability you don't like. Give reasons why! Without them your vote doesn't count and may be flagged for spam!
Unique Abilities:

Manifest Destiny: All land military units have +1 sight. 50% discount when purchasing tiles.
Trade Caravans: +1 Gold from each Trade Route and Oil Resources provide double quantity.
Diplomatic Marriage: Can spend Gold to annex or puppet an allied City-State.
Sacrificial Captives: Gains Culture for the empire from each enemy unit killed.
Ingenuity: Receive free Great Scientist when you discover Writing. Earn Great Scientists 50% faster.
Patriarchate of Constantinople: Choose one more Belief than normal when you found a Religion.
Phoenician Heritage: All coastal Cities get a free Harbor. Units may cross mountains after the first Great General is earned, taking 50 HP damage if they end a turn on a mountain.
Druidic Lore:+1 Faith per city with an adjacent unimproved Forest. Bonus increases to +2 Faith in Cities with 3 or more adjacent unimproved Forest tiles.
Art of War: The Great General combat bonus is increased by 15%, and their spawn rate is increased by 50%.
Viking Fury: Embarked units have +1 Movement and pay just 1 movement point to move from sea to land. Melee units pay no movement point cost to pillage.
Monument Builders: +20% Production towards Wonder construction.
Sun Never Sets: +2 Movement for all naval units. Receives 1 extra Spy.
Spirit of Adwa: Combat bonus (+20%) when fighting units from a Civilization with more Cities than Ethiopia.
Ancien Régime: +2 Culture per turn from Cities before discovering Steam Power.
Furor Teutonicus: Upon defeating a Barbarian unit inside an encampment, there is a 50% chance you earn 25 Gold and they join your side.
Hellenic League: City-State influence degrades at half and recovers at twice the normal rate.
Scourge of God: Raze Cities at double speed. Borrow City names from other in-game Civs. Start with Animal Husbandry technology. +1 Production per Pasture.
Great Andean Road: Units ignore terrain costs when moving into any tile with Hills. No maintenance costs for improvements in Hills; half cost elsewhere.
Population Growth: Unhappiness from number of Cities doubled, Unhappiness from number of Citizens halved.
The Great Warpath: Units move through Forest and Jungle in friendly territory as if it is Road. These tiles can be used to establish Trade Routes upon researching The Wheel.
Bushido: Units fight as though they were at full strength even when damaged.
Scholars of the Jade Hall: +2 science for all specialists and for all Great Person tile improvements. Receive a tech boost each time a scientific building/Wonder is built in the Korean capital.
The Long Count: After researching Theology, receive a bonus Great Person at the end of every Maya Long Count calendar cycle (every 394 years). Each bonus person can only be chosen once.
Mongol Terror: Combat Strength +30% when fighting City-State units or attacking a City-State itself. All mounted units have +1 Movement.
Dutch East India Company: Retains 50% of the Happiness benefits from a Luxury Resource if your last copy of it is traded away.
Barbary Corsairs: All melee naval units have the Prize Ships promotion, allowing them to capture defeated ships. Pay only one-third the usual cost for naval unit maintenance.
Achaemenid Legacy: Golden Ages last 50% longer. During a Golden Age, units recieve +1 Movement and a +10% Combat Strength bonus.
Wayfinding: Can embark and move over Oceans immediately. +1 Sight when embarked. +10% Combat Strength bonus if within 2 tiles of a Moai.
The Glory of Rome: +25% Production towards any buildings that already exist in the Capital.
Siberian Riches: Strategic Resources provide +1 Production and Horse, Iron and Uranium Resources provide double quantity.
Father Governs Children: Food, Culture and Faith from friendly City-States increased by 50%.
River Warlord: Receive triple Gold from Barbarian encampments and pillaging Cities. Land units gain the War Canoe and Amphibious promotions, strengthening them while embarked.
Seven Cities of Gold: Gold bonus for discovering a Natural Wonder (bonus enhanced if first to discover it). Culture, happiness, and tile yields from Natural Wonders doubled.
Nobel Prize: Gain 90 Influence with a Great Person gift to a City-State. When declaring friendship, Sweden and their friend gain a +10% boost to Great Person generation.


Final Results
1. Achaemenid Legacy
2. Scholars of the Jade Hall
3. Sacrificial Captives
4. Great Andean Road
5. Nobel Prize
6. Sun Never Sets
7. Hellenic League
8. Art of War
9. Phoenician Heritage
10. Siberian Riches
11. Dutch East India Company
12. The Glory of Rome
13. Ingenuity
14. Ancien Régime
15. Father Governs Children
16. River Warlord
17. Seven Cities of Gold
18. Monument Builders
19. Manifest Destiny
20. Diplomatic Marriage
21. Viking Fury
22. The Long Count
23. Wayfinding
24. Bushido
25. The Great Warpath
26. Trade Caravans
27. Spirit of Adwa
28. Mongol Terror
29. Druidic Lore
30. Barbary Corsairs
31. Scourge of God
32. Patriarchate of Constantinople
33. Furor Teutonicus
34. Population Growth

[Gucumatz]

I will get this one started !

I will upvote Denmark's UA - Why - because it is the most amazing thing about them and fits entirely in my style of combat. Blitzkrieg! Being able to land a unit from the sea, ignore ZOC (if done properly), move, set up and fire (if a siege unit) and attack all on the same turn is amazing

Downvote. Yea... any question? India's will go down first.

Manifest Destiny 20
Trade Caravans 20
Diplomatic Marriage 20
Sacrificial Captives 20
Ingenuity 20
Patriarchate of Constantinople 20
Phoenician Heritage 20
Druidic Lore 20
Art of War 20
Viking Fury 21
Monument Builders 20
Sun Never Sets 20
Spirit of Adwa 20
Ancien Regime 20
Furor Teutonicus 20
Hellinic League 20
Scourge of God 20
Great Andean Road 20
Population Growth 18
The Great Warpath 20
Bushido 20
Scholars of the Jade Hall 20
The Long Count 20
Mongol Terror 20
Dutch East India Company 20
Barbary Corsairs 20
Achaemenid Legacy 20
Wayfinding 20
The Glory of Rome 20
Siberian Riches 20
Father Governs Children 20
Seven Cities of Gold 20
Nobel Prize 20

[Art Grin]

Manifest Destiny 20
Trade Caravans 20
Diplomatic Marriage 20
Sacrificial Captives 20
Ingenuity 20
Patriarchate of Constantinople 20
Phoenician Heritage 20
Druidic Lore 20
Art of War 20
Viking Fury 21
Monument Builders 20
Sun Never Sets 20
Spirit of Adwa 20
Ancien Regime 20
Furor Teutonicus 20
Hellinic League 20
Scourge of God 20
Great Andean Road 20
Population Growth 16
The Great Warpath 20
Bushido 20
Scholars of the Jade Hall 20
The Long Count 20
Mongol Terror 20
Dutch East India Company 21
Barbary Corsairs 20
Achaemenid Legacy 20
Wayfinding 20
The Glory of Rome 20
Siberian Riches 20
Father Governs Children 20
Seven Cities of Gold 20
Nobel Prize 20


Population Growth: Boring, unimaginitive and very restricting to gamestyle.
Dutch East India Company: You can become so rich in the first few turns without becoming unhappy and thanks to the money you can expand faster then any one else.

[crawf0rd]

Manifest Destiny 20
Trade Caravans 20
Diplomatic Marriage 20
Sacrificial Captives 20
Ingenuity 20
Patriarchate of Constantinople 20
Phoenician Heritage 20
Druidic Lore 20
Art of War 20
Viking Fury 21
Monument Builders 20
Sun Never Sets 20
Spirit of Adwa 20
Ancien Regime 20
Furor Teutonicus 20
Hellenic League 20
Scourge of God 20
Great Andean Road 20
Population Growth 16
The Great Warpath 20
Bushido 20
Scholars of the Jade Hall 20
The Long Count 20
Mongol Terror 20
Dutch East India Company 21
Barbary Corsairs 20
Achaemenid Legacy 20
Wayfinding 20
The Glory of Rome 20
Siberian Riches 20
Father Governs Children 20
Seven Cities of Gold 20
Nobel Prize 20

Fixed a spelling error on my part.

[Dogmouth]

Manifest Destiny 20
Trade Caravans 20
Diplomatic Marriage 20
Sacrificial Captives 20
Ingenuity 20
Patriarchate of Constantinople 20
Phoenician Heritage 20
Druidic Lore 20
Art of War 20
Viking Fury 21
Monument Builders 20
Sun Never Sets 20
Spirit of Adwa 20
Ancien Regime 20
Furor Teutonicus 20
Hellenic League 20
Scourge of God 20
Great Andean Road 21 (+1)
Population Growth 14 (-2)
The Great Warpath 20
Bushido 20
Scholars of the Jade Hall 20
The Long Count 20
Mongol Terror 20
Dutch East India Company 21
Barbary Corsairs 20
Achaemenid Legacy 20
Wayfinding 20
The Glory of Rome 20
Siberian Riches 20
Father Governs Children 20
Seven Cities of Gold 20
Nobel Prize 20

I hate to be so predictable, but India's UA has the distinction of being worse than nothing in most circumstances.

The Great Andean Road = early cash, cash that scales with empire size and puppets, early scouting, and the ability to move into a defensive position and attack on the same turn. What's not to love?

[maurcus]

Manifest Destiny 20
Trade Caravans 20
Diplomatic Marriage 20
Sacrificial Captives 20
Ingenuity 20
Patriarchate of Constantinople 20
Phoenician Heritage 21 (+1) a huge boost when put to good use
Druidic Lore 20
Art of War 20
Viking Fury 21
Monument Builders 20
Sun Never Sets 20
Spirit of Adwa 20
Ancien Regime 20
Furor Teutonicus 20
Hellenic League 20
Scourge of God 20
Great Andean Road 21
Population Growth 14
The Great Warpath 20
Bushido 20
Scholars of the Jade Hall 20
The Long Count 20
Mongol Terror 18 (-2) i dont fight cs
Dutch East India Company 21
Barbary Corsairs 20
Achaemenid Legacy 20
Wayfinding 20
The Glory of Rome 20
Siberian Riches 20
Father Governs Children 20
Seven Cities of Gold 20
Nobel Prize 20

[Tabarnak]

Manifest Destiny 20
Trade Caravans 20
Diplomatic Marriage 20
Sacrificial Captives 20
Ingenuity 20
Patriarchate of Constantinople 20
Phoenician Heritage 21
Druidic Lore 20
Art of War 20
Viking Fury 21
Monument Builders 20
Sun Never Sets 20
Spirit of Adwa 20
Ancien Regime 20
Furor Teutonicus 20
Hellenic League 20
Scourge of God 20
Great Andean Road 21
Population Growth 12
The Great Warpath 20
Bushido 20
Scholars of the Jade Hall 20
The Long Count 21
Mongol Terror 18
Dutch East India Company 21
Barbary Corsairs 20
Achaemenid Legacy 20
Wayfinding 20
The Glory of Rome 20
Siberian Riches 20
Father Governs Children 20
Seven Cities of Gold 20
Nobel Prize 20

The Long Count : Very useful once you get Theology. First gps can appear pretty fast if you really beeline that tech. And you can choose them.

Population Growth : Was decent pre GnK but devs really should adapt this UA to the new reality. Happiness is more abundant and it's hard to ReX when you don't settle directly on luxuries, thing that you cannot afford every game.

[insaneweasel]

Manifest Destiny 18
Trade Caravans 20
Diplomatic Marriage 20
Sacrificial Captives 20
Ingenuity 20
Patriarchate of Constantinople 20
Phoenician Heritage 21
Druidic Lore 20
Art of War 20
Viking Fury 21
Monument Builders 20
Sun Never Sets 20
Spirit of Adwa 20
Ancien Regime 20
Furor Teutonicus 20
Hellenic League 20
Scourge of God 20
Great Andean Road 21
Population Growth 13
The Great Warpath 20
Bushido 20
Scholars of the Jade Hall 20
The Long Count 21
Mongol Terror 18
Dutch East India Company 21
Barbary Corsairs 20
Achaemenid Legacy 20
Wayfinding 20
The Glory of Rome 20
Siberian Riches 20
Father Governs Children 20
Seven Cities of Gold 20
Nobel Prize 20

Population growth isn't bad...it just leads to a different style of play, but most of your unhappiness comes from citizens anyway.

Manifest Destiny: Provides almost no economic bonus. Buying tiles is usually a waste and doesn't cost much. It should be -50% cost to gold AND culture for getting a tile.

[Mesix]

Manifest Destiny 18
Trade Caravans 20
Diplomatic Marriage 18 (-2)
Sacrificial Captives 20
Ingenuity 20
Patriarchate of Constantinople 20
Phoenician Heritage 21
Druidic Lore 20
Art of War 20
Viking Fury 21
Monument Builders 20
Sun Never Sets 20
Spirit of Adwa 20
Ancien Regime 20
Furor Teutonicus 20
Hellenic League 20
Scourge of God 20
Great Andean Road 21
Population Growth 13
The Great Warpath 20
Bushido 20
Scholars of the Jade Hall 21 (+1)
The Long Count 21
Mongol Terror 18
Dutch East India Company 21
Barbary Corsairs 20
Achaemenid Legacy 20
Wayfinding 20
The Glory of Rome 20
Siberian Riches 20
Father Governs Children 20
Seven Cities of Gold 20
Nobel Prize 20

Maybe I have been playing Korea too much with test games for GOTM 44 and the various science comparison test games. The +2 per specialist and great person tile improvement really adds up. The bonus bulb from building science buildings (which I want to build anyway) in Seoul is the icing on the cake.

I think Austria's Diplomatic Marriage is very gimmicky and borderline broken. Is it powerful to get a quick mercenary army along with a city for 500 ?...sure. It just seems like a stupid mechanic. I don't like to play Austria because it feels like cheating and when I see Austria in the game I try to eliminate her early...not because she is a threat but because the design of the UA is so poor that it can ruin the game. On the last point, if the CS would remain CS so that when I capture them they can be liberated (and not be given the option to burn them), then I wouldn't dislike it quite as much. Austria really needs to be fixed.

[seancolorado]

Manifest Destiny 18
Trade Caravans +1 21
Diplomatic Marriage 20
Sacrificial Captives 20
Ingenuity 20
Patriarchate of Constantinople 20
Phoenician Heritage 21
Druidic Lore 20
Art of War 20
Viking Fury 21
Monument Builders 20
Sun Never Sets 20
Spirit of Adwa 20
Ancien Regime 20
Furor Teutonicus 20
Hellenic League 20
Scourge of God 20
Great Andean Road 21
Population Growth -2 11
The Great Warpath 20
Bushido 20
Scholars of the Jade Hall 20
The Long Count 21
Mongol Terror 18
Dutch East India Company 21
Barbary Corsairs 20
Achaemenid Legacy 20
Wayfinding 20
The Glory of Rome 20
Siberian Riches 20
Father Governs Children 20
Seven Cities of Gold 20
Nobel Prize 20

Population Growth: Let's be honest, it's the first to go so I want to get rid of it as fast as possible. Just so uninspiring (Germany, you came close)

Trade Caravans: That +1 gold has you swimming in cash by the end of the game and excess cash is always good to have when the going gets rough. Extra oil always useful

[Rooftrellen]

Manifest Destiny 18
Trade Caravans 21
Diplomatic Marriage 20
Sacrificial Captives 20
Ingenuity 20
Patriarchate of Constantinople 20
Phoenician Heritage 22 (+1)
Druidic Lore 20
Art of War 20
Viking Fury 19 (-2)
Monument Builders 20
Sun Never Sets 20
Spirit of Adwa 20
Ancien Regime 20
Furor Teutonicus 20
Hellenic League 20
Scourge of God 20
Great Andean Road 21
Population Growth 11
The Great Warpath 20
Bushido 20
Scholars of the Jade Hall 20
The Long Count 21
Mongol Terror 18
Dutch East India Company 21
Barbary Corsairs 20
Achaemenid Legacy 20
Wayfinding 20
The Glory of Rome 20
Siberian Riches 20
Father Governs Children 20
Seven Cities of Gold 20
Nobel Prize 20

Free harbors alone is awesome beyond words. Traveling over mountains is more situational, but occasionally it's game changing. More often it's used once or twice in a game, just as a shortcut.

Viking Fury simply does nothing for me.

[de_baser]

Manifest Destiny 18
Trade Caravans 21
Diplomatic Marriage 20
Sacrificial Captives 20
Ingenuity 20
Patriarchate of Constantinople 20
Phoenician Heritage 22
Druidic Lore 20
Art of War 20
Viking Fury 19
Monument Builders 20
Sun Never Sets 21 (+1)
Spirit of Adwa 20
Ancien Regime 20
Furor Teutonicus 18 (-2)
Hellenic League 20
Scourge of God 20
Great Andean Road 21
Population Growth 11
The Great Warpath 20
Bushido 20
Scholars of the Jade Hall 20
The Long Count 21
Mongol Terror 18
Dutch East India Company 21
Barbary Corsairs 20
Achaemenid Legacy 20
Wayfinding 20
The Glory of Rome 20
Siberian Riches 20
Father Governs Children 20
Seven Cities of Gold 20
Nobel Prize 20


England's UA: Amazing abaility to have 4 movement embarked units from the start, Caravales with 10 movement and other ridiculous ships. Add this to commerce +1movement and Great Lighthouse (which you can at least always capture with such a great navy anyway!) is just extreme.

Germany's UA: Just stupid. Capture a brute, disband. Boring stuff.

[Seabastian Civ]

Manifest Destiny 18
Trade Caravans 21
Diplomatic Marriage 20
Sacrificial Captives 20
Ingenuity 20
Patriarchate of Constantinople 20
Phoenician Heritage 22
Druidic Lore 20
Art of War 21 (+1) +30% generals and you get tons of them... China has the best UA/UU/UB synergy of any civ, in my opinion.
Viking Fury 19
Monument Builders 20
Sun Never Sets 21
Spirit of Adwa 20
Ancien Regime 20
Furor Teutonicus 16 (-2) Terrible UA. If barbs kept pace with the units you could make, maybe it would be helpful. I hate "winning" a "Brute" in 1000 AD. -25% Maintenence is nice, and has nice synergy with UU, but still not as good as many other UAs.
Hellenic League 20
Scourge of God 20
Great Andean Road 21
Population Growth 11
The Great Warpath 20
Bushido 20
Scholars of the Jade Hall 20
The Long Count 21
Mongol Terror 18
Dutch East India Company 21
Barbary Corsairs 20
Achaemenid Legacy 20
Wayfinding 20
The Glory of Rome 20
Siberian Riches 20
Father Governs Children 20
Seven Cities of Gold 20
Nobel Prize 20

[Gucumatz]

Manifest Destiny 18
Trade Caravans 21
Diplomatic Marriage 20
Sacrificial Captives 20
Ingenuity 20
Patriarchate of Constantinople 20
Phoenician Heritage 22
Druidic Lore 20
Art of War 21
Viking Fury 20 (+1). This UA is amazing. Its the UA that makes the whole Civ worth playing. But rather than the brute force it implies - tactics is where it shines. If you are a tactical player this UA is for you
Monument Builders 20
Sun Never Sets 21
Spirit of Adwa 20
Ancien Regime 20
Furor Teutonicus 16
Hellenic League 20
Scourge of God 20
Great Andean Road 21
Population Growth 9 (-2) When it sinks it sinks. Warmongering with India is nearly out of the question - which is sad considering the best thing about India is its elephant
The Great Warpath 20
Bushido 20
Scholars of the Jade Hall 20
The Long Count 21
Mongol Terror 18
Dutch East India Company 21
Barbary Corsairs 20
Achaemenid Legacy 20
Wayfinding 20
The Glory of Rome 20
Siberian Riches 20
Father Governs Children 20
Seven Cities of Gold 20
Nobel Prize 20

[Carl5872]

Side note: What is the war canoe promotion for Askia?

Manifest Destiny 18
Trade Caravans 21
Diplomatic Marriage 20
Sacrificial Captives 20
Ingenuity 20
Patriarchate of Constantinople 20
Phoenician Heritage 22
Druidic Lore 20
Art of War 21
Viking Fury 19
Monument Builders 20
Sun Never Sets 21
Spirit of Adwa 20
Ancien Regime 20
Furor Teutonicus 17 (+1)
Hellenic League 20
Scourge of God 20
Great Andean Road 21
Population Growth 11
The Great Warpath 18 (-2)
Bushido 20
Scholars of the Jade Hall 20
The Long Count 21
Mongol Terror 18
Dutch East India Company 21
Barbary Corsairs 20
Achaemenid Legacy 20
Wayfinding 20
The Glory of Rome 20
Siberian Riches 20
Father Governs Children 20
Seven Cities of Gold 20
Nobel Prize 20

Furor Teutonics - I find that it adds variety to game play. you can generate an early army purely by fighting. I honestly think this would be a better UA for the Huns though. I do agree with above poster that the barbs dont catch up with you, but I think that this is something that should be patched by the barbarian being a random unit, not necessarily the one you killed. Maybe draw from a pool of the units the least advanced player could make.

The great warpath I find rather weak. Outside of your city and a little extra theres not that much forest, so the double movement is sporadic. The trade routes require the forests be in your cultural boarders to work, so its really a hassle.

[Dogmouth]

Originally Posted by Carl5872

Side note: What is the war canoe promotion for Askia?

Double Defense for embarked units. It's the least important part of Askia's abilities, but it can help if you don't feel like creating a navy (or even a coastal city).

[Carl5872]

Originally Posted by Dogmouth

Double Defense for embarked units. It's the least important part of Askia's abilities, but it can help if you don't feel like creating a navy (or even a coastal city).

Thanks. It also can be used to put a scout on auto explore once you get the tech that lets units into oceans.

[Tabarnak]

Manifest Destiny 18
Trade Caravans 21
Diplomatic Marriage 20
Sacrificial Captives 20
Ingenuity 20
Patriarchate of Constantinople 20
Phoenician Heritage 22
Druidic Lore 20
Art of War 21
Viking Fury 19
Monument Builders 20
Sun Never Sets 21
Spirit of Adwa 20
Ancien Regime 20
Furor Teutonicus 17
Hellenic League 20
Scourge of God 20
Great Andean Road 21
Population Growth 9
The Great Warpath 18
Bushido 20
Scholars of the Jade Hall 20
The Long Count 21
Mongol Terror 18
Dutch East India Company 21
Barbary Corsairs 20
Achaemenid Legacy 20
Wayfinding 20
The Glory of Rome 21
Siberian Riches 20
Father Governs Children 20
Seven Cities of Gold 20
Nobel Prize 20

Glory of Rome : 25% bonus production from stuff already build in capital is huge. All you need is to rush buy the building and start others in other cities to get an insane bonus

Population Growth : Hmm...Still alive? Same reason than yesterday.

[Wabango]

Manifest Destiny 16
Trade Caravans 21
Diplomatic Marriage 20
Sacrificial Captives 20
Ingenuity 21
Patriarchate of Constantinople 20
Phoenician Heritage 22
Druidic Lore 20
Art of War 21
Viking Fury 19
Monument Builders 20
Sun Never Sets 21
Spirit of Adwa 20
Ancien Regime 20
Furor Teutonicus 17
Hellenic League 20
Scourge of God 20
Great Andean Road 21
Population Growth 9
The Great Warpath 18
Bushido 20
Scholars of the Jade Hall 20
The Long Count 21
Mongol Terror 18
Dutch East India Company 21
Barbary Corsairs 20
Achaemenid Legacy 20
Wayfinding 20
The Glory of Rome 21
Siberian Riches 20
Father Governs Children 20
Seven Cities of Gold 20
Nobel Prize 20

[Seabastian Civ]

Did you forget River Warlord?

Also, I assume its 1 vote per day?