Easy Starters

[lasombra1984]

There's many discussions about how powerful is Financial & Philosophical traits in a long run.
But IMO early game differs from long run.
This poll is about starting game powerhouse.

1. Strongest trait in the early game.
2. Strongest trait+starting tech combo

 

[Sidney Magal]

1- Creative
2- Gilgamesh.

 

[lasombra1984]

I have voted Creative myself. +2 culture is awesome in starting game...

Suryavarman of Khmer has easiest start. +2 culture from Creative, +2 health, cheap Granary & starting techs to get any early Happiness resource.
(Ivory+Gold start?)

 

[Framesticker]

It depends a lot on your starting position and how much room you have to expand, but I definitely go with Creative. Unless you're Charismatic (and I don't recall a Creative/Charismatic leader), Monuments are useless apart from their culture. So that's 30 hammers saved in EVERY city, which is amazing.
Other than that? Probably Charismatic. The +1 Happiness essentially translates into 1 more tile being worked early on and IMO is comparable with pure economic traits like Financial early on.

 

[CivilizedTiger]

Ha... 4 votes, all for creative so far. And based on what I've read in guides and other such posts, I'd say that it's quite plausible that creative will wind comfortably. (unless we get a lot of OCC players in here)

As for starting techs, agriculture and the wheel are the most expensive, one is always useful, one is often useful in the first city or a prereq for another very useful tech so...

Gilgamesh and Hatty have both the creative trait and those techs.
To be honest, though, I don't think starting techs are that relevant, agri+wheel are more of a "look how convenient" thing than "look what a great starting tech situation I have".

 

[vicawoo]

Financial is underrated early game, as 50% more commerce bonus means 50% less commerce tiles and more mines instead.

Imperialistic is ok if you can afford the maintenance.

Mining is universally useful, then agriculture since most starting food uses agriculture or animal husbandry. Hunting is good with huts.

 

[NihilZero]

To be honest, though, I don't think starting techs are that relevant, agri+wheel are more of a "look how convenient" thing than "look what a great starting tech situation I have".

I have to disagree. Try a game with AG and Wheel (Egypt, France, Babylon, Sumeria, Ottomans) or AG and Mining (China), and then compare it to how fast your start is with Mysticism and Hunting (HRE, Celts, Aztecs), or even Fishing and Hunting (Greece, Vikings). You will get your first cities up and running much faster with the better techs (assuming huts are off - Hunting becomes more of a wildcard with huts on as you might pop a tech or two).

Some of the weaker tech combinations are so slow that it's very hard to find a strategic resource before the barbs come and kill you on some maps.

On topic, I have to go with the no-brainer; Creative it is.

 

[lymond]

I voted Creative without even thinking about it and...well...i've never really thought of it in this way before. Financial is great but early it takes awhile to benefit (except coastal or gems/gold). Philosophical requires a library or a couple of wonders early, which aren't a sure thing.

I'd say Organize is pretty nice early and always.

Expansive for the fast workers is no slouch either. That can be a big different maker, especially if you have a 3h tile.

I think the thing that makes Creative great early is that it's the same no matter/tile bonuses. Quick border pops, no monuments, choking and land grab.

 

[WCH]

If your era is Ancient, then Creative is pretty awesome early on. If you do a later start it's not worth much.

 

[Zx Zero Zx]

Creative and Imperialistic are the strongest early game traits. Creative might be a little better.
As for the Creative leaders I like Happy Hatty a lot, and Justinian a lot too for Imperialistic. Both are excellent early game leaders.

 

[Absolute Zero]

It depends on how you define "early game"...but I jumped on the bandwagon and voted Creative, also.

As for strongest traits/tech combo, I'd say Hatty or Louis. Both are Creative and start with Agriculture + Wheel, which I think are generally the best starting techs.

 

[Izmir Stinger]

It depends on how you define "early game." I almost voted for Creative but second guessed myself into picking Expansive. Quick border pops are great and are obviously the very first thing any given city can benefit from. The quick granaries are also an early benefit, and they continue to pay dividends, and faster workers are also a good way to get a head start. Overall, I'd say it is more valuable early, and throughout the whole game.

 

[Sporknife]

I like willem for the early game... It's obvious why creative is good, and cheap libraries + financial means getting 200+ beakers by 1ad.

 

[Iranon]

Depends on how we look at it. ORG doesn't give very impressive bonuses straight away, but the knowledge that I can push my economy harder will affect my early play in a very helpful manner. Hmm.

Still, I'm voting EXP for this one. A nice head start in most game. Fast granaries make new cities productive more quickly, so it's a fine trait for moderate expansion as well as for a panicked land grab.
IMP gives us more when we really need the help (bad start making worker first impractical / need blocking cities ASAP, sod the economy) but on average I don't think it gives quite as much of an initial edge.

Obligatory whinging: Hate CRE. Much convenience, little gain. Settling in a way that doesn't require most cities to have their own culture may well be ideal; even if it isn't it's rarely a big concession. For fighting culture pressure, I'd usually prefer the ability to get a throwaway blocking city for cheap or the ability to whip a cheap wonder where I need it.

 

[Casper84]

Creative for quick border pops and faster library and Financial. Coastal tiles give extra commerce, prioritize riverside cottages, maybe riverside fur or if you beeline calendar you get extra commerce on spices and silk I think. Also wine with Monarchy (easy to get with the Oracle as well - which reminds me of the marble commerce bonus). Anyway, great opportunities for an early economic boost. Personal preference.

 

[Little Faith]

Despite being a Creative junkie n00blar, I voted Expansive.
Cheap workers, in my humble opinion, is the most significant discount of all, and granaries just happen.

I'm with Iranon regarding ORG as well. The building discounts factor in in this. There's a reason everyone loves playing as Mehmed.
That said the early libraries of CRE should not be underestimated (especially when we factor in the turns/population not spent building monuments. Scientists everywhere can do a great job at lessening the sting of the inevitable crash. Combine it with PHI and you get the reason why people love Perry.

 

[Issus]

Creative is nice but charismatic is better in most situations, plus one happy face per city and another for a monument, and the monument will provide you culture.

 

[Ataxerxes]

I voted Creative and expected it to win, but this is a huge margin.

It does depend upon how you define "early game" though. Creative is the strongest in the very early game and you really appreciate it when you have it early. However, it and Protective are the worst late-game traits.

The exception would be Rome. Early game, Organized is best.

I'd agree with Sidney, Gilgamesh is the best early game leader. Super-early cheap courthouses, Creative, very nice UU. He's Protective, but you can't have everything unless you're Huayna Capac. But remember, you have to leverage him early game to get out the gate fast. If you haven't, he's a very poor late-game leader. He has nothing for the late game except early Courthouses you've probably already built and Drill I Gunpowder (for what that's worth).

 

[Iranon]

Oh, forgot the second part... Mehmed wins this one in my opinion.
Ideal starting techs - the most expensive ones and consistently useful and a great trait combination.

 

[ICNP]

Creative is nice but charismatic is better in most situations, plus one happy face per city and another for a monument, and the monument will provide you culture.

Yeah second guessing myself I'd put down Charsimatic. You can avoid Monarchy for a while longer and make better use of whipping. Not to mention if you get Stonehenge its like a free Temple in every city.

Expansive is pretty cool too, its just the health bonus comes late, but its hard to argue against cheap grain, but you still can't whip up a storm like charismatic.

Worst is probably either Industrious or Philosophical since they provide pretty much nothing unless your going for an early wonder, which is rare.