"Must Have" Wonders?

[sourboy]

Just curious which wonders, both world and national, that people consider "must have".

I'm learning the basics still, and so my difficulty level doesn't require me to build wonders... I'm trying to understand the game so I can look at each wonder and say "yeah that will help me" or "waste of time". There's a few that interest me, but I've not considered all options yet.

 

[LightSpectra]

The Great Library is the only wonder I strive for in every game.

Stonehenge if you're playing a Charismatic leader.

 

[Spearthrower]

ALL OF THEM!!!

Ahhh hmmm.... sorry, builder's voice took over!

I play about 50% of my games wonder-heavy, which can be done even on higher levels with a lot of focus on it.

Key ones for me - obviously depending on the situation

Pyramids, G Library, Sistine, Statue of Zeus, Statue of Liberty, Taj Mahal.... later wonders I tend to be able to snatch up because I play production heavy -these are the ones I need to compete for!

 

[bonafide11]

I try not to depend on any wonder every game. Sometimes I will go for the Pyramids, sometimes I'll go for the Oracle, but I don't always go for the same wonders because I don't like to be wonder dependent. But I don't build too many wonders as it is, though I have no problem conquering them.

There are a few wonders that I never build, but I'll sometimes go out of my way to conquer. The Pyramids are the early wonder like this, but I also love to take the Mausoleum of Maus... (sp?) or the Cristo Redentor.

 

[phungus420]

The AP. It's so powerful it feels like an exploit, if you spread your religion right, you can control a religious block that wars together, allowing you to conquer all, with relatively no diplo hits you care about.

 

[sydhe]

I usually go after the Oracle, Great Library and Spiral Minaret. The last is a huge help financially if you have a religion.

 

[Dnomal]

Depends what strategy you're going for of course....

Pyramids are always great to have, although some times it can be better to just conquer them, rather than build them, still hat said i oten build them, (running representation is SUCH a shot in the arm.

I ALWAYS go for the Great Library, it's a fantastic boost, and will be giving you GSs like...er...a lot.

If I'm going for a cultural victory I might work a temple exploist, e.g Sistine Chapel, University of Sankour, Spiral Minaret, Apostolic Palace, (all that gives eash temple 1 happines, 5 culture, 2 production, 2 research, 2 gold), that works well if you're spiritual and you can build them quick and fast.

Oracle is fantastic to build early. Statue of Liberty is ACE, that's why the AI rarely trades techs on the way to it....

The cristo Redentor is really good, i really recommend it, as is the effiel tower, oh and the Three Gorgeres Dam.

TBH it really depends on your playstyle, if you're peaceful there's no point going for the Pentagon, but if you run a massiv military empire it's essential (well not essentiall but really usefull.)

AS far as National Wonders go the Globe Theater and National WOnder are fantastic, no game goes by when I don't build them.

I'm something of an obbsesie builder, (which I'm no weening myself of in BTS, or i get wiped out by the Physcho AI.)

 

[Lurking Liu]

I definitely go for The Pyramids and/or The Hanging Gardens. Neither for their effect, necessarily, so much as for the Great Engineer points they generate.

Other than that, and I realize I play wonder-heavy, I go for:
Great Wall--Ignore barbarians, get more Generals.
Great Library--Research is always good.
Apostalic Palace--Ensure it'll be in my religion, so I benefit from the hammers.
Statue of Liberty--Obvious.
Pentagon--Also obvious.

 

[Antilogic]

I try not to depend on any wonder every game. Sometimes I will go for the Pyramids, sometimes I'll go for the Oracle, but I don't always go for the same wonders because I don't like to be wonder dependent. But I don't build too many wonders as it is, though I have no problem conquering them.

Huzzah, the voice of sanity beckons!

The one reason why I don't care for a specialist economy is because it is quite wonder-dependent (Pyramids for Representation). I tend to build a few wonders based on what resources I have...if I have stone, then I'll go for wonders that build faster with stone. Same with marble, and the more exotic resources (Colossus with copper, Statue of Zeus with ivory, S. Paya with gold).

If I had to pick my favorite early on, I'd say the Oracle for free tech. However, I don't even research the Mysticism path in half my games (I'll trade for it while focusing on other techs). Besides, if you miss your favorite wonder, then the game is ruined for you. Don't depend on wonders, then you'll still be good to go.

 

[toft]

Any wonder that give GProphet points for my religion, so I can cash in a bit more money. For this Stonehenge isnt bad, adds culture; ergo a better city-defence in the beginning. After that, its purely how the game evolves... not one game is as the previous.

 

[RockTheCazbah87]

I'm usually a Wonder Whore, but a few key ones for me are the Pyramids, the Oracle and if i'm behind in tech, the Internet's a must.

 

[9RedWing19]

Early Game: Statue of Zeus (I play Aggressive AI so there's usually a whole lot of fighting going on - the war weariness you get when fighting a civ with Zeus is brutal, so best to own it yourself).

Late Game: Cristo Redentor (being able to change one or more civics every turn is awesome (eg Police State for war, Universal Sufferage for peace) - I'll even incur the wrath of the UN if there's a motion to take away my favourite civics).

 

[Antilogic]

I like the Statue of Zeus myself; it is a neat idea for a wonder.

I typically don't reach the Modern Age in my games (or, if I do, it's almost over), so I've never seen the Cristo Redentor in action, nor have I built the Internet in but a few games.

 

[Underdawg]

Must have wonders? None.

I rarely build any wonders without having the resource which hastens their construction such as stone for Pyramids or Marble for Parthenon or not being industrious. Too much hammer investment if you are without the resources or industrious trait.

 

[colony]

I don't build many Ancient/Classical wonders at all now. I used to have a slight obsession with the Oracle and the CS slingshot in Vanilla, and I'm probably a bit too fond of the Great Lighthouse on coastal starts. BtS has even killed my GL addiction. I've been trying a few games at the next level up in the last couple of days and I barely get a chance at most of the really early wonders anyway, unless I'm really aiming for just 1 of them. Seeing the Pyramids being built in 1500BC is a new experience for me.

After the Medieval Age I'll build more because 1 less production city isn't as much of an issue by then. I normally try to get most of the more useful ones, but particularly the AP, Taj Mahal, SoL and the Pentagon.

 

[Fire.Soul]

Very dependant on your play style. If you're going for an aggressive approach, build as little wonders as possible -- you'll get them once you conquer enemy cities.

But there are a few excellent ones that suit almost any style of play, IMHO. The Pyramids are an obvious choice, together with The Oracle, the brand new Statue of Zeus is also very useful. Parthenon and Great Library are good as well. Then it largely depends on your strategy I suppose.

 

[Figaro]

Seeing as I play an SE in the majority of games, the Pyramids is a "must have" so as to get Representation much earlier than you otherwise would have done. Also it gives you great Engineers who can rush other wonders!

I also like
-Statue of Zeus
-Parthenon
-Apostolic Palace (to stop the AI from cheesing an early victory)

Everything else is pretty much optional to me.

 

[Schben]

Oracle, Taj Mahal, SoL, and Versailles are top priorities for me. I'm a wonder whore, so it was tough narrowing it down.

 

[50_dollar_bag]

I've always wondered how to build an axe-rush, so now I find myself always building it.
But no matter how hard I try I can't shake the wonder habit.
So for me as far as the early wonders go it depends on resources most of the time Pyramids are nice but are expensive, I very rarely go down the religious path so Oracle is usually out. Stonehenge is really good if you Charismatic and it's cheap. Great Library is great.
Once I'm into the Medieval age I pretty much try and get every wonder except Divine Right enabled wonders as I'm always beaten to that and don't see the point in trading for it.
Oh yeah must have Taj Mahal I'm a sucker for that wonder.

 

[meatwad4289]

I go for everything possible but must have...

Great Wall, Pyramids, Oracle, Statue of Zeus, Stonehenge(saves me time instead of making Monuments i can make troops) the rest I get so the AI dont get.