.41g Can't build Sphener

[torsoboy]

I did a quick forum search on most phrases that have to do with building Sphener / hero, but alas no dice.

I'm playing as Bannor, Monarch, Order (I've got the holy city, yay me). At turn 330ish I finalized research in Righteousness which should allow me to build Sphener. However, the icon to build Sphener is greyed out (says World unit 0 left).

I checked if someone else has already built him - negative, because Basium and me are the first one to Righteousness and Basium isn't even trying to build Sphener. I have Valin, the other Order hero so I don't think there's something wrong with that? The other heroes in my collection are Donal and Brigit (rescued with a hyperactive Valin). I hope rescuing Brigit doesn't have anything to do with my inability to build Sphener.

I've included a save game. Hope there's a solution for it that doesn't require World Builder...

 

[Emptiness]

The other heroes you have would not interfere with building Sphener.

Sometimes when you and an AI ally complete the research of a tech on the same turn the AI will add a wonder or world unit associated with that tech to one of their build queues, which will block you from building it. This is probably what has happened in your case. I know that you said Basium isn't building Sphener, but he may have added Sphener to the end of a build queue - which would not be visible from the world map.

The best way to ensure that you are able to build wonders and world units when teamed with an AI is to ask them to research something else the turn before you finish researching the corresponding tech. When research is complete you then add the wonder or world unit to your build queue, and your AI ally will be blocked from building it. If you have a save from before you completed researching Righteousness you can reload and use that technique, which should enable you to build Sphener (if I'm correct about the cause).

 

[torsoboy]

The other heroes you have would not interfere with building Sphener.

Sometimes when you and an AI ally complete the research of a tech on the same turn the AI will add a wonder or world unit associated with that tech to one of their build queues, which will block you from building it. This is probably what has happened in your case.

Thanks for the reply, I'll try it out. I caved in to my impatience and Worldbuildered Sphener in anyway. Still, I'll go back to that save so that I can find out if Basium really put it in queue.

 

[torsoboy]

Ok, I tried out the following:

2 turns before research is complete, I ask Basium to research something else. When I get to the "choose new tech" screen after Righteousness is completed, I still can't build Sphener... but this time I can see Sphener in the build screen for one of Basium's cities!

Isn't it the case that as a Permanent Alliance we share all techs at the same time? I guess the AI gets first dibs on what to build - it's slightly annoying. Unfortunately Sphener doesn't seem to require metal (I'd ask for all their metal in the turn before Righteousness otherwise). I also can't think of a way to force Basium to another religion without penalizing myself - unless I'm playing the Bannor lady perhaps.

Tricky. Got any other ideas? In my ideal world we would both be able to build a Hero and whoever finishes the build first gets him or her (as one would with Wonders).

 

[MagisterCultuum]

I was under the impression that techs are actually learned at the end of a players turn, so you actually want Basium to be the one to finish it instead of you.

 

[Emptiness]

I've never gotten locked out of a wonder or world unit using the method I described, but maybe I've just gotten lucky...