At what difficulty level do you stop going for an early religion

[DarkSchneider]

In this example, early relgion will be defined as either Hinduism or Buddism.
I think that going for one of these is generally a good strategy on lower difficulty levels, but doesn't necessarily pan out on the higher levels.

 

[DigitalBoy]

I never really go for early religions. I may lightbulb for Taoism or Christianity, and sometimes I found Confusicm on accident, but that's it.

 

[DrPepper836]

I always get Confucianism. Period.

 

[CivCorpse]

In this example, early relgion will be defined as either Hinduism or Buddism.
I think that going for one of these is generally a good strategy on lower difficulty levels, but doesn't necessarily pan out on the higher levels.

Your forgot to include chieften and warlord difficulty

 

[oyzar]

I actually went religion here once the other day.. oasis start...

 

[Whitedragon]

It's largely situational. When you start with mysticism and have a nearby oasis or a strong coastal start an early religion is usually possible.

But in general, the higher levels (Emperor +) not only make it harder to get an early religion, but neglecting your military while seeking one could be your downfall.

 

[Bhruic]

There's no level I stop going for it at. However, I don't always go for one, nor do I never go for one. I only go for one when it fits the leader/Civ that I'm playing.

Bh

 

[Zanttu]

There's no level I stop going for it at. However, I don't always go for one, nor do I never go for one. I only go for one when it fits the leader/Civ that I'm playing.

That's pretty much what I was about to say. I used to go for early religion more often in vanilla, but I rarely do it in BtS. (I never had warlords.)

 

[Refar]

The main benefit of founding a religion is having the Holy City to put the Shrine in it. Otherwise (for happiness, civics, whatever) you can just adopt a religion founded by a oppoenent. (Of course: you might start isolated, or for some odd reason all religions might get founded on the other continent - this is however something you do not know, when the decision for the first tech to research is made.)

So the decision to go for a eraly religion is really about: "Do i want my capitol to be a Holy City with the Shrine". This is the case if you can forsee the capitol to become a primary wealth generating city later, where you will build the Wall Street. If so, you need also to ask your self: "Do i want to make effort to pop a [early] Great Prophet?" or "Do i want to invest hammers in Missionaries, to convert Neighbours, so i can stay in my religion (and get more money from the Shrine) ?"

So if i have a - prospected - commerce heavy capitol (which also often means, that i also have the means to generate some early commerce, to actually get the religion), and happen to start with misticism, i like to take a early religion.

If i just think: "At some point in the game, i would like to have a Holy City, where i could build a shrine, if i happen to pop a great prophet...", then i just speculate on getting one of the later religions, or on taking a Holy City (with Shrine already Built perhaps) from a rival.

 

[eewallace]

It totally depends on whether I start with a civ with mysticism. Without mysticism, I wouldn't try for an early religion on Noble unless maybe I had chosen all of my opponents and knew that only 1 (or 0) started with mysticism.

Generally, if I want a religion, I go for confucianism because the courthouses are so useful, and I have time to get it after locating my early strategic resources.

 

[AmazonQueen]

I've never set out to get an early religion. I find I can nearly always get Confucianism first without diverting from where I want to focus my research. Usually theres someone I don't mind trading with for the religious techs when I need them.

 

[xanadux]

With BTS there is another advantage to founding a religion ... the Espionage bonus for having a holy city. Before realizing the power of this, I would have said, never found an early religion unless there is very little cost in early empire development. Now, with the very powerful possibility of an Espionage economy, an early religion can be worth a significant developmental setback.

 

[DarkSchneider]

Yes, that's a good point, With Mystism, I will try for an early religion on higher difficulties than one without. As it is, I've been having very bad luck on Emporer. Two Emporer starts with a Civ that started with Mystism and near floodplains. Both times I was beaten to founding Hinduism by two turns I wonder if they modified the AI so all AI players don't go for Buddism right off the bat anymore. Now it seems like you will always get beat on Emporer as long as there are two Civs that start with Mystism.

 

[DarkSchneider]

I didn't include the lower difficulties on the poll, because I figured that if you stopped at lower than Noble, then you would just check the 'I never go for starting relgions' option. As it is, I play nearly all my games at Monarch or Emporer difficulty now.

I'd like to try Immortal again, but I can't come up with a startegy for the early game after they nerfed the worker steal and chop rush strategies.

 

[Gliese 581]

You can also use religions for diplomacy, especially if you get more than one. I don't do that very much though, it requires a lot of work to convert someone if you have to compete with someone else for it.

 

[InvisibleStalke]

Never with a leader that doesn't start with mysticism.

And only then with leaders that have a purpose for an early religion play. Eg Ghandi, Ramses and Saladin can get a religion and quickly get a prophet to build a very early shrine - which is worth it in my opinion to get the effect of spreading your religion through much of your continent for free.

 

[MGee]

I go for them only if I start with Mysticism or got it from a goody hut early on.
Otherwise I usually found Christianity/Confucianism.

BTW: have you ever founded Islam and ADOPTED it?

 

[Gliese 581]

Yeah I used to go for as many religions as possible before but nowadays I've found that the time and effort is usually not worth it, I tend to go with the flow mostly. I love it when I'm in a position of power/diplomacy where I don't need to adopt a religion and have access to gold/is industrous, then I go for the shwedagon paya to get free religion early.