Best use of a great artist?
- Thread starter Andorim
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automator
King
I think I might be misusing my great people.
I use Great Scientists to build academies in my science towns and then put them in as super-specialists.
I use Great Engineers to finish big projects.
I use Great Artists as super-specialists (though if I have one sitting around during a war I'll use them for the culture boost in a just-conquered city). Maybe that's the way to use them.
I use Great Scientists to build academies in my science towns and then put them in as super-specialists.
I use Great Engineers to finish big projects.
I use Great Artists as super-specialists (though if I have one sitting around during a war I'll use them for the culture boost in a just-conquered city). Maybe that's the way to use them.
I think all the uses of the GP are fairly well-balanced and situational (although I've never used them to start a Golden Age). Creating super-specialists are most useful in the early game, where their bonuses can really accumulate over time. However, even in the early game sometimes you can't wait to get the benefits: you need that culture boost (or Wonder or Gold or new tech) NOW. A lot will depend on timing -- for an Artist, if you think a city is in danger of flipping, or if you are looking to flip the AI's "garbage" cities or pacify a city during warfare, the Great Work is immensely valuable.
I don't think there IS a "wrong" way to use a GP (at least, not so far as has been identified), but there could be more or less useful applications depending on your situation. For example, one of the strategies for cultural wins is to hoard GP's and then build consecutive great works in the end game once the magic 3 cities are identified. This is a radically different use than "culture bombing" border cities, but both are valid uses for different grand strategies.
I don't think there IS a "wrong" way to use a GP (at least, not so far as has been identified), but there could be more or less useful applications depending on your situation. For example, one of the strategies for cultural wins is to hoard GP's and then build consecutive great works in the end game once the magic 3 cities are identified. This is a radically different use than "culture bombing" border cities, but both are valid uses for different grand strategies.
tproc
Chieftain
I think the key question is Victory Type. If you are going for a cultural victory, using a Great Artist in one of your 3 "Legendary" cities is the best use. Generally, I have use them as Automator said. Adding Great Prophets for the Religious Wonders that bring in the $$$.
I have used them to get Techs, but that is only early in the game. Later in the game the amount they give you towards a Tech may only save you a turn or 2 if you are at 80% science or higher. Super Specialist are nice if you are not going for a cultural victory.
I have used them to get Techs, but that is only early in the game. Later in the game the amount they give you towards a Tech may only save you a turn or 2 if you are at 80% science or higher. Super Specialist are nice if you are not going for a cultural victory.
Toshiro126
Warlord
I tend to use them for my border towns as well. They work well towards my strategy of flipping other civilizations' cities that are near mine. 
you can also use them to discover a technology if you want, but discovering new techs is generally not one of my weak points. Or you can use them to build up your cities involved in a cultural victory.
you can also use them to discover a technology if you want, but discovering new techs is generally not one of my weak points. Or you can use them to build up your cities involved in a cultural victory.
Great Prophets for founding the shrines, though I did use one to get Theology quickly, which gave me Christianity. After the shrines are used, I think I only use them as specialists, or for starting a golden age.
Artist...haven't gone for a cultural victory yet, but they'd be useful for that. Are useful for preventing a just captured city from culture flipping to an ally or neutral civ.
Engineers are good for completing wonders - I saved up two to score me the space elevator, and nab me space race win in a very close game.
Scientists are good for Academies (figure +25% science to one city, vs the +11 to one city, vs the points towards a tech - simple math on which would be higher. If the city is making 100 beakers already, the +25% means 25 beakers...where that 11+75% from improvements would be 18-19 beakers)
I like golden ages...they give you a pretty healthy boost to production and research! Just don't go into anarchy during one.
Oh, and it's nice using one golden age to finish most've the Taj Mahal...back to back GA's ftw!
Artist...haven't gone for a cultural victory yet, but they'd be useful for that. Are useful for preventing a just captured city from culture flipping to an ally or neutral civ.
Engineers are good for completing wonders - I saved up two to score me the space elevator, and nab me space race win in a very close game.
Scientists are good for Academies (figure +25% science to one city, vs the +11 to one city, vs the points towards a tech - simple math on which would be higher. If the city is making 100 beakers already, the +25% means 25 beakers...where that 11+75% from improvements would be 18-19 beakers)
I like golden ages...they give you a pretty healthy boost to production and research! Just don't go into anarchy during one.
Oh, and it's nice using one golden age to finish most've the Taj Mahal...back to back GA's ftw!
Cerryl
Warlord
I like to use them when I'm waging war on a neighbor and want to surpress the 'smother' effect his older cities have on my newly captured ones.
I rarely use GP to start a golden age, I value artists and Engineers too much.
I rarely use GP to start a golden age, I value artists and Engineers too much.
Jarrod32
Warlord
I pulled a culture victory the other day...early great artists I used as 'super-specialists' in one of my three key cities, as the accumulation over time (with the culture multipliers in those cities) makes that use a bit better. Later artists were saved to culture-bomb my way to victory.
They can be useful in a warmongering game...you can use the culture-bomb to expand the borders in newly-conquered territory, or to get a key resource within your borders, or to bring pressure on a neighboring civ with weak culture.
Great Engineers I use almost exclusively for wonder building.
Great Scientists I generally use for academies.
Prophets for shrines...unless you don't need any more, then super-specialists, or a free tech.
Merchants almost exclusively for trade routes...and use the money to make some key unit upgrades.
Sometimes, I will use GP to pick up the free tech, if it is a key tech that really helps me out at the time.
Rarely will I use them for a golden age.
They can be useful in a warmongering game...you can use the culture-bomb to expand the borders in newly-conquered territory, or to get a key resource within your borders, or to bring pressure on a neighboring civ with weak culture.
Great Engineers I use almost exclusively for wonder building.
Great Scientists I generally use for academies.
Prophets for shrines...unless you don't need any more, then super-specialists, or a free tech.
Merchants almost exclusively for trade routes...and use the money to make some key unit upgrades.
Sometimes, I will use GP to pick up the free tech, if it is a key tech that really helps me out at the time.
Rarely will I use them for a golden age.
cleverhandle
King
For artists I'd only go super-specialists if I'm aiming for Culture victory, otherwise that's pretty pointless. I would definitely go for the Great Work, but I'll usually save it for some situation that particularly needs it rather than just drop it any old border city. You never know when you need to take over an AI city for resources or whatever and need some help gaining living space. So I'd keep one around for that, maybe two. Any extras would be golden age fodder.
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