Best way to spread state religion?

[Joseph Goebbels]

OK, I'm new at the game, so don't shoot me if this question has some obvious answers.

I'm very fond of the religious aspect of the game, and have found myself a big fan of the idea of having a strongly religious empire. Meaning that the civics "organized religion" and "theocracy" being very interesting for me.

Anyhow, how does the religion-spread work, and what is the best way to convert your neighbouring AIs into your state religion?

Is it having open borders and pumping missionaries out all over the place? Or are there other strategies that might work out better? I guess it matters if the AI has a holy city of another religion within its empire or not too?

me

 

[lordqarlyn]

I build missionaries. You can build them with monastaries, or, if you use the organized religion civic, cities without monastaries can build missionaries, provided they have a religion.

 

[agent.smith]

If the AI likes to run a state religion that it founded itself. So to make things easy for yourself you can try to discover all the religions before tha AI does.

Of course this gets harder the higher your difficulties settings are.
If the AI has not founded a religion they I think they will usually convert to the first religion that spreads to them. So if you do not engage activly with missionaries that will be the first religion that spreads to them via trade.

If you want to change their state religion to yours you should start by making sure that a big part of their cities belong to it. Pick some big cities and convert them. Then you should be able to make them switch in the diplomacy screen (needs some bribing though). I think they can also switch by themself if really the majority of their cities have your religion.

You can also makte them switch via spy missions at this point. Accumulate a sufficient number of espionage points vs them and let a spy run the convert mission.

 

[Joseph Goebbels]

If the AI has not founded a religion they I think they will usually convert to the first religion that spreads to them. So if you do not engage activly with missionaries that will be the first religion that spreads to them via trade.

Ok, again, I'm a newbie: How is this trade conducted? By sharing cultural borders with them? Or by road? Sea maybe?

Let's say that the AI has adopted another religion as a state religion, but NOT as a consequense of having founded the religion themselves, but via a third part AI (either missionaries or trade)... How much more diffucult will it be for me to make them convert to my religion (provided that they don't have a holy city)?

 

[Polobo]

For the most part a civ will go with a state religion that exists in the majority of their cities. Once a city has a religion present random spreading will not occur and a missionary is required. That missionary, has an increasing chance of failure as more religions are added to a city.

Mind you, since a city can have more than one religion a majority means more than the other guys. Basically, count the number of religious symbols above the city bars and whichever religion has more will win, and the difference between that and the one you want to convert them to is how many missionaries you will need to build AT MINIMUM, not counting for losses (so, add 20% to that number).

 

[TheMeInTeam]

Shrine gold ftw.

Get writing and sign open borders so you can enter their lands. Then spread your faith. If you get a great prophet put him in your holy city and make the shrine.

I seldom go for religion though...I play as aggressive civs that tend not to found them. Still, I sometimes use it extensively after it spreads to my civ. Huge diplomatic bonuses for same religion. Also, capturing holy cities and using them for income is $$$$$$. Very little work required...i like it.

 

[Joseph Goebbels]

Thanks folks! This makes things clearer for me.

Maybe you could explain the shrine-thingie in greater depth for me? I would be very grateful.

 

[BalbanesBeoulve]

You can use a great prophet to build a shrine in the holy city of a religon. The holy city is the city where that religion was founded, check the religious advisor to see which city it is. The shrine gives 1 gold for every city with that shrine. This gold is increased by markets, grocers, banks, and wall street, so with all those buildings, you'd get 3 gold per city with that religion. Spread your religion around, and you can run your science slider at 90% and still make a profit, sometimes.

 

[Joseph Goebbels]

The shrine gives 1 gold for every city with that shrine. This gold is increased by markets, grocers, banks, and wall street, so with all those buildings, you'd get 3 gold per city with that religion. Spread your religion around, and you can run your science slider at 90% and still make a profit, sometimes.

Hmh... it sounds like a religious path might be a good thing for an economic/research minded pacifist? I've never liked warmonging in strategygames.

Thanks for the info!

 

[Monkeyfinger]

Shrines are good no matter what your playstyle is.

I wouldn't go too overboard with them unless you have philosophical for extra great people though. You need a separate great prophet for each one, which means if you're spamming shrines you aren't going to be getting great people of very many other types. You do want at least one scientist and at least one spy, IMO.

Found a religion, make it your official religion, build its shrine, and spread it as far and wide as you can, sure. But you might even stop there.

 

[Lil_Yospeck]

Hmh... it sounds like a religious path might be a good thing for an economic/research minded pacifist? I've never liked warmonging in strategygames.

Thanks for the info!

You might not be one for warmongering, but don't think you can win just by being nice to everyone. Strong military is key, so even if you don't plan on crushing your enemies skulls and having their women, you still need to make sure they don't do the same to you.

An AI may think you are great because they share a religion you founded, you may trade resources, and you give them free reign of your land with open borders. But down the line they going to think 'he has no military... I can OWN his religion, and his resources, and his land....'

Elizabeth has declared war on you!
Kublai Kahn has declared war on you!
Isabella has declared war on you!

And thats all she wrote..


A further note. If you are going the religious route then do it properly. Don't be half assed and make sure you actively spread your religion to convert others, the AI sure as hell will, and if you're doing a bad job of spreading yours then you're just the odd one out with a different religion to everyone else.

= target.

 

[Joseph Goebbels]

I guess you already know this... but "no warmongering" doesn't equal "I don't do warfare at all". Warfare is off course a great part of this game, but I'm not the kind of player that relies upon warfare and the strongest military around at all times.