Choosing Oracle tech... cost or benefit?

[Ray Patterson]

Prince/Continents, playing as Hatshepsut. WC rushed Hannibal's fantastic starting location. Since my commerce is through the roof (70+, about double the AI average), I don't need the oracle I built soon after for Code of Laws... but instead get these options:

Philosophy, Metal Casting, Polytheism, Monarchy, Aestethics, Mathematics, Alphabet, Compass

Philosophy seems an obvious choice, as it is WAY more expensive than any of the other techs. But, I have no use for it right now, and the techs it leads to are very far away. Metal casting is a popular choice by many... but frankly it seems to suffer the same problem to me. I'm not going to build forges right now...

So I might actually go for Mathematics. Greater chopping is nice, and it leads to 2 techs I want to have asap: currency and construction. And calendar, which I also don't want to wait very long with anymore. But it's kind of odd to pick a 9 turn tech when I could get a 16 turn (Metal casting) or even 28 turn (Philosophy) tech!

 

[Doshin]

Get philosophy. Philosophy is on the lib path and is considerably more expensive than your other choices. If you get philosophy first, you can found Daoism. This in turn makes the tech less of a priority for the other AIs, which means you can trade it around several times over, OR hang onto it, so that your closest rival has to self research the tech.

Plus, if you have stone, Angkor Wat is a decent wonder that pairs up nicely with Egypt's UB (which is usually pretty pointless).

 

[Htadus]

But it's kind of odd to pick a 9 turn tech when I could get a 16 turn (Metal casting) or even 28 turn (Philosophy) tech!

The above quote speak volumes. Very odd indeed. Here is another reason beyond turns saving many turns; Delay AI from looking at Liberalism. Also it is not a good idea to play civ for "right now". once you get ot higher level, playing in now going to slow your game. Planning is a must to go up levels.

 

[Seraiel]

Take Philosophy, tech Literature, build NE, get Calendar somehow, build MoM, start a GA, switch to Caste + Pacifism (set your GP farm to growth before that, not working any specialists so it's at least size 13) and create at least 4 GPs to get Cuirrassiers before your opponents have LBs.

 

[WelshGandalf]

Wait wait wait.... Polytheism is on the list?! WHY ARE WE EVEN DISCUSSING THIS???!

 

[Ray Patterson]

once you get ot higher level

This is a crucial point I think. I'm playing decidedly below my level here, having just come back to the game after a year or more. Liberalism race? There is no race, I will be first for sure. Tech trading? Marginal stuff, AI simply won't have that much to trade with me. So in those circumstances, what benefits will taking philosophy give me, if not now then at least in the next oh, 2000 years?

 

[Seraiel]

Read my post again and you will know.

 

[Zx Zero Zx]

Wait and take something worth while. Like Edu if you can, but if you can't just take Philo.

 

[pixiejmcc]

Or just start a new game on a higher level

 

[Um the Muse]

Do you have to choose right now? If you can put it off, then maybe you can tech Math (or maybe Monarchy) first and grab something that you really want. If not, here are some of the advantages of getting Philosophy:

• It enables Pacifism, which can be a really powerful civic in peace time even without the +100% GPP boost because it costs no maintenance per turn (see OneLeggedRhino's game writeups where he uses Pacifism for just this reason in many of his games
• You establish a religion and get a free missionary, which gives you several key advantages:
• You can use it to steal and/or cause havoc via espionage more cheaply (don't forget that you're Spiritual and can switch religions at the drop of a hat)
• You can sow discontent among the AI through religious wars
• If you've managed to get this far without a religion, you could use it for yourself (you don't have to adopt the religion to get the 1 boost as long as you don't adopt any other religion)

I'm not saying that Philosophy would be my first pick either (if you'll notice, most of these advantages are not passive in nature and are only decent under the right circumstances), but there's definitely a lot that Philosophy could offer you.

So, I'm curious. Does this mean that you have Code of Laws all ready? How is that working out for you? I've found that CoL, while a great tech, isn't all that hot until you're well established. YMMV, of course.

 

[coanda]

So you're running way ahead of the AIs. The two obvious ways to wrap it up would be Oracle -> Mathematics, research Construction, whip a million elephants and catapults (assuming you have or can trade for Ivory), and just win right there, if you have enough production for it... or what Seraiel suggested, with Oracle -> Philo. and peaceful teching until you're ready to stomp with Cuirassiers. A third option if you really want would be Oracle ->Philo., then try to pick up as many other remaining religions as you can and just get a Cultural win.

 

[Ray Patterson]

isn't all that hot until you're well established.

True. But I just conquered my neighbour, so yeah. I am def well established XD. Also I'm not without religion, in fact I already have two: judaism came into my area and I just founded confucianism... would be second religion founded in this turn.

try to pick up as many other remaining religions as you can and just get a Cultural win

I think this is it. Hatty seems good for a cultural win... if you somehow can get multiple religions, which she doesn't do very easily. I have a tendency to only go for domination wins (it's fun, and high scoring), but this situation seems to scream culture win.

 

[The Oz-Man]

Early Pacifism also means you'll have stolen the good parts of Philosophical at a time when GPs are really cheap. I like it for an Oracle tech for that reason if you have a religion around that's easy to spread.