Do you think that there should be a better balance among civics?

[Blackmantle]

If you consider boosting (edit due to typo: )aristocracy it might be a good idea just to keep it simple and axe the food-penalty (which did make very much sense in the times of the old +2 food agriculture). That whould make it a real option fine for its place in the tech-tree and most importantly decouple it some more from agriculture which is more or less tied to it right now (will still have a bit of synergy though afterwards).
Blancing is covered by the other decent options present in its category.
(Upping the upkeep might still be an option if its felt as beeing to strong then.)

 

[Caradoc]

I like civics that give me a significant boost, but which take some effort to obtain. I don't mind religious (or alignment) requirements, but the main thing is for them to come from pursuing a tech path and then to provide a reward of special value related to that tech.

 

[xienwolf]

Well, the original desire for FfH is that the Civics don't have a "progression" This meaning that you won't always want to change to a new Civic just because it came later in the Tech Tree. Instead at the end of the game you should have decent reasons, depending on your current situation/goals, to adopt any of the Civics, to include the starting ones.


As such, I think that the best way to accomplish it is to have multiple options available from the beginning of the game, and open up the other ones as early as possible along an appropriate branch (if it is magic related, not until KoE, if it is Theocratic, not till Mysticism. If Specialist/Trade related, not till some point where it is pretty likely you will go if aiming for Trade bonuses or Specialists anyway).


Of course, making someone spend time gaining Tech to acquire a new Civic, then telling them that it shouldn't be "better" than one they could use from the start of the game leads to many posts akin to this one. Though I do believe that the current version does fall short of the aim and numerous Civics are far too situational. And I think that the more advanced Civics (need Techs for) really ought to be more widely applicable, even if not directly "better" than the ones you start with (which ought to work quite well, but only for a narrow strategy/situation set).