Does anyone invest in religion if NOT going for religious victory?

[Stringer1313]

Subject title self-explanatory. The only reason I could see actually buying missionaries and such is to get the Founder bonuses, but the Founder bonuses always feel so weak so that it's not worth it. And none of the other religion benefits seem to matter sufficiently for me to care about propagating my religion. Am I missing anything?

 

[Eagle Pursuit]

I only found a religion for non-religion victory purposes if the civ I am playing derives some kind of ulterior benefit from having a religion or at least Holy Sites. Like Khmer's relic situation. They're pretty good for a cultural victory, so I will found a religion, build lots of Holy Sites and Prasats, buy missionaries and send them to their certain doom.

 

[agonistes]

Every game.

 

[Disgustipated]

Since the recent patch, I found a religion nearly every time. But I play a low enough difficulty level (King or Prince) that I can accomplish this. Though occasionally I'll get shut out of a religion. I mostly do it for roleplay purposes. As said, the bonuses are hardly enough. It just makes my empire feel more complete.

I almost never spread it to AI cities, only city-states with quests and Kongo.

 

[bbbt]

Usually play on emperor, will often play it by ear. More other less do my standard opening, and then decide: looking at the great prophet, are there a number of contestants already? Did I find a nearby natural wonder? Get a good pantheon choice? Am I getting slammed by Barb's/have a nearby neighbor to take out asap, etc. (though sometimes said neighbor has already built some holy sites for me).

 

[evanaurora]

I find it situationally useful. There are 3-4 beliefs I'll try and take advantage of if they haven't gone yet. I'm guessing my "strategy" is the same as most-- it's nice as a bonus but really not worth putting yourself out for or heavily investing in, at least in most cases, unfortunately.

Papal Primacy and Cross-Cultural Dialogue, for example, have their place, but usually not a game-changing one. so I might pursue them if I have some sweet holy spot locations in my immediate range or if I have quite a few city states nearby that will be easy to keep my religion. But the AI pursues religion so intensely even post-patch that it can be more rewarding to spend the faith on Great People than on the constant stream of missionaries etc. it takes keeping city states or other civs converted.

Reliquaries and Defender of the Faith are the only beliefs that are (situationally) extremely game-changing in my experience-- Reliquaries takes investment (holy sites, Mont St Michel and later Cristo Redentor) but is great for cultural victories both outright and as a source of faith for Great Writers/Artists/Musicians. Defender of the Faith makes defensive wars easy with less outright investment in a standing army even on Deity (where playing even semi-peaceful basically is a dance of spending your production in the most efficient way possible because the AI is so far ahead.)

Reliquaries/Cross Cultural Dialogue or Papal Primacy can synergize well because of how much faith Reliquaries produces if you do it right, though.

I don't own Poland or Khmer/Indonesia DLCs but I'm guessing Reliquaries is an essential part of those civs' strategy.

 

[Midori]

Yes, I do it with Spain and Japan to help with domination. Crusade is an amazing bonus.

 

[Dark_Jedi06]

I always turn of Religious Victory but still pretty much always found a religion. It's a fun aspect of the game with the changes made in the last patch.

 

[liv]

I am in the avoid category. I play for a domination victory usually. The efforts to keep your religion is too much in most games. I think it is far better to use the faith to buy units or great people than spread my religion. Also want to use my production to do units for a quick conquest early so that is the priority
If I get a great prophet there are times when I just let him wander around till late in the game and then after having taking many cities with holy sites I will found one to get the ammenity belief. It is almost always available.
In the strategy forum they have been debating how useful papal primacy (gives 50% bonus from city states can be) I will play Peter and give that a go one of these days

 

[Lord Lakely]

I always go for religion when playing Japan, Khmer, Scythia, Norway, Russia, Arabia, Indonesia and India. They all get bonuses to faith/religion, it would be a waste not to.

For the other civs, it really depends on 1) how fast the AI is in founding their religions 2) if I have enough mountains for both campus AND holy site adjecency bonuses.

 

[liv]

Norway

I think I did that once and decided it was a waste. Too much effort for very little. I thought it was better just to build boats and boats and boats and boats

 

[dnoisette]

Yes, I do it with Spain and Japan to help with domination. Crusade is an amazing bonus.

Also quite helpful for science victory as Spain: Mission faith works well with Jesuit Education and provides extra science on top of that.

 

[empresskiova]

If I invest at all, it’s not very heavily. Though I will try to go for a religious wonder or two (the temple that gives 2 apostles is sweet).

Cathedrals are helpful for culture victories. The extra slot that you can buy with faith is useful if you need to do some rearranging or if you buy some off the AI. It is strictly Religious Artworks, but there’s enough of those to go around.

 

[Lily_Lancer]

Most beliefs are useless, or do not require a religion(e.g. purchase land unit/ Spanish conquisitor), except for Papal Primacy.

Papal Primacy is definitely an overpowered one in vanilla.

 

[Lord Lakely]

I think I did that once and decided it was a waste. Too much effort for very little. I thought it was better just to build boats and boats and boats and boats

I once rolled them on an Inland map (I always play Fractal), it ended up the best religious game I played so far.

 

[KAL_MAD]

Yes. Maximize faith generation with holy sites and policy cards. Don't spend any faith until the medieval era, then adopt Theocracy. You don't have to produce units anymore, you can buy yourself a whole army with faith

 

[UWHabs]

I will definitely use religion for non-religious victories, especially if I play as someone with a bonus to religion (Russia, Arabia, etc..). Most of the time there, I will create enough faith so that I can theocracy-buy units in the mid-game to build my army.

Occasionally, I will get some holy sites going to get some faith for speeding up great people. My current game I started near the dead sea as Australia, so I got 2 +7 holy sites online there. But I didn't found a religion, and haven't even bothered to get shrines and temples there yet. Hoping to get a good religion spread to me.

 

[Tech Osen]

I like building national parks so I usually get some faith generated. Doesn't make much sense to me that you need faith for that but it's what it is.

 

[kaspergm]

I normally try to get a religion. It may not be a good investment if you play competitively, but on emperor, I can normally get away with it, and I like beliefs like Feed The World (food from religious buildings), Tithe (gold per 4 followers), Cultural Heritage (culture from religious buildings) and Jesuit Education (buy science/culture buildings with faith) - these beliefs will help me, even if I don't pursue a religious victory.

 

[DeepKing]

Unless I’m going domination I usually will try for a religion, it’s a good support for any victory.