[GS] Gathering Storm Leader Ability Elimination Thread

[Disgustipated]

15. Harald Hardrada - Thunderbolt of the North [22]
25. Montezuma - Gifts for the Tlatoani [6] = 5 + 1. My first time voting for this. It's not as situational as Pericles. Every map is generated to have luxuries. The combat bonus is very potent. Maybe you don't like it because it's a war ability, but it works.
29. Pericles - Surrounded by Glory [4] = 7 - 3. I love Pericles, but I have to agree with an above poster, it kind of is a win more type ability. It's great in the middle game, it gives you that push to get key civics for 3rd tier government, conservation, cultural heritage, environmentalism, but after that it's not that useful. And with some new map types like Terra, you may find it's not all that useful. It can be situational.
33. Qin Shi Huang - The First Emperor [22]

adjusted Harald's index number to be 15 as that's what it is in post #1.

 

[Connor_CivFan]

15. Harald Hardrada - Thunderbolt of the North [22]
25. Montezuma - Gifts for the Tlatoani [7] 6 + 1Extra amenities can be very powerful in luxury scarce areas but I can also see the issue with their being luxury scarce areas
29. Pericles - Surrounded by Glory [1] 4 - 3 Good but is only effective for the mid game
33. Qin Shi Huang - The First Emperor [22]

 

[Kimiimaro]

15. Harald Hardrada - Thunderbolt of the North [22]
25. Montezuma - Gifts for the Tlatoani [7]
29. Pericles - Surrounded by Glory [1-3=-2] (ELIMINATED) - It's not a bad ability per se. When playing as Athens, I was able to rock culturally so hard that no other Civ could even hope for victory because of how much more my culture was dominant over their tourism. But it has to be built up, and that takes a fairly long time, and the AI can influence it negatively by conquering your city states.
33. Qin Shi Huang - The First Emperor [22+1=23] - It's gonna be a battle between Harald and Qin. Both are strong in their own ways, but this I like much better. I like to play the game more or less peaceful, keeping my lands developed and my cities filled with towering wonders. This grants me all of it.

 

[bengalryan9]

15. Harald Hardrada - Thunderbolt of the North [23] (22+1) Like Qin, this gives you an early boost that nobody else has access too and then after that window is closed continues to give you a boost for the rest of the game. This ability is thematically appropriate, game changing, and a blast to use. Top tier and pretty much makes Norway viable all by itself.
25. Montezuma - Gifts for the Tlatoani [4] (7-3) By far the dullest of the remaining abilities and probably the most limited as well. Take this away from the Aztecs and they'd still be really good.
33. Qin Shi Huang - The First Emperor [23]

 

[Krajzen]

15. Harald Hardrada - Thunderbolt of the North [23]
25. Montezuma - Gifts for the Tlatoani [4-3=1]
33. Qin Shi Huang - The First Emperor [23+1=24]

Montezuma - time to die, finał Battle should be between China and Norway.
Huang - it is simple, universal and powerful from the very beginning until the very end.

 

[The Highwayman]

15. Harald Hardrada - Thunderbolt of the North [23]
25. Montezuma - Gifts for the Tlatoani [ELIMINATED] [1] Good run for this "go wide" ability, a strategy that obviously thrives in Civ 6. May as well eliminate it and let the last two slug it out.
33. Qin Shi Huang - The First Emperor [25] [24+1] I have a hard time with "win more" and "boring" down votes, since every bonus is win more in this game, and entertainment has nothing to do with how good something is. Nevertheless, this goes all game long, any victory condition enhanced.

 

[Zyxpsilon]

15. Harald Hardrada - Thunderbolt of the North [20] (23-3) You need a sharp Navy (or more!) as quickly as possible & must declare proportionally feasible War(s) to convert the randomly appearing pillage results.
33. Qin Shi Huang - The First Emperor [26] (25+1) You only require Time & Production (as usual anyway) to roll-out advantageous Builders as often as you please.

 

[monstercat]

15. Harald Hardrada - Thunderbolt of the North [17] (20 - 3) Overall, it has a lower scope of usefulness compared in China. Needs a water-heavy maps for greatest effect, and is a domination only oriented ability.
33. Qin Shi Huang - The First Emperor [27] (26 + 1) It is a good winner. Builders are useful throughout the whole game, and help you pursue all types of victory.

 

[Kmart_Elvis]

I really like these final two. It's great to see Harald giving Norway some respectable bonuses after being on the bottom tier for so long. Nice little Cinderella story. And Qin deserves first, and would've probably won the last time we played this Elimination game, except one member was hell-bent on downvoting him all game and he only made third.

15. Harald Hardrada - Thunderbolt of the North [14] (17 - 3) All about a Navy and pillaging, but not enough to be the best of the best.
33. Qin Shi Huang - The First Emperor [28] (27 + 1) Builders are the most created unit and just so flexible for every victory. And being able to rush wonders like the Pyramids or Colosseum is just icing on the cake.

 

[TomKQT]

15. Harald Hardrada - Thunderbolt of the North [11] (14 - 3) Not bad at all, but when you have just two choices, you have to say that one is bad and one is good - and Qin is better for me
33. Qin Shi Huang - The First Emperor [29] (28 + 1) Last time we had this Elimination thread (before GS), Qin ended 3rd after getting an incredible amount of hate from just one person (-68 points or 17 downvotes), which made him the moral winner for me. And a well deserved winner, builders are needed all the time.

 

[KayAU]

I was kind of hoping this would be settled before it was my turn to vote, as this is a tricky decision. The first post clearly states that you can vote based on "value, strength, uniqueness, fun, etc.". Now both the remaining abilities have merits in all these regards.

Value/strength: Qin's ability provides you with extra builder charges, at a rate corresponding to 1 free builder for every 3 builders in the early game. It may not sound like much, but it adds up, and in the very early game, that extra builder charge is going to be what lets you do a chop or wonder boost in addition to improving the obligatory 3 tiles. Builder charges are universally useful for any play style or victory type, throughout the entire game. Harald's ability is undoubtedly powerful and useful as well. It's a coastal civ ability which lets you get a navy, boosts your exploration, lets' you pop coastal goodie huts and encampments, and that's before you consider the pillaging. The pillaging is an advantage which will actually escalate as the game passes, unlike Qin's ability, which fades a bit. Still, early advantage is king in civ, so I have to give the nod to Qin when it comes to value/strength.
Uniqueness: Here Harald wins hands down, as he can do some things no other civ can, and other things much earlier than other civs can. There is nothing particularly unique about Qin's ability: the main part, extra builder charges, can be obtained in a number of ways...including just popping an extra builder from a goodie hut. Boosting wonders can be done through chopping, and early canals are, well...a bit meh. The ability overall is great, but it is basically just doing what you would already be doing, a bit better. Harald's ability, on the other hand, will change the way you play.
Fun: Both these abilities are fun...Harald's for obvious reasons, as it enhances early exploration and earns you large boosts of science, culture, gold and faith. For us builders, though, Qin's ability is really cool as well. I love getting wonders, especially early ones, and improving my land is a big part of what I enjoy about civ. Still, the nod goes to Harald, as living out the Viking fantasy adds a bit more to the enjoyment of my game than just being a better builder.
Etc.: Finally, this has more to do with my personal preferences. On one hand, I am Norwegian, have lived by the coast and fjords my entire life, and my Harald's ability represents the more dramatic part of my Viking heritage. Seeing it represented in such a fun way is enjoyable for me. On the other hand, I am a builder first and foremost, and Qin's ability plays better with my preferred playstyle. I am going to call this one a tie.

So, finally that brings me to the vote:
15. Harald Hardrada - Thunderbolt of the North [12] (11 + 1) I guess I am going with my heart on this one. As stated above, Harald's ability is the more unique and fun one overall, as well as having plenty of utility for a naval civ. It will most likely get 2nd place, which is a great result in any case.
33. Qin Shi Huang - The First Emperor [26] (29 - 3) A great ability, well deserving of the top spot...at least if you value usefulness above all. It does not really change the way you play much, though, so since someone has to get the downvote, I choose to give it to Qin.

 

[DogeEnricoDandolo]

15. Harald Hardrada - Thunderbolt of the North [9]=12-3 As much as I love this ability, Qin's one is the one that says "I don't care about random map generation"
33. Qin Shi Huang - The First Emperor [27]=26+1 applies in every situation. in the previous elimination thread about wonders, i think 7 of them belong to ancient and classical eras, this is the huge boost to China, not just the builder charge.

 

[Architect]

15. Harald Hardrada - Thunderbolt of the North [6] - (9 - 3) Not very good.
33. Qin Shi Huang - The First Emperor [28] (27 + 1) Definitely one of the best.

 

[Leucarum]

15. Harald Hardrada - Thunderbolt of the North [3] - (6 - 3) Can this really compete with builder charges?
33. Qin Shi Huang - The First Emperor [29] (28 + 1) Not my favourite ability to use but can't argue with how solid it is

 

[lotrmith]

15. Harald Hardrada - Thunderbolt of the North [4] = 3 + 1 Foregone conclusion but this ability gives higher immediate yields that in turn are more impactful that one builder charge ever could be.
33. Qin Shi Huang - The First Emperor [26] = 29 - 3 Worker charge value has gone down and making builders for early wonders is a trap. Also half the early wonders are a trap anyways.

 

[Lily_Lancer]

15. Harald Hardrada - Thunderbolt of the North [5] = 4 + 1
33. Qin Shi Huang - The First Emperor [23] = 26- 3 You still need to fulfill the prereqs of those early wonders. For example, half-price Pyramid is great. But you still have to settle beside a desert( you also have to find one). Cheap Haricarnarssus is good, but you still have to build a Harbor. Sometimes those prereqs are not easy to fulfill.

 

[BenitoChavez]

#notmytoptwo but whatever.

15. Harald Hardrada - Thunderbolt of the North [2] = 5 - 3. I just don't think it's that powerful
33. Qin Shi Huang - The First Emperor [24] = 23 + 1. True you aren't going to be able to build every wonder but odds are good that you are going to get 2-3 of the better ones.

 

[OmegaDestroyer]

15. Harald Hardrada - Thunderbolt of the North [2-3=0] ELIMINATED. It's a fun ability but it cannot compete with The First Emperor.
33. Qin Shi Huang - The First Emperor [24+1=25] All hail The First Emperor!

 

[KayAU]

All hail the emperor, a worthy winner!

I didn't think of it earlier, but there's a nice synergy between the top two: Qin gets all those builder charges to improve his lands...which means more improvements for Harald to pillage.

 

[Krajzen]

I'd just like to point at the craziest thing in this contest, continuous survival of Barbarossa against all odds - half way through page 5 he had four points, least of all contestants, and was on the brink od elimination, and he survived for five pages on the brink (due to constantly being upvoted), outliving Tamar, Philip, Pedro, Kupe, Pacachuti, Poundmaker, Cleopatra, Amanitore and Seondeok


@DWilson @Kmart_Elvis @NullNullError can I be the original poster of obligatory next thread, with unique infrastructure, or did somebody else apply for this position? If no then I'd ask admin for permission and start it tomorrow afternoon.