Great People Tech Prefences

Edit: My original article (at bottom) is obsolete after lots of community research into GP tech preferences. Thanks to notagoodname from the civ4 multiplayer ladder site for putting this new article together.


In the game great people have a list of techs and a preference for each tech (no techs have the same preference). With the same techs researched the same great person type will always give you the same tech.

First: Here's complete list of techs a prophet will get in the order they will try and get them (preference of tech they give you runs from top to bottom)

Great Prophet:
Meditation
Polytheism
Priesthood
Monotheism
Theology
Divine Right
Mysticism
Masonry (Warlords patch & BTS)
Code of Laws
Civil Service
Monarchy
Literature
Music
Writing
Philosophy
Printing Press
Drama
Aesthetics (BTS)
Alphabet
Paper
Education
Liberalism
Calendar
Masonry (Vanilla & unpatched Warlords)
Animal Husbandry
Construction
Future Tech

From that above list you can see that if you dont have meditation a great prophet will give meditation. If you do have meditation a great prophet will try and give you polytheism. If you have meditation and polytheism then the prophet will go down the list (from top to bottom) until there is a tech you can research that the prophet can give you.

Note if you dont have prerequisites for a tech then the great person will try and give you the next tech on the list that you can get.

eg.
If i didnt have masonry and had techs meditation, polytheism, priesthood, mysticism and code of laws then a great prophet would give me civil service as monotheism requires masonry, theology require monotheism, and divine right requires theology.

eg. (from the above list)
Great Prophet:

Meditation // Have it
Polytheism // Have it
Priesthood // Have it
Monotheism // Requires masonry so isnt allowed to be researched
Theology // Requires monotheism
Divine Right // Requires theology
Mysticism // Have it
Masonry (Warlords patch & BTS) // Still playing vanilla Civ4
Code of Laws // Have it
Civil Service // Great prophet will be able to give me this
Monarchy
Literature
Music
etc.




Now if you understood all that here is the full list of what great people will give you (preference runs top to bottom on all)

Great Prophet:

Meditation
Polytheism
Priesthood
Monotheism
Theology
Divine Right
Mysticism
Masonry (Warlords patch & BTS)
Code of Laws
Civil Service
Monarchy
Literature
Music
Writing
Philosophy
Printing Press
Drama
Aesthetics (BTS)
Alphabet
Paper
Education
Liberalism
Calendar
Masonry (Vanilla & unpatched Warlords)
Animal Husbandry
Construction
Future Tech

Great Scientist:

Writing
Mathematics
Scientific Method
Physics
Education
Printing Press
Fiber Optics
Computers
Laser (BTS)
The Wheel
Alphabet (BTS)
Philosophy
Chemistry
Fission
Fusion
Optics
Paper
Astronomy
Biology
Electricity
Flight
Genetics
Compass
Satellites
Aesthetics (BTS)
Sailing
Alphabet (Vanilla & Warlords)
Calendar
Medicine
Ecology
Advanced Flight (BTS)
Iron Working
Metal Casting
Engineering
Steam Power
Liberalism
Agriculture
Masonry
Bronze Working
Machinery
Gunpowder
Refrigeration
Superconductors (BTS)
Rocketry
Fishing
Combustion
Plastics
Composites
Stealth (BTS)
Mining
Military Science (BTS)
Radio
Meditation
Drama
Theology
Music
Civil Service
Democracy
Corporation
Communism
Economics
Hunting
Archery
Animal Husbandry
Construction
Robotics
Monotheism
Mass Media
Horseback Riding
Replaceable Parts
Rifling
Artillery
Future Tech

Great Artist:

Literature
Drama
Music
Polytheism
Monarchy
Mass Media
Radio
Mysticism
Monotheism
Divine Right
Alphabet (Vanilla & Warlords)
Aesthetics (BTS)
Meditation
Priesthood
Theology
Nationalism
Writing
Philosophy
Printing Press
Liberalism
Pottery
Horseback Riding
Democracy
Education
Military Tradition
Communism
Astronomy
Computers
Feudalism
Constitution
Fishing
Sailing
Paper
Biology
Archery
Masonry
Metal Casting
Civil Service
Guilds
Fascism
Hunting
Animal Husbandry
Bronze Working
Construction
Railroad
Robotics
Future Tech

Great Merchant:

Currency
Banking
Economics
Corporation
Metal Casting
Code of Laws
Mining
Constitution
The Wheel
Alphabet (BTS)
Pottery
Sailing
Paper
Railroad
Industrialism
Monarchy
Civil Service
Guilds
Fascism
Mass Media
Agriculture
Writing
Mathematics
Printing Press
Flight
Machinery
Replaceable Parts
Satellites
Mysticism
Priesthood
Divine Right
Nationalism
Calendar
Scientific Method
Medicine
Horseback Riding
Compass
Steam Power
Future Tech

Great Engineer:

Machinery
Assembly Line
Industrialism
Combustion
Metal Casting
Mining
Iron Working
Engineering
Replaceable Parts
Steam Power
Steel
Robotics
Railroad
Feudalism
Fascism
The Wheel
Plastics
Masonry
Construction
Guilds
Bronze Working
Corporation
Electricity
Animal Husbandry
Gunpowder
Priesthood
Monarchy
Code of Laws
Constitution
Agriculture
Economics
Chemistry
Fission
Genetics
Fusion
Optics
Civil Service
Nationalism
Communism
Ecology
Pottery
Calendar
Currency
Banking
Scientific Method
Physics
Writing (BTS)
Medicine
Refrigeration
Superconductors (BTS)
Computers
Divine Right
Fishing
Mathematics
Flight
Fiber Optics
Hunting
Horseback Riding
Rifling
Future Tech

Spoiler Original Article :

I was digging through CIV4TechInfos.xml, and found lots of useful information that isn't in the civilopedia. Here is a compiled table.

Era = there are 6 eras in the game, plus future tech.
Cost = base number of beakers to research the tech. This is modified by game speed (quick 67%, epic 150%), map size (duel 100%, huge 150%) and difficulty level (settler 70%, deity 130%).
Religion = how much a Great Prophet values the tech.
Production = how much a Great Engineer values the tech.
Gold = how much a Great Merchant values the tech.
Science = how much a Great Scientist values the tech.
Culture = how much a Great Artist values the tech.
Military = there are no Great Military Leaders, so I assume this is used by the computer AI.
Growth = same as military.
AITrade = I guess this affects the willingness of the AI to trade the tech?

Code:

Technology         Era         Cost Religion Production Gold Science Culture Military Growth AITrade
Fishing            Ancient       40              1              3       2                8      0
Hunting            Ancient       40              1              2       1        6       7      0
Mining             Ancient       50              8       5      3                               0
Mysticism          Ancient       50     9                1              8                2      0
Agriculture        Ancient       60              3       2      4                       10      0
Archery            Ancient       60                             2       2       10             10
Priesthood         Ancient       60    10        3       1              6                       0
The Wheel          Ancient       60              6       4      8                2       3      0
Masonry            Ancient       80     1        6              4       2        3              0
Meditation         Ancient       80    10                       2       7                       0
Pottery            Ancient       80              2       3              5                9      0
Animal Husbandry   Ancient      100     1        4              2       1        3       9      0
Polytheism         Ancient      100    10                               9                       0
Sailing            Ancient      100                      3      6       2        1       4      0
Bronze Working     Ancient      120              5              4       1        6              0
Monotheism         Ancient      120    10                       1       8                       0
Writing            Ancient      120     3                2     10       6                       0
Horseback Riding   Ancient      250              1       1      1       5        8             10
Iron Working       Classical    200              8              5                7       6      0
Literature         Classical    200     4                              10        3              0
Mathematics        Classical    250              1       2     10                1              0
Alphabet           Classical    300     2                       6       8                       0
Drama              Classical    300     2                       2      10                4      0
Monarchy           Classical    300     4        3       2              9        3              0
Calendar           Classical    350     1        2       1      6                        1      0
Code Of Laws       Classical    350     7        3       5                       2       4      0
Construction       Classical    350     1        6              2       1        2       2      0
Compass            Classical    400                      1      7                2       4      0
Currency           Classical    400              2      10                               3      0
Metal Casting      Classical    450              9       6      5       2        7              0
Theology           Medieval     500    10                       2       6                       0
Music              Medieval     600     3                       2      10        1              0
Optics             Medieval     600              3              8                3       2      0
Paper              Medieval     600     2                3      7       2                       0
Banking            Medieval     700              2      10                                      0
Feudalism          Medieval     700              6                      2        5             10
Machinery          Medieval     700             10       2      4                6             10
Civil Service      Medieval     800     6        2       2      2       1        3       4      0
Philosophy         Medieval     800     3                       8       6                       0
Engineering        Medieval     900              8              5                2       7      0
Guilds             Medieval     900              5       2              1        2             10
Divine Right       Medieval    1000    10        1       1              8                       0
Economics          Renaissance 1000              3      10      2                        3      0
Gunpowder          Renaissance 1000              4              4                9             10
Liberalism         Renaissance 1200     1                       4       5                       0
Printing Press     Renaissance 1200     3                2      9       6                       0
Corporation        Renaissance 1400              4       8      2                3              0
Education          Renaissance 1400     2                       9       4                       0
Rifling            Renaissance 1400              1              1               10             10
Astronomy          Renaissance 1600                             7       3                5      0
Nationalism        Renaissance 1600              2       1              6        3       3      0
Replaceable Parts  Renaissance 1600              8       2      1                5              0
Military Tradition Renaissance 1800                             3               10       1     10
Chemistry          Renaissance 2000              3              8                               0
Constitution       Renaissance 2000              3       4              2                2      0
Democracy          Renaissance 2200                             2       4                       0
Fascism            Industrial  1800              6       2              1        4       2      0
Scientific Method  Industrial  1800              2       1     10                               0
Steam Power        Industrial  1800              8       1      5                4       3      0
Artillery          Industrial  2000                             1               10             10
Communism          Industrial  2000              2              2       3                1      0
Biology            Industrial  2200                             7       2                6      0
Railroad           Industrial  2200              7       3              1        2       4     10
Combustion         Industrial  2400              9              3                        2      0
Physics            Industrial  2400              2             10                1              0
Steel              Industrial  2400              8                               6       2     10
Assembly Line      Industrial  2600             10                               3       3     10
Medicine           Industrial  2600              2       1      6                1       8      0
Electricity        Industrial  2800              4              7                1       2     10
Industrialism      Industrial  3000             10       3                       2       4     10
Fission            Industrial  3500              3              8                1             10
Mass Media         Modern      2800                      2      1       9                1      0
Refrigeration      Modern      2800              2              4                        7      0
Flight             Modern      3000              1       2      7                4       3     10
Radio              Modern      3000                             3       9        5              0
Ecology            Modern      3500              2              5                        1     10
Satellites         Modern      3500                      2      7                3             10
Plastics           Modern      4000              6              3                2              0
Computers          Modern      4500              2              9       3                       0
Rocketry           Modern      4500                             4                8             10
Composites         Modern      5000                             3                8             10
Robotics           Modern      5000              8              2       1        1             10
Fiber Optics       Modern      5500              1              9                              10
Genetics           Modern      5500              3              7                       10     10
Fusion             Modern      6000              3              8                              10
Future Tech        Future      6000    1         1       1      1       1        1              0

 

I am confused to what it means by how much a prophet values a tech?

 

One of the ways to use a Great Prophet is have him discover a tech. He will pick the available tech with the highest religion value. If there is no religion tech available, he can't discover anything.

 

Handy list, thanks.

This should be quick 67%, normal 100%, and epic 150% (according to gamespeedinfo.xml), unless I'm misunderstanding you.

Also, world size modifies research costs:
100% - Dual
110% - Tiny
120% - Small
130% - Standard
140% - Large
150% - Huge

 

Nice one, how did you compile this list from the xml? by hand?

Siff

 

Great Job!!
LeSphinx

 

Thanks snepp, I forgot about world sizes.

 

When you finish researching a tech there is a popup window with a choice of new techs to research. The game gives two recommendations and puts growth/military/science/culture etc. in parentheses next to it. So I'm guessing that's where the growth and military fields come in to play. I'm sure the AI also bases its research decision on this.

 

Just a guess,Dave McW:the eight variables are the leader traits.
Can you,please,or somebody else,verify that? (As I know nothing of computers,I'm not able to do it).
Best regards,

 

Dave, just an addendum.

I've dug through the XML too... I came to the conclusion that those values also link back to the "Flavors" of every AI Leader.

Check out the "CIV4LeaderHeadInfos.xml" under the "Civilizations" folder. There are values for "FLAVOR_GROWTH" and "FLAVOR_GOLD", which I took to link back directly to what tech certain AI types favor.

It explains why Catherine, who is heavy "FLAVOR_SCIENCE" goes for Writing so early, yet Caeser, who is "FLAVOR_MILITARY" goes for Iron Working.

- Bill

 

I suppose it also affects which techs are recommended to you when you get to choose what to research next?

 

Old topic, but I just found it and just got here, so please forgive my posting late.

What I believe the numbers actually in relation to the Religion, Growth, Military, etc, though it may have to do with the GP ability to research; I wouldn't imagine, say, a priest giving you something like bronze working or another heavily war based tech if they have Monotheism, Meditation, etc to learn - though, if you haven't researched any of them to begin with, I can't really see you having a priest GP - I imagine it deals more towards the AI learning them, but even more so towards the tech list.

When you learn a tech, as most people probably know, beside it, it will sometimes say, "Animal Husbandry (Growth)" or something like that, and I believe that is the primary reason that it's in there; to give people new to the game a guide on what each tech it's self enforces. I imagine it takes into account the cost of the tech, the level of the tech, etc, but I do believe that this would be the main reason it's in there. I can't really see the tech list being able to help people or guide new people if all techs were given the same values in all things.

If I am wrong, I apologuise, but this is what makes the most sense to me. I apologuise for bothering everyone, and I apologuise for posting on such an old topic - I simply believe that this had to be stated.

 

/Comes over from the civ4 multiplayer ladder site

That chart isn't really that clear.
In the game great people type have a list of techs and a preference for each tech (no techs have the same preference). With the same techs reasearched the same great person type will always give you the same tech.

Now here's a better way to tell precisely what a great person will give you

First: Here's complete list of techs a prophet will get in the order they will try and get them (preference of tech they give you runs from top to bottom)

Great Prophet:
Meditation
Polytheism
Priesthood
Monotheism
Theology
Divine Right
Mysticism (??)
Code of Laws
Civil Service
Monarchy
Literature
Music
Writing
Philosophy
Printing Press
Drama
Alphabet
Paper
Education
Liberalism
Calendar
Masonry
Animal Husbandry
Construction
Future Tech

From that above list you can see that if you dont have meditation a great prophet will give meditation. If you do have medidation a great prophet will try and give you polytheism. If you have meditation and polytheism then the prophet will go down the list (form top to bottom) until there is a tech you can research that the prophet can give you.

Note if you dont have prerequisites for a tech then the great person will try and give you the next tech on the list that you can get.

eg.
If i didnt have masonary and had techs Meditation,polytheism, priesthood, mysticism and code of laws then a great prophet would give me civil service as monotheism requires masonary, theology require monotheism, and dive right requires theology.

eg. (from the above list)
Great Prophet:

Meditation // Have it
Polytheism // Have it
Priesthood // Have it
Monotheism // Requires masonary so isnt allowed to be researched
Theology // Requires monotheism
Divine Right // Requires divine right
Mysticism (??) // Have it
Code of Laws // Have it
Civil Service // Great prophet will be able to give me this
Monarchy
Literature
Music
etc.




Now if you understood all that here is the full list of what great people will give you (preference runs top to bottom on all)

Great Prophet:

Meditation
Polytheism
Priesthood
Monotheism
Theology
Divine Right
Mysticism (??)
Code of Laws
Civil Service
Monarchy
Literature
Music
Writing
Philosophy
Printing Press
Drama
Alphabet
Paper
Education
Liberalism
Calendar
Masonry
Animal Husbandry
Construction
Future Tech

Great Scientist:

Writing
Mathematics
Scientific Method
Physics
Education
Printing Press
Fiber Optics
Computers
The Wheel
Philosophy
Chemistry
Fission
Fusion
Optics
Paper
Astronomy
Biology
Electricity
Flight
Genetics
Compass
Satellites
Sailing
Alphabet
Calendar
Medicine
Ecology
Iron Working
Metal Casting
Engineering
Steam Power
Liberalism
Agriculture
Masonry
Bronze Working
Machinery
Gunpowder
Refrigeration
Rocketry
Fishing
Combustion
Plastics
Composites
Mining
Radio
Meditation
Drama
Theology
Music
Civil Service
Democracy
Corporation
Communism
Economics
Hunting
Archery
Animal Husbandry
Construction
Robotics
Monotheism
Mass Media
Horseback Riding
Replaceable Parts
Rifling
Artillery
Future Tech

Great Artist:

Literature
Drama
Music
Polytheism
Monarchy
Mass Media
Radio
Mysticism
Monotheism
Divine Right
Alphabet
Meditation
Priesthood
Theology
Nationalism
Writing
Philosophy
Printing Press
Liberalism
Pottery
Horseback Riding
Democracy
Education
Military Tradition
Communism
Astronomy
Computers
Feudalism
Constitution
Fishing
Sailing
Paper
Biology
Archery
Masonry
Metal Casting
Civil Service
Guilds
Fascism
Hunting
Animal Husbandry
Bronze Working
Construction
Railroad
Robotics
Future Tech

Great Merchant:

Currency
Banking
Economics
Corporation
Metal Casting
Code of Laws
Mining
Constitution
Wheel
Pottery
Sailing
Paper
Railroad
Industrialism
Monarchy
Civil Service
Guilds
Fascism
Mass Media
Agriculture
Writing
Mathematics
Printing Press
Flight
Machinery
Replaceable Parts
Satellites
Mysticism
Priesthood
Divine Right
Nationalism
Calendar
Scientific Method
Medicine
Horseback Riding
Compass
Steam Power
Future Tech

Great Engineer:

Machinery
Assembly Line
Industrialism
Combustion
Metal Casting
Mining
Iron Working
Engineering
Replaceable Parts
Steam Power
Steel
Robotics
Railroad
Feudalism
Fascism
The Wheel
Plastics
Masonry
Construction
Guilds
Bronze Working
Corporation
Electricity
Animal Husbandry
Gunpowder
Priesthood
Monarchy
Code of Laws
Constitution
Agriculture
Economics
Chemistry
Fission
Genetics
Fusion
Optics
Civil Service
Nationalism
Communism
Ecology
Pottery
Calendar
Currency
Banking
Scientific Method
Physics
Medicine
Refrigeration
Computers
Divine Right
Fishing
Mathematics
Flight
Fiber Optics
Hunting
Horseback Riding
Rifling
Future Tech

 

Yeah, that list has been floating around CFC for a while buried in various threads. But rather than burying it in this old article, it might be better to start your own article.

 

Great work everybody- and something else to factor in. I seem to remember that loads of posts were saying Civ4 was a dumbed down version of civ3 - if only.

I can't help feeling that there is something important hidden in those lists (other than the obvious insurance policy against missing the Oracle). Has anybody had time to do some analysis? (Isn't RL a real bind?)

I hope that if/when I beat deity on a reasonably large map (dream on) that I have to use every single tactic (read exploit if you prefer) known to man - and have a lot of luck. Balance wise I think the game designers (and play testers) have done an exceptional job (except for the always anarchy thing).

 

i'm glad you put the work into this. thanks.

 

Wow, thank you very much for compiling these lists.

This looks like a potential basis for an awesome multiple-slingshot strategy, especially for Philosophical leaders who can afford a heavy-specialist strategy (I'm thinking of Peter here).

 

thank u thank u very very much!it s just the right thing i want.
after long being bored with the regular route, it gives me some clues to develop a new tactic.
now im going through a new game with gandhi.awesome,the first prophet sent
me Civilservice,before i rushed the second GP(scientist) by caste system.
with bureacracy and academy ,my tec soaring.
after that i have been devoting to produce prophet(though it might not be the best way form a stratigic point,just for fun and see how the prophet actually works )
exhilaratingly the tec route in a straight and clear way goes forward.paper,education,liberalism,awesome,perfect.
thank dave again,u bring me a new godd playstyle,thank u.

 

It also turns out that a GS always contributes at least 500 more beakers to a tech, which will make a difference in your planning at the stage when a single Great Person won't finish the tech completely.

 

Intense. The Great Library is crazy sick.