Herbalist Random Event

[ShadyCharacter]

Is it just me or does this random event occur a lot in your games as well? If you're wondering I'm referring to the +2 event. In all of my games lately this event has occurred for at least 3-5 people (I generally play standard map size with 7-10 players). I think its frequency is leading it to be a bit overpowered since it's essentially a free watered-down version of expansive.

 

[AfterShafter]

I see it fairly often. I hate it, truth be told... Because the reward is good, but it comes at times when you really, really don't want to suffer the consequences. Though, I guess that's not a poorly designed random event

 

[IronicBuddha]

I get it a lot as well, however it is almost always in the first 50 turns where the + doesn't do anything, so win win.

 

[AfterShafter]

I get it a lot as well, however it is almost always in the first 50 turns where the + doesn't do anything, so win win.

Aye... But it's also your capital in the first fifty, so the off chance of that negative to population is a pretty big deal for start speed... And the health bonus is only in your capital.

 

[ShadyCharacter]

Aye... But it's also your capital in the first fifty, so the off chance of that negative to population is a pretty big deal for start speed... And the health bonus is only in your capital.

Are you sure? I could've sworn the health bonus applies to all cities because it's listed as "+ 2 Civilization" in a city's screen, or something like that.

 

[AfterShafter]

Are you sure? I could've sworn the health bonus applies to all cities because it's listed as "+ 2 Civilization" in a city's screen, or something like that.

I tested it in the past... Only the cities I had when the event came around had the bonus

 

[Nishdog]

I thought the health bonus extends to all new cities, too. Is that the case or no? In any case, I used to love this event and now I'm learning to love it less. I don't like taking the chance of losing population this early in the game, especially if I've delayed building a settler because I wanted to grow my population first...and then all of a sudden my population is gone! What to do next? Wait for more population growth or bite the bullet and just start that settler now?

 

[AfterShafter]

I'd suggest someone retest it. I tested it shortly after BTS came out, and I recall it being only to cities I had at the time the random event was completed. But, eh, that was a long time ago - patches could have changed it, or I could just be outright wrong.

 

[ShadyCharacter]

I thought the health bonus extends to all new cities, too. Is that the case or no? In any case, I used to love this event and now I'm learning to love it less. I don't like taking the chance of losing population this early in the game, especially if I've delayed building a settler because I wanted to grow my population first...and then all of a sudden my population is gone! What to do next? Wait for more population growth or bite the bullet and just start that settler now?

Oh you should've seen the Roman (Augustus) game I recently played. I play Monarch and managed to build the pyramids and oracled metal casting. I built forges and switched into police state for cheap legions. Then, I got the herb event and failed the happiness check. Now, as if the failed happiness check wasn't enough, I had already whipped Rome 3 times in the recent past, so for the next 500 years Rome was burning and remained a size 2

 

[Nishdog]

Oh you should've seen the Roman (Augustus) game I recently played. I play Monarch and managed to build the pyramids and oracled metal casting. I built forges and switched into police state for cheap legions. Then, I got the herb event and failed the happiness check. Now, as if the failed happiness check wasn't enough, I had already whipped Rome 3 times in the recent past, so for the next 500 years Rome was burning and remained a size 2

That's shady

 

[TyrionLannister]

I'd suggest someone retest it. I tested it shortly after BTS came out, and I recall it being only to cities I had at the time the random event was completed. But, eh, that was a long time ago - patches could have changed it, or I could just be outright wrong.

As for previous patches I can't say, but in my current game I got the event when I only had my capital, and since then I've built two more cities and they both have the +2 health bonus. I have the latest offical patch as well as bhuric's unofficial patch.

 

[Crowqueen]

I took the bait the first time I played Warlord level and sank like a stone because of it, so now I always click the "everything possible has already been discovered" button and have done with it.

 

[Willem]

I see it fairly often. I hate it, truth be told... Because the reward is good, but it comes at times when you really, really don't want to suffer the consequences.

I agree, which is why I've turned it off in my games. I was getting so annoyed at seeing it, in almost every game, then just telling it to ignore the tests. Very rarely did it occur when I was in a position that the unhappiness didn't mess with my overall expansion.

 

[Willem]

I don't like taking the chance of losing population this early in the game, especially if I've delayed building a settler because I wanted to grow my population first...and then all of a sudden my population is gone!

It's not just the population loss that can screw you up but also the unhappiness. There seems to be a random element as to how long it will last and sometimes it will go on and on forever.

 

[jray]

It's not just the population loss that can screw you up but also the unhappiness. There seems to be a random element as to how long it will last and sometimes it will go on and on forever.

It's not random... it's the same result as if you whipped the same number of citizens that you lost.

 

[Willem]

It's not random... it's the same result as if you whipped the same number of citizens that you lost.

Well maybe it was just that I was being impatient but in some games it seemed to last longer. I guess it was just my imagination.

 

[Rvil Plum]

I nearly always go for the gamble, but when it goes wrong, it goes wrong big time, and I have wondered if that single event may have cost me a few games in the past. The period of stagnant growth usually costs me at least one settler and a wonder, and a long period of slower research and GP production.

It may be one of these things that is unbalanced at different game speeds, and we shouldn't go for on marathon, because the risk is just to great. Now I think about it, in my last few game it came up when I was wonder building in all 3 of my cities, so I rejected the offer, which was quite unusual for me, but I bagged the 3 wonders I wanted so I was happy.

The trouble is it's obvious to see the negative effect of the event, but the positive effect is more subtle and less obvious. It should be a no-brainer, and theoretically we should all always go for it, but I do wonder on marathon.

Regards - Mr P

 

[DrewBledsoe]

Play Marathon...go worker first build...it very often comes when your cap is still size 1.

Option:- Lose two pop points (when I have none to lose), and have 2 citizens worth of unhappiness (which will have worn off well before it matters even one iota) for a 90% chance of +2 in all cities forever.....ooh, now let me see

Must be some mighty fine herbs they found, which are 2/3rds as good as a state of the art hospital 5000 yrs later

 

[jray]

What really rocks is getting the event when all your cities are at size 1!

 

[nbcman]

I usually get it at the beginning of the game when I usually have only my capital at size 1 or 2 due to building workers or a settler. So it is a 90% chance for a great result-I'll take it.