Oracle Slingshot: Tips?

[bardolph]

If you're going for an Oracle slingshot, what techs do you usually research?

Let's say you start with Mysticism.

Do you go Meditation -> Priesthood -> Build Oracle? This seems like the most direct route, but would tie up your capital for a long time and stunt growth.

Do you make sure you have Bronze Working first, to chop it out? What if you don't start with Mining?

What about other worker techs, like Agriculture, Fishing, Hunting, and the Wheel? Are these more important than Priesthood in the early early game?

What about Settlers and Workers? Is it wise to build the Oracle when you only have 1 city?

 

[rtfischbeck]

I don't go for the oracle that often, but when I do I grab mining/BW, wheel, agriculture, and either AH or pottery then med or poly and priesthood. MY build order is something like worker, warrior, settler, warrior, warrior, worker(whipped) oracle. Sometimes I sub a baracks for the two warriors if bronze or horses are close.

 

[oyzar]

I find that it is seldom worth it to build the oracle before you have 2-3 cities and worker techs come beforehand. Sometimes the AI is just faster than you to it and you are better off delaying it. COL MC and feudalism would be the most popular techs.

 

[kniteowl]

lol it's all siutation dependent, but for me if you're playing BTS it's best you start with Myst before you build Oracle becuase the AI builds it relatively early because they know how to chop rush now, genrally Before 1000BC but it varies depending on Diffuclty level.

The Oracle isn't really important unless you're gonna use it for any certain particular strategy.

I've seen people get the 1st 5 religions in their capital with a strategy like this, build SH adn Oracle in Cap while they research Med, Poly and Mon techs to gain the 1st 3 main religions then oracle COLs for Conf and Use you're 1st Great Prophet to Lighbulb Theology but that's one of those crazy Religon games thought LOL.

As I said before it's really dependent on what type of strategy you're pursuing, there are many more out there then the one I've just posted.

 

[ParadigmShifter]

I always go polytheism rather than meditation on the way to priesthood for the oracle since polytheism is a pre-req for literature and the great library. Plus you seem to have a better chance of founding hinduism rather than buddhism I find.

I normally get bronze working in the bag and another settler out first though. I normally build the oracle in my second city anyway since I want scientists in the capital normally.

 

[The Bowman]

I think what people don't like about Polytheism vs the other is that it is more expensive. But over all I have to agree with Paradigmshifter.

 

[ParadigmShifter]

Don't forget polytheism also enables the parthenon which is pretty good too. I'd rather be certain of getting the great library rather than have a chance of losing the oracle anyway, unless I'm going for some sort of slingshot (feudalism with Churchill say, or civil service on low levels when you can get maths and code of laws before building - warlords only of course) or gambit (gotta love the metal casting->forge->engineer->pyramids).

 

[The Bowman]

I don't think the Parthenon can have any weight vs the G Library. The Parthenon both is very expensive, and while increases your GPerson rate, adds a lot of crappy ones too. Technicaly, the Library also increases your rate of GPersons. But it lasts much, much longer.

Parthenon obsoletes at chemistry already? Yikes!

 

[ParadigmShifter]

Well if I do build the parthenon it's in the same city as the oracle which isn't going to be likely to generate any GPs anyway since it'll be drowned out by the great library in the capital. It's only worth building both (oracle/parthenon) if the 2nd city has marble anyway I think. At least the parthenon affects all cities in the empire.

 

[The Bowman]

Yes, the Parthenon is global, but now you have me thinking.

The library gives 2 points by itself? I am not sure anymore. With the scientists that may be 8 total?

Oracle and parthenon combined would be less but after the library city pops a Scientist, its counter would reset, while the other city doesn't. Though I guess if you run a lot of scientists in the former, indeed so the other city may never catch up as the points requirement increases by 100 after each pop.

 

[ParadigmShifter]

Yep, Great Library is +8 GPPs all science. It's the best wonder I think.

I rarely have a problem with getting another GP from outside Great Lib city until well after liberalism. (EDIT: Starving the city to run an extra scientist works well too if you are in danger of getting a GP from the oracle/parthenon city. Priests are pretty good when settled in the capital anyway - especially after chopping those forests for the great lib, an early artist can lightbulb drama as well so it's not all bad news even if you mess up). My 2nd city which builds oracle/parthenon is probably a production city anyway so won't be running specialists, while the capital is food heavy most of the time.

EDIT: I have more of a problem getting artists from the great library city after building National Epic there. I tend to put that off until about 4 or 5 GPs (all scientists) have arrived though, the first 4 or 5 GPs come fast anyway with the great lib.

 

[bardolph]

So, from what I gather, it's not a mad dash to Priesthood to build the Oracle. Rather, it's a calculated build that relies on Workers and chopping with BW, yes?

 

[The Bowman]

The oracle gains Prophets, not artists. So wouldn't it be best in your case to also place oracle in the same city as the library? Otherwise a lot of those GPPs will go to waste. It's only 2 points, but every little bit helps.

 

[ParadigmShifter]

In my games, yes. Oracle is dead cheap and a few chops gets the job done. Never build it in your first city anyway unless you want a lot of prophets.

The longer you can delay getting the oracle the better the free tech you can get anyway. You need bronze working for metal casting anyway, and after that the only other thing I'd go for would be Code of Laws (Civil Service if playing a low level perhaps, that makes things too easy though ). Maybe alphabet at high levels to play catch-up.

It's worth leaving the oracle in the build queue when it has 1 turn left for as long as you can to get the best available tech. Bit of a gamble though.

 

[ParadigmShifter]

The oracle gains Prophets, not artists. So wouldn't it be best in your case to also place oracle in the same city as the library? Otherwise a lot of those GPPs will go to waste. It's only 2 points, but every little bit helps.

Yeah, you have a point (EDIT: It's the parthenon which has annoying artists). I like prophets a lot more now after discovering the power of settling them. I must admit that my capital is often tied up building the pyramids though... Pyramids/Great Library is the best possible combo. Works up to and including monarch I find, I always have 3 cities before starting pyramids though, too risky otherwise.

 

[Ozbenno]

If you're playing Monarch or above, forget Oracle, it is a high risk strategy.

If you're playing Prince or below, research a couple of worker techs (Bronze Working especially), get a settler and worker out of the capital and then Oracle. I would normally go for Civil Service (even on Warlords).

 

[The Bowman]

I have seen people use oracle to grab liberalism even. Haha. But as pointed out, that simply is not going to work once you hit monarch.

I believe you can still B-line for it on Monarch fine, as some people go after it all the way up to Immortal.

It is one of those wonders though, that I have gone after a lot, then thought it was over-rated, then returned to going after it again, then abandoned it. Always going around in patterns. All I can say now, is it's SITUATIONAL.

 

[ParadigmShifter]

If you get the great library there's no need for the oracle at all really. I play at monarch and I must say I rarely build it anymore (Prince, I always did, for CoL, but then I never went for the pyramids on that level). Parthenon is better with the great library (not in the same city though, parthenon and national epic in 1 city is such a big no-no unless you go cultural) but it is more expensive, yes. I hardly ever build the parthenon at monarch either, just pyramids and great lib, lovely.

 

[The Bowman]

I guess I did underestimate the synergy a little with Parthenon and GLibrary.

2 + 1.5 x 8 = 14 GPP/turn combo veruses 8 GPP/turn for just GLibrary

And then, your advantage goes up from there for each added point.

But even with just the Library, this Para would change the timeline of your GS from 12.5 turns to just 7.1

 

[ParadigmShifter]

Or you can lightbulb philosophy with your first or second GS and switch to pacifism (caste system as well maybe at the same time). Liberalism race is easily won then. Throw in the national epic when the GPs start being 20+ turns and you are looking at a ton of great people (some might be artists though - although they are OK when you take a capital off an AI mid-game and are going for domination).