Question on religion

[jetter]

Almost every game I play usually ends up with a civ dropping a city close to one of mine. If I found a religion should I NOT send a missionary there? I mean does having a religion in his city help his culture expand by +1? Its usually a very long time before that civ can make a temple or library so his
borders dont expand for a long time. Im afraid that if I put a religion there im going to help him expand and end up losing tiles. I know it will spread there eventually but am I better off delaying it as long as I can?

 

[AfterShafter]

If you are, let's say, a Buddhist civ and the guy who built a city on your border is Hindu, he does not get +1 culture per turn just for having Buddhism in his cities. On the other hand, he can then build temples and monestaries to up his culture in those cities - certain Civ personalities don't go too nuts on that kind of stuff though, and you can generally bank on them not building many religious buildings.

If you really wan't to shut a guy out for culture, don't spread religion to his cities - but, he won't get +1 per turn for having a non-state religion in his city.

 

[jetter]

Ahh I see. So the +1 is tied to the state religion? Like if he decided to switch from hindu to buddhist then the +1 would kick in? Im not too concerned about him doing that I just want to make sure I understand how it works

Thanks

 

[AfterShafter]

Ahh I see. So the +1 is tied to the state religion? Like if he decided to switch from hindu to buddhist then the +1 would kick in? Im not too concerned about him doing that I just want to make sure I understand how it works

Thanks

Exactly. If you spread Buddhism to a city in a Hindu civ, he will not get +1 culture per turn. He can start building temples (1 culture per turn) and monestaries (2 culture per turn) though, so don't try this on someone like Gandhi who loves to get as many religious buildings as he can going.

 

[Tristan daCunha]

And if you want to try to keep your neighbor non-hostile, spreading your state religion to his cities may cause him to decide to convert to your religion. Of course, you would probably need to send missionaries to all (or most) of his cities for this to happen, but since sharing a state religion gives you plusses in diplomacy (sometimes very big plusses) its worth considering.

 

[AfterShafter]

And if you want to try to keep your neighbor non-hostile, spreading your state religion to his cities may cause him to decide to convert to your religion. Of course, you would probably need to send missionaries to all (or most) of his cities for this to happen, but since sharing a state religion gives you plusses in diplomacy (sometimes very big plusses) its worth considering.

Yes... Problem with that though is that if he's a different religion than you, he will like you less for it, and is less likely to open borders. That's when you have to start paying attention to leaders' favorite civics and convert to them, or gift them things, to get them to open borders and hop on your religious bandwagon.

 

[AriochIV]

Having your state religion in his cities also gives you visibility in that area, which can be very useful.

 

[AfterShafter]

Having your state religion in his cities also gives you visibility in that area, which can be very useful.

Only if you founded it though (or control the city in which it was founded). Founding a religion kicks ass

 

[viz]

Only if you founded it though (or control the city in which it was founded). Founding a religion kicks ass

Also, build a shrine and the gold starts rolling in, spread far and wide and you'll be able to run 100% research and still make plenty of gold per turn extra.

 

[AfterShafter]

Also, build a shrine and the gold starts rolling in, spread far and wide and you'll be able to run 100% research and still make plenty of gold per turn extra.

Yeah, I love hopping on Gandhi and playing a religious game... What's that Monty - destroyed all my cottages? Tough cookies, I'm still at 80% and cranking out units, and I can see what's in all your cities

 

[meatwad4289]

spread it to him, win his trust, then dominate his country... Be a Real Leader, Kill!

 

[AriochIV]

Only if you founded it though (or control the city in which it was founded). Founding a religion kicks ass

Yes, of course... but don't you pretty much always found at least one?

 

[AfterShafter]

Yes, of course... but don't you pretty much always found at least one?

Well, if you're playing on Emperor, sometimes you get a game with Isabella, Saladin, Gandhi/Asoka in it... And good luck founding religions there Even AS Gandhi I have to use an Oracle slingshot to found Confucianism reliably on emperor when Isabella/Saladin are in the game - Buddhism/Hinduism/Judaism are pretty much a lost cause.

Perhaps with Isabella (financial + fishing + mysticism = incredible for founding early religions) but I never warmed up to her much.

 

[dh_epic]

These are factors you have to consider.

Sometimes, you really need the diplomatic benefit of religion, and need to get as much religion into his cities as possible. You need at least one for him to be able to convert, and you might need more just so he won't flip to the first rival religion that shows up.

But on the other hand, you do want to starve them of the benefits of religion too... the civics benefits, the happiness benefits, the culture benefits.

You have to figure out what's more important. I think that if you can afford to delay putting a missionary in his close cities, you should -- instead focusing on his larger, inner cities.