The best trait.

[TM Moot]

Industrious every time

with Financial and Spiritual a close second.

 

[Thyrwyn]

Creative. Better city site selection and faster Libraries.

 

[Bast]

Noone voted Imperialistic... Is the Trait that underrated? or is it just not the players' favorite?

Obviously it needs a lot of help. I just wish Firaxis would listen.

 

[Sjaramei]

Organized. I always go insane when i don't have it and can't whip courthouses in my newly acquired cities.

Imperialistic is a crappy trait. 50% on hammers and not food? (Like you are working a lot of mines when you are in need of building quick settlers....) Great General bonus is ok, but not impressive enough. It's one of the weakest traits and as mentioned needs some help. (Reduced city maintenance or something should make it good)

Financial is ok, but i think most people overrate it, Organized which you can compare it with, makes you able to get more cities faster, and more cities means more research/cash. Oh and you get quicker lighthouses and factories too. (Awesome trait! )

For me it would go like this Organized on top, Charismatic, Financial/Philosophical/Industrious, Aggressive/Spiritual/Expansive, and Imperialistic/Protective at the bottom. (They really suck unless AI have them)

(I play for domination, if you intend to not war much other traits would be better)

Unfortunately, this poll also reflects the difficulty setting influence the choice as well.

I voted Organized, as higher levels it feels impossible to play without it, more than any other trait with the possible exception of Charismatic for the happiness bonus.

I agree with this Organized is much more important at higher levels, and one of the strongest combos is Cha/Org (Napoleon is awesome)
Lots of big cities and awesome army

 

[Chairman Czar]

Spiritual, totally......




Kidding. Imperialistic and Financial. EXPANSION!!!

 

[Sephlock]

Unfortunately, this poll also reflects the difficulty setting influence the choice as well.

The poll is also affected by what types of starts are viewed as 'acceptable' by the voters- how often and under what circumstances they'll regenerate the map or otherwise start over, etc...

 

[cairnsy44]

I voted Financial, but nearly went with Organized. I like to mix it up and play with as many different leaders as I can at the moment.

 

[Antilogic]

My current favorite is Charismatic, although I tend to vacillate between Charismatic, Financial, and Philosophical.

 

[BYC]

The poll is also affected by what types of starts are viewed as 'acceptable' by the voters- how often and under what circumstances they'll regenerate the map or otherwise start over, etc...

I disagree.

I believe the difficulty setting is the single most important selection in starting the game. It really doesn't matter what civ I play if I'm playing on Noble or lower. I'm gonna win easily no matter what civ I get. I might be slowed down a bit from bad starting positions or lack of resources, but I'm gonna win. I might not be used to playing on highlands, or islands, or big and small, or whatever, but the AI just can't possibly keep up with me.

The few times I went up to Emperor to play, I kept restarting to make sure I get great starting spots, but I still couldn't keep up because my level of skill just hasn't evolved to that point where I know exactly when to chop, when to whip, when to expand, where the cities should go (ie, should I get the food resource now, only to give up all those river tiles for cottages, or do I settle near the river now, hoping it'll pay off later), when to build military units for defense and/or attack. Not all of my decisions were wrong, but it felt like no matter what I did, I was behind.

I've restarted when I've had no hills for mines in the fat cross. A great starting spot is important, but I think the difficulty selection is more important.

 

[Bast]

Organized is a trait that doesn't really make sense. Why does an organized leader get to build lighthouses and factories quicker? You tell me.

That alone is a turn-off for me.

And it's interesting that only in Warlords they added the cheaper factories, so they must've thought it was one of the weaker traits and were trying to make up for it. They're the experts.

 

[BYC]

Organized is a trait that doesn't really make sense. Why does an organized leader get to build lighthouses and factories quicker? You tell me.

That alone is a turn-off for me.

And it's interesting that only in Warlords they added the cheaper factories, so they must've thought it was one of the weaker traits and were trying to make up for it. They're the experts.

It's a matter of semantics. I dinstinctly remember discussions on what the name of the trait really means. Like why would financial give +1 commerce? Libraries wasn't a cheap building for creative at first.

I kinda stop bothering to figure why, and just play the game. For every reason that something makes sense, there's reasons that it doesn't make sense either.

 

[Bast]

It's a matter of semantics. I dinstinctly remember discussions on what the name of the trait really means. Like why would financial give +1 commerce? Libraries wasn't a cheap building for creative at first.

I kinda stop bothering to figure why, and just play the game. For every reason that something makes sense, there's reasons that it doesn't make sense either.

Well, I thought it'd be obvious why financial gives +1 . Creative was weak only because of the crappy colosseum building. But people loved it then too. It did need a boost of a library. Now it's just perfect.

I can't play a trait that doesn't make sense to me. That's also why I don't play some civilizations and leaders. This is a game based on history and not everyone plays to win.

So that's why people's conclusions for best traits are going to be different.

See, imperialistic is a weak trait. A very weak trait but Victoria is like my favourite leader. Why? Because financial and imperialistic describes her and her era very, very well. So I enjoy playing as her and recreating that history.

 

[azzaman333]

I always seem to play best with Creative civs, so that gets my vote.

 

[BYC]

Well, I thought it'd be obvious why financial gives +1 . Creative was weak only because of the crappy colosseum building. But people loved it then too. It did need a boost of a library. Now it's just perfect.

I can't play a trait that doesn't make sense to me. That's also why I don't play some civilizations and leaders. This is a game based on history and not everyone plays to win.

So that's why people's conclusions for best traits are going to be different.

See, imperialistic is a weak trait. A very weak trait but Victoria is like my favourite leader. Why? Because financial and imperialistic describes her and her era very, very well. So I enjoy playing as her and recreating that history.

But financial doesn't gives +1 , it gives +1

Just saying

 

[BenniusCaesar]

Financial is clearly unfairly strong. It severely limits my choice of leaders because I always want to play someone with Financial + whatever.

Because of the way commerce works, a "Financial" civ actually ends up with advantages in finances, science, drama & now espionage! It's too hard to compete with a Financial leader unless you are too.

 

[Arlborn]

Protective/creative > all.

Whatever you say.

 

[Sjaramei]

Organized is a trait that doesn't really make sense. Why does an organized leader get to build lighthouses and factories quicker? You tell me.

That alone is a turn-off for me.

And it's interesting that only in Warlords they added the cheaper factories, so they must've thought it was one of the weaker traits and were trying to make up for it. They're the experts.

I don't understand your point. Organized means good infrastructure (production) and leadership, so all those buildings make sense in a way. (Forges could belong here too, but that would make the trait too good i think)

Protective/creative > all.

Whatever you say.

Yuck! I seem to have bad memories of a certain AI with those traits

 

[aronnax]

Organised. Think of all the money i can save with State Property!!

and......

Industrial. Wonder hog

 

[Kao'chai]

As a non-warmonger , I say Financial is good , as well as Imperialistic , Expansive , Philosophical and Creative .

Creative is good early trait , but weakens in the later game .
Philosophical is good for GPP .

BTW , have I mentioned Industrious .

 

[Sephlock]

Judging from this poll, Hannibal is the best leader- so how come I don't hear about more people using him ?