The Pyramids - always go for them?

[6K Man]

I like to get the Pyramids, but they only seem practical if, as has been said, you're either Industrious or blessed with Stone.

(My current game was as Gandhi (industrious, spiritual) with stone in my capital's FC. Can't think of a better situation for Pyramids. Result: Stonehenge, Pyramids, Oracle, HG, Great Lighthouse, Great Library... )

 

[Shoot the Moon]

The mid's cost as the same as 13 axemen. You could conquer two civs with that most likely. If you think of it that way, I don't think I would build it unless I were both Industrious and had Stone. Representation isn't better than an enemy's capitol and having two-three times the room to expand.

 

[Levgre]

maybe if I was going for a cultural victory. Great Engineers are good for spreading out your wonders in cities that otherwise would have too hard a time for building them, so you don't get the 25000 culture in capital when you have 5000 in other cities issue. And also, if you do this you can go down the cultural path (music, etc.) instead of going the most practical route, so the ability to use representation is useful much longer.

Otherwise, if you really aren't going to appreciate that culture, no.

 

[popejubal]

I build the Pyramids if I can afford to and if I have a reason to. In other words, I often build them if I'm below Monarch.

If I'm Monarch or above, I'll build them if I'm Industrious or have stone hooked up AND I'm going to be running a specialist economy. Pyramids are nice, but being able to run Representation early isn't going to do me any good if I don't have a ton and a half of specialists to get the extra +3 from.

So, if I can afford to get it and if I have a significant discount AND if I will get significant benefit from it, I'll go for the Pyramids. Otherwise, I'd usually rather have the extra few cities placed exactly where I want them with appropriate defences.