Which leaders get better on higher difficulty?

[KMadCandy]

But one trait that no one mentioned is Industrious - it's definitely better on higher difficulty levels. It can often mean the difference between completing a Wonder, or being beaten by the AI.

you have a point. i guess that one really depends on playstyle (although they all do). before i moved up in levels i played a couple games forcing myself to build no wonders at all (great library did not count, it's a throne room addition). i learned a lot about which ones i really really need, which ones i need but won't consider the game lost if i don't build, which ones i don't need, and which ones are just as good captured.

for standard games, i don't tend to build a lot of wonders, so i don't pick industrious. it would for the most part be a waste for me. but that's playstyle. and partly lifestyle ... my job (contractor working from home) gives me a lot of free time, and i don't mind starting a new game if i miss the oracle and was counting on it; many folks don't have free time to do that or and / consider it bad form. for me, bad form is reloading to whip it out when i hadn't originally, i have my own oddball standards .

 

[Sjaramei]

While Philo and Financial are both good at higher levels, I don't think they are any less good at the lower ones. But one trait that no one mentioned is Industrious - it's definitely better on higher difficulty levels. It can often mean the difference between completing a Wonder, or being beaten by the AI. One might also make the case that Imperialistic is more important at higher levels as well, as you need to get Settlers out faster if you want to compete in the land grab.

Bh

Industrious depends on your playstyle, getting stone/marble is usally enough for beating AI to a wonder. (At high levels i don't want to waste hammers on wonders so it's a waste for me. But then i'm not peaceful )

Imperialistic is sucky because the +50% settler production only works on hammers. And as you are usually improving food early when it matters, so it's 1-2 hammers more tops, and thats not worth it. This trait needs a buff.

 

[Bhruic]

It's not a matter of whether or not traits "suck", it's whether they are "more powerful" at the higher difficulty levels. At lower difficulty, while Industrious is nice in that it reduces Wonder building time, it rarely is the difference between getting or missing out on a Wonder - because the AI is pretty slow about building them. On the higher levels, the AI gets enough bonuses that it can often beat you.

Same with Imperialistic. Sure, it's not very powerful, but saving a few turns on building a Settler can get you to that great city spot before the AI. Again, something you rarely have to worry about on the lower levels.

Bh

 

[uberfish]

Organized isn't really as good as you would imagine at immortal/deity because it is a lot harder to gain land compared to lower difficulty levels, your maintenance costs a little more but you have less cities so it balances out, I still rank this as the weakest of the economic traits.

Industrious is pretty useless too as the AI techs and builds the early wonders so fast that getting one involves luck even with this trait

Imperialistic is a weak trait, that gets even worse when the AI claims land more quickly, enough said there

I would say the only trait that actually improves significantly is philosophical when combined with lightbulb/trading strat because the AI has more to trade.

 

[Mehmed II]

Mehmed II is good for higher difficulties.

 

[Heffling]

Charismatic improves at higher difficulties because the increase in happyness cap offsets the lowering that occurs as you move up in level.