Why do people think the Agricultural trait is overpowered?

[Zardnaar]

Alot of people rate this as the number 1 trait. However how many people restart until they get a river start? I suspect quite a few (including myself occasionally). Since you only get a great start about 1 in 10 games without restarting you are left with the mian benefit of starting with pottery- something the expansionistic trait also has but people rate that as "crap" trait.

IMHO the industrial trait is better because its more consistent but if you're a constant reloader agricultural could be overpowered.

 

[microbe]

1. You don't have to start immediately next to river. It doesn't require much luck to have a river closeby.
2. The restriction of river no longer applies once you leave despotism.

 

[punkbass2000]

I'll try and find Dominae's look into this, but essentially he found 2/3 of starts are at least advantageous for Agr. civs. Also, even without rivers, half-price aqueducts are very useful and the extra food when you leave despotism is still very valuable, even if the REX has mostly concluded. Also, starts without rivers tend to be on drier, warmer maps which again gives the Agr. civ the huge advantage of useful desert. You know, if Industrious hadn't been nerfed, I might have agreed with you, but as it is Agr. is clearly overpowered IMO.

EDIT: Here's Dominae's thread

 

[Bloodied66]

Well, becasue food is the most powerful resource in the beginning of the game. There is almost always a river near to the start (not necessarily by the capital), and that makes settler factories far easier, and just speeds up the growth of a few of your key cities. Even later, when you are out of despotism, it pretty much means either faster growth for all cities or a bonus shield or two (since you can mine something you normally would have irrigated.

Plus, deserts become as good as plains with irrigation, allowing those previously useless wastelands to become fruitful.

 

[player1 fanatic]

Persoanly, even if it would get its "river despot" food bonus removed, it would still be a good trait. On par with C3C industrious trait.

 

[sourboy]

Food is primary in Civ3. This is a 'godly' trait. Everything revolves around food.

 

[Doc Tsiolkovski]

Food is primary in Civ3

Not for all playing styles.
For me, Commerce rules. Contacts rule. SEA is the best trait on the highest levels, even on Pangea maps.
If course, you better don't start next to Sumeria

 

[Turner]

Sea is very powerful when used correctly. Getting those early contacts and being a tech broker goes a long way towards winning the game. I'm not going to say it's #3, but when used correctly it can easily be #1.

Ind isn't as powerful as VC3/PTW. I almost miss it. But it is still probably the #2 trait.

Agri just rocks. Extra food in despotism, extra productive deserts. Probably the #1 trait.

That being said, any trait can be #1 when it's strengths are applied correctly.

 

[Doc Tsiolkovski]

AGR is one of the strongest traits, no doubt. But it mostly shines on the mid-levels (Mon, Emp).
IND? One of the least useful traits above Monarch.

I'd say for DG and above:
1st tier:
AGR, SEA, COM, SCI
2nd tier:
REL
3rd tier:
MIL, IND.

EXP is a bit different - 1st tier for Emperor/ DG, 2nd for Deity, useless for Sid (but always requires suitable map settings, unlike SEA).

 

[Breunor]

I'm with Zardnaar. I always play everything random, and I was surprised to find that my Agri civ's didn't seem that great haveing read so much about it. Yes, there is often a river, but if you don't get them early, it just doesn't mean as much. Once the AI has you boxed in, finding a river jsut doesn't help so much.

Now, put me on a river, and I would take Agri ahead of any other in any situation. But for random-random everything, I don't think it is the best.

Breunor