So its been a while, wanted to take a look at the current wonder balance.
For this, I'm going to do two ratings for a wonder: Ex: A/C
First Number (Wonder Power): This is the actual strength of the wonder, ie how much do I want it. For this, I always consider optimal alignments. Obviously certain strats favor certain wonders. A high ranking wonder doesn't mean I need it in every game, but it mean a good portion of the time its a very solid play for a lot of strategies.
S - reserved for just a few rankings, the true creme of the crop....probably OP.
A - Very good wonder, I want it in a lot of games, it will often set the tone of several of my strats, its just very good.
C - Decent wonder, I get it when I can.
F - Not even a terrible wonder per say, but I can just never seem to fit it in, there is always other priorities (and that extra wonder cost for future wonders of course).
Second Number (Ease of Building): How hard is it to get this wonder? Some wonders the AIs LOVE to get, others they will often ignore. A high ranking means I feel pretty confident I can pick this up in a lot of game, a low ranking means I need to move heaven and earth.
S - The AI practically has forgotten this exists, I never have trouble getting it.
A - Most games I can get this with standard build orders
C - I have to push a bit to get this wonder, but I have a reasonable chance with the right conditions.
F - Extremely hard to get this, the AI just gobbles it up like candy. Building this wonder feels like a major accomplishment in its own right.
Ancient Wonders
Stonehenge - C/S
Very solid opener to the game, makes a number of pantheons more foundable than they would be otherwise. With the right start (which isn't too hard to get) I can guarrantee I get this wonder, never miss it when I want it.
Pyramids - C/S
Gives a nice expansion boost to start the party, but it weakens your religious opening, and the other benefits aren't as great.
Statue of Zeus - A/F
Gives a solid benefit that will last you the entire game, excellent for warmongers. But my lord is it hard to get, the prereqs are tough to get that early in the game.
Petra - C (A for trade civs)/A
an extra Tr is never bad, often easy to get due to the desert requirements.
Temple of Artemis - F/C
Not bad but there is just so many other things to do right now, I never feel like the commitment is worth it.
Mausoleum of Halicarnassus - A/C
The more I've played the more I keep wondering if MoH is just a sleeper wonder. The benefits seem so innocent, but with good play its a permanent +10% to your most important yields in your capital all game. And the stone works is actually amazing to give you prod ITRs, which can be a monster boost in the early game.
Classical Wonders
Great Lighthouse - A/C
Sneakily good on water heavy maps, if your playing naval heavy games, this benefit adds up a lot.
Great Library - C/C
Its a nice boost when you get it, it really is, but I find it doesn't have the longevity to really warrant a higher ranking.
Hanging Gardens - C/C
I think this wonder at first glance just looks amazing, but I don't think its ultimately as good as it lets on.
Roman Forum - C/A
Often overlooked I think, but this wonder is a very nice benefit at that point in the game.
Terracotta Army - S/C
If you're planning to warmonger, I don't think there is a better wonder in the game. The amount of culture this generates is not measured in the hundreds, but the thousands.
Parthenon - C/C
Its a decent culture and science boost at the time, tends to wane though.
Oracle - A/F
One of the hardest wonders to get imo, the AI bonuses and hunger for this wonder makes getting the oracle its own personal minigame. But the boost it gives at this point in the game is amazing, I can launch you into medieval.
Great Wall - F/C
of course I want the bonus...but I can never find the time, and as the AI loves to ramp up war around gunpowder it often has a lot less benefit than it appears at first glance.
Ankor Wat - A/C (maybe F).
Nice benefit for a lot of playstyles, though pretty tough to get
Collossus - C (A for trade civs)/C
Again, extra TR is never bad.
Medieval Wonders
University of Sankore - A/A
A major boost to Tradition GP play, missing this wonder feels like a kick in the pants. Fortunately I find its pretty easy to get as long as I focus to it.
Hagia Sophia - A/C
An excellent religious wonder.
Borobadur - A/C
Another excellent religious wonder. Whether you value HS or Boro depends on your religious style and what beliefs you have taken.
Alhambra - C (A for horse UU focused civs)/F
Its a decent bonus for wamongers, especially for those melee mounted focused civs. However, brutally hard to get, if I'm not the only authority player I don't even bother considering this.
Machu Picchu - F/S
Once in a blue moon I have the perfect settings for Manchu, and then....its just a decent wonder. Otherwise its very bad, one of the worst imo, but there are games where you can still bag this thing like 2 eras later.
Forbidden Palace - C/A
Again fairly easily to grab if I make the top bar commitment, and a solid bonus throughout the game, though not as defining to progress as sankore is to tradition imo.
Karlstejn - F/C
If you really just cannot reform than this is good, but generally I can reform if I commit, and I don't find this wonder worth ignoring other buildigns and wonders.
Notre Dame - C/C
With golden ages being more of a premium now, I think this wonder got a boost but its just a one and done kind of benefit.
Renaissance Wonders
Globe Theater - F/A
There just's better stuff to do at this point in the game.
Chichen Itza - A/C
Was pretty darn good before Golden Ages were scarer, so now that duration feels even more impactful.
Himenji Castle - A/C
I rank this on tradition civs, where the defense and supply are really noticeable. Otherwise its more an annoyance when your neighbor gets this and it makes warring them a slog.
Leaning Tower - A/A
Probably one of the best combos of good benefits the AI doesn't seem to recognize. This is great wonder for any playstyle, and its often yours for the taking if you just want to go over and grab it.
Porcelain Tower - A/C
Likely the best science wonder in the game assuming you don't play with RAs on (although maybe it is there too haven't played with RAs in a very long time).
Taj Mahal - C/C
I might be convinced of an A now with GAP being scarcier, but it still always feels like a nice to have.
Uffizi - F/C
Just not great at this point in the game.
Sistine Chapel - C/C
Its a good boost no lie, but at the time its coming its a question of how much difference does this really make.
Summer Palace - F/C
Never bad, but it doesn't push the needle on diplomacy in a truly strong way, and I can just never find the worth to get it.
Red Fort - F/A
The problem is, the city that is often best to build this may not be the city you need the defense in (and often is not). Its not consistent enough to be a good wonder.
Industrial Wonders (note that in my games I often find I have caught up or even pushed past most AIs, so ease of building rankings tend to go up a lot here).
Neuschwanstein - F/A
The only thing this gives you worth a damn is happiness....and for the hammers it might be better just to bust out a couple of public works. But it is pretty easy to build I find.
Lourve - F/A
Its a fun boost in the archeology race, but its still not a great wonder. Only its theming makes it worth anything, but its still not worth much.
Palace of Westminster - S/A
The more I play the more I realize how powerful votes are. This wonder is what puts Statecraft at the absolutely top of DV play, as this can be the difference between having your Hegemony numbers and not being close. This wonder wins games.
Eiffel Tower - C/A
A nice bonus but nothing flashy.
Brandenburg Gate - A/A
This one serves two interesting masters, the warmongers that want every bit of Xp they can get, and the Tall players that need every scrap of supply they can get. Its very good for both of them.
Modern Era Wonders
Statue of Liberty - A/S
A free policy is just straight up awesome. Gives a major boost to production at a time when Tall freedom players often lack for it.
Empire State Building - A/A
At this point in the game, great people start to be worth quite a bit, and the gold boost is actually quite noticable in large civs.
Kremlin - A/S
Not equal to the Statue of Liberty, but again the free policy is what sells it.
Cristo Redentor - F (A for CV players)/A
Garbage for anyone other than CV players, but for a Cv push its a notable boost in tourism.
Broadway - A/S
I think Broadway is a sneakily good wonder, and often brings Industry home in the late game. You get a LOT of culture off of this thing if you do it right. It might be even more culture than Terracotta all said and done, though of course TA gives it to you sooooo much earlier in the game.
Prora - S/S
This is the best of the 3 ideological wonders by a good bit. It shores up two critical weaknesses of heavy warmonger play, happiness and culture.
Atomic Era Wonders
Pentagon - C/A
Its a weird mash of abilities, and its nice, but its not truly game altering, especially as the game moves a bit and the jet fighters aren't as strong.
The Motherland Calls - A/A
None of the abilities here are particularly impressive, but there is a lot here, and taken all together its a very solid package.
Bletchley Park - C/A
The main issue here is that it boosts spies...but often you are a tech leader as Rationalism, so you lose a lot of the reason to have your spies in the first place. Its never bad, but that weakens a lot of its benefit.
Information Era Wonders
CN Tower - A/A
At this point in the game, its all about going for the win. This pushes CV players over the top.
Sydney Opera House - C/A
I always want this, but at this point in the game I often have all the key policies I need, and so its a bit too little too late.
Hubble Space Telescope - C/A
Its often less a win wonder, and more a "I win a little faster" wonder, but it does do its job.
Great Firewall - A/A (C for CV players)
My ranking here might seem odd, as it doesn't really help you win the game. However, it helps you not lose it, this is the final protection against an encroaching CV player or people spamming you with spies. Now what's more interesting is how important it is for a CV player to consider this so that their key enemy doesn't get it, but that can be tricky as a CV focus rarely gives you the tech lead at this point in the game.
CERN - A/A
Cern just does what it needs to do, finish the game.
For this, I'm going to do two ratings for a wonder: Ex: A/C
First Number (Wonder Power): This is the actual strength of the wonder, ie how much do I want it. For this, I always consider optimal alignments. Obviously certain strats favor certain wonders. A high ranking wonder doesn't mean I need it in every game, but it mean a good portion of the time its a very solid play for a lot of strategies.
S - reserved for just a few rankings, the true creme of the crop....probably OP.
A - Very good wonder, I want it in a lot of games, it will often set the tone of several of my strats, its just very good.
C - Decent wonder, I get it when I can.
F - Not even a terrible wonder per say, but I can just never seem to fit it in, there is always other priorities (and that extra wonder cost for future wonders of course).
Second Number (Ease of Building): How hard is it to get this wonder? Some wonders the AIs LOVE to get, others they will often ignore. A high ranking means I feel pretty confident I can pick this up in a lot of game, a low ranking means I need to move heaven and earth.
S - The AI practically has forgotten this exists, I never have trouble getting it.
A - Most games I can get this with standard build orders
C - I have to push a bit to get this wonder, but I have a reasonable chance with the right conditions.
F - Extremely hard to get this, the AI just gobbles it up like candy. Building this wonder feels like a major accomplishment in its own right.
Ancient Wonders
Spoiler :
Stonehenge - C/S
Very solid opener to the game, makes a number of pantheons more foundable than they would be otherwise. With the right start (which isn't too hard to get) I can guarrantee I get this wonder, never miss it when I want it.
Pyramids - C/S
Gives a nice expansion boost to start the party, but it weakens your religious opening, and the other benefits aren't as great.
Statue of Zeus - A/F
Gives a solid benefit that will last you the entire game, excellent for warmongers. But my lord is it hard to get, the prereqs are tough to get that early in the game.
Petra - C (A for trade civs)/A
an extra Tr is never bad, often easy to get due to the desert requirements.
Temple of Artemis - F/C
Not bad but there is just so many other things to do right now, I never feel like the commitment is worth it.
Mausoleum of Halicarnassus - A/C
The more I've played the more I keep wondering if MoH is just a sleeper wonder. The benefits seem so innocent, but with good play its a permanent +10% to your most important yields in your capital all game. And the stone works is actually amazing to give you prod ITRs, which can be a monster boost in the early game.
Classical Wonders
Spoiler :
Great Lighthouse - A/C
Sneakily good on water heavy maps, if your playing naval heavy games, this benefit adds up a lot.
Great Library - C/C
Its a nice boost when you get it, it really is, but I find it doesn't have the longevity to really warrant a higher ranking.
Hanging Gardens - C/C
I think this wonder at first glance just looks amazing, but I don't think its ultimately as good as it lets on.
Roman Forum - C/A
Often overlooked I think, but this wonder is a very nice benefit at that point in the game.
Terracotta Army - S/C
If you're planning to warmonger, I don't think there is a better wonder in the game. The amount of culture this generates is not measured in the hundreds, but the thousands.
Parthenon - C/C
Its a decent culture and science boost at the time, tends to wane though.
Oracle - A/F
One of the hardest wonders to get imo, the AI bonuses and hunger for this wonder makes getting the oracle its own personal minigame. But the boost it gives at this point in the game is amazing, I can launch you into medieval.
Great Wall - F/C
of course I want the bonus...but I can never find the time, and as the AI loves to ramp up war around gunpowder it often has a lot less benefit than it appears at first glance.
Ankor Wat - A/C (maybe F).
Nice benefit for a lot of playstyles, though pretty tough to get
Collossus - C (A for trade civs)/C
Again, extra TR is never bad.
Medieval Wonders
Spoiler :
University of Sankore - A/A
A major boost to Tradition GP play, missing this wonder feels like a kick in the pants. Fortunately I find its pretty easy to get as long as I focus to it.
Hagia Sophia - A/C
An excellent religious wonder.
Borobadur - A/C
Another excellent religious wonder. Whether you value HS or Boro depends on your religious style and what beliefs you have taken.
Alhambra - C (A for horse UU focused civs)/F
Its a decent bonus for wamongers, especially for those melee mounted focused civs. However, brutally hard to get, if I'm not the only authority player I don't even bother considering this.
Machu Picchu - F/S
Once in a blue moon I have the perfect settings for Manchu, and then....its just a decent wonder. Otherwise its very bad, one of the worst imo, but there are games where you can still bag this thing like 2 eras later.
Forbidden Palace - C/A
Again fairly easily to grab if I make the top bar commitment, and a solid bonus throughout the game, though not as defining to progress as sankore is to tradition imo.
Karlstejn - F/C
If you really just cannot reform than this is good, but generally I can reform if I commit, and I don't find this wonder worth ignoring other buildigns and wonders.
Notre Dame - C/C
With golden ages being more of a premium now, I think this wonder got a boost but its just a one and done kind of benefit.
Renaissance Wonders
Spoiler :
Globe Theater - F/A
There just's better stuff to do at this point in the game.
Chichen Itza - A/C
Was pretty darn good before Golden Ages were scarer, so now that duration feels even more impactful.
Himenji Castle - A/C
I rank this on tradition civs, where the defense and supply are really noticeable. Otherwise its more an annoyance when your neighbor gets this and it makes warring them a slog.
Leaning Tower - A/A
Probably one of the best combos of good benefits the AI doesn't seem to recognize. This is great wonder for any playstyle, and its often yours for the taking if you just want to go over and grab it.
Porcelain Tower - A/C
Likely the best science wonder in the game assuming you don't play with RAs on (although maybe it is there too haven't played with RAs in a very long time).
Taj Mahal - C/C
I might be convinced of an A now with GAP being scarcier, but it still always feels like a nice to have.
Uffizi - F/C
Just not great at this point in the game.
Sistine Chapel - C/C
Its a good boost no lie, but at the time its coming its a question of how much difference does this really make.
Summer Palace - F/C
Never bad, but it doesn't push the needle on diplomacy in a truly strong way, and I can just never find the worth to get it.
Red Fort - F/A
The problem is, the city that is often best to build this may not be the city you need the defense in (and often is not). Its not consistent enough to be a good wonder.
Industrial Wonders (note that in my games I often find I have caught up or even pushed past most AIs, so ease of building rankings tend to go up a lot here).
Spoiler :
Neuschwanstein - F/A
The only thing this gives you worth a damn is happiness....and for the hammers it might be better just to bust out a couple of public works. But it is pretty easy to build I find.
Lourve - F/A
Its a fun boost in the archeology race, but its still not a great wonder. Only its theming makes it worth anything, but its still not worth much.
Palace of Westminster - S/A
The more I play the more I realize how powerful votes are. This wonder is what puts Statecraft at the absolutely top of DV play, as this can be the difference between having your Hegemony numbers and not being close. This wonder wins games.
Eiffel Tower - C/A
A nice bonus but nothing flashy.
Brandenburg Gate - A/A
This one serves two interesting masters, the warmongers that want every bit of Xp they can get, and the Tall players that need every scrap of supply they can get. Its very good for both of them.
Modern Era Wonders
Spoiler :
Statue of Liberty - A/S
A free policy is just straight up awesome. Gives a major boost to production at a time when Tall freedom players often lack for it.
Empire State Building - A/A
At this point in the game, great people start to be worth quite a bit, and the gold boost is actually quite noticable in large civs.
Kremlin - A/S
Not equal to the Statue of Liberty, but again the free policy is what sells it.
Cristo Redentor - F (A for CV players)/A
Garbage for anyone other than CV players, but for a Cv push its a notable boost in tourism.
Broadway - A/S
I think Broadway is a sneakily good wonder, and often brings Industry home in the late game. You get a LOT of culture off of this thing if you do it right. It might be even more culture than Terracotta all said and done, though of course TA gives it to you sooooo much earlier in the game.
Prora - S/S
This is the best of the 3 ideological wonders by a good bit. It shores up two critical weaknesses of heavy warmonger play, happiness and culture.
Atomic Era Wonders
Spoiler :
Pentagon - C/A
Its a weird mash of abilities, and its nice, but its not truly game altering, especially as the game moves a bit and the jet fighters aren't as strong.
The Motherland Calls - A/A
None of the abilities here are particularly impressive, but there is a lot here, and taken all together its a very solid package.
Bletchley Park - C/A
The main issue here is that it boosts spies...but often you are a tech leader as Rationalism, so you lose a lot of the reason to have your spies in the first place. Its never bad, but that weakens a lot of its benefit.
Information Era Wonders
Spoiler :
CN Tower - A/A
At this point in the game, its all about going for the win. This pushes CV players over the top.
Sydney Opera House - C/A
I always want this, but at this point in the game I often have all the key policies I need, and so its a bit too little too late.
Hubble Space Telescope - C/A
Its often less a win wonder, and more a "I win a little faster" wonder, but it does do its job.
Great Firewall - A/A (C for CV players)
My ranking here might seem odd, as it doesn't really help you win the game. However, it helps you not lose it, this is the final protection against an encroaching CV player or people spamming you with spies. Now what's more interesting is how important it is for a CV player to consider this so that their key enemy doesn't get it, but that can be tricky as a CV focus rarely gives you the tech lead at this point in the game.
CERN - A/A
Cern just does what it needs to do, finish the game.