Spreading the Word: How to Convert City-States in Civilization V
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The path to religious dominance in Civilization V often involves swaying the hearts and minds of City-States. These independent entities can provide valuable bonuses if they share your faith, making them key allies in your quest for a cultural or religious victory (if using the Gods and Kings or Brave New World expansions). Spreading your religion to them involves the same core mechanics as converting other civilizations, but with a few nuances worth understanding. Here’s how you do it:
The primary method for spreading religion to City-States is through religious units such as Missionaries, Great Prophets, and Apostles (if using the Gods and Kings expansion). These units possess the “Spread Religion” ability. When stationed adjacent to or inside a City-State, activating this ability will exert religious pressure, converting a portion of the City-State’s population to your religion.
The amount of conversion depends on several factors:
- Strength of your religion: Religious pressure is influenced by the strength and number of followers of your religion in nearby cities. A city with a large number of followers exerts a stronger influence.
- Resistance to conversion: City-States, especially those following other religions or with a strong cultural presence, might resist conversion more effectively.
- Proximity: The closer your religious units are to the City-State, the greater the religious pressure.
- Number of charges: Religious units have a limited number of charges. Missionaries have fewer than Great Prophets or Apostles.
- Religious pressure: If a city has followers of a religion present, the city starts exerting religious pressure for the respective religion on all other cities and City-States within 10 tiles.
Essentially, to successfully convert a City-State, you need to build up enough religious pressure to overcome any existing faiths or resistance. This might require multiple uses of the “Spread Religion” ability or the strategic placement of cities with strong religious followings near the City-State.
Strategies for Effective Conversion
- Prioritize placement: Settle or conquer cities near your target City-States. These cities will act as religious hubs, exerting constant pressure.
- Mass conversion: Use multiple religious units at once to rapidly convert the population.
- Exploit weaknesses: Target City-States that are pagan (have no dominant religion) or those with religions weaker than yours.
- Utilize Great Prophets wisely: Save your Great Prophets for converting key City-States or for rapidly spreading your religion after a period of decline.
- Religious buildings: Build religious buildings in your cities that increase the pressure exerted by your religion.
- Holy city: A Holy City is the city where a Great Prophet was when he founded a religion. This city then becomes “holy” for that religion, and gets some bonus pressure, besides being the very first city from which the religion starts to spread.
- Be mindful of religious combat: In Gods & Kings and Brave New World, religious units can engage in theological combat. Protect your units from rival religions’ units.
- Pantheon Selection: Choosing a Pantheon that aids in faith generation early can help you found a religion before your rivals, giving you a head start in converting City-States.
- Spread Religion: Religious Units may move these units to target cities, and when they’re in, or right next to them, they may use their special ability “Spread Religion” to immediately convert some citizens to their religion.
Benefits of Converting City-States
Converting City-States to your religion offers several advantages:
- Increased Influence: City-States of the same religion as you will be more easily swayed to your side, granting you beneficial alliances and resources.
- Cultural Victory Boost: If pursuing a cultural victory, having City-States share your religion can boost tourism modifiers. You get a +40% tourism bonus to other Civs that are following the same religion as you
- Strategic Alliances: Strong alliances with City-States provide strategic advantages, such as resources, military support, and diplomatic votes.
- Denouncing religions: Spreading your religion to city-states will allow you to denounce other religions that your competing with.
Navigating Religious Competition
Other civilizations will also be trying to spread their religions. Be prepared to defend your faith and counter their efforts.
- Inquisitors: Use Inquisitors to purge foreign religions from your cities, strengthening your own faith’s influence.
- War: If necessary, declare war on civilizations aggressively spreading their religion and eliminate their religious units.
- Diplomacy: Attempt to persuade other civilizations to stop spreading their religion to your territory (although this rarely works).
- Religious combat: In Gods & Kings and Brave New World, religious units can engage in theological combat. Protect your units from rival religions’ units.
By understanding the mechanics of religious spread and employing strategic tactics, you can successfully convert City-States and secure valuable alliances in your pursuit of victory in Civilization V.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Religion in Civ 5
1. Is religion worth pursuing in Civilization V?
Yes, religion is definitely worth pursuing, especially in the Gods and Kings and Brave New World expansions. It provides significant bonuses through Founder Beliefs and Follower Beliefs, and it’s crucial for achieving a cultural victory. A shared religion grants tourism bonuses, enhancing cultural influence over other civilizations.
2. What is a Holy City and why is it important?
A Holy City is the city where your Great Prophet founded your religion. It acts as the epicenter of your faith, generating increased religious pressure and making it more difficult to convert to other religions. Losing your Holy City can significantly weaken your religion.
3. How can I get my religion back if it disappears from my cities?
Regaining your religion requires generating more Great Prophets. Focus on building Holy Sites and religious buildings to accumulate Great Prophet points. Once you have a Great Prophet, use them to re-convert your cities and exert pressure on neighboring areas.
4. How does religious pressure work?
Religious pressure is exerted by cities with followers of a particular religion. This pressure influences nearby cities and City-States, gradually converting their citizens to that religion. The amount of pressure depends on the number of followers and the presence of religious buildings.
5. Can I steal another civilization’s religion?
No, you cannot directly steal another civilization’s religion. However, if your cities are converted, you can use that new religion to attack other religions. The game does not allow you to take ownership of a religion founded by another player.
6. What are some of the best Pantheons to choose?
Some of the best pantheons include:
- Goddess of Festivals: Great for civilizations with numerous plantations.
- Faith Healers: Provides healing for units near cities following your religion.
- Messenger of the Gods: Boosts science in cities connected to your capital.
- God of the Sea: Great for coastal civilizations focusing on naval production.
7. What role do City-States play in a religious game?
City-States can become valuable allies if they share your religion. Converting them to your faith increases your influence and provides bonuses based on their type (maritime, religious, cultural, military).
8. Can I destroy a Holy City?
Yes, you can destroy a Holy City by capturing it and then using an Inquisitor to remove the dominant religion. This effectively eliminates that religion’s strongest base of operations. If you use a prophet it will only temporarily convert. The holy city’s original religion will take it back over eventually.
9. How can I prevent other civilizations from spreading their religion to my cities?
To prevent religious spread:
- Build Inquisitors to purge foreign religions.
- Declare war on aggressive religious civilizations.
- Strengthen your own religion by building religious buildings.
- Position religious units strategically to counteract foreign missionaries.
10. Can I rename a religion in Civilization V?
Yes, in the Gods & Kings expansion, you have the option to rename your religion when you found it. This allows for customization and immersion in your gameplay.
11. What is the best way to attract a Great Prophet?
Attracting a Great Prophet involves accumulating Great Prophet points. Build Holy Sites and religious buildings to generate these points. The first civilization to reach the required points earns a Great Prophet.
12. How many cities should I have to support a strong religion?
The ideal number of cities depends on your strategy, but typically 3-6 well-developed cities can effectively support a strong religion. Focus on building religious buildings and spreading your faith to nearby City-States and civilizations.
13. Is it too late to found a Pantheon if another civilization has already founded a religion?
No, it’s not too late to found a Pantheon as long as there are fewer Pantheons than the maximum number of religions allowed in the game. You can still gain powerful bonuses from a well-chosen Pantheon even if you don’t found a religion. Pantheons may not be founded anymore once any religion in the world has been enhanced (unless there are still fewer pantheons than the maximum number of religions, in which case they still can).
14. What are the key religious units and how should I use them?
Key religious units include:
- Missionaries: Useful for spreading religion to nearby cities.
- Great Prophets: Essential for founding and enhancing religions.
- Apostles: (Gods & Kings) Powerful religious units that can engage in theological combat and spread religion more effectively.
- Inquisitors: Used to purge foreign religions from your cities.
Use these units strategically to convert cities, defend against rival religions, and maintain religious dominance.
15. How does religion contribute to a cultural victory?
Religion significantly contributes to a cultural victory by providing tourism bonuses. Civilizations sharing your religion receive a +40% tourism modifier, making it easier to exert cultural influence over them. Spreading your religion to City-States further boosts your influence and provides valuable alliances. Religion gives you bonuses (founder belief, follower belief). But most importantly it helps you win a Culture Victory.
By mastering these religious strategies, you can enhance your gameplay and achieve victory in Civilization V. To learn more about game strategies and educational initiatives, visit the Games Learning Society website.