Where to Build Your Holy Site in Civilization 6: A Divine Guide
The Holy Site in Civilization 6 is the cornerstone of your religious endeavors, and its placement is crucial for maximizing your Faith output and achieving a religious victory. Optimizing your Holy Site placement involves considering adjacency bonuses, terrain features, and strategic long-term planning. The best place to build a Holy Site is on a tile that grants significant adjacency bonuses, particularly those provided by Mountains, Natural Wonders, and Woods. Consider strategically using builders to create Woods near your Holy Site, especially in the later game, to further amplify its yield.
Maximizing Adjacency Bonuses
The key to a powerful Holy Site lies in maximizing its adjacency bonuses. These bonuses directly increase the Faith yield of your district, accelerating your ability to found a religion, train religious units, and spread your faith across the world.
Mountains and Natural Wonders
Mountains provide a base +1 Faith adjacency bonus for each adjacent Mountain tile. This makes settling near mountain ranges ideal for religious civilizations. Natural Wonders, such as Mount Everest or the Grand Mesa, often provide even greater adjacency bonuses and other beneficial yields. Prioritize settling near these wonders and placing your Holy Site in a position to benefit from their unique adjacency bonuses.
Woods and Rainforests
Woods and Rainforests also provide +1 Faith adjacency bonus for each adjacent tile. While not as potent as mountains, these terrain features can be strategically utilized, especially in areas with limited mountain access. The ability to plant Woods with Builders in the late game allows you to engineer your own adjacency bonuses, turning otherwise lackluster tiles into valuable assets.
Other Districts
Some districts also grant adjacency bonuses to Holy Sites. The Government Plaza (+2 Faith), for instance, can provide a significant boost to a nearby Holy Site. Planning the layout of your city to maximize these synergies is crucial for optimizing your overall output.
Strategic Considerations
Beyond adjacency bonuses, several strategic considerations can influence your Holy Site placement.
Early Game Prioritization
If you’re aiming for a religious victory, prioritizing the construction of your Holy Site is paramount. Securing a religion early allows you to spread your faith before other civilizations can establish theirs. Scout thoroughly to identify suitable locations for your first city, taking into account Holy Site placement as a primary factor.
City Planning
Think about the long-term development of your city. Consider where you might place other districts, such as the Campus, Commercial Hub, or Industrial Zone, and how these districts might interact with your Holy Site. A well-planned city layout can maximize overall yields and efficiency.
Defense
Your Holy Site is a valuable asset, and protecting it from enemy attacks or religious conversions is essential. Build your Holy Site in a secure location, preferably surrounded by other districts or terrain features that provide a defensive advantage.
Pantheon Choices
The Pantheon you choose can influence your Holy Site placement strategy. Certain Pantheons, such as Divine Spark (+1 Great Person point from Campuses and Holy Sites), synergize well with specific district placements. Choose a Pantheon that complements your overall strategy and helps you maximize your Holy Site output.
Civ-Specific Abilities
Some civilizations have unique abilities or bonuses that affect Holy Site placement. For example, Egypt’s ability makes them great at settling near rivers and floodplains, and their ability to build districts and wonders on floodplains can be a significant advantage when building your Holy Site.
Faith Generation and Religious Units
The ultimate goal of a well-placed Holy Site is to generate sufficient Faith to fuel your religious endeavors. This Faith is used to train Missionaries, Apostles, and other religious units, which are essential for spreading your religion to other cities and civilizations. As stated in the article, remember to have the correct religious buildings to train specific religious units, ensure that your city follows your religion, and select “purchase with faith” in the city menu.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are 15 frequently asked questions about Holy Site placement in Civilization 6:
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What is the minimum requirement for placing a Holy Site?
You need the Astrology technology, and the terrain must be workable and not already occupied by another district or wonder.
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Can I move a Holy Site after it has been built?
No, once a Holy Site is built, it cannot be moved. This underscores the importance of careful planning during placement.
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How important are Mountains for Holy Site placement?
Extremely important. Mountains offer the highest base adjacency bonus for Holy Sites, making them ideal locations for maximizing Faith output.
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What if I don’t have access to Mountains?
Utilize Woods, Rainforests, and other districts to generate adjacency bonuses. The Government Plaza can also be a valuable source of adjacency bonuses.
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Does the Appeal of the tile affect Holy Site yields?
Yes, the Appeal of the tile affects the tourism output when the Holy Site has a Shrine and Temple.
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When should I prioritize building a Holy Site?
As early as possible, especially if you’re aiming for a religious victory. Securing a religion early gives you a significant advantage.
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What Pantheon beliefs synergize well with Holy Sites?
Divine Spark (+1 Great Person point from Campuses and Holy Sites) and Religious Settlements (+15% Production towards early settlers) are excellent choices for religious civilizations.
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Can I plant Woods adjacent to an existing Holy Site?
Yes, in the late game, you can use Builders to plant Woods adjacent to your Holy Site, further boosting its Faith yield.
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How does city population affect Holy Site placement?
City population affects the number of districts you can build. Plan ahead to ensure you have enough population to build your Holy Site in the optimal location.
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What are the best religious buildings to construct in a Holy Site?
This depends on your strategy, but generally, prioritize buildings that increase Faith output, such as the Shrine (+2 Faith) and the Temple (+4 Faith).
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How does terrain impact the effectiveness of religious units?
Difficult terrain like Woods and Hills can slow down religious units. Consider this when planning your religious offensives and defenses.
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What is a Holy City in Civ 6?
A Holy City is the city where a religion was founded. It holds special significance and often provides bonuses to the founding religion.
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Can I build multiple religious buildings in a Holy Site?
No, only one worship building can be built in a Holy Site. Choose wisely, as you cannot change your choice once it’s built.
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Why can’t I create religious units in my city?
Ensure your city has a majority religion and that you have the necessary buildings in your Holy Site to produce specific religious units.
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Is it possible to steal another civilization’s religion?
No, you cannot directly take control of another civilization’s religion. However, you can convert their cities to your religion, effectively diminishing their religious influence.
The Value of Woods in Religion
As mentioned earlier in this article, be sure to plant Woods with your builders in the late game to provide even more bonuses to the Holy Site. Be careful when you do this, as you should remember to leave some free space for the woods.
Conclusion
Strategic Holy Site placement is a critical element of success in Civilization 6, particularly if you’re pursuing a religious victory. By understanding adjacency bonuses, considering strategic factors, and planning for the long term, you can create powerful Holy Sites that fuel your religious ambitions and pave the way for a divine triumph. To further enhance your strategic thinking and understanding of game dynamics, explore the resources available at the Games Learning Society website. (GamesLearningSociety.org)