Religion in Civ 5: An Extensive Guide to Spreading Beliefs and Unlocking Bonuses

Introduction

Religion is a powerful tool in Civilization V, offering a range of bonuses and abilities that can significantly boost your civilization’s progress. By founding and spreading your own religion, you can gain access to unique units, buildings, and technologies, unlocking new strategies and advantages. This comprehensive guide will provide a detailed overview of religion in Civ 5, covering everything from founding religions to managing religious influence and reaping the benefits of its bonuses.

Founding Religions

Creating a Pantheon

The first step towards founding a religion is to create a pantheon. Pantheons are available early in the game and provide minor bonuses that can help you jumpstart your civilization. When choosing a pantheon, consider your starting resources, civilization bonuses, and long-term goals. For example, if you have a lot of hills in your territory, the Stone Circles pantheon is an excellent choice, providing a bonus to production from mines.

Establishing a Religion

Once you have a pantheon, you can establish a religion by constructing a shrine or temple. Establishing a religion costs faith, which you can generate through religious buildings, religious units, and certain social policies. When founding a religion, you will choose a founder, a religion name, and a religious symbol. Your founder’s traits will provide bonuses to your religion’s spread and strength.

Spreading Religions

Missionaries and Apostles

Missionaries and apostles are religious units that spread your religion to other cities. Missionaries are available early in the game and have a limited range of movement. Apostles are more powerful and can be upgraded to have greater range and abilities. You can purchase these units using faith or generate them through religious buildings.

Religious Competition

As you spread your religion, you will encounter other religions that compete for influence. You can engage in religious combat with rival units and convert their cities. However, converting cities can be difficult, especially if they are well-defended and have a strong religious presence.

Diplomatic Influence

Religion can also be used to gain diplomatic advantages. By spreading your religion to other civilizations, you can improve your diplomatic standing and gain access to new trade routes and alliances. Additionally, you may be able to convert the leader of another civilization to your religion, further strengthening your diplomatic ties.

Benefits of Religion

Unique Buildings and Units

Each religion provides access to unique buildings and units that can significantly enhance your civilization. For example, the Great Mosque provides a bonus to gold output, while the Holy Warriors unit has increased strength when fighting religious enemies.

Technologies and Social Policies

Religions also grant access to unique technologies and social policies that can give you an edge over your opponents. For example, the Monasticism technology increases science output in cities with holy sites, while the Tithe policy generates additional faith from your cities.

Great People

Great prophets are powerful units that can found and spread religions. Great prophets also provide additional religious benefits, such as giving you bonuses to religious combat or spreading your religion faster. Additionally, the Reformation belief allows you to recruit great prophets in cities that have converted to your religion.

Effective Strategies

Early Religious Expansion

Establishing a religion early in the game gives you a significant advantage by providing you with unique bonuses and units. Prioritize generating faith and constructing religious buildings to establish your religion as quickly as possible.

Missionary Swarms

Sending multiple missionaries to a single city can greatly increase your chances of converting it. Coordinate your missionary movements to overwhelm rival religious influence and secure control of important cities.

Apostle Combat

Apostles are powerful units that can engage in religious combat. Use apostles to convert enemy cities, defend your own cities from religious attacks, and spread your religion across the map.

Religious Domination

Religious Domination is one of the victory conditions in Civ 5. To achieve Religious Domination, you must spread your religion to every other civilization and have your religion be the majority religion in their cities. While this can be a difficult victory to achieve, it grants you an immediate victory when you complete it.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Late Religious Expansion

Delaying religious expansion can give your opponents a significant advantage. Establishing a religion early gives you access to important bonuses and units that can help you build a stronger civilization.

Neglecting Religious Buildings

Religious buildings are essential for generating faith and spreading your religion. Prioritize constructing these buildings in your cities to ensure a steady supply of religious resources.

Ignoring Religious Combat

Religious combat is an important aspect of spreading and defending your religion. Don’t neglect training religious units and engaging in battles to secure control of cities and convert enemy civilizations.

Underestimating Religious Influence

Religious influence is a key factor in determining whether your missionaries and apostles can successfully convert cities. Pay attention to the religious influence of other religions and adjust your strategies accordingly.

Why Religion Matters in Civ 5

Religion plays a crucial role in Civilization V by providing a range of bonuses and abilities that can significantly enhance your civilization’s progress. By founding and spreading your own religion, you can:

• Unlock unique buildings, units, and technologies
• Gain diplomatic advantages and improve trade relations
• Generate additional gold, faith, and science
• Boost your military strength with religious combat units
• Achieve a Religious Domination victory

Conclusion

Religion in Civ 5 is a complex and rewarding system that offers a variety of strategies and benefits for players. By understanding the mechanics of religion, managing religious influence, and utilizing the bonuses it provides, you can gain a significant advantage over your opponents and achieve victory in the game.

Table 1: Pantheon Bonuses

Table 2: Religion Founder Traits

Table 3: Religious Buildings

Table 4: Religious Beliefs