Do you beeline for religion?

[Common Sensei]

If Mysticism is a starting tech, I'll consider doing Meditation or Polytheism first.

Otherwise, I generally prioritize Code of Laws, so for when I don't start with Mysticism, if I get a religion it's with Code of Laws.

Failing that, I also tend to prioritize Philosophy to a certain degree so I might get one with that.

[Kinjiru]

I don't generally beeline for a religion, but if I happen to found one, I spread it very aggressively. Using a GP to build your religions special building can allow you to run 100% science and still be making a huge profit, all game long.

Plus, if you are chopping and whipping, your missionaries can be largely free. Just have a missionary in the second build slot and your overflows will often pump them out in one turn.

Something that people may not know is that the +1 gold effect for your religions special building will apply, even if that religion is not your state religion. So, if you found two religions and build both buildings and spread both faiths, you get massive gold influxes.

[Kataphraktoi]

I always avoid religion. Unless you are playing a religious civ+strategy you are better off focusing on real things. In SP this can be slightly disvantagous but i always play SP on the premise my opponents are human so as not to slip too deeply into false strategies...

The hammers and effort expended on religion are hammers not being used to crush an opponent or get more commerce cities

[wodan11]

Shrine income is so huge that it's hard to say religion is not a "real thing". Especially if you get an early religion, and spread it to your neighbors (who then will spread it on their own).

Wodan

[ahenobarb]

I wouldn't say the accumulation of culture is a false strategy. At least one that prohibits or interferes with a military one.

Culture equates with the rate of border expansion, the greater your borders the more difficult it is for enemies to attack your cities (at least it slows their advances and manuevering).

As far as religion, it helps bring additional gold that allows you to increase science, which provides better units.

A military strategy (attack, attack, attack) is quite powerful, but no as enjoyable for me.

[enderw]

Since BTS I think the AI is much more aggressive about spreading religion once it has build the shrine. This means that unless you are isolated you'll get "a" religion and be able to build monastaries and temples. In fact I find that by not founding one I can get more culture as more religions are spread to my territory which means I can build more cathedrals. Besides look at who founds the first religion. If it is a "soft" AI like India, let the spend the GP to make the shrine then steal it from them. I find that at higher levels (monarch +?) it is actually easier to steal a shrine than to found one.

[PrinceBimz]

There are alot more ways to win a game of civ other then conquest. Those ways can be a ton of fun too! Religion is an excellent route to take when going for a cultural or diplomatic vic. Also don't forget that religion plays a part in improving relations with another civ. Not too mention all the happiness (also culture and even science) temples and other religion buildings bring in.

[Civilized 67]

I usually beeline for Hinduism, as the A.I. always beats me to Buddhism. I try to found 2-3 religions, though I let them spread passively for the most part.

[Boracks]

One is good, two is better.

In my current game, standard map, prince, Carthage, I founded Hinduism, Christianity, Taoism, Islam, Confucianism. Lots of monastaries, built at least two of the shrines, enough temples that most are happy, and not many other religions out there for the diplomatic hit.

I always like to have at least one religion for the cheap culture to grab territory.

[Thrak]

I always beeline for a religion... with swordsmen

[Blake]

Founding religions is not important, unless you're isolated (HAVING religion is important but the holy city / shrine, not so much so).

On small maps shrine income is trivial, on the smallest maps it's not even really worth building a shrine.

So my advice is going to be for Standard Size maps.

If you start with Mysticism it's a shame to not go for Buddhism or Hinduism, this is especially true if you're also spiritual. Which?
The AI bias is imaginary, if I don't care either way I always pursue Buddhism, and I usually get it. You'll get people who swear that the AI always pursues Buddhism, but it's imagined. Anyway, Meditation lets you build Monasteries which are nice, it's also required for Philosophy (as a cheap tech, and philo as an expensive tech, this isn't a huge deal unless you're actually slightshotting Philo in some way).
Polytheism is more expensive to research, it's required for Monotheism and Literature.
If in doubt, go for Meditation (for Monasteries and it's cheaper), but in some cases (like you have marble for the literature wonders) Polytheism is the obvious choice.
If you don't have mysticism and don't pop it in the first couple turns, I strongly suggest not going for one of the early religions.

Industrious leaders, and anyone who has marble/stone nearby, has extra incentive to get Masonry, which is a pre-req to Monotheism. Keep this in mind, you may be able to found Judaism. However don't try to found Judaism unless you really are pursuing a wonder strategy! Don't do it "just for the hell of it", there are better techs you can be researching.

Conf is always popular, since it's on Code of Laws. Now CoL is pricey but it's very easy to Oracle. Also, if you are a philo leader you can easily run 2 scientists and build an Academy and with that extra research power you'll get to CoL first, barring it getting nabbed by the Oracle. Organized leaders obviously have extra incentive to do this, because the half cost courthouses are useful a lot earlier in the game.

Taoism is highly beelinable, you can either quickly research CoL and use the Oracle on Philosophy, or you can research Mathematics and use a Great Scientist on Philosophy. You can also just research it the old fashioned way if you have a lot of research grunt, but you may be better off getting Civil Service first. An advantage of grabbing Philosophy is it makes good trade fodder - it's unattractive once Taoism is gone, so if you get it first the AI will ignore it. Angkor Wat is not a bad wonder, if you have Stone.

Christainity is also highly beelinable, you can Oracle it, or you can use a Great Prophet.

Islam is on a bit of a dead tech. I almost never go for it.


Number of Shrines to build:
The first shrine will normally be useful, especially if you are going to aggressively spread your state religion.
A second shrine is far more iffy, it may not get above 15 gold.
Bear in mind that an Academy in a good commerce city will give you a lot of beakers. As a rule, Academies beat Shrines. (And GS lightbulbs are powerful!)
My point is, try to generate one prophet but after that, favor Great Scientists. If you accidentally get another Prophet, too bad, you can found a second Shrine.
A third shrine will almost never pay off (over another GP type) making a 3rd Prophet quite a disappointment - but you can burn him for a GA, of course.

Anyway, try and avoid prophets beyond the first shrine, and don't mass shrines.

Note that the point where a Shrine beats a settled prophet is ABOUT 7 cities (Wallstreet holy city) or 10 cities (non-WS holy city), otherwise you're better off settling in the existing holy city (which will presumably get Wallstreet). And note that an Academy in a science city (~100 raw commerce) will bring in about 40 beakers, so you need a tertiary religion in ~20 cities to match a Great Scientist (20g + 100% multipliers = 40g). On huge maps, you have more cities, but you also have more excellent commerce cities.

[Nugog]

Originally posted by Thrak
I always beeline for a religion... with swordsmen

Thats the spirit!