late game religious civic...pacifism vs. free religion

[Flavor Dave]

Which is better? I used to be pacifist for the doubling of the great dudes, especially if I've built the Statue. And I like being pacifist when I'm in mercantilism.

But lately I've been thinking that free religion is better, esp. if you have multiple religions. If I'm right, then is it advantageous to have at least one monastery for every religion in your civ, so that you can spread it late in the game for the extra happy dude? The other advantage of free religion, of course, is that if you get attacked and have to fight a war, you have more time to conclude the war. If you're not spiritual, you don't have to spend a turn in anarchy. Plus, late in the game, it takes so doggone long to build your great dudes that designing your strategy around them seems iffy.

Thoughts?

[trev]

Very dependent on your diplomatic and military outlook. If you run free religion, you must be prepared to be more or less friendless, if you are strong enough that is not a problem. Having friends usually means having a state religion same as other civs and therefore another civic other than free religion is needed. Economically and happy wise etc normally best to run free relgion late game, but there is almost always that diplomatic cost of less friends.

[wodan11]

Free Religion is beneficial for the happiness benefits, and diplomatic relations (no penalty from civs of differing religion), moreso than the research bonus or comparison to Pacifism.

Pacifism has diminishing returns which makes it questionable as a late game civic. Depends entirely on how many GP have been generated so far in the game, and how many specialists are running in your GP farm and elsewhere. Regardless, it's questionable / dubious as a good choice.

Organized Religion and Theocracy are both good late game civics, and don't ignore them as viable choices.

[rah]

Agreed. I'll sometimes defer switching to Free if I'm not ready to go to war, but I usually am (and been planning on it) The extra happiness from all religions can be real helpful against the inevitable WW. I can usually maintain friendly with one civ despite the loss of religious brotherhood.

[Garth Vader]

I am usually in Organized religion all game. But then I usually get Sankore, SM, and the AP.

[rah]

Since I usually play with diplo win disabled. NO AP
Without that it kind of tips the balance towards Free Religion.