Social Policies

[joe]

Do you typically finish one Social Policy tree before starting on another one, or do you work on multiple trees at the same time?

[smart&sexy]

You can work on multiple social policy trees.

[R3450N]

I usually progress on one tree at a time, but it depends really. If I want to expand really quickly, I'll just constantly garner as much culture as possible and spend the points on Liberty. In the long-term, you'll pretty much end up in the same place as someone who works on multiple trees simultaneously. The only advantage to the latter is that if you're playing on a difficult level with raging barbarians and corrupt/evil civilizations who are very likely to attack you. In which case, you need to compromise.

[Staryn]

Take the policy that will help you the most at that time. The exception would be the piety track without Gods and Kings, because it helps you gain policies faster. In Gods and Kings, it was revised to give you faith instead.

[d313131]

tbh the piety track in gods and kings is a waste of time imo since they updated it. Its not that is bad, its just now there are others like commerce and the science that blow it away in comparison for rewards garnered... To answer your questions you can do multiple trees but if you hover over them some of the rewards for finishing the policy tree can be very sweet.

[Cato]

I try and work on one social tree at a time, generally missing out Patronage, Religion & Commerce, favouring instead Tradition, Honour and Order. However lets say I'm playing as a Dutch Trading Empire where war is less important then I will grab Commerce and Rationalism. All of the tree's are quite balanced imo.

Your choice of the final three unlocked options (Order, Autocracy, Freedom) are quite important diplomatically as you effectively you choose your modern state mechanics (read Communism, Fascism or Democracy). For example if you choose Order then fellow communist civs will eventually hail and greet you as 'comrade' giving you a diplomatic boost with them. The rewards for finishing the State Policies are quite generous :-P

[Twelvefield]

I typically pick and choose among the trees, but this is highly situational. What is my Civ? What are the buffs I enjoy? How am I set up for resources? Typically, I prefer buffs that reduce costs, increase happiness, and increase military in that order. Even so, I will readily adapt to what I feel is the best course for the Civ and age I am playing.

[joe]

Thanks for all the answers, they are helpful. It sounds like I should be more pragmatic than I have been.