I love EU4 to death, but monarch points drive me insane

[lidku716]

EU4 in my opinion is one of my favorite Paradox games. CK2 is my number 1 favorite, but EU4 I've sunk the most hours in. Even with that I still suck at the game no matter what. Its not that I don't understand it, its just how the tech system works.

Its really really killy because it ties with your "monarch" (which is even stranger when you play a republic, not a monarchy) points. But you also need monarch points to develop your provinces.. which get more expensive with every tick up you make. Beyond that if you have a bad ruler your not going to gen the points you need. If you a good ruler though but have a horrible heir, then disinheriting bombards your prestige to Oblivion. This isn't even to mention the random events that also can carve down your points (though in a similar fashion these random events can also help you).

The worst thing about all this tedium is a few wrong moves your going to be left behind in tech, especially Mil Tech which is the most important. Sometimes I'm so behind with a bigger army fighting a small nation with a lower land force limit ceiling (which means no matter what they do, they can't get more than I have) they still manage to defeat me. This is all because monarch points are too central to the game.

Plz halp

[Molybdane]

I've played the EU series for a very long time. In the older games, monarch points were mostly spent on technology alone. This habit stuck and I would encourage you to stick to it.

Besides that, I recommend you look at your monarch point distribution. If you produce an excess of one type of monarch point, or your heir is going to, try to unlock a matching idea.

[Medicles]

Planning your monarch point expense is quite important. You should know when and what to spent on. Planning your ideas also plays a role, since you need specific monarch points to raise quickly to get the ideas done.

After 1500 hours, i use monarch points as followed:

- Admin for coring and ideas, Diplo for annexing and ideas, Military usually for tech, ideas and generals.

- No points into harsh treatment, warscore or inflation reduction. Stability only when i get to -1 via event.

- Only three provinces get developed massively to spawn the "first" three institutions. This will be done after i get the last tech for plausible cost. Later into the game, when i have enough points, i develope every province under 10 to 10, but that is more of a personal tick than something you should do.

- Focus on tech first and everything else later. Being on par with everyone else on Military tech is a must. Admin and Diplo not so much, but i would not advise to be behind more than two techs.

- In mid and late game, the advisors will be your best source of income, so you dont have to rely on rulers and heirs. Get your economy going so you can pay for +lvl 4 advisors


How i manage my points as european nation: I literally just wait until i am tech 5 on everything and then focus on an idea. If i play the likes of Muscovy or Teutonic Order, i also develope my capital first to get rennaisance going. The first three ideas in a campaign are the most important, so you should already know which ones you will choose and how to focus your points on it. Usually the first one is either Admin or Diplo, so set the focus on it if you have a terrible ruler and just safe the points. No need to go berserk annexing everything when you are not able to get even the first Admin idea going.

As non-european nation: Wait until rennaisance spawns, develope your capital and then its the same as playing a european nation.

Usually, you should be ahead in tech and use your monarch points for ideas and conquest until the next tech is ready, get ahead and use points for ideas and conquest again. Repeat until you swim in monarch points and do whatever you want with it. In late-game you will get so many points that you will buy tech 50% ahead of time, so dont worry.

[Kaizem]

It goes Tech>Ideas>Development, you really shouldnt spend military points on deving anyway. Only dev when you are ahead on time on a particular tech and have no ideas to take