Is religion really that important in Civ 5?

[Amycus]

Just wondering, is there any real reason to found a religion yourself? Just read some strategies that others have posted, and several give tips on how to quickly found one yourself. I do know that you can pick some small boosts to your own belief, but why can't I just get another Civ's pre-established religion that I like?

[RedChicken]

Yes. Religion can give you lots of advantages, depending on what religious enhancements you choose. For example, you could choose enhancements that gives +1 happiness per city converted to your religion, or you could get +1 gold from every 4 believers in your religion, or increase the rate you gain faith. You can use faith to buy great persons, such as scientists, merchants, etc.

[Amycus]

Originally posted by jojouichanco:

Yes. Religion can give you lots of advantages, depending on what religious enhancements you choose. For example, you could choose enhancements that gives +1 happiness per city converted to your religion, or you could get +1 gold from every 4 believers in your religion, or increase the rate you gain faith. You can use faith to buy great persons, such as scientists, merchants, etc.

Right, but say that another religion takes hold with the same benefits, different name takes hold in my cities... is there a reason to fight it, or is it better to embrace it and help spreading that religion?

[leandrombraz]

If you build your own religion, you can choose the bonuses that better fit your strategy, which might be decisive to give you a huge advantage or at least some edge over your enemies. If you let other civ religion spread in your city, there's no guarantee that the bonuses it bring will be interesting for you, and there's even bonus that work against you, like giving an attack bonus for the religion founder in your territory (just war enhancer belief).

[Apostulator]

Originally posted by Amycus:

...say that another religion takes hold with the same benefits, different name takes hold in my cities... is there a reason to fight it, or is it better to embrace it and help spreading that religion?

If the CIV that you religiously follow has a significantly lower game score than you, then you might use their religion as you say; but if you follow the religion of a CIV that has a current score of, say, 1250 to your 665, then you may be setting yourself up to come in second-place ...and there is no second place in CIV V.

As a rule of thumb: never use or contribute to the religion of any CIV that has a significantly higher score than you; you're just helping them win.

[Crim]

Originally posted by Amycus:

Originally posted by jojouichanco:

Yes. Religion can give you lots of advantages, depending on what religious enhancements you choose. For example, you could choose enhancements that gives +1 happiness per city converted to your religion, or you could get +1 gold from every 4 believers in your religion, or increase the rate you gain faith. You can use faith to buy great persons, such as scientists, merchants, etc.

Right, but say that another religion takes hold with the same benefits, different name takes hold in my cities... is there a reason to fight it, or is it better to embrace it and help spreading that religion?

Those specific benefits he listed are Founder Bonuses
Only the player that created the Religion gains the bonus

As long as the Religion did not choose a very good Founder Bonus, Embracing it will not be too negative. If you have your own Religion, with a stronger Founder Bonus, then you will want to spread your Religion to take advantage of the Founder Bonus.

It is more than possible to choose bonuses based on intentionally allowing your Religion to be Erased. Such as Pagoda and Mosques, their bonuses (once bought) remain

[A-Money]

Originally posted by Talamare:

Originally posted by Amycus:

Right, but say that another religion takes hold with the same benefits, different name takes hold in my cities... is there a reason to fight it, or is it better to embrace it and help spreading that religion?

Those specific benefits he listed are Founder Bonuses
Only the player that created the Religion gains the bonus

As long as the Religion did not choose a very good Founder Bonus, Embracing it will not be too negative. If you have your own Religion, with a stronger Founder Bonus, then you will want to spread your Religion to take advantage of the Founder Bonus.

It is more than possible to choose bonuses based on intentionally allowing your religion to be Erased. Such as Pagoda and Mosques, their bonuses (once bought) remain

Each religion only gets a few bonuses from a list that all religions choose from and they can only be ppicked once by a single religion, so you could pick pagodas and cathederals, and be the only religion that can build those in your cities.

[Maugris]

Check out what bonuses other religions gets by looking on the religion tab. If its good I usually keep it well balanced with mine BUT if lets say Attila spreads his religion and one of the bonus traits for him only is Just War that gives him 20% bonus attacking cities that have his religion I go all out on inquisitors and prophets.You should try to spread your religion as much as possible but try not to get other civs angry or you might have a war.

[Acken]

There's multiple reasons:
-You can chose the beliefs yourself rather than being dependant on someone else choice
-Each city you have will get a religion faster since you'll be able to spread it yourself
-You will be able to benefit from the founder belief (only the founder civ benefit from that) which are very strong bonus like Tithe or Pilgrimage.
-You may make your own religion the world religion, giving your capital a HUGE boost in tourism

[BNugent]

Also if you have BNW you can gain 2 more delegates from world religion.

[Amycus]

Thanks guys. The reason I didn't like bothering with it before was that I always got it pretty late if I founded it at all, and by then it felt like a tug of war trying to convert other cities. After reading around a bit more I found out that it would be much easier if I got a religion before all and managaed to become the largest religion from the start. Now it feels much more fun when the religion is spreading by itself all the way to the other end of the map. And I also got a chance to look at the higher level pantheon beliefs.

[xycotta]

Stonehenge and making friendly with Faith city states helps to get you the beliefs you want

[Fantastic Fwoosh]

Can be advantageous to your long term strategy. Also transfers well into both kinds of wide and tall empires

[sodat]

Thanks guys, will be trying that as soon as possible :)

[Cybersquirt]

It depends on how you use it.