Selecting a pantheon or “ Belief” is always a hard one as it is very situational and varies with each and every game you play. Though here are my top five beliefs I chose when I play and what makes them so great.
5. Faith Healers
One of the best if not the best warmongering pantheons out there, This being the case because under this pantheon, your units get a health recovery bonus if adjacent to a friendly city, Including the one you just captured and now your units are all beaten to high hell. No worries if you have this pantheon though, with this they will be healed in no time!
Why Faith Healers is awesome : Units recover +30 more hp per turn than normal when adjacent to a friendly city. Unit being healed faster allows you to continue your push towards the enemy capital with a little more insurance. Saving maintenance costs and your unit's health.
Choose belief if: Aiming for a domination victory Units are close to death after capturing a city
Pantheon Details: +30 HP healed if the unit is adjacent to a friendly city.
4. Goddess Of The Open Sky
Depending on your location and how close you are to sheep and cattle, If you are this is one of the best culture pantheons to choose. You gain extra culture for every pasture you build which over time can easily grow into a large amount and you’ll be well on your way to bringing everyone to their knees with your awesome culture.
Choose Belief if: Have a fair amount of sheep and cattle near your capital or other cities if founded
Why Goddess Of The Open Sky is awesome: +1 culture for every pasture you build throughout the course of the game Given the fact it is dependent on resources, the odds of the bonus stacking fairly high is probable.
3. Messenger Of The Gods
This pantheon is a must-have if going for a science victory. Under this pantheon you will receive a science boost for every city that possesses a city connection. Over time either through settling your own cities or conquering someone else’s. The science boost is too much to pass up!
Choose Belief if: Plan on building a wide civilization Aim for going for a science victory
Why Messenger Of The Gods is awesome: +2 science for every city with a city connection Over time the boost gained from this pantheon will make you unstoppable onwards to a science victory Pantheon details: +2 science gained from each city with a city connection
2.Sun God
Another resource dependent pantheon but better compared to the others in the sense that the odds of you being able to reap the benefits from this one is a lot higher. This pantheon makes bananas, citrus and wheat resource tiles produce more food than they already do. No matter where you are in the game, Being able to have enough food and better yet a surplus of food is always huge when going for any kind of victory.
Choose belief if: Aim for going for a cultural victory Have a fair amount of resource tiles such as bananas, citrus or wheat near your capital and or other cities.
Why Sun God is awesome: +1 food is provided from each banana, Citrus or Wheat source. Having a steady supply or surplus of food will ensure that your cities are all operating at the capacity you need them to be, 100%. Pantheon Details: +1 food is provided from each banana, Citrus or wheat resource tile.
1.Desert Folklore
Another god tier culture pantheon would have to be “Desert Folklore '', If you rock with a civ that has a desert start bias then you are almost guaranteed to have a strong religion and be able to adopt more bonuses to add onto this one. It gives you extra faith for each desert tile you own, including food plains and Oasis. Taking this to account you already know you are going to be reaping in A LOT of extra faith. Having you leap ahead of everyone else in religion as well as give you a boost towards any of the victories with the extra beliefs you can add in !
Choose belief if: Attempting to build a strong religion Going for a diplomatic victory/Cultural victory
Why Desert Folklore is awesome: +1 faith for every desert tile including food plains and oasis tiles. Given the right surroundings this will almost guarantee you a W in your next game if you play your strategy well. Pantheon Details: +1 Faith from every desert tile including food plains and oasis tiles.
