Hey Rythel! Great to see you in the forums! One thing I have not seen mentioned is the cost formula. Essentially there are 3 things that determine how expensive spire and tournament encounters are: 1. Total number of tech advances, 2. Total number of Ancient Wonder Levels, and 3. Total number of city expansions. If you are serious about transitioning to catering, then Sanctuary will be of limited use to you since the military half of it is a toughness bonus to your troops. It is a great wonder for a fighter like me. If you don't fight, I do not think this AW is worth it. There are other AWs that give culture and their other benefits mesh better with a cater playstyle.I currently also have a Sanctuary at level 12. As I have been further specializing in catering and moving away from fighting, I am considering removing this wonder. So my question is what is the appreciable effect of the Great Bell Spire/Crystal Lighthouse on culture?
One thing I have not seen mentioned is the cost formula. Essentially there are 3 things that determine how expensive spire and tournament encounters are: 1. Total number of tech advances, 2. Total number of Ancient Wonder Levels, and 3. Total number of city expansions
It is a great wonder for a fighter like me. If you don't fight, I do not think this AW is worth it. There are other AWs that give culture and their other benefits mesh better with a cater playstyle.
Any of the culture-producing wonders would be a complete waste of space in my catering city, as you can see from the picture in my first post on this thread. I have so much culture that I’m always at the 170% bonus level before any neighborly help. Definitely not essential.I think the census is the Watchtower is without question essential.
I’m not far enough along to build the Thermal Springs yet but I have no intention of doing so because my city does not rely on residences, and yes, I still have so much excess coin I have to buy from the wholesaler multiple times a day.Note: The Thermal Spring of Youth is especially beneficial for a catering city, because by necessity it - the city should - rely on residences for population rather than pop/culture, because pop/culture does not generate coin.
I have a tourney average of 5535 and top the Spire every week. I don’t have, or ever intend to build, 3 of the wonders on your list. I realise we’re all trying to give advice based on our individual experiences, but it needs to allow for individual playstyle. Catering cities don’t need to be clones of each other to be successful; there are many ways to approach it.So, in my opinion, a catering city that wants to play both the Spire & Tournament beyond the gateway & 1600 tournament points - would do well to have the Watchtower Ruin, the Bell Spire, the Sanctuary, the Thermal Spring of Youth, the Lighthouse of Good Neighborhood, and the Blooming Trader Guild to carry a high Culture bonus to produce the volume of coins & supplies needed to purchase goods from the Wholesaler while still having enough to participate in the Activities.
I caution anyone from exceeding the number of completed provinces needed to unlock the research.
I recommend that everyone clear as many provinces as they can afford past chapter 8. Other than the increased cost to clear provinces, there is zero impact on tournament or spire costs from clearing too many provinces. The increase in seed collection and several wonder benefits out weighs the extra cost of clearing extra provinces, imo.Land Expansions acquired by exceeded the number of completed provinces to unlock the chapter work like a penalty.
Hey Henroo! I would've asked you directly, but you didn't have it so I tapped into the wealth of knowledge that is the forums! I've always fought just a little and have enjoyed the overall health bonus and the culture bonus, but it isn't providing me with as much benefit as I feel it should, especially as a 5x5 wonder.If you don't fight, I do not think this AW is worth it. There are other AWs that give culture and their other benefits mesh better with a cater playstyle.
This makes me feel better about having cleared enough provinces for the next 3 chapters already lolI recommend that everyone clear as many provinces as they can afford past chapter 9. Other than the increased cost to clear provinces, there is zero impact on tournament or spire costs from clearing too many provinces. The increase in seed collection and several wonder benefits out weighs the extra cost of clearing extra provinces, imo.
Placing any expansions will increase costs. Is the tiny increase in cost offset by the increase in production provided by more space....that depends on how you use the space.
I don't think the number of failed attempts in the spire mini game or the noxious troop mix in the tournaments is connected to city advancement. I think the "difficulty" is RNG. I believe the base line cost/troop numbers of individual encounters is all that the player can influence.It is the increase in encounter failures that reflects the increase in difficulty
, and if the Endless benefitted from the Culture Bonus I would probably build it.
I have not built, but I would assume. However if your culture bonus is kept in the few hundred percent then you may have an issue with the size of a single collection from it (4x a single collection of the prosperity towers). You could easily be collecting more than 50% of your maximum capacity.The endless also? I asked a member of my Fellowship his Culture Bonus was applying to his EE, and he said no - hmmm maybe he does not carry a culture bonus.