Religion | Religion and culture EU IV Guide

World religions can be checked out in the appropriate map mode

Religion has a great significance for the game. Each country in the world has its own religion, which it deems the True Faith and, by default, it disagrees with another one. Foreign religions within a country not only wreak havoc among the citizens, but also increase the risk of revolt and the stability cost. It also translates into lower income from provinces. Your aim should be to a country that is uniform, when it comes to religion.

The world is divided into four main religious groups::

• Christianity (Catholicism, Orthodox, Protestantism etc.)
• Islam (Sunni, Shiite)
• Eastern religions (Buddhism, Hindu etc.)
• Heathens (Shamanism, Animism)

The country, attitude to a religion is marked with the tolerance factor. The base tolerance for own religion is +3, for heretics (the other religions) -2 and the tolerance of Heathens (all the others) -3. These factors are additionally modified by various othe elements like ideas, legitimacy and the religion in question. It is important that your tolerance, to the extent possible, is positive for any type, especially in the case of a multi-religious state like Turkey or even Poland. Each positive tolerance point decreases the risk of rebellion in the province by -1%, and each negative point increases the risk of rebellion by 1,25%, and decreases the tax income by 10% and the income from the goods produced in that province.

But, it is worthwhile to unite your country under one religion not only for the sake of tolerance. Another important factor here is the Religious unity. Each province in the country, which does not profess the national faith, decreases the unity. Unity has influence on the risk of rebellion and the cost of stability. Each 10% missing from the 100% increases the global rebellion risk (in the entire country and not only in the province in question) by 0.20 and increases the stability cost by 10%. Furthermore, if you are playing a catholic state, higher unity increases your influence on the Rome up to, as much as, 5% with full unity.

A province can be converted with missionaries. A missionary dispatched to a foreign province will increase the conversion ratio by a given percent. As soon as it reaches 100%, the province will be converted. The situation is not that simple, though. Base conversion for each missionary is as little as 2% per month. The bigger and the richer the province that you dispatch him to, and also if it is populated with an alien culture, the more factors there are to act against conversion. In such a situation, the missionary will be trying to convert the province until the end of times and never succeed! You need to monitor the progress of each missionary. If any one of them shows no progress, remove him from that province straight away. Each active missionary increases the rebellion risk by 6% and, additionally, costs 0.4 ducats per month so, keeping him there without results makes no sense. Increase your missionaries' strength e.g. through an idea, advisor, increasing the stability or by building a fort. Then, try again.

In the XVI century Reformation is bound to happen in Europe. When you open the religion window, you will notice the "reform desire" indicator. When it reaches 100%, Martin Luther will start his speeches and a religious avalanche will start. Throughout the following centuries, provinces in Europe will be switching between religions spontaneously, which will make the missionaries' job harder by 8%. At this time, it may turn out that most countries will change their religion out of a sudden (you can change either to Protestantism or reformation). Changing religion will cost you 3points of stability but instead, you will receive a bonus of 10% to your annual income. This bonus is awarded only once so, changing again will yield no results.

An additional element of religion is the possibility to activate the title of "Defender of Faith". For a modest price of 500 ducats, you can receive an additional missionary +50 to Land Morale, drop in war exhaustion by 0.03. The title remains active until the death of the ruler, or until you are bought out by a country with higher prestige. In general, this is not the best of trade offs in history. An additional missionary can help you convert provinces, +0.50 to morale is also a big reinforcement but, this is not the best solution, at least as long as you do not have a super-powerful empire where shelves sag to the gold on them. Then, you can try and hold the Defender at all occasions especially that, for holding the title, you will be receiving a free Casus Belli against your religious opponents.

Christianity

Catholicism - tolerance of The True Faith +1, tolerance of heretics -1. The only religion with the access to papacy. To learn more, see the chapter devoted to Holy See.

Orthodox - tolerance of The True Faith +1, stability cost -10%. The Orthodox church also has a series of unique events that come with it - Patriarchal Authority. With each event, you will be able to bolster up the Patriarch's authority. ON the maximum level, you will increase the Manpower modifier by 33% and you will decrease the risk of rebellion by 3%. Still, there is no rose without a thorn and such a decision involves a Global Tax Modifier of as much as -33%. It is a trap that an Orthodox player should stay away from because this may easily lead to a disaster. Events are random and it is difficult to determine when they appear. When the moment is right, if you have big monetary reserves, 33% to Manpower may tip the scales and decide about a victorious war that would be lost under different circumstances. Increasing power for a number of times is, in general, advised against, unless you are completely cornered and surrounded from all sides. But even then, you need to keep your fingers crossed for an event to crop up soon, so you can bring down the patriarch's power back to normal.

Protestantism - Global Tax Modifier +10%, idea cost - 10%. If you convert from Catholicism to Protestantism, all of the religion-based decisions and their effects will be removed.

Calvinism- trade effectiveness +10%, an additional advisor to choose from. If you convert from Catholicism to Calvinism, all of the religion-based decisions and their effects will be removed.

Islam

Islam has an additional element added - pity. It is a value that ranges from -100 to +100. Both sides have special bonuses to them and so, with -100 you receive a 25% higher Global Tax Modifier and manpower modifier, as well as 10% technological discount. +100 is, on the other hand, gives you +3 to missionary strength, +1 to Land Morale and +50 to fort defense. In the case of piety, the middle which gives you nothing is the worst solution. That is why you should avoid balancing things out, and choose one of the sides, depending on your preferences. You strengthen up piety by means of events and wars. Declaring wars on the infidels will increase this value and declaring wars on another Muslim state will decrease it. Additionally, after the ruler's death, you lose 3 of your current value. This allows for switching sides quite fluently.

Sunni - Tolerance of The True Faith +1, +100% Chance of new Heir, -2% Local Missionary Strength.

Shiite - +0,25 Land Morale, +100% Chance of new Heir, -2% Local Missionary Strength.

There is also a special option - Unify Islam - which combines it into one religion. To perform this, you need to have your control extended (direct or in the form of vassals) over the following provinces:

• Lower Sind
• Cordoba
• Constantinople
• Iraq-i Arab
• Mecca
• Medina
• Messina
• Palermo
• Dagestan
• Damascus
• Samarkand
• Ifni
• Aden
• Muscat

Furthermore, all of these provinces must follow Islam. The cost to unify is 200Monarch Power of each kind and, in exchange you will receive +2 to Tolerance of Own, Local missionary Strength +2% and also you will lower the stability cost by 20%. This last option is especially interesting if you want to westernize with the Turks. Needless to say that is easiest to unify of the Ottoman Empire.

Eastern religions an Heathens

Buddhism - +2 Tolerance of Heretics, +1 Tolerance of Heathens.

Confucianism - +2 Tolerance of Heretics, +1 Tolerance of Heathens.

Hindu - +1 Tolerance of Heretics, +5% Global Tax Modifier.

Shinto - -1 Tolerance of Heathens, -2 Local Missionary Strength, +0,50 Land Morale

Animist - -50% Enemy Core Creation, -50% Defensiveness, +10% Missionary Strength in Cores.

Shamanism - -50% Enemy Core Creation, -50% Defensiveness, +10% Missionary Strength in Cores.

Additionally, if you make use of the Crusader Kings 2 converter, you can import the game save , where the Heathen faiths have been reformed . This will provide you with access to a number of additional heathen religions, like the Slavic or Hellenic which, unlike Shamanism and Animism will have positive values.