Reformation Pros and Cons?

[connorkimbro]

I was playing (in the tutorial still) and i decided to see what happen if i had a reformation.

Well what happened is my stability dropped like a rock, but at the same time got TONS of money! and my taxes seems to increase their monthly and yearly incomes. The stability quickly went back up.

I guess your relations with other nations goes up/down depending on what they are. .

anyway, whats you opinions on reformations? how to use them to your advantage? when to do them? etc?

[Imran Siddiqui]

Depends...

If your a Northern state, it is in your interest to change religion. Protestantism gets you more money, Reformed, however, gets you 2 settlers a year (compared to Protestantism's 1). Also, there is the 'Militant Reformed' effect giving your troops another morale level.

Southern state, stay Catholic. You don't want massive revolts.

[Ramo]

Catholicism:
+2 Diplomats

Counter-Reformed Catholicism:
+2 Diplomats
+1 Colonist
Able to convert others
-20% Income

Protestantism:
+1 Diplomat
+1 Colonist
Higher Production and Taxes
Up to +3 Merchants/coastal province
Negative bonus in Stability "research"

Reformist:
+1 Diplomat
+3 Colonists
Up to +3 Merchants/coastal province
-30% Income
Positive bonus in Stability "research"
Better morale.

Orthodox:
+1 Colonist

Shiite:
+2 Colonists
-30% Income
Better Morale

Sunni:
No advantages/disadvantages

Basically, if you're in Northern Europe and you plan on become a major colonial/trade power (Netherlands, England, possibly even Prussia, Denmark, or Sweden), switch to Reformist. Otherwise, stick with Protestantism. If you're in Southern Europe and plan on colonising (Spain, Portugal, France, maybe parts of Italy), switch to Counter-Reformed. Switching between Sunni and Shiite is generally futile.

[Victor Galis]

Catholics can also gain bonuses for extra coastal provinces, but those have to be protestant. I am France and I get something like this:

+1 costal provinces
+3 stability
+2 protestant coastal provinces
+14 centers of trade
+8 monopolies

or something like that. I don't know if the last two are right, I lost count

[Nicolas]

quote: Southern state, stay Catholic. You don't want massive revolts.

I couldn't disagree more. The inital, automatic revolts which occur right after the switch, though disruptive, are easy enough to put down, and further uprisings can be minimized or stoped by paying attention to the religious tolerence sliders. Most of the southern states (venice, austria, and german or italian minors) actually require the extra colonists to be able to compete with the bigger nations later in the game, and counter-reformed is only a temporary solution.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Well, it ain't fun being an Austrian Protestant, I can tell you that.

All the nations around you get pissed and with the badboy the way it is, you are royally screwed!