Are omens really worth it?

[Altipueri]

As I understand it, if you fail to get the omen you want you end up with a negative effect approximately the same as the positive one you were hoping for.

So, at 50% chance does that therefore mean you might as well not bother?

 

[Swuul]

Dpending on the laws, ideas and religious advisoryou have, omens may or may not well be worth it in the long run even at 50% chance.

For example, if your advisor, laws and ideas decrease the effect of a bad omen by 10%, then in the long run you will benefit from a 50% omen ((I usually always go for the research omen, except during war I boost the army and/or fleetwith omens; if you get for example +28% more research from a good omen but would get -22% from a bad omen, then I would go for it even with 50% chance of success). Then again, sometimes the oracles just should be hanged, like in a MP game where I had a stroke of nine bad omens in row before I got the first good omen (and that with a 60% chance)... Yet, the same thing in reverse prolly has happened numerous times, one just doesn't remember them.

 

[unmerged(119342)]

Omens are definitely worth it if the chance of success is good. Have the right traits and laws in place to reduce the chance of failure and penalty of failure. I can get a hefty 6% per year population boost at an 80% chance of success. If you play your hand well, you can get some powerful help with wartime morale too. Once you have a crowd of faithful people with good leaders, omens are great. If it fails, it wears off in one year.