Are there ever going to be mechanics for judaism, zoroastrianism and animism?

[Aquamancer]

Poor Totemist isn't even included in the forgotten religions list

Don't forget the Sikhs either. They haven't received any form of new mechanics since their introduction.

Animism is a placeholder religion as PDS gradually replaces it with actual religions. No point in giving anything to a placeholder.

Nonetheless, Animism is the third-largest religion in the game with 23 playable tags (making it seventh-largest religion tag-wise), representing various Asian, Australian and Polynesian folk religions, as well as the traditional faiths of Greenland Inuits, South American tribes and some Mesoamerican natives. And given that Paradox has repeatedly used Animism specifically as the place-holder religion for Asian folk religions while they had several opportunities to represent those religions as their own faiths, it is evident that something must be done to make Animism more interesting, either by cutting it out entirely and replacing it with more interesting faiths or by giving it mechanics that reflect the faiths of the nations and people that are represented as Animist in-game.

Totemism is IMO the one which needs special mechanics, as it's large and people will play it. As is, if I played with Northern American natives, I'd just convert to some Christian religion (which isn't bad, you should be tempted to convert, but the traditionalist alternative should be made fun).

Personally, I'd argue for removing Totemism entirely as an united religion, and splitting Totemism and American provinces of Animism into new faiths that more accurately represent the religions of native Americans.

 

[Republic of Mercury]

Don't forget the Sikhs either. They haven't received any form of new mechanics since their introduction.

At least they already have something with the guru events.

 

[Mackus]

Poor Totemist isn't even included in the forgotten religions list

Heh. Problem with Totemism is that it's just as much a placeholder as animism is: it's not single religion, but wide set of practices that were semi-arbitrarily grouped together as one. This was already done before to fetishism and Hinduism, and different rulers can select different cults/patrons. I suppose Totemists could get guardian spirits of sort? Like with fetishist cult, some would be locked geographically or to culture.

 

[Sapa Inca]

I think that for zoroastrianism the "rekindle fires" decision should be reworked and should use the same mechanic of holy sites from Coptic religion (the provinces and buffs would be obviously different).
For judaism, considering that currently it is a religion in game that give small bonus to advisors maybe would be interesting if we remain in the theme and the new mechanics were advisors focused, for example you accumulate "devotion" points and can pay "devotion" points for recruit, upgrade or buff the exact type of advisor that you want.
About animism and totemism it is really difficult because these names in game represent literally hundreds of different faiths, I think that it could use a "cult system" similar to the mechanic used for fetishim or it could give to you 2 bonus based in terrain type, first bonus is defined by the terrain where your capital is localized and the second bonus is defined by the dominant type of terrain in your country.

 

[AlazkanAssassin]

Look i would lie to you if i said that i wouldn't like to se Judaism or Zoroastrianism get unique flavor. Simple fact is that those are minor religions. They usually are either converted early on or remain small. If you ask me i would rather like to see Totemist religion rework.

They are no more minor than Hussite was in the game time frame, and that got a nice set of events and effects.

 

[Titanius Puffin]

For judaism, considering that currently it is a religion in game that give small bonus to advisors maybe would be interesting if we remain in the theme and the new mechanics were advisors focused, for example you accumulate "devotion" points and can pay "devotion" points for recruit, upgrade or buff the exact type of advisor that you want.

I think the advisor bonus ties into a modern Jewish stereotype (a positive one). It's not necessarily how people were.
Judaism encompasses some radically different cultures and practices - it's spread out over so many different countries.
For example, if you watch 'Fiddler on the Roof' - a film about Russian Jews - you're looking at people of the land; farmers/peasants. People of limited means and education (but keen on tradition ). It's historical setting is recent(ish), but it's a plausible proxy for older communities in the area. However, the film is not a good proxy for the merchant communities of Alexandria (some of which were Jewish once).

I would want something equally considered for Zoroastrianism. The more the designers delve into the idiosyncracies of that religion and culture, the more likely they are to make something unique and interesting. They might have fewer stereotypes to embrace (or avoid), but I'd have to check with some Persians about that.

 

[wingren013]

The problems with religions luke Zoroastrianism and Judaism is that there wasn't a unified practice of these religions during the game's timeframe. There's not much to base any mechanics off, and that efforr is better spent on the religions that actually mattered in the timeframe and aren't one province sized faiths that are there for challenge runs.

Sikh for example could really use some events to make it difficult to control Sikh provinces without being Sikh.

For Totemism, they could have a system like fetishism but the chooseable bonus is based on culture. Ideally though, it would be seperated into multiple faiths.

 

[Titanius Puffin]

The problems with religions luke Zoroastrianism and Judaism is that there wasn't a unified practice of these religions during the game's timeframe.....and that efforr is better spent on the religions that actually mattered in the timeframe and aren't one province sized faiths that are there for challenge runs.

Zoroastrianism would probably be more unified than Judaism, but yes I said I don't think it's likely a few posts earlier.

 

[Aquamancer]

It's also important to remember the religious mechanics are usually meant to represent what impact the faith had on the states that followed it. For instance, Catholic has mechanics representing its interactions with the Holy See, Protestant has a customizable state church, Reformed represents Calvinist work ethic to show the absence of a state church, and Anglican has direct actions derived from the policies of the Anglican church as the king is the head of church.

Thus, how do you introduce unique mechanics for Jewish and Zoroastrian faiths, when the faiths didn't have almost any states or leaders whose interactions could be used as inspiration for how Jewish and Zoroastrians would've acted?

 

[Me_]

They are no more minor than Hussite was in the game time frame, and that got a nice set of events and effects.

Well, the Hussite really got a reskin of the Protestant mechanic, although I think that applying the same principle for Zoroastrians and Jews would be fine. E.g. Zoroastrians could get Holy Fires, working like the Coptic Holy Sites (there's already a Zoroastrian decision that could be reworked into this), while Jews could have rabbinical authority, working like patriarch authority or a legalism-mysticism like slider.

 

[holyvigil]

Just to add my two cents in, I would love additional mechanics for them. But would hate it if they where just "choose a bonus from a list", like most religions. And no -100 + 100 bars where its a no brainer/impossible to do anything but to stay on 1 extreme.

Which religions have you liked?

 

[Elminster12]

You could definitely work something into Judaism and Zoroastrianism about their various diasporas: basically occasional events giving some trade power(merchants featured prominently in both diasporas), advisors, and even refugees fleeing persecution(manpower or development). You would probably also want to give Judaic nations an incentive for "liberating" Jerusalem and the old kingdom of Israel, as Zoroastrians have for restoring Persia.

Totemism could definitely use some kind of cult mechanic, or it could just be split into several(still broad) groupings, if that makes it easier.

Animism is pretty much "Placeholder religion" and I doubt it will get anything, unfortunately.