Feudal AI Theological Education Obession

[NoodleNaught]

Hello Folks,

I'm sure this has been raised before, but the feudal AI seems absolutely obsessed with theological education. I have had several games recently, and this has been one of the things I noticed a lot (though it's nothing new).

Out of all the independent rulers in Britannia right now, 8/18 rulers have a theological education (None are theocracies). 3/6 independent pagan kingdoms have theological education. 4/4 emperors of Francia have had it. Out of the independent rulers in Africa 2/4 have it. (All numbers from current game year 902). I have tracked similar numbers in other games.

It seems rather crippling for the AI to repeatedly pick this educational trait, considering it is entirely without any merit for a non-theocratic ruler. I think this should be a very low priority for AI rulers to educate their heirs with, at most perhaps a tenth of all feudal rulers should have this education.

To be honest I don't know if the AI is even assigned a weight with what education to assign their heirs, but they probably should be. (If they already are, does anyone know the numbers)?

Thoughts? Anyone else seeing this trend, or is anyone seeing the opposite?

(For clarity theological education is sometimes referred to as "Learning", I'm not sure which is correct).

EDIT: Just to be clear, I don't have conclave running. Everything else is though.

 

[PAnZuRiEL]

considering it is entirely without any merit for a non-theocratic ruler.

Uhh ... it's not? Learning gives tech points in all three categories. It's plenty useful. The fertility penalty can be a little bit painful though.

 

[TL_]

Idolizer turns into Zealous, Erudite, and with intervention, Kind. So Theology is a fine path to go down. And in my experience as a Catholic ruler, I'm going to make most of my sons bishops anyway. Plus, a bunch of high learning characters at court can help for your physician, chaplain, and for your ruler's learning you get faster tech.

I would be much more concerned if the AI was obsessed with Pride or Etiquette, because while they are the most roleplay-friendly options for nobles, they get ugly fast. Indolent, Haughty, and Brooding turn into a swarm of sin traits, and indolent is especially bad. I always prioritize indolent -> gregarious when I see it appear, even before rowdy -> brave.

 

[Kapitalisti]

Reading is radical.

 

[NoodleNaught]

Uhh ... it's not? Learning gives tech points in all three categories. It's plenty useful. The fertility penalty can be a little bit painful though.

I'm referring to no merit for the AI. They already have issues with managing vassals, children etc... It's exasperated by the lack of stats caused from Learning education.

Idolizer turns into Zealous, Erudite, and with intervention, Kind. So Theology is a fine path to go down. And in my experience as a Catholic ruler, I'm going to make most of my sons bishops anyway. Plus, a bunch of high learning characters at court can help for your physician, chaplain, and for your ruler's learning you get faster tech.

I would be much more concerned if the AI was obsessed with Pride or Etiquette, because while they are the most roleplay-friendly options for nobles, they get ugly fast. Indolent, Haughty, and Brooding turn into a swarm of sin traits, and indolent is especially bad. I always prioritize indolent -> gregarious when I see it appear, even before rowdy -> brave.

Did I accidentally refer to conclave related stuff with my post? I don't have conclave running, so I apologize if I did.

I was meaning to just be talking about straight up regular education pre-conclave, and results.

 

[Frank327]

I'm hoping that the AI already has different weights for education choice, where small independent feudals prefer martial, big feudals prefer diplo, vassals prefer intrigue, burghers prefer stewardship etc. Maybe it has to do with the AI picking faith focus for children too often early on and then getting idolizer triggers learning education?

 

[PAnZuRiEL]

Maybe it has to do with the AI picking faith focus for children too often early on and then getting idolizer triggers learning education?

The OP only just mentioned that he doesn't have Conclave, so no I daresay that wouldn't be it.

Pre-Conclave, wards usually pick up an education trait of the same group as their guardian. So the more theologians there are to care for wards, the more wards will become theologians. The issue must relate to how the AI selects guardians for their children.

 

[Robert II]

Uhh ... it's not? Learning gives tech points in all three categories. It's plenty useful. The fertility penalty can be a little bit painful though.

It's far and away the worst education to pick.

 

[PAnZuRiEL]

It's far and away the worst education to pick.

 

[Vaximillian]

It's far and away the worst education to pick.

Beautifully argumented point of view, so persuasive. 10 out of 10, will read more.

 

[Robert II]

Beautifully argumented point of view, so persuasive. 10 out of 10, will read more.

Why would you read more?

 

[Vaximillian]

Why would you read more?

Because it seems to be a question worth a discussion.

 

[JonathanOfArc]

I use the learning focus and upbringing a lot. Partly because I like playing religious games, but also because of the tech point gain.

Say I rule a kingdom, of which I rule and focus on one duchy for myself that has 2 counties. The county my capital is in will gain in tech, so say i have gone from 1/1/1 to 7/7/7 over the course of a few decades. The other county in my duchy will be inferior, and so when I go to war I will have some soldiers with high tech level ready to kick butt, but mixed in I will also have weak untrained soldiers from the other county. Making my overall army much weaker. I'll see that my numbers may be good (maybe I've been upgrading the other counties building as much as i can), but the quality of the whole group is only mediocre.

So after a few decades I'll switch my capital to the other county for the sole purpose of building it's tech up closer to my "main" county. Having a high learning means all this will go faster for every department of tech. Handing out duchies to the rulers who have high learning will also help keep the whole realm in the best shape it can be. If I've revoked a bunch of titles in a duchy, I usually will reorganize in such a way that the new duke will be in the county with the LOWEST tech stats so to help build that duchys worth to the realm. Assuring that duke is one of high learning just makes that happen even faster.