So how often have you been the Papal Controller?

[Autoclave]

Is there any way to build a strategy arround becoming Papal Controller? It feels so difficult.
I know that more provinces = higher chance, religious ideas and papal relationship should help.

Right now even if you have most cardinals, you will struggle a lot to find a reliable way to become the papal controller.
Am i wrong? Yeah the bonuses that you get from Curia are super powerful, but this seems so difficult to achieve.

Does the situation change after reformation? Less catholic nations to compete, better chances?

I am thinking about abandoning all these attempts and just focus on getting either
1. Legitimacy
2. Advisors
3. Mercantilism

Everything else seems pointless.

 

[matk]

Literally not once since 1.8/AoW. I know I may just be unlucky, but I'm going to start using my points for the bonuses, not controller.

As far as I can tell, getting more cardinals is the aim of the game, but that doesn't guarantee control like it used to. It is a bit more fair now, but much move random. If there is a strategy, I haven't seen it on the forums yet.

 

[Cossack_PL]

In my recent English game I became a papal controller 2 times (owning England, initial lands in France, Flanders and Holland) before 1515, I had around 6 or 7 cardinal seats most of the time. That was only One night in Paris achievement run, so stopped playing after integrating France

 

[WiseGreen]

I managed it with Portugal twice, controlling only Porto and Lisboa sees. Once I actively sunk points on to regularly have 50+% chance of being the next controller (and it still took some time), the second time I just invested the minimum amount here and there and got it when I had less than 10% chance of doing it. It's more random and you're fighting against way more people for it (at least pre-Reformation), but it's way less of a chore to do, and you have other things to do with your influence if you're not interested in controlling the Curia. I like the change

 

[ChildeR]

Twice in 1.8 without really trying. I've been throwing 5-15 influence on it whenever I notice the controller changing and using the rest for stability. One free point of stability every 20-50 years is an OK benefit.

 

[balmung60]

Never, because I keep playing non-European Christians and the Pope either never or extremely rarely gives non-Europeans cardinals, so in turn, I always go Protestant/Reformed.

 

[Kaiser Faceroll]

I use all of my points for mercantilism. I like money.

 

[saegoto]

few times as spain. One time when I even invested over 150 points I didn't become controler. I like these changes anyway. It was stupid that country which has more PI was permanent papal controler before 1.8.

 

[Praetorian44]

I've been playing a game as France and I've been the Papal Controller three times in a row. Then I lost it to Castile. It seems like the only way to win is to dump all your papal influence into it.

 

[wergy]

I was Papal Controller several times, in fact, it's rather easy with some nations like Castille/Spain, Austria or Hungary. The main goal is to keep the pope happy. First of all, you MUST be in alliance with the Papal State for the first ~100 years and support them in any war.
Then help to spread Christianity. It also helps if you have heretics or infidels to fight and to convert. It's especially easy early with Hungary as most of your possible targets are Orthodox or Muslim. Hitting them and converting them increases your standing with the Pope. Later Castille/Spain or Austria (occasionally France) will take over the Papacy due their big territory (more cardinals) and for spreading the faith through their colonies or within the HRE.
With 1.8 there is yet another feature to pay attention to: cardinals. You need high prestige and high legitimacy, and yet take every opportunity to grab another cardinal. Even if it is a risky decision, if you want to make a game based on being PC, you must take all the cardinals you can.

And of course: be the Defender of the Faith. But that's evident.

 

[Xinkc]

Never, I even tried playing France to get it. I eventually went Reformed to see what that was all about (and to get a Center of Reformation) after the third or fourth time the Pope-man took a cardinal from me and then gave it back a year or so later in the same province. For those wondering, yes, I had good relations with the Pope, consistently had more cardinals than countries that got Papal Controller, and spent all my points on increasing my chances. Now I'm committed to converting all those heathen Catholics for shunning the glory of France.

 

[RobRoy3]

I use all of my points for mercantilism. I like money.

At 100 papal influence for a grand total of a +1 boost to Mercantilism?! How can this ever make sense? You'd do better to just take cash or stability.

 

[Path]

Stability or advisors to be honest (for some reason I only get theologians, which is great when you're in need of some -RR).

 

[Squirrelloid]

At 100 papal influence for a grand total of a +1 boost to Mercantilism?! How can this ever make sense? You'd do better to just take cash or stability.

Because mercantilism is the only use which *lasts*. I've been dumping my papal influence into mercantilism - it's a significant boost to trade power in the English Channel, which propogates into Lubeck(!!!) and a decent amount of the new world, and drags all that tasty trade towards me.

 

[Teije]

As France, gotten it many times in current game. Vassalizing the Papal State early helped obviously and keeping relations high. It is easier after Reformation, less competition. And in events, I always pick the option to get/keep the cardinal, even if there are negatives. Running at around 5-7 cardinals so far.

 

[Xinkc]

As France, gotten it many times in current game. Vassalizing the Papal State early helped obviously and keeping relations high. It is easier after Reformation, less competition. And in events, I always pick the option to get/keep the cardinal, even if there are negatives. Running at around 5-7 cardinals so far.

What do you do with the plain announcements that you get a cardinal revoked even though the province is still Catholic? Those are the worse and the regaining a cardinal in the same province just adds insult to injury.

 

[Chieron]

4th time in the current game (Spain, 1784) right now. But the chance is really unpredictable, never got more than 30% (and then the cost get prohibitive). The papal states is the most likely candidate most of the time.
For some reason, the papal controller message is bugged, too. (no notification when a new pope is elected)

 

[Hakuromatsu]

Got it with a 30% chance as Prussia. I teched up, boosted my stability, got the advisors I wanted, divorced my deadweight royal marriages, then stuck a middle finger to Roman Catholicism and converted to Reformed. See you in the League Wars, guys.

 

[Hakuromatsu]

Because mercantilism is the only use which *lasts*. I've been dumping my papal influence into mercantilism - it's a significant boost to trade power in the English Channel, which propogates into Lubeck(!!!) and a decent amount of the new world, and drags all that tasty trade towards me.

This is true. Mercantilism is the only thing worth buying.

Also, wow at the amount of TP England/Britain is able to propagate into both Lubeck and the New World. England is probably the second biggest beneficiary of the new trade map, behind Portugal and possibly tied with France.

 

[RobRoy3]

Because mercantilism is the only use which *lasts*. I've been dumping my papal influence into mercantilism - it's a significant boost to trade power in the English Channel, which propogates into Lubeck(!!!) and a decent amount of the new world, and drags all that tasty trade towards me.

This is true. Mercantilism is the only thing worth buying.

I just don't see it. Seems a hefty investment for a tiny gain. And IF I ever get to 100, the advisor, the lump sum cash boost, manpower, or stability all seem more advantageous to me. But, TBH, all those benefits are fairly paltry, given how long it takes to accrue Papal Influence. Overall, the new Papal system makes me far more inclined to go Protestant or Reformed.