So how often have you been the Papal Controller?

[AP85]

It kinda seems like the Catholic superpowers just alternate with the Papal State for controller now. I don't like the new system.

 

[Granite]

Been playing the Papal State(see my recent thread for the trial and tribulations on that) I've been the controller about 75% of the time. Though, I don't know if that is a testament to how able the PS is to keep that position, or how difficult it is for other nations to get into it.

 

[stinebot]

I've played a number of games as Catholics, and have never gotten Papal Controller. I usually save up my influence and buy a bunch at once. Without fail, as soon as I get my chances up to 40-50%, the current Pope will die and the new Controller will be a nation whose chances of getting it were around 10%.

 

[solidprice]

mercantilism.
Because absent merchant is broken I need a way to boost it back up and it's lolz as france when you control all the end nodes (which is easy)

 

[Autoclave]

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.

Mercantilism is extremely valuable. If you plan to expand via trade companies. It's easier to get 50% market share with it. Colonize/Conquer a few provinces with trade centers/river estuaries and you got a free merchant.

 

[Autoclave]

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.

Brilliant post

 

[ChildeR]

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.

The gain from mercantilism is tiny for many nations, but important to small traders without monopoly in an end node like Venice, Hansa or Portugal (if you haven't expanded a lot). The cash or manpower, OTOH, are always just a few months' worth.

The advisor thing has 25% chance of giving the one you need if you have a particular one in mind, so I don't know that I'd ever use it. Maybe if you have only level 1 advisors available and wanted to hire a level 3 one?