What's the point in the "better relations" modifier?

[iShurik]

What does the "better relations" modifier do? I understand the "better relations over time" modifier and find it quite usefull, but "better relations"? Is this the same? If not, what's the point?

Edit:

I play the german version, I think in the english version the modifier is called "Improve relations" not "Better relations".

 

[ChildeR]

Where did you get one? There is better relations over time and then there's bonus to improve relations speed.

 

[iShurik]

Where did you get one? There is better relations over time and then there's bonus to improve relations speed.

Sorry, I just checked for the english version, in the german version they are called "Better Relations" (not "Improve relations") and "Better Relations over Time" a little bit confusing. But anyways, I find the "Improve relations" bonus pretty useless.... And where can I see the overall bonus for BROT?

 

[RobRoy3]

Sorry, I just checked for the english version, in the german version they are called "Better Relations" (not "Improve relations") and "Better Relations over Time" a little bit confusing. But anyways, I find the "Improve relations" bonus pretty useless.... And where can I see the overall bonus for BROT?

If I understand your question correctly, there are two related things:

1) Improve Relations - is the diplomatic action you can undertake that improves another country's opinion of your country. It requires a diplomat to undertake it, and it creates or increments an opinion modifier called:

2) Improved Relations - this opinion modifier is probably the most important one in the game, since it's the one you can control and you can get it to +100 (+200 for subject nations). It gets augmented every time you send a diplomat on the mission, and at the beginning of every month if the diplomat stays on that mission. Like all opinion modifiers, though, it decays (at the beginning of each year).

As you've probably observed, the aggregated opinion modifiers influence whether a target nations will do things like accept an alliance, royal marriage, military access, call to arms, etc.

AE is a negative opinion modifier, which also decays. The rate of decay is influenced by your Better Relations Over Time modifier. TBH, I don't know if there is place you can see the overall bonus for BROT. In each nation's opinion mouseover, though, where you see the AE impact, you'll also see the current decay rate.

 

[iShurik]

If I understand your question correctly, there are two related things:

1) Improve Relations - is the diplomatic action you can undertake that improves another country's opinion of your country. It requires a diplomat to undertake it, and it creates or increments an opinion modifier called:

2) Improved Relations - this opinion modifier is probably the most important one in the game, since it's the one you can control and you can get it to +100 (+200 for subject nations). It gets augmented every time you send a diplomat on the mission, and at the beginning of every month if the diplomat stays on that mission. Like all opinion modifiers, though, it decays (at the beginning of each year).

As you've probably observed, the aggregated opinion modifiers influence whether a target nations will do things like accept an alliance, royal marriage, military access, call to arms, etc.

AE is a negative opinion modifier, which also decays. The rate of decay is influenced by your Better Relations Over Time modifier. TBH, I don't know if there is place you can see the overall bonus for BROT. In each nation's opinion mouseover, though, where you see the AE impact, you'll also see the current decay rate.

Thank You for the answer.
Some Ideas add +x% to Improved Relations (e.g. diplomatic ideas). If I understand it right, this +x% speeds up the process of a diplomat improving relations up to +100. In my opinion this isn't a very good bonus, because it is fast enough even with +0%, while BROT is very very usefull because it helps to decay the AE hit. If this +x% to improved realtions would change the cap of the possible improved relations from +100 to e.g. up to +150 it would be way more usefull. So in my opinion the effect of this modifer, shown in the diplomatic screen, is underpowered and should be changed a little bit.

 

[Schmoekoeksklok]

Thank You for the answer.
Some Ideas add +x% to Improved Relations (e.g. diplomatic ideas). If I understand it right, this +x% speeds up the process of a diplomat improving relations up to +100. In my opinion this isn't a very good bonus, because it is fast enough even with +0%, while BROT is very very usefull because it helps to decay the AE hit. If this +x% to improved realtions would change the cap of the possible improved relations from +100 to e.g. up to +150 it would be way more usefull. So in my opinion the effect of this modifer, shown in the diplomatic screen, is underpowered and should be changed a little bit.

You're correct, that is indeed what it does, and it is indeed a very weak effect. I'm fine with that though

 

[RobRoy3]

Thank You for the answer.
Some Ideas add +x% to Improved Relations (e.g. diplomatic ideas). If I understand it right, this +x% speeds up the process of a diplomat improving relations up to +100. In my opinion this isn't a very good bonus, because it is fast enough even with +0%, while BROT is very very usefull because it helps to decay the AE hit. If this +x% to improved realtions would change the cap of the possible improved relations from +100 to e.g. up to +150 it would be way more usefull. So in my opinion the effect of this modifer, shown in the diplomatic screen, is underpowered and should be changed a little bit.

Ah. I understand now. Sorry.

Yes, as I understand it, that modifier just improves your diplomats' effectiveness at the Improve Relations mission - so they would Improve Relations at, maybe, +4 versus +3 per mission. Sounds a bit underwhelming, I agree. And I certainly haven't sought out that idea. But it's like faster Fabricate or a partial extra diplomat, if that's a mission you perform a lot.

Semi-related - I'm not sure if Diplomatic Reputation helps with that mission. I thought it did, in the past, but I could be wrong. If so, I wonder if it still does, given that they've added the Improve Relations modifier you're talking about.

 

[oblio-]

You're correct, that is indeed what it does, and it is indeed a very weak effect. I'm fine with that though

It's not necessarily weak. I use diplomats a lot and as a result I generally have few coalitions against me. That's because I "top off" everyone I can. When I have 100 relations with every nation in the world, 100 AE just brings the relations to 0 - and coalitions can't be formed unless their opinion is negative.

 

[myrsl0ken]

Being more effective at improving relations is useful in the HRE when you need to butter up people to vote for your reforms and as the above poster said, having high enough relations with your neighbours to prevent coalitions from forming. It's still sort of a weak effect.

 

[DominusNovus]

And remember that, while an additional point or two of improved relations isn't much, consider that its expressed in percentage improvement; a 20% improvement of anything is pretty good, 25% is even better. You'd love 20% reduced coring costs, wouldn't you? Or 20% BROT, or 20% more morale...

 

[Koivin]

We could make the +25% improve relations also increase the max threshold of improved relations by 25% (so you can improve relations to a maximum of +125).