Additional denominations

See also: Religion

Hinduism is the term for a wide range of polytheistic Indian traditions with a common pantheon.
One of the oldest religions in the game, Hinduism primarily exists in India and parts of South East Asia, where it has been losing ground to Buddhism and Islam.

All Hindu nations receive:

+1 Tolerance of the True Faith
+1 Tolerance of heathens
+20% Brahmins influence with the Dharma DLC

With the Wealth of Nations DLC, Hindu rulers are allowed to pick their deity through the Religion screen. This choice lasts for the life of the ruler or until an event changes it. All Hindu rulers have unique special event paths that allow them to improve the ruler's base Monarch power generation as well as other positive effects.

Each deity also grants two bonuses to the nation:

Deity	Effects	Description
Ganesha	+1 Diplomatic reputation +20% Improve relations	Ganesha is the god of knowledge and beginnings, the Lord of Obstacles.
Ganga	−10% Construction cost −0.25 Interest per annum	Ganga is the goddess of the sacred river, Ganges, who purifies and redeems.
Shakti	+5% Discipline +5% Siege ability	Shakti is the goddess of power and dynamic energy.
Shiva	−10% Core creation cost −5% Aggressive expansion impact	Shiva is the god of transformation through destruction and the Lord of Dance.
Surya	+10% National tax modifier +10% Trade efficiency	Surya is the god of the sun, courage and will.
Vishnu	+2% Missionary strength +20% Fort defense	Vishnu is the all-pervading god who sustains the world.
Buddha	+2 Tolerance of heathens −10% Advisor cost	The founder of the Buddhist faith. Buddhist ideas continue to have a significant place within our practice of Hinduism. Has completed mission "Candi Shrines", "Rebuild Candi Temples" or "Affairs of Faith"

A Hindu Republic chooses a new deity every time a new leader is elected (3–9 years depending on republic type and choice). Such countries can rapidly change their status to adjust to game circumstances.

Heretic Rebels may be named:

Bhaktis

Sikh [edit | edit source]

Sikhism is the faith founded by Guru Nanak around the turn of the 16th century in the Punjab. A monotheistic religion, Sikhism was born in an area where Islam and Hinduism mixes but is in many ways unlike either.
No province or country starts with Sikh religion in the game but it will likely appear some decades from the start.

Sikhism can appear by event from 1480 in a cluster of up to three provinces each of which either is Hindu and borders a Muslim province, or vice versa. It is more likely to appear in Panjabi-culture provinces and Doaba in particular. After 1515, it can appear from time to time in individual provinces in northern Indian, Tibetan, Mashriq and Arabia regions at different times up to 1550. The event will convert up to 3 provinces and give religious zeal

All Sikh nations receive:

+10% Morale of armies
−10% Military technology cost

All Sikh provinces receive:

−1% Local missionary strength^[1]

Sikh gurus[edit | edit source]

Main article: Sikh events

Nations following the Sikh faith gain access to events related to the succession of Sikh Gurus. During each Guru's "reign" the country gets access to 3 predetermined teachings. You can choose one of each of the Guru's teachings to get its modifier. Up to six teachings can be active at a time. Choosing one costs 50 monarch power in the corresponding category ( 50 administrative power for the first, 50 diplomatic power for the second and 50 military power for the third).

Every active teaching reduces missionary strength by −1%; taking all teachings therefore reduces missionary strength by −6%. Teachings can be removed, which removes the penalty on missionary strength, but doesn't repay the invested monarch power.

Guru	Event	Year	Teaching	Effect
Guru Nanak	+1 Monthly administrative power	beginning to 1539	Share and Consume	−1 National unrest
			Work Honestly	+5% Production efficiency
			Recite His Name	−2.5% Regiment cost
Guru Angad	+1 Monthly military power	1539	Gurmukhi Script	−2.5% Technology cost
			Temple Langar	+10% Clergy loyalty equilibrium
			Wrestling Akhara	+0.5 Yearly army professionalism
Guru Amar Das	+1 Monthly diplomatic power	1552	Dasvnandh Collection	+5% National tax modifier
			Anand Karaj	+1 Diplomatic reputation
			Sanghat Equality	+5% Nobility loyalty equilibrium +5% Rajputs loyalty equilibrium +5% Marathas loyalty equilibrium
Guru Ram Das	+1 Monthly administrative power	1574	Legitimize Inheritance	+0.25 Yearly legitimacy +0.1 Yearly republican tradition +0.25 Yearly devotion +0.25 Yearly horde unity +0.1 Yearly meritocracy
			Scripture Hymns	+0.5 Prestige
			Masand System	+10% National manpower modifier
Guru Arjan	+1 Monthly diplomatic power	1581	Adi Granth	+10% Institution spread
			The Abode of God	+10% Religious unity
			Martyrdom	+5% Morale of armies
Guru Hargobind	+1 Monthly military power	1606	Throne of the Timeless One	+0.25 Yearly legitimacy +0.1 Yearly republican tradition +0.25 Yearly devotion +0.25 Yearly horde unity +0.1 Yearly meritocracy
			Protection of the Poor	−0.025 Monthly war exhaustion
			Miri and Piri	+2.5% Discipline
Guru Har Rai	+1 Monthly diplomatic power	1644	Impartial Manjis	−0.05 Monthly corruption
			The Fragrance of a Flower	+10% Improve relations
			One Guru	+5% Noblility loyalty equilibrium +5% Rajputs loyalty equilibrium +5% Marathas loyalty equilibrium
Guru Har Krishan	+1 Monthly diplomatic power	1661	Treat the Sick	+1 Monarch administrative skill
			Illiterate Recites Saloks	+1 Monarch diplomatic skill
			Young Humility	+1 Monarch military skill
Guru Tegh Bahadur	+1 Monthly administrative power	1665	The Word of Sikh	+1 Missionary
			All Kings must Pass	+2 Tolerance of heretics
			Resist Persecution	+1 Attrition for enemies
Guru Gobind Singh	+1 Monthly administrative power	1675	Pluralism	−10% Advisor cost
			Dharam Yudh	−50% War taxes cost
			The Khalsa Sikh	+0.5 Yearly army professionalism
Guru Granth Sahib	−50% State maintenance −25% Regiment drill loss	1708	Eternally Living Guru	−10% Development cost
			Divine Justice	+10% Trade efficiency
			The Unchanging Writing	+50% Army drill gain modifier

Heretic rebels may be named:

Masandis

Other denominations[edit | edit source]

A few additional religions exist at the start date of 1444 that do not fit into any of the other main religious groups. These include Judaism and Zoroastrianism, both of which are confined to a small number of provinces at the start date with no nation having them as their state religion. They can, however, be played through releasing vasals, by going bankrupt while only owning provinces of that religion, or through the use of the custom nation designer. While a few unique decisions and events exist for nations of these religions, they are far less fleshed out than the more major religions in the game, such as the Catholic and Sunni faiths.

Jewish [edit | edit source]

The oldest Abrahamic religion in the game, Judaism builds upon the Torah and the traditions and scriptures of the Jewish people going back over 3000 years.
By the start of the game the Jewish faith is a minority faith in most of the world and only exist in the small provinces of Semien and Dembiya in Ethiopia.

All Jewish countries receive:

+2 Tolerance of the true faith
+1 Possible advisors

All Jewish provinces receive:

-2% Local missionary strength^[1]

NB: Semien and Dembiya, owned by Ethiopia in 1444, are the only Jewish provinces at the start of the campaign. The event "Surge of Sephardic Migrants" can generate the religion in the Selanik province. The religion may also appear as a Jewish Tribal Kingdom as part of a scenario in the RNW.

With the Origins expansion active, Judaism uses Church Power (but called "Faith Power"). Faith Power accumulates over time and can be used to acquire up to three (3) Torah aspects, respectively Administrative, Diplomatic and Military Torah Aspects. Additionally, Faith power can be spent to celebrate Festivals.

Each Torah aspect provides permanent modifiers added to that country's particular version of Judaism. A country can have 3 Torah aspects active at the same time. Faith Power can be used to trade in an existing aspect for a new one. Gaining an aspect or replacing one with another costs 100 Faith Power and up to a maximum of 200 Faith Power can be stored, allowing the player to swap two aspects in quick succession if needed.

The Administrative Torah aspect allows one of the following three options:

Festival of	Effects
Rosh haShanah	−2 National unrest Celebrate festival gives +1 Stability
Simchat Torah	-5% Technology cost Celebrate festival gives +25 Reform progress growth, +5 Legitimacy (or equivalent), +5 Heir claim strength
Sukkot	-0.5% Interest per annum Celebrate festival gives 0.3 Years of income and -1 Inflation.

The Celebrate Festival button is found to the right of the three aspects on the religion tab. Depending on whichever Administrative aspect was chosen the related bonus can be earned at the cost of 200 Faith Power. With the “Grant Rabbi Privileges” government reform, the clergy estate gains +20 loyalty when a festival is celebrated.

The Diplomatic Torah aspect allows one of the following three options:

Aspect	Effects
Jewish Community	+2 Tolerance of the true faith Bonus: No owned Jewish province will suffer the penalties of non-accepted culture and same culture group
Abrahamic Roots	+2 Tolerance of heathens Bonus: Every owned Muslim or Christian province will not suffer wrong religion penalties (-100% local religious unity contributions but -100% local missionary strength), they also get a +20% Local goods produced modifier and +20% Local tax modifier (to counteract the wrong religion malus)
Home of the Jews	-10% Development cost Bonus: The country will gain a +35 opinion bonus with every non-Theocratic Muslim or Christian country

The Military Torah aspect allows one of the following three options:

Aspect	Effects
Yom Kippur	−5% Infantry cost Bonus: While at war receive +20% manpower recovery speed and +25% faith power. Double the effect if in a defensive war.
Remember Passover	+25% Fort defense Bonus: Sieges of one's own fallen fort starts with a +2 siege progress in one's favor, and winning a hostile siege provides +5 faith power.
Purim Teachings	5% Morale for both armies and navies Bonus: Every battle won reduces war exhaustion by -0.05 and every main war won provides +75 faith power

Jewish Strategy notes: Like Zoroastrianism, Judaism suffers from a lack of missionaries. However, as a Jewish nation (with Origins expansion), selecting the diplomatic Torah Aspect named "Abrahamic Roots" removes all religious unity penalties from Christian and Muslim provinces, allowing this non-proselytising religion to not have to convert any such provinces. Moreover, Jewish "back to the Lord" events occur very frequently that convert random provinces, which collectively mitigate the need for many missionaries. Of course not converting provinces means no 'true faith' manpower or institution spread bonuses. Alternatively, completing the level 3 monument Holy City of Jerusalem and converting the province provides +1 missionary from being Christian, Muslim or Jewish while the "Jewish Community" aspect treats provinces like same/accepted culture ones.

Heretic Rebels may be named:

Samaritan
Karaite

Zoroastrian [edit | edit source]

Zoroastrian religion is the traditional faith of the Iranian peoples and the old Persian Empire. Zoroastrians are monotheists and follow the teachings of the prophet of Zoroaster.
By the start of the game Zoroastrianism has been in decline for centuries following the Islamic conquest of Iran and apart from a concentration around the province of Yazd and Daman they exist only as minorities in India and Persia not represented in the game.

All Zoroastrian countries receive:

+2 Tolerance of the True Faith
+10% Trade efficiency

All Zoroastrian provinces receive:

-2% Local missionary strength^[1]

NB: Yazd (owned by the Timurids) and Daman (owned by Gujarat) are the only Zoroastrian provinces in 1444.

Holy sites[edit | edit source]

Zoroastrian countries have access to a holy sites system like that of the Coptic faith. There are 5 holy sites in total and each one has to be both owned by a nation of the Zoroastrain faith and be converted to Zoroastrian in order to select a permanent ritual. On conversion to Zoroastrian an icon - similar to the HRE or Empire of China buttons - will appear in the bottom right corner of the main game screen which will show who is currently controlling which site and the faith followed by that province as well as the number of rituals already selected and the ones still available.

The following provinces are Zoroastrian holy sites:

Shirvan (421) - controlled by Shirvan
Daman (4430) - controlled by Gujarat
Laristan (2223) - controlled by Fars
Khiva (441) - controlled by Transoxiana
Sabzevar (2235) - controlled by Khorasan

When a province is both controlled by a Zoroastrian nation and follows the faith, Zoroastrian nations are able to pick from the 5 available rituals. Once a ritual is picked it cannot be exchanged for a different one.

Name	Effect
Yasna	−0.05 Yearly corruption
Haoma	+10% Goods produced modifier
Navjote	+2% Missionary strength
Manthras	+10% Governing capacity modifier
Dakhma	−10% Construction cost