Best Great Buildings to Start With (and Why)?

[joesoap]

I have a level 4 Alcatraz in my LMA city, the goods were traded to me by higher level players in my guild at a loss to them obviously but the units I get are more useful to our guild in gvg than their higher goods, & as already mentioned I had to invest FPs in their Alcatrazs to get the BPs so we have all benefited

 

[DeletedUser100341]

All this talk about which GB to start with is supposition. If your in a big guild with a lot of advanced players than the thought of Alcatraz is realistic. Otherwise its dreaming. I'm in a mid sized guild with a couple of players with Alcatraz. I've gotten a couple of BP but its going to be a long time before I can get them all. Do I regret belonging to this guild? No way. We talk and trade and discuss events. Occasionally we get crazy and joke and poke fun at each other.

Unless you want to buy your way through the game, the GB you start with is the one you'll be lucky enough to get all the BPs for. You can select the age of the building to polivate or plunder but there are no guarantees if and what you get.

 

[Andrew420]

I built my Alcatraz around Nov 28 2013 when I was in LMA
All my trades were done in the guild they were all fair trades
No Diamonds were used it took a few weeks but I got it done with the help of my guild
It is possible It doesn't require diamonds You don't need unfair trades
What you need is what most players don't have PATIENCE

 

[DeletedUser14782]

Wow, I guess we all got our Alcatraz's in LMA now, I got mine then too.

 

[Surge]

Wow, I guess we all got our Alcatraz's in LMA now, I got mine then too.

Hey, I still don't have an Alcatraz! The game thinks I don't want any blueprints at all.

 

[DeletedUser7719]

I got an Alcatraz in the PE because that was the age I was in when it came out :p

 

[DeletedUser7990]

I'd definitely go for GBs which give FPs. After a time they start to pay you back. If you're planning on playing for 2 years or more, then it's worth getting them.
Goods buildings because when you go to a new era, you automatically get the new goods, especially at the start, once you get beyond a certain age then this obviously has less impact as they stop being current age goods.
Boost buildings are good too, as they can often boost your buildings by far more than the space they take up.

 

[DeletedUser99445]

First one should be Alexandria because I said so.

 

[DeletedUser111686]

Lighthouse of Alexandra (LoA) is one of the best in most people's opinions, because of the big supply boost plus the goods. (On each of 3 worlds I currently play on, it is one of my preferred GBs.)
If you need an enthusiasm booster there are better choices than the Colosseum but on the one world I have a Colosseum I am not about to tear it down yet as it is adequate even if not brilliant. It was a big boost to enthusiam when I had issues there and I did not yet have other choices.

 

[dimondus]

LoA, St Marks, Zeus, CdM are must have.
I'd personally would get all goods production GBs (RAH, ToB and FoD).
Any FP producing GB are good because you will benefit from them in long run (don't hesitate and build HS asap).
Chateau, Deal, St Basil and Capitol are debatable. IMO better defense is your ranking points and towers/ritual flames.
ND, Col, SN, Atom are worthless (just do a simple calculations to prove that).
Temple of relics will also be beneficial as most guild nowadays require to complete lvl 1 GE weekly.
Obs is hard to acquire in smaller guilds so I'd donate goods to treasury till ME and then focus on getting Arc.
Overall approach is:
- pick % bonus over fixed amount;
- if there is FP gain it worth getting;
- decide what is your play-style (aggressive fighter or peaceful trader);
- consider which one of two features you really need from GB, the other one is just a pleasant bonus.

 

[DeletedUser96901]

I'd personally would get all goods production GBs (RAH, ToB and FoD).
...
Chateau .. are debatable.

Chateau is not debatable

it produces more goods than all goods GB together if used correctly (and medals and diamonds)
and those goods are always from the era of the player. the goods GB produce old goods starting from modern era


ToB and FoD are debatable

 

[dimondus]

it produces more goods than all goods GB together if used correctly (and medals and diamonds)
and those goods are always from the era of the player. the goods GB produce old goods starting from modern era

too much hassle with recurring quests and Chateau should be an 80+ to have real benefits.

ToB and FoD are debatable

definitely they are and I said that its my opinion and dictates personal play-style.

 

[DeletedUser96901]

activity wins

and even a level 10 Chateau gives 8 extra goods per normal (=5) goods reward

and easy way to get diamonds
each recurring quest in every era gives diamonds once: 50 instead of 20 with a level 10 CF
8 or more times per era extra 30 diamonds. great to buy the premium expansions

and not to forget there are many goods and diamonds in main quests too
even event random rewards are boosted. and they are random. so can also be diamonds

but I understand you:
not everybody can take the full advantage of a Chateau
even a small CF rocks

 

[dimondus]

and even a level 10 Chateau gives 8 extra goods per normal (=5) goods reward

yeah, but you'll still pay more coins/supplies than they cost to produce.

8 or more times per era extra 30 diamonds.

8x30 and lets say x10 = 2400 diamonds. So you're saying its worth spending 4090FP to get 4 diamond expansions (64 tiles) and Chateau will eat 30 tiles alone?!

 

[DeletedUser111866]

Wow a necropost!

From the eyes of a fresh newcomer:

- LoA, CDM and ToR are must have. LoA is just "dirt" cheap (IA), easy to come by and worthy to have early, while you don't yet have your production up and running smoothly enough. And it comes with a decent supplies boost, they are harder to get in early ages. CDM is a lil harder to come by, but provides two of the most sought stuffz in game: attacker boost and FPs. ToR is just a standing lottery, but it's generating goods and FPs fast enough to justify its space.

- Once you've set these up, go for the big fish, but prepare to be very patient and have your advancement halted (which is quite a viable solution in this game!). Next set of must-have GBs are Arc, Chateau, AO and Alcatraz, and you might not get them all quickly enough and/or suit them all in your city. Arc - percentage on FP gains, and you'll be likely investing your entire income of FPs (plus occasional rewards) into others' GBs to acquire first blueprints, second FP packs, third medals. Just the game-breaking GB as it is. Chateau is at least good for recurring quests, which you will eventually discover being a great source of stuff, and really, even a level 1 Chateau grants +3 goods per quest (when it drops any), this makes you able to negotiate GE to higher levels, amplifying your ToR at the very least. If anything, trading up will also be easier. Arctic Orangery is a FP generator with extra power, and it's giving 1 FP/level compared to CDM at 0.6, although about the same FP reward per FP invested, and also it adds to combat in an independent way. Getting this placed will surely make you combat-oriented, emphasizing the need of Alcatraz (and a rogue hideout). The prison also serves a nice purpose, it allows you to transition to the glory of The Future in Iron Age...

- Next level is the highest so far, Innovation Tower and The Kraken. Both grant FPs, Inno grants population that lets you get rid of those small housing, and you already have Alcatraz (or Hagia, if you're strictly farming/questing) for happiness needed to sustain productivity. Kraken grants one man advantage in battles (albeit probabilistic, every little bit helps, and 8 vs 8 is way harder to fight than 8 vs 7), however it also pulls you further into Grand Combat. Here the Cape is also sitting waiting, but early on a black tower (heh) can replace CC, later you can expend more space to FP generation so you build that thing.

The rest of GBs are up to taste and personal preference, but still:
- If you fight, Zeus and CoA are also needed. However, it might be better to max out CDM first.
- If you do not fight, but build goods, create RAH and StM to get more coins and supplies, these might also help with faster completion of recurring quests.
- If you fight at the extreme, build Habitat, ToB, Capitol and a whole lot of army buildings, and just rush your enemies not regarding the losses. Sometimes Alcatraz is not enough! Add Voyager here if you want to be THE captain Jack Sparrow.
- If you want to help others, build Dynamic tower, Atomium or (and?) Seed Vault, making yourself quite an enigma with all of them. These will surely attract a lot of friends, maybe even from top people, and in turn allow you to bask in the glory and increased income of goods and BPs beyond your age.
- If you just want your city to be beautiful, build Gaea, Rain forest, Notre Dame, Colosseum and that museum from OF, and have it your way.
- If I missed a GB, feel free to place it wherever you think it will fit.
- Don't forget to enjoy the game, and whatever aspects you see most enjoyable.

 

[dimondus]

Next set of must-have GBs are Arc, Chateau, AO and Alcatraz

The title of the thread says Best Great Buildings to Start With (and Why)?

 

[Vesiger]

The title of the thread says Best Great Buildings to Start With (and Why)?

She also suggests having Alcatraz in the Iron Age, so I imagine she does actually intend all those as starter buildings.

 

[DeletedUser111866]

She also suggests having Alcatraz in the Iron Age, so I imagine she does actually intend all those as starter buildings.

Oh, THAT's why I start getting that many likes... I'm a he.

The problem is, what counts as "start"? Bronze age? You can't seriously get something bigger than LoA anyway, since you can't trade FP for goods, and trading just goods would take an eternity (if fair). Expecting someone to donate goods for high era GB is unreal, and probably the act itself is illegal here, like pushing. Iron age? It's perfectly possible to build everything in Iron Age, since you can trade goods for FP, and get FP from wherever you are suited best at the time. If using an average model of a person progressing through the ages at a certain pace, then start with LoA, then add GBs to taste, as the needs arise and your capabilities make building them possible.

 

[dimondus]

Oh, THAT's why I start getting that many likes... I'm a he.

LOL

If using an average model of a person progressing through the ages at a certain pace, then start with LoA, then add GBs to taste

Zeus, St Marks, Hagia are also easy to get in first 3 ages.

- If you just want your city to be beautiful, build Gaea, Rain forest, Notre Dame, Colosseum and that museum from OF

Well, that is an explanation I can agree with! I would add Atomium, SN and LT here too.

even a level 1 Chateau grants +3 goods per quest (when it drops any), this makes you able to negotiate GE to higher levels, amplifying your ToR at the very least

definitely will help a lot, seriously?!
In that space you can build a goods building and houses to support it and all that will bring you 20-25 goods per day plus coins from houses.

 

[DeletedUser111866]

Zeus, St Marks, Hagia are also easy to get in first 3 ages.

Yep true, but with LoA you immediately reap benefits, with Zeus you need to do a lot first to get anything out, Hagia is FAT and a long term investment (although FPs, but you need to pump a ton and wait a lot to have Hagia worth its space), and StM - can't yet say, as I don't have it. And StM is HMA, the highest of this list. However I do agree it starts providing immediate benefits as well as LoA.

Well, that is an explanation I can agree with! I would add Atomium, SN and LT here too.

Yup exactly. I just didn't bother listing all the happiness buildings, and those that don't benefit you at all unless you go rampage.

definitely will help a lot, seriously?!
In that space you can build a goods building and houses to support it and all that will bring you 20-25 goods per day plus coins from houses.

I've got a vid linked to me about CF's controversy. I must say that both PoVs are correct, and the exact evaluation depends on whether you play recurring quests above certain threshold. I do, for example, my CF is paired with six pairs of supplies buildings, thus I'm guaranteed 6 collect-2 quests, 3 (depends on housing) collect-gold quests, and 9 UBQs without ever losing coins or supplies. This totals to 18 quests/day, so CF lv3 is responsible for 4*18*0.4 ~= 29 goods/day (and some more medals, coins and supplies) which I don't have to produce. Level 1 CF would provide 75% of this, 19 goods/day, again without me paying more resources than I produce. And Cosmic Raven, one of the US side's RQ advocates, reported playing 96 clockmakers, which amass a lil more than 48 quests due to CA being able to run 2 RQ slots, and given the quest rewards count towards other quests, this avalanches at a certain level of CF into semi-infinite (or literally infinite) generation of goods, FPs, medals and expendables, at lower levels you still get quite a ton from a lv1 CF. This playstyle requires dedication, however, and who doesn't do this, won't benefit as seriously.

Note also that if you place a goods building, you need to have a boost for those resources, while RQs (and thus CF) give you goods from the entire set of your age's production, regardless of whether you have a boost on the provided type. So if your CF would net you more than 25 goods/day, really consider building it.