Summary at a glance
Goal: Manage religion and culture to optimize integration speed, reduce unrest, and maximize stability.
Do this first:
- Accept large cultures (15%+ population) if you have capacity
- Wait until 50% integration before converting provinces
- Improve tolerance before mass expansion
Pitfall to avoid: Converting every province bankrupts your stability. Prioritize high-value regions and wait for integration.
Religion and culture shape your nation's identity, diplomatic relations, and expansion strategy. Unlike EU4, EU5 uses population-based conversion where multiple religions and cultures coexist in single provinces.
Culture System
Culture Groups and Acceptance
Every culture belongs to a culture group (e.g., French culture in the Latin culture group). Your primary culture is automatically accepted.
- Accepted Cultures: Receive full integration benefits and no penalties
- Unaccepted Cultures: -40% integration speed, +2 unrest, lower loyalty
Culture Capacity
You can accept additional cultures based on your culture capacity:
- Base Capacity: 2-3 cultures (varies by government type)
- Increased by: Certain laws (+1-2), government reforms (+1), and advances
- Tolerance Ideas: Some government reforms grant additional capacity
When to Accept Cultures
Accept if
- Large population (15%+ of your total)
- Strategic location (borders, high-development provinces)
- Prevents rebellions in valuable territories
- Improves integration speed significantly
Don't accept if
- Small population (<5% of total)
- You're over capacity (penalties apply)
- You plan to convert the culture anyway
- Temporary conquest for vassalization
Culture Conversion
Unlike EU4's instant conversion, EU5 uses gradual population-based conversion.
Conversion Speed Factors:
- Cultural proximity (+50% if similar culture group)
- Infrastructure and control (+30%)
- Cultural buildings and academies (+20%)
- Population education level (+15%)
Cabinet Action: Promote Culture
- Cost: 30-50 gold + 10 stability
- Effect: +50% conversion speed for 365 days in target location
- Use on: High-value provinces and strategic urban centers
Conversion Time: 10-30 years for complete conversion (most provinces reach 70% in 5-10 years)
Religion System
Religious Tolerance
Your nation has tolerance values for three categories:
- True Faith: Your state religion (+3 base tolerance)
- Heretic: Same religion group, different denomination (-2 base tolerance)
- Heathen: Different religion group (-3 base tolerance)
Tolerance Effects
High Tolerance (positive values)
- Lower unrest
- Better tax efficiency
- Faster integration
- Improved population happiness
Low Tolerance (negative values)
- +1 to +3 unrest per point of negative tolerance
- -10% to -30% tax efficiency
- Slower integration
- Risk of religious rebellion
Religious Conversion
Conversion Methods:
1. Cabinet Action: Promote Religion (Primary method)
- Cost: 50 gold + 15 stability
- Duration: 365 days
- Effect: +100% conversion speed in location
- Best for: High-value provinces, strategic urban centers
2. Religious Buildings
- Churches, Mosques, Temples provide passive conversion
- +10% to +30% conversion speed
- Require staffing and maintenance
3. Missionary Characters
- Assign characters with high piety to provinces
- +20% conversion speed
- Limited by available characters
Conversion Speed Factors:
- Religious proximity (same group: +40%)
- Development level (higher = slower)
- Population size (larger = slower)
- Education and literacy (higher = slower resistance)
Typical Timeline:
- Rural provinces: 5-8 years to 80% conversion
- Towns: 8-12 years
- Cities: 12-20 years
Strategic Decisions
Option 1: Religious Uniformity
Best for: Nations with religious bonuses (Spain, Ottomans, Persia)
Strategy:
- Convert all conquered territories to state religion
- Focus on high-tolerance-of-true-faith bonuses
- Use religious unity for stability bonuses
Pros: Maximum religious unity bonuses, simplified management
Cons: Expensive, slow, causes unrest during conversion
Option 2: Religious Tolerance
Best for: Large multicultural empires (Austria, Mughals, Ming)
Strategy:
- Accept multiple religions
- Increase tolerance through laws and reforms
- Focus on humanist government reforms
Pros: Faster integration, less unrest, cheaper
Cons: Lower religious unity bonuses, diplomatic complications
Option 3: Selective Conversion
Best for: Most nations (balanced approach)
Strategy:
- Convert core territories and capital region
- Tolerate religions in distant/temporary conquests
- Convert high-value provinces strategically
Pros: Balanced cost and benefits
Cons: Requires active management
Islam-Specific: Mysticism vs Jurisprudence
Islamic nations have a unique societal value axis:
Mysticism (Bāṭin)
- +10% Religious Conversion Speed
- +1 Tolerance of Heathens
- -5% Technology Cost
- Focuses on spiritual interpretation
Jurisprudence (Ẓāhir)
- +10% Administrative Efficiency
- +1 Tolerance of True Faith
- +5% Tax Income
- Focuses on literal law interpretation
How to shift: Laws, reforms, estate privileges, and cabinet actions
Sinicization (East Asia)
Non-Chinese nations in China/Southeast Asia can become Sinicized:
Sinicized Benefits
- +10% Integration Speed
- +2 Diplomatic Reputation with Chinese nations
- Access to Chinese government reforms
- Cultural acceptance from Ming/China
Unsinicized Benefits
- +10% Culture Conversion Speed
- +1 Yearly Prestige
- Maintain cultural identity
How to shift: Subject status under China, adopting Chinese institutions, cultural reforms
Common Mistakes
- Over-Converting: Converting every province bankrupts your stability. Prioritize high-value regions.
- Ignoring Tolerance: Low tolerance causes more problems than unrest. Improve tolerance before mass expansion.
- Accepting Too Many Cultures: Going over capacity hurts more than it helps. Be selective.
- Converting Before Integration: Wait until a province is at least 50% integrated before starting conversion. Otherwise, you waste resources on unstable territory.
- Neglecting Religious Buildings: Passive conversion from buildings is cost-effective long-term.
Quick Reference Table
| Action | Cost | Duration | Best Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accept Culture | -1 Capacity | Permanent | Large populations (15%+) |
| Promote Culture | 40 gold + 10 stability | 365 days | Strategic high-value provinces |
| Promote Religion | 50 gold + 15 stability | 365 days | Core territories, urban centers |
| Religious Buildings | 50-200 gold | Permanent | Long-term passive conversion |
| Tolerance Laws | 75-150 stability | Permanent | Managing diverse empires |
Advanced Strategy: Conversion Timing
- Years 1-20: Focus on accepting necessary cultures and establishing religious tolerance policies
- Years 20-50: Convert core territories and capital region systematically
- Years 50-100: Selective conversion in high-value provinces
- Years 100+: Maintain stability, tolerate minor populations