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I am beginner, completing the IA, and here is my take on some GB from IA resident point of view.
I happened to join during event, am active in quests, challenges, on Continent Map, and in guild hopping, and already own many event buildings (most of those are small, target happiness, and are useless though).
No Age:
- OoD become pretty much useless very fast, even at IA stage - special buildings add to happiness and produce supplies much better without sucking valuable FP from you. If I was starting from scratch, I would not waste FP on it (I am at level 2, and will get rid of it without regrets when I need space).
BA:
- SoZ is very important even if you are not fighter by nature - you need to attack other provinces and to complete fighting challenges if you want to progress.
- ToB - I would not waste resources on it unless you want to stay in BA for very long - it is big, provides very small population for its size, and its production is much worse than LoA.
IA:
- Colo is useless - you can fight (you have to fight anyway) and use special buildings that have higher medal production than Colo without sucking valuable FP from you.
- LoA - very useful for good production and for supply boost.
I have blueprints for 27 different GB already (including 4 complete sets), and have no single blueprint yet for Obs and ToR - it looks like these two will be very hard to get soon.
Great Buildings (GB) are a main building type, and unlike all the other basic building types, these can be leveled using Forge Points (FP) to become even more powerful.
To build a Great Building, the player has to first gather a set of 9 unique blueprints (BP) from either aiding other players, getting blueprints (BP) as a reward from quests or events, or by contributing to other players' Great Buildings (GB). Then, the player has to pay a certain amount of goods (based on the Great Building's (GB) age) to construct the building. However, a newly built Great Building (GB) produces nothing — it is at level 0. To start producing resources, a certain amount of Forge Points (FP) must be contributed to the Great Building (GB) by either the player or other players until it is at level 1.
Commonly, players in higher eras sell goods to other players for Forge Points (FP), enabling goods to be acquired at any age. Generally, the buyer will pay the seller Forge Points (FP) in the form of Great Building (GB) contributions. Once paid, the buyer posts their trades and the seller takes them, giving the buyer the goods they need. Some guilds offer free or discounted costs on goods, so be sure to ask around for the best price.
Great Buildings (GB) provide a multitude of resources or boosts, depending on the specific building. The different boosts are explained in the chart below. Note that the abbreviations aren't explained, it would clutter it up too much. If you need to know what an abbreviation means, check the list in Part 8: Abbreviations/FAQ.
No Age
Observatory (3x3):
Gives Guild Goods and contributes to the Support Pool
Many guilds require the OBS to be built to help with treasury goods and GvG, so it is a common GB to see in especially pre-Arc cities.
Oracle of Delphi (3x3):
Gives Happiness and Supplies
Partly useful early on, it does not contribute much to the player's city and can be deleted once it is no longer needed. It is a common target for snipers in the Iron Age, as most players by that point still do not know how to invest their FP well.
Temple of Relics (6x6):
Chance to get Relics in GE
Since most active guilds require GE participation, this can help the player pick up some more rewards. Relics are a very nice prize in GE, and this GB should be built as soon as possible. However, it does not need to be leveled high to be useful.
Bronze Age
Statue of Zeus (2x3):
Attack and Defense Boosts for Attacking Armies
An extremely useful GB for most cities, this boosts the stats of military units, enabling the player to fight more easily and lose less units.
Tower of Babel (4x4):
Goods, Population
The population can be very helpful early on, and can take the place of some houses while also producing goods. However, its usefulness declines in later eras.
Iron Age
Colosseum (6x7):
Happiness, Medals
Don’t build this. Friends don't let friends build the Colosseum.
Lighthouse of Alexandria (4x4):
Goods, Supply Boost (x40)
Very useful to gain more supplies and goods.
Early Middle Ages
Cathedral of Aachen (4x6):
Attack and Defense Boost for Attacking Armies, Coins
Similar to the Statue of Zeus, this is one of the three main military boost GB, and is extremely useful for fighters.
Hagia Sophia (7x6):
Forge Points, Happiness
While greatly debated, this GB is mostly useful towards the end of the game. It’s size is a put-off for earlier eras.
Galata Tower (3x3):
Gives Goods and a chance to repel plunder attempts
This Great Building is pretty useful for early players, since it gives a decent amount of goods, is small, and reduces plunder.
High Middle Ages
Notre Dame (4x6):
Happiness, Supplies
Like the Colosseum, just don’t build it. It is not worth the space it takes up.
St. Mark's Basilica (6x6):
Coin Boost (x90), Goods
Useful for those looking to make a few more coins and goods. While not necessary, many players find it helpful to their cities.
Late Middle Ages
Castel del Monte (5x5):
Attack and Defense Boost for Attacking Armies, Forge Points
The third main military boost GB, the CdM is very useful for players due to the military boost combined with the FP.
Saint Basil's Cathedral (5x5):
Coins, Attack and Defense Boost for Defending Armies, Support Pool
While not too useful for the player, it can boost a player’s defense and support the guild at the same time.
Colonial Age
Deal Castle (7x7):
Attack and Defense Boost for Defending Armies, Medals
While some enjoy DC, this building is too big and the boosts too weak to be useful for most players.
Frauenkirche of Dresden (5x5):
Goods, Happiness
This building is useful for some, but for the most part it depends on a player’s style on whether or not this will be beneficial.
Industrial Age
Capitol (7x5):
Population, Supplies
Some build the Capitol to boost population, but with the increase of population-giving event buildings and the Capitol's size, its usefulness has declined.
Royal Albert Hall (7x6):
Goods, Supply Boost (x75)
The RAH can help players who want more supplies and goods, but its size makes it less favorable.
Progressive Era
Alcatraz (10x7):
Unit Production, Happiness
While large, this is an incredibly useful GB for fighters. The Traz gives players unattached units based off the barracks they have in their city. This allows players to build up large stocks of units, helpful for fighting in any aspect of the game.
Chateau Frontenac (5x6):
Coins, Quest Reward Boost
Another very useful GB, the CF lets the player gain more resources from completing quests. This GB is the basis for questing strategies and can be used to generate large amounts of goods and FP.
Modern Era
Atomium (7x6):
Guild Goods, Happiness
Not a very useful GB to the player, but some build it to help out the guild.
Space Needle (6x5):
Coins, Happiness
Not very useful in the slightest.
Postmodern Era
Cape Canaveral (4x5):
Forge Points
This GB is wonderful to have, allowing the player to get more FP daily.
The Habitat (7x6):
Coins, Population
Essentially one big house, this GB is generally overlooked. If one needs population, the Innovation Tower (see below) would usually be better as it is smaller and provides FP.
Contemporary Era
Innovation Tower (6x6):
Forge Points, Population
The most common population GB, if one is low on population this GB is useful, and the FP are nice to have. However, due to the increase in population-giving event buildings, this GB is becoming less of a necessity. If it is built, make sure to have the happiness to support it.
Lotus Temple (6x6):
Coins, Happiness
This GB is pretty useless; the coins and happiness are generally not needed by the time someone would have the space to dedicate to this GB.
Tomorrow Era
Truce Tower (6x5):
Aid Goods, Supplies
This GB is useful for those who want to get higher era goods slowly over time, and give them the possibility to trade them down. The DT is especially useful because the player can choose which era of goods they want by aiding players of that age. However, the DT’s usefulness declines in higher eras.
Voyager V1 (4x7):
Plunder Goods (x3), Supplies
This is not the most useful GB; goods buildings are generally more efficient than the plunder goods.
The Future
Rain Forest Project (6x6):
Aid Blueprints Boost, Goods
This GB increases the odds of getting a BP from aiding. This makes the RFP useful for those looking for prints (but the Arc is more efficient, see below). This GB, therefore, has the niche use of being useful for getting prints for new GB after an era is released (by aiding players who just advanced).
The Arc (7x5):
Contribution Bonus, Guild Goods
Probably the single most popular GB in the game, the Arc lets the player receive higher rewards from contributing to GB. This GB is the basis for many swap methods and is required in some guilds. It is definitely a must-have for most players.
Arctic Future
Arctic Orangery (7x7):
Critical Hit Chance, Forge Points
This GB is very useful for fighters, as it gives a chance for units to do 150% damage against same-age units. The FP production also makes this GB desirable.
Gaea Statue (6x4):
Happiness, Medals
Just don’t build this one.
Seed Vault (5x6):
Helping Hands, Supplies
This is one of the handful of GB with the chance to give diamonds. This GB is nice to have for those that have many people they aid; each aid has a chance of giving a reward.
Oceanic Future
Atlantis Museum (6x7):
Double Plunder, Goods
This GB is a must-have for frequent plunderers, as it gives a chance for the player to double the plundered resources.
The Blue Galaxy (7x5):
Double Collection, Medals
This GB is useful for collecting high-yield buildings, as it gives chance that the building’s production is doubled, with some restrictions, such as it can not double the collection of a military building or Great Building.
The Kraken (5x5):
First Strike, Forge Points
A useful GB for fighters, this GB gives a chance to kill one of the enemy units at the start of a battle. Combined with the Forge Points, this GB becomes very nice to have.
Virtual Future
Himeji Castle (6x6):
Spoils of War, Supplies
This GB gives the player the chance to receive rewards after battles. While not necessary, this GB is good to have if you are a fighter.
Terracotta Army (4x6):
Attack and Defense Boost for Attacking and Defending Armies
For fighters, this is a very nice GB to have as it increases their attack boost.
Space Age: Mars
Star Gazer (5x5):
Previous Era Goods
For negotiators, this building can be useful to have to assist in the production of previous era goods. Goods sellers may also find this useful if they want to camp in an era and sell goods from the previous age, augmenting their production of previous era goods.
The Virgo Project (5x5):
Coins, Missile Launch
While this GB gives a chance to kill half of the enemy units at the start of a battle, the small chance for this happening and the amount of attempts makes this GB not that useful except for those fighting against troops with very high boosts.
Space Age: Asteroid Belt
Space Carrier (7x4):
Special Goods (Medals if in an age below AF), Diplomatic Gifts
This is the HC of negotiating, and also is useful for those moving through ages that require special goods.
Space Age: Venus
Flying Island (4x6)
Mysterious Shards (basically random prizes in settlements every so often)
This isn't the most useful GB. It looks nice, but it doesn't do too much. If you have the space and want it, go for it. But otherwise, you won't really be affected much.
Space Age: Jupiter Moon
A.I. Core (5x5)
Guild Goods, Algorithmic Core (boosts special goods productions)
This building is extremely useful if you are in AF or higher, as you can accelerate your special goods production. However, in ages lower than AF, it has little use.
Sorry, I couldn't help but notice.
What about the new(ish) GBG update? (Great Elephant, Garden thing)
GE5 also.
Oh, and you have SAT put on the abbreviations, but none of the GBs. That makes sense, though, so never mind. SVIGP? That's a big abbreviation. S6P? That works a little better...
Great guide! I wish I had found this when I started... But I had no idea that the forums even existed.
Sorry, I couldn't help but notice.
What about the new(ish) GBG update? (Great Elephant, Garden thing)
GE5 also.
Oh, and you have SAT put on the abbreviations, but none of the GBs. That makes sense, though, so never mind. SVIGP? That's a big abbreviation. S6P? That works a little better...
Great guide! I wish I had found this when I started... But I had no idea that the forums even existed.