Europa Universalis 5: Top 5 Beginner Tips and Tricks

Europa Universalis 5 is the newest installment from Paradox Interactive in their series of 4X Grand Strategy games. Each playthrough lasts about five hundred years in-game and lets you make thousands of choices that can influence the outcome.

If you’re a new player, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed from having to manage all aspects of your nation. To help you get started, here are the top five tips and tricks for beginners in Europa Universalis 5.

Tips and Tricks for Beginners in Europa Universalis 5

Here are some of the best tips and tricks a beginner can employ in their playthrough of Europa Universalis 5:

1. Select Correct Nations

Europa Universalis 5 features hundreds of historically accurate nations from around the world in the Middle Ages. However, each nation starts differently, with some quite advanced and others beginning with nothing but basic resources. As a beginner, it is recommended to pick a nation that is already a powerhouse compared to most others in the vicinity. 

Here are some of the best nations you can pick at the start: 

• France for a strong military and stable income.
• England has a great geological position and a well-developed navy.
• Castile for colonization without heavy early-game consequences.

Alternatively, you can choose one of the six recommended nations right before the nation selection screen at the start of the game.

2. Create Your Rules

When starting a playthrough of Europa Universalis 5, click on the button with dots and lines in the top right corner of your screen. This opens the Game Rules page, where you can customize various settings. If you’re a beginner, change the options to lower the difficulty, which gives you an advantage over other nations throughout the entire game. 

When you finish changing the rules, click Save to finalize your changes. Additionally, if you’re having trouble selecting, you can also choose one of the starter Presets. Note that you cannot earn achievements if you modify any of the rules. 

Also Read: Europa Universalis 5: All Achievements and Trophies

3. Manage Crown Power

Your Crown Power is the most crucial stat during the early game in Europa Universalis 5. It signifies how much direct control you have over the nation, which is initially shared among aristocrats and royals. If your Crown Power falls below 25%, your nation starts to suffer from penalties such as lower tax efficiency, decreased income, and negative happiness.

To fix this issue, you can choose reforms that favor the monarchy, as your aim is to slowly obtain the majority of the Crown Power of your nation. One good early game upgrade is to adopt Autocracy, which then provides a 10% increase in Crown Power in exchange for increased Aristocracy. Though this might seem like a bad deal initially, the long-term benefits far outweigh the short-term loss. 

4. Learn From Automation

Europa Universalis 5 has a feature known as Automation, which allows the AI to control nearly every aspect of the playthrough for you. While not being great gameplay-wise, it enables you to learn about all the different mechanics the game has to offer by giving you a sort of tutorial. 

As you slowly learn how the game works, you can begin taking control away from the AI by turning off certain Automation sections. Start with simple things like trading and growth, then move on to your military. Finally, it’s best to handle all the Political and Diplomacy choices yourself, as those significantly influence your playthrough’s course.

Also Read: Europa Universalis 5: All Cheat Console Commands

5. Check Institution Spread

Institutions in Europa Universalis 5 are essential if you wish to unlock new items in the tech tree. Check where different Institutions are spreading from, and try to embrace them to eventually unlock sections of the tech tree. Moreover, it is very important that you embrace various types of Institutions, as nearly all national advancements are locked behind this stat.

There are many ways to increase your nation’s Institution gain, with the best being to be friendly with your neighbours. Having good relations lets you open various trade and road routes, which in turn contribute to the Institution spread.

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