As you progress through Humankind‘s campaign, you’ll eventually realize the value of religion. If you focus on the faith game and the various tenets, you could obtain a lot of followers. In turn, you’ll end up swimming in a ton of bonuses. Here’s our Humankind guide to help you with religion mechanics, faith, religious tenets, and followers.
Note: For more information, check out our Humankind guides and features hub. You may also take a look at our beginner’s guide to learn about the basic mechanics and early-game progression.
Humankind: Religion and faith guide – Getting more followers and choosing the best tenets
Having a little faith
Starting the religion game in Humankind occurs once your city has 10 population. You’ll receive a prompt about founding a religion. You have two options:
- Polytheism – +5 faith per number of attached territories.
- Shamanism – +1 faith per population.
Either option helps you out from the get-go, though your selection should depend on how your empire grows. For instance, if you chose the Harappans during the Ancient Era, then the bonus food lead to additional population in your cities.
Eventually, as you increase your faith generation from various sources (i.e., holy sites, civics, cultural wonders, and the like), your citizens will start following your state religion. This has a snowball effect, too, because more people who follow your state religion will cause it to spread. First, it’ll come from cities with holy sites (or wonders that act as holy sites).
Religious pressure will then expand to attached territories and adjacent territories. The next thing you know, neighboring empires whose outposts/territories were too distant, or those with domains that aren’t as populous, will complain because your faith is spreading to their lands. This can generate grievances and demands that lead to war.
Note: The Irreligion civic presents two options: Secularism and State Atheism. Both options cause you to lose the ability to enforce a state religion, build holy sites, and choose tenets.
Religious tenets in Humankind
Having more faith and religious followers allows you to unlock religious tenets. Religious tenets in Humankind are broken down into tiers, and you’re only allowed to choose one from each. Beware, though, because the tenets chosen by the AI will no longer be available to you (and vice versa).
| Tenet | Effect |
| Tier I | |
| Eschew Gluttony | +5 money from luxury resource deposits |
| Be in Harmony with Nature | +2 stability on rivers |
| Steal Not | +1 influence on mountains |
| Smite Unbelievers | +25 experience when training units; -1 unit upkeep cost |
| Purge Idleness | +2 food on coastal waters and lakes |
| Abstain From Intoxicants | +2 industry on forests and woodlands |
| Seek Wisdom | +5 science from strategic resource deposits |
| Tithe The Wealthy | +10 war support when winning a battle and when an opponent retreats |
| Tier II | |
| Undertake Pilgrimage | -25% cost of enacting and canceling civics |
| Reject Luxury | +10 war support when making demands; +1 war support per turn when there are active demands |
| Bear Not False Witness | +5 science from Research Quarters |
| Give Alms | +5 money from Market Quarters |
| Raise Monuments | 5 stability from Garrisons; +1 combat strength for units that are adjacent to districts and Garrisons |
| Observe Fasts | +5 food from Harbors |
| Tier III | |
| Develop the Intellect | +20 science per alliance |
| Honor Kin | +1 land and naval movement; -10% unit industry cost |
| Challenge Orthodoxy | +15 industry on the main plaza |
| Sustain the Faithful | +10 war support when an empire refuses demands or breaks an agreement |
| Mandate Patronage | +2 money per trade route |
| Be Charitable | +2 influence from Commons Quarters |
| Tier IV | |
| Beware False Prophets | +50 science from cultural wonders |
| Proselytize Daily | +20 stability in territories that follow a foreign religion |
| Donate Generously | +25 money per alliance; +3 maximum holy sites |
| Meditate Often | +2 combat strength for units |
Note: All tenets from tier 1 to tier 4 provide +1 to your Holy Site cap. The only exception is “Donate Generously” which adds +3.
Personally, I’d go with “Tithe the Wealthy,” “Reject Luxury,” and “Sustain the Faithful” because I love taking out my opponents. The extra war support helps since you can declare war sooner, and you could also have more points that will let you acquire new lands. “Bear False Witness,” “Give Alms,” and “Challenge Orthodoxy” are also okay.
Still, the choice is up to you. The religion mechanics in Humankind do feel tacked on. There are some nice bonuses, but they’re not that game-breaking.
Humankind is available via Steam, the Epic Games Store, Stadia, and Xbox Game Pass for PC. For more information, check out our guides and features hub.
