Advisor

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Advisors are located on the government interface

An advisor is a person with deep knowledge in a specific area that offers advice to a country's leader. Tasks such as conducting warfare, promoting scientific advancement and managing an economy are three examples of areas an advisor can offer aid.

Advisors can be managed in the Court panel of the Country interface. In EU4, there are 7 advisors for each of the three kinds of monarch power, so there are 21 advisor types in total. Each advisor provides a fixed bonus based on his type. For example, all Traders increase trade efficiency by 10%.

Advisors are further divided by their inherent skill level. Skill ranges from +1 to +5, each providing additional monarch points relative to their level (i.e. a level 2 diplomat provides +2 Diplomatic power.png per month). (Note that in the Base game, without the Promote Advisors mechanic unlocked in the Cradle of Civilization.png Cradle of Civilization DLC, +3 will be the cap. The cost of hiring and maintaining an advisor increases quadratically with the advisor's skill level. The advisor's skill level affects only the cost and the monarch power generated. The skill level does not affect the advisor type bonus (e.g. a level 1 and a level 3 Philosopher will output the same amount of Prestige.png prestige).

Advisors eventually die and must be replaced.

Advisor pool[edit | edit source]

A country can only have one active advisor of each type at a time; however, there are ways to increase the pool of options to choose from. In the 1444 start, each country starts with a pool of at least 3 advisor choices for each type. Countries with a total monthly income of less than Gold Icon.png50 ducats will not have access to level 3 advisors (except by event). Each country has access to at least one skill 2 advisor at start.

Gaining new advisors[edit | edit source]

New advisors will only arrive upon event or when a free slot is opened, either by increasing the advisor pool or a previous advisor dying. The player may also spend the initial cost of hiring an advisor to remove them from court. New advisors will appear at the start of the month.

Notifications can be set to alert the player of the arrival of new advisors. Advisors begin to have a chance of dying once they are past age 40, and new advisors will always be at least age 30. The consequently low rate of replacement means it is typically not worth waiting for an ideal advisor. Picking idea groups that give extra advisor slots can improve the odds of having an advisor with the desired abilities.

Female advisors[edit | edit source]

Gameplay wise, there is no difference between a male and a female advisor, besides female advisors being more rare.
New advisors have a 2% chance of being female. This chance can be increased by the following:

Female advisor chance.png Traditions Ideas Bonuses CollapsePolicies
+75%
  • Kaurna traditions
  • Tiwi traditions
+50%
  • Bregenzer idea 2: Securing the Countess's Rule
  • Federation idea 5: Gender Parity
  • Kamilaroi idea 5: Matrilineal Lineage
  • Samoan idea 3: Maulu'ulu
+25%
  • Diplomatic-Plutocratic: Mandatory Service
+20%
  • Mantuan idea 2: The Countess's Studiolo
+10%
  • North Western Native idea 4: Mother and Father

The only other sources of female advisor chance are (all the event modifiers are permanent):

Female advisor chance.png Condition
+100% from the event The Militant Order of Saint Joan for any country whith flag "had_maid_of_orleans".
+50% from the mission The Beloved Woman for Cherokee.
+50% with the government reform Matrilineal System for Nubian culture tribal governments.
+33% with the government reform Equal Electorate for revolutionary republics.
+25% with the government reform Meritocratic Rule for non-revolutionary republics.
+25% from the event The Soldiers in Petticoats for british revolutionary republics.
+20% from the event The Laws of [Root.Monarch.GetTitle] [Root.Monarch.GetName] for Burgundy.
+20% from the event The Education of Women for Muslim theocracies.
+10% from the event The Muxe in Court for countries with Zapotec as primary or accepted culture

Theocracies with heirs and with over 100% female advisor chance will get only female heirs.

Advisor pool.png Enlarging the advisor pool[edit | edit source]

This can be increased by the following:

Advisor pool.png Condition
+2 for being the curia controller.
+1 for being a lucky nation (AI only).
+1 for having a ruler with Well Advised.png ‘Well Advised’ personality.
+1 for the Holy Roman Emperor.
+1 for being Reformed.png Reformed.
+1 for being Jewish.png Jewish.
+1 for being Mayan.png Mayan.
+1 with Catholicism Catholic, Mayan.png Mayan or Jewish.png Jewish as syncretic faith.
+1 for having the China bureaucrat.png Bureaucrat faction in power (Flag of Ming Ming with factions only).
+1 for all player countries if the difficulty is set to ‘very easy’.

Ideas and policies:

Advisor pool.png Traditions Ideas Bonuses Policies
+2
  • Defensive-Administrative: The Spy Discovery Act
+1
  • Chachapoyan traditions
  • Kuban traditions
  • Mainzian traditions
  • Samoan traditions
  • Vijayanagar traditions
  • Administrative idea 2: Local Rule
  • Innovative idea 4: Dynamic Court
  • Ajuuraan idea 4: Muslim Migrations
  • Aymaran idea 2: Yatiri Healing
  • Candarid idea 4: Anatolian Center for Learning
  • Chimu idea 5: Artisan Relocations
  • Chinese idea 1: The Keju Examination
  • Cilli idea 6: Italian Baroque
  • Client State idea 7: Foreign Advisors
  • East Frisian idea 4: Dutch Migrants
  • Krakowian idea 5: Jewish Communities
  • Lotharingian idea 5: The Court of Europe
  • Manx idea 3: Tynwald High Court
  • North Western Native idea 4: Mother and Father
  • Offaly idea 2: Irish Hospitality
  • Pskovian idea 1: Veche of Pskov
  • Shawnee idea 5: Autonomous Clans
  • Shiba idea 6: Rein in the Shiba Retainers
  • Tyrconnell idea 6: Land of Exiles
  • West African idea 1: Griot Tradition
  • Württemberger idea 1: Estates of Württemberg

Decisions, missions and events:

Advisor pool.png Event modifier Trigger Duration
+1 Terakoya Japanese event: “Terakoya
Option: ‘Establish Terakoya in all of $COUNTRY$’
until ruler changes.
+1 Good Advice Administrative ideas event: “Good Advice for 10 years.
+3 Golden age of Timbuktu Songhain event: “Golden Age in Timbuktu until ruler changes.
+1 Attracting the right people Bahmani event: “Attracting the right people
Option: ‘Let us double our efforts.’
for 10 years.
+1 Dhimmi Administrators Dhimmi event: “Administrators from the $ESTATE_DHIMMI$.
Option: ‘Let's put these learned men to good use.’
for 15 years.
+1 Elaborate Court Life Nobility event: “The Levee
Option: ‘An elaborate and lengthy ceremony for the most influential.’
for 25 years.
+2 Sanssouci palace Prussia event: “Sanssouci Palace
Option: ‘Excellent.’
Until the end of the game.
+1 The chancellorship Germany mission: “Establish the Chancellorship Until the end of the game.

Cost[edit | edit source]

Modifiers affecting advisor salaries can be seen in the Economy panel.

An Advisor cost.png advisor's cost depends on their skill, the current year, and other modifiers (if any). Hiring costs depend on their age, while monthly costs do not. Historical advisors receive a discount to employ.

Active modifiers can be seen by hovering over "Advisors" in the "Expenses" column of the Economy panel. These values show multiple decimals points (see picture for example).

Monthly cost[edit | edit source]

The monthly cost of an advisor is calculated from a base amount, which is the square of their skill level (1, 4, 9, 16 or 25). This base cost increases over time by 0.5% of the original base cost every year. Thus by 1644 (200 years), the base costs of 1, 4, and 9 will double to 2, 8, and 18. By the end of game time (1821, 377 years), they will be 2.88 times (base + 188.5% base) the starting value. Any additional increases from modifiers are calculated from this new base cost.

Hiring cost[edit | edit source]

The one-time hiring cost is a simple multiple of the monthly salary. The advisor's skill level only enters into the hiring cost inasmuch as his skill level has already helped determine his salary.

As hiring costs are multiples of the monthly cost, they also increase over the years.

The value of the multiplier depends solely on the advisor's age, ranging from a high of 16 at age 30 (the youngest age possible) down to 10 at age 60. (The oldest advisors available in the pool are rarely more than their high 50s.) It is strictly linear, dropping 0.2 per year (a.k.a., a whole point every five years). The advisor's age is used "as is"; there are no hidden fractions for being, e.g., "50 and a half".

For more regarding age, see the section on Longevity (below).

Example[edit | edit source]

For a 50 year old Skill 2 advisor (base 4 per month) in the year 1544, with inflation of 10%:

Factors modifying advisor cost[edit | edit source]

Note that these modifiers are applied after applying the change in base cost due to the current year.

  • Inflation reduction.png Inflation: +variable 0-100%
  • Bankruptcy: +100%
  • Meritocracy.png Meritocracy: scaling from +25% at 0 Meritocracy to −25% at 100 Meritocracy
  • Government monarchy.png Monarchy Government Reform Tier 2: Ministerialis Promotion: −10%
  • Government monarchy.png Monarchy Government Reform Tier 4: Meritocratic Recruitment: −10%
  • Confucianism Confucian harmonized with Theravada.png Theravada: −10%
  • Tea.png Trading in Tea: −10%
  • Tengri Tengri with Shiite Islam Shia, Ibadi Islam Ibadi, Jewish.png Jewish or Reformed.png Reformed as syncretic faith: −10%
  • Theravada.png Theravada: −10%
  • Fetishist Fetishist with Cult Haymanot.png Haymanot cult: −10%
  • Ruler with Well Connected.png‘Well Connected’ personality: −20%
  • Being Curia controller: −20%
  • Ceremonial fire pit Native building: −50%
  • Advisors with ruler's culture when having Mamluk Government: −25%
  • Great project parthenon.png Parthenon: −10%Great project level icon tier 1.png/−20%Great project level icon tier 3.png while either province religion is Pagan and same as owner or culture is Greek and accepted(only with Leviathan.png)
  • Great project pyramid of cheops.png Pyramid of Cheops: −5%Great project level icon tier 1.png/−10%Great project level icon tier 2.png/−15%Great project level icon tier 3.png while either province religion is Pagan and same as owner or culture is in the Levantine group and accepted(only with Leviathan.png)
  • Great project mehrangarh fort.png Mehrangarh Fort: −10%Great project level icon tier 2.png/−20%Great project level icon tier 3.png(only with Leviathan.png)
  • Great project santa maria del fiore.png Santa Maria del Fiore: −10%Great project level icon tier 2.png/−20%Great project level icon tier 3.png while the province religion is christian and the same as the state religion of its owner(only with Leviathan.png)
  • Great project kanbawzathadi palace.png Kanbawzathadi Palace: −20%Great project level icon tier 3.png(only with Leviathan.png)
  • Great project gyeongbok palace.png Gyeongbok Palace: −5%Great project level icon tier 1.png/−10%Great project level icon tier 2.png/−20%Great project level icon tier 3.png while the culture is Sino-Korean or Korean and is accepted by its owner and The province religion is Confucian which is either the state or syncretic religion of its owner orThe province has the state religion of its owner who has Confucian as a syncretic religion (only with Leviathan.png)
  • Various events: −variable%
  • Maximum discount: 90%

Some National Ideas and Idea sets give advisor cost to all advisors:

Advisor cost.png Traditions Ideas Bonuses Policies
−20%
  • Full Innovativeness
  • Espionage-Administrative: The Royal Commission Act
−15%
  • Pueblo traditions
  • Smolenskian traditions
  • Espionage idea 4: Agent Training
  • Ashikaga idea 5: Bugyoshu and Hokoshu
  • Majapahit idea 7: Reformed Bhattara Saptaprabhu
  • Offaly idea 2: Irish Hospitality
  • Semien idea 6: Lost Tribe of Beta Israel
  • Siouan Federation idea 5: Oyate
  • Sumatran idea 4: Center of Scholarship
  • Great Qing ambition
  • Innovative-Diplomatic: The Diplomatic Cooperation
−10%
  • Bohemian (upgraded) traditions
  • Bohemian traditions
  • Byzantine traditions
  • Cherokee traditions
  • Dahomey traditions
  • Khmer traditions
  • National traditions
  • Saxon traditions
  • Arakanese idea 6: Muslim Advisors
  • Ashanti idea 1: Elder Council
  • Candarid idea 4: Anatolian Center for Learning
  • Catalan idea 2: Consell de Cent
  • Chachapoyan idea 5: Chachapoyan Endurance
  • Chickasaw idea 4: Unconquered and Unconquerable
  • Deccani Sultanate idea 7: Joint Marathi-Habshi State
  • Franconian idea 7: Franconian Bourgeoisie
  • Greek idea 4: Greek Diaspora
  • Hatakeyama idea 4: Hatakeyama Retainers
  • Hindustani idea 2: Persianate Courtly Culture
  • Korean idea 1: Uijeongbu
  • Latin idea 3: Byzantine Bureaucracy
  • Luzon idea 6: A Safe Haven
  • Malabari idea 2: Cultural Melting Pot
  • Norman idea 2: Norman Philosophers
  • Ouchi idea 7: Retainer Factions
  • Palatinate idea 2: Heidelberg University
  • Permian idea 1: Capital of Prikamye
  • Pueblo idea 1: Ancient Pueblo Legacy
  • Russian idea 6: The Table of Ranks
  • Ryazan idea 7: Western Contacts
  • Somali idea 7: Arab and Persian Influx
  • Sulu idea 2: Makhdum's Teachings
  • Swabian idea 5: A Miserly People
  • Tirhuti idea 1: Scholars and Poets
  • Wallachian idea 4: Foreign Advisors
  • Tibetan ambition
  • Influence-Innovative: Foreign Advisors
  • Innovative-Plutocratic: The Education Act

Others give only advisor cost to advisors that are the same culture as your ruler:

Cost of advisors with ruler's culture Traditions Ideas Bonuses Policies
−25%
  • California Native traditions
  • Samoan traditions
  • Bohemian (upgraded) idea 7: Czech Nationalism
  • Bohemian idea 7: Czech Nationalism
  • Cirebonese idea 2: Tari Topeng
  • Utrecht idea 6: Cultural Resilience
  • Westphalian idea 4: Assimilation of the Rhenish People
−20%
  • Ava idea 4: Patronize Burmese Literature
  • Irish idea 2: The Clanns
  • Kitabatake idea 5: Men of Quality
  • Moroccan idea 1: Powerful Viziers
  • Shirvani idea 4: Persianate Patronage
−15%
  • Hojo idea 7: Council in Odawara
−10%
  • Court-Economic: Financial Miracle Act

Type specific discounts[edit | edit source]

There are also cost reductions for specific types of advisors. These stack additively with generic advisor cost reductions. The three basic estates (Nobles, Burghers, and Clergy) each have a privilege for Military advisor cost −15% Military, Diplomatic advisor cost −15% Diplomatic, and Administrative advisor cost −15% Administrative advisor cost, but at a +10% Stability cost modifier.png. Great project kanbawzathadi palace.png Kanbawzathadi Palace gives Diplomatic advisor cost −10Great project level icon tier 1.png/−20%Great project level icon tier 2.png Diplomatic advisor cost. (only with Leviathan.png) Note that these cost reductions not only lower upkeep, but also hiring cost.


Administrative advisor cost Traditions Ideas Bonuses Policies
−25%
  • Administrative idea 1: Administrative Council
−15%
  • Siamese idea 1: Royal Poets
Diplomatic advisor cost Traditions Ideas Bonuses Policies
−25%
  • Diplomatic idea 2: Foreign Embassies
Military advisor cost Traditions Ideas Bonuses Policies
−33%
  • Mercenary-Innovative: Military Innovation Act
−25%
  • Mercenary idea 2: War Council

Promote advisor[edit | edit source]

It is possible at any point to promote the rank of an advisor once they are hired, provided they are of an Max promoted cultures.png accepted culture, to a max rank of 5. This can be done for the cost of 60 times the advisor's monthly salary (the cost of a 5-year salary).

As advisor's monthly salary increases quadratically with rank; it is recommended to make sure the economy can sustain the cost before promoting the advisor. With this, an even higher emphasis is put on advisor age as they are less likely to die early and risk the loss of investment.

Types[edit | edit source]

The bonus and the allowed decisions are listed for each type of advisor.

Hiring a level 3 advisor enables the trigger of an advisor event.

With the Women in History DLC activated, any of the advisors can be generated as female. The chance is flat 2% across the board.[1] There are also some events that can add a female advisor to the pool. These advisors have a silver border around their portrait, as opposed to a golden one. The game allows advisors to be restricted to one gender, but the base game doesn't do this.

Certain conditions allow all advisors to cause additional effects:

  • If the Government republic.png Government Reform "Attorney General" is enacted:
    • Yearly republican tradition.png+0.02 yearly Republican Tradition, times their Level
  • If the Government Reform "State Madrasas" is enacted:
    • Innovativeness.png+0.02 yearly Innovativeness, times their Level
  • If the Government Reform "Modernized Furusiyya" is enacted:
    • Innovativeness.png+0.02 yearly Innovativeness, times their Level

Administrative power.png Administrative[edit | edit source]

Administrative advisors help in situations that are regarded as domestic policy. Their job is to improve a nation internally: reforming the tax system and promoting cultural patronage are two examples.

Certain conditions allow administrative advisors to cause additional effects:

  • If the Flag of Finland Finnish Mission.png Mission "Finetune our Finances" has been completed:
    • Global tax modifier.png+5% national Tax Modifier, times their Level.
  • If the Emperor of china icon.png Emperor of China Mission.png Mission "Fortify the Coast" has been completed after not repealing the Hajin policy:
    • Development cost.png-2% development cost, times their Level.
  • If the Flag of Mamluks Mamluks Mission.png Mission “Assign a Waqf” has been completed and the "Sponsor scholarly madrasas!" choice was picked:
    • Idea cost.png-1% Idea cost, times their Level.
  • If the Flag of Angevin Kingdom Angevin Mission.png Mission "The Angevin Age" has been completed:
    • Governing capacity modifier+3% Governing Capacity Modifier, times their Level.
  • If the Government Reform "Direct Royal Administration" is enacted:
    • Reform progress growth.png+3% Reform progress growth, times their Level
  • If the Government Reform "Legacy of Eranshahr" is enacted:
    • Reform progress growth.png+3% Reform progress growth, times their Level
Advisor Effects Decisions Requirements Conditional Modifiers
Advisor Artist.png Artist Stability cost modifier.png Stability cost modifier: −10% If the Flag of Netherlands Netherlands "Dutch Baroque Architecture" Mission was completed:
  • Construction cost.png-2.5% construction cost, per Level
Advisor inquisitor.png Inquisitor Global missionary strength.png Missionary strength: +2% 90% reduced spawn rate on province not following the owner religion If the Flag of Aztec Aztec "Blood for the Gods" Mission was completed:
  • Monthly blood.png+0.02 monthly tonalli, per Level

If we own the "Aljafería Palace" Great Project at Great project level icon tier 3.png Magnificent Level:

  • Establish holy order cost.png-5% Establish Local Organization Cost, per Level
Advisor Master of Mint.png Master of Mint Inflation reduction.png Yearly inflation reduction: +0.10

If the Flag of Yemen Yemeni "The Eastern Trade Hub" Mission was completed:

  • Global foreign trade power.png+5% trade power abroad, per Level
Advisor Natural Scientist.png Natural Scientist Production efficiency.png Production efficiency: +10%
Advisor Philosopher.png Philosopher Prestige.png Yearly prestige: +1
Advisor Theologian.png Theologian National unrest.png National unrest: −2 If the Hordes "Men of Merit" Mission was completed:
  • Tolerance heathen.png+0.25 tolerance of heathens, per Level
  • Tolerance heretic.png+0.25 tolerance of heretics, per Level
Advisor Treasurer.png Treasurer Global tax modifier.png National tax modifier: +10% If the Flag of Mughals Mughals "Dahsala System" Mission was completed:
  • Yearly corruption−0.05 yearly corruption, per level

Diplomatic power.png Diplomatic[edit | edit source]

Diplomatic advisors address matters related to the navy in general and foreign policy. Their job is to promote naval advancement as well as conducting foreign diplomacy: increasing a nation's trade competitiveness and improving diplomatic relations are two examples.

Advisor Effects Decisions Requirements Conditional Modifiers
Advisor Colonial governor.pngColonial governor Global tariffs.png Tariffs: +10% The province owner:
  • has at least 1 Colonists.png colonist.
  • is not a Subject colony icon.png colonial nation.
Advisor Diplomat.pngDiplomat Improve relations.png Improve relations: +20% If the Flag of Austria Austrian "The Balanceof Power" Mission was completed:
  • Ae impact.png-2% aggressive expansion impact, per Level

If the Rhenish Diplomacy government reform is enacted:

  • Vassalization acceptance+5 vassalization acceptance, per Level
Advisor Naval reformer.png Naval reformer Naval morale.png Morale of navies: +10%
  • The province has a port.
  • The province owner is not primitive.
Advisor Navigator.png Navigator Range.png Colonial range: +20% The province owner:
  • has at least 1 Colonists.png colonist.
Advisor Spymaster.png Spymaster Spy network construction.png Spy network construction: +25% Flag of Japan Hire Ninjas
Advisor Statesman.png Statesman Diplomatic reputation.png Diplomatic reputation: +1

If the Restore the Master of Offices government reform is enacted:

  • Autonomy.png-0.05 monthly autonomy change, per Level

If the Flag of Germany German "Establish the Chancellorship" Mission was completed

  • If the "Our statesman should rule with an iron fist." option was chosen:
    • Absolutism.png+0.4 yearly absolutism, per Level
  • If the "We need their fiery speeches!" option was chosen:
    • Land morale.png+2% morale of armies, per Level
  • If the "We require an able administrator first and foremost." option was chosen:
    • Autonomy.png-0.02% Monthly Autonomy Change, per Level
Advisor Trader.pngTrader Trade efficiency.png Trade efficiency: +10% If the Flag of Oman Omani "Swahili Coast Expansion" Mission was completed:
  • Yearly government power.png+0.02 monthly arabian mercantilism, per Level

If the Flag of Theodoro Theodoro "Gavras Triumphant" mission was completed:

  • Burghers loyalty equilibrium+2% Burghers loyalty equilibrium, per Level

If the Flag of Germany German "Construct the Kiel Canal" mission was completed:

  • Domestic trade power.png+5% Domestic Trade Power, per Level

If the Flag of Hungary Hungarian "Dismantle la Serenissima" mission was completed:

  • Reduced trade penalty on non main tradenode.png+5% reduced trade penalty on non main trade node, per Level

Military power.png Military[edit | edit source]

A military advisor's sole function is to enhance a nation's military, offensively or defensively. Thus, their job involves improving a nation's army and overall defensiveness against foreign attackers: implementing logistical reforms and increasing resistance to sieges are two examples.

Certain conditions allow military advisors to cause additional effects:

  • If the Flag of Hisn Kayfa Hisn Kayfan Mission.png Mission "Saladins Legacy" has been completed and the "Our advisors must study his tactics" option was chosen:
    • Army tradition decay.png -0.3% yearly army tradition decay, times their Level.
Advisor Effects Decisions Requirements Conditional Modifiers
Advisor Army Organiser.png Army Organizer Land forcelimit modifier.png Land force limit modifier: +10% If the Flag of Moghulistan Moghulistan "Sultanate of Rum" or the Tatar "Meddling in Muscovy" Mission was completed:
  • Available loot.png+5% Available Loot, per Level

If the Flag of Venice Venetian "The Cernida System" Mission on the "Standing Army" branch was completed via Quantity idea group.png Quantity ideas:

  • Reinforce cost.png-100% reinforcement cost
Advisor Army Reformer.png Army Reformer Land morale.png Morale of armies: +10% If the Flag of Venice Venetian "The Cernida System" Mission on the "Standing Army" branch was completed via Offensive idea group.png Offensive ideas:
  • Siege ability.png+3% Siege ability, per Level
Advisor Commandant.png Commandant Discipline.png Discipline: +5% If the Flag of Venice Venetian "The Cernida System" Mission on the "Standing Army" branch was completed via Offensive idea group.png Offensive ideas:
  • Siege ability.png+3% Siege ability, per Level
Advisor Grand Captain.png Grand Captain Land maintenance modifier.png Land maintenance modifier: −10% If the Flag of Venice Venetian "The Cernida System" Mission on the "Standing Army" branch was completed via Quantity idea group.png Quantity ideas:
  • Reinforce cost.png-100% reinforcement cost
Advisor Master recruiter.png Master Recruiter Global manpower modifier.png National manpower modifier: +10% If the Flag of Venice Venetian "The Cernida System" Mission on the "Standing Army" branch was completed via Quantity idea group.png Quantity ideas:
  • Reinforce cost.png-100% reinforcement cost
Advisor Military Engineer.png Military Engineer Defensiveness.png Fort defense: +20% If the Flag of Netherlands Netherlands "Dutch Engineering" Mission was completed:
  • Siege ability.png+5% Siege ability, per Level
Advisor Quartermaster.png Quartermaster Reinforce speed.png Reinforce speed: +33%

Longevity[edit | edit source]

EU4 Advisor Life Expectancy

Once an advisor is hired, their tooltip will display their percentage death risk, which depends on their age.

For every year over 40, advisors gain 2/3rds of a percent (0.67%) chance of death, or an increase of 2% for every 3 years of age after 40. At age 55, the yearly death risk will be 10%. At age 100, it will be 40%. The percentage is rounded down in the tooltip, but probably not in calculations. This means that at age 41, an advisor's yearly death risk will be 0.67%, but will show as 0% in the tooltip.

The cumulative effects of this are severe (inset at left). By a median age of 53.7, only half of advisors will be alive. By 65, only 1 in 10 will remain. Only 1 in 100 will make it to 75. (This is the overall mortality curve; if an advisor has already survived to 50, their curve is different.)

Advisor portraits[edit | edit source]

Advisor portraits locations

Here are the portraits of all advisors the player can hire. DLC is required for all of these except the generic and Asian male portraits. All female portraits requires the activation of Women in History free DLC. Advisor portraits are tied to the culture of the advisor.

Advisor portraits by province
Generic
Russian
Cossack
African
Muslim
Persian
Indian
Asian
North American
Mesoamerican
South American
Table with all available advisor portraits
Type Advisor Generic Russian Cossack African Muslim Persian Indian Asian Southeast Asian North American Mesoamerican South American Aboriginal Australian Polynesian
Military power.png Army Organiser Advisor Army Organiser.png
Military power.png Army Reformer Advisor Army Reformer.png
Administrative power.png Artist Advisor Artist.png
Diplomatic power.png Colonial Governor Advisor Colonial governor.png
Military power.png Commandant Advisor Commandant.png
Diplomatic power.png Diplomat Advisor Diplomat.png
Military power.png Fortification Expert Advisor Military Engineer.png
Military power.png Grand Captain Advisor Grand Captain.png
Administrative power.png Inquisitor Advisor inquisitor.png
Administrative power.png Master of Mint Advisor Master of Mint.png
Military power.png Master Recruiter Advisor Master recruiter.png
Administrative power.png Natural Scientist Advisor Natural Scientist.png
Diplomatic power.png Naval Reformer Advisor Naval reformer.png
Diplomatic power.png Navigator Advisor Navigator.png
Administrative power.png Philosopher Advisor Philosopher.png
Military power.png Quartermaster Advisor Quartermaster.png
Diplomatic power.png Spymaster Advisor Spymaster.png
Diplomatic power.png Statesman Advisor Statesman.png
Administrative power.png Theologian Advisor Theologian.png
Diplomatic power.png Trader Advisor Trader.png
Administrative power.png Treasurer Advisor Treasurer.png

Strategy[edit | edit source]

Strategy The below is one of many player suggested strategies for Advisor. Bear in mind, due to the dynamic nature of the game, it may unfold differently for other players.

When not to use advisors[edit | edit source]

Advisors are powerful, but costly in ducats. In this regard, hiring and maintaining advisors is a trade-off: ducats spent on advisors cannot be stockpiled, or spent on army or navy.

In certain circumstances, it may be strategically beneficial to leave some advisor slots vacant, or even to have no advisors at all for a period of time.

Such circumstances include:

  • Playing as a small country with a weak economy at game start. For some countries, even a single +1 advisor can be very expensive in relative terms at the start of the game. Military conquest can be helpful in expanding the economy (and thereby affording advisors in future), but the army must be paid.
  • Engaging in costly wars. Army maintenance and reinforcement are both costly. It can sometimes be decisively advantageous to hire some mercenaries, or to hire additional regiments beyond the forcelimit. Spending too heavily on advisors at the same time may drive the country into debt.
  • Paying off a heavy loan debt. If loans are being paid off too slowly, inflation will repeatedly climb as the loans are extended. This situation may be improved by firing some existing advisors, or by not replacing advisors after they die, until the loans have been repaid.

Longevity vs hiring cost[edit | edit source]

EU4 Advisor Life Expectancy

Since the hiring cost decreases with age, and advisors have a calculable life span, it is possible to calculate the ideal age to hire an advisor.

It's simple for ages 30 to 40, where the hiring-cost multiplier changes, but the advisors do not die. As mentioned, the median life expectancy of an advisor is 53.7 years. So if an advisor is hired at age 30, they have an expected useful life of ~24 years (until they're 53.7), at a hiring-cost multiple of 16. This provides 1.5 years of useful life expectancy per hiring multiple (24/16). If an advisor is hired at age 40 (hiring multiple 14), they have 14 years of expected life, or 1.0 years per multiple (14/14). Clearly, the 30 year old advisor is the better bargain.

At ages over 40, the mortality curve begins to change; their median life expectancy (expected age of death) increases as their actual age of hiring increases. (An advisor who is already 55 is obviously no longer expected to die at 53.7.) While the Useful Years in the graph was a straight line between ages 30 and 40 (because there is no mortality there), it becomes a curve at 40. Thus, the useful life expectancy drops faster than the hiring-cost multiplier, which means that younger advisors are better. By 50 one has reached 0.59 years per multiplier, and by 60, it is 0.42.

Still, while 30 years may be the best relative bargain, the hiring multiplier only has a range of 10 to 16, which is to say, there's only half a year's salary involved in any case. There will likely not be a significant impact on the player's income, unless they are very low on it. The effects of the advisor's special bonus are generally more significant.

References[edit | edit source]

  1. From /Europa Universalis IV/common/defines.lua: FEMALE_ADVISOR_CHANCE = 2, -- If Women in History is enabled, chance of an advisor spawning as female
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