Exploration Age allows for the revealing of the map through ocean exploration. You start with a Cog that you should immediately send out to explore, meet other leaders, unlock ruins and reveal the map. A Cog has a raider ability so it can unlock not just ruins int he water but on the coast as well.
Culture Legacy Path – Earn, Research & Display Relics
Culture points are earned through displaying relics that are earned through spreading your religion. In order to found a religion unlock Piety civic and build a temple, consider it an immediate goal at the start of the Age. The beliefs that work most efficiently are the ones with 2 relics per conversion, such as Apostolism (AI builds plenty of wonders). You can also earn 4 relics through researching civics masteries: Society, Social Class, Imperialism, Sovereignty.
- Gain 6 Relics
- 1 Cultural Legacy Point
- Reward Legacy Option: Cultural Attribute Point
- Reward Legacy Option: Diplomatic Attribute Point
- Gain 9 Relics
- 1 Cultural Legacy Point
- Reward Legacy Option – Deep Roots: +2 Culture per Relic
- Gain 12 Relics – Golden Age: Toshakhana
- 1 Cultural Legacy Point
- Reward Legacy Option: Keep your religious founder beliefs
- Dark Age: +1 Movement and +50% Excavation Speed for Explorers, but -50% Influence.
Economic Legacy Path – Earn Treasure Fleet Points
Build a strong navy and settle as many treasure resources as you can.
Treasure Fleet points are the most engaging path, where you have to throw your efforts in settling Distant Lands with access to Treasure Resources. These resources could be new like tea, spices, sugar or cocoa or existing like gold and silver. that can be imported moving Treasure Fleet ships (that are automatically created) back to the closest mainland water tile. Research Cartography and Astronomy first to travel the oceans.
Every resource copy counts as 1 Treasure point, so if you settle a colony with access to 2 or more resources, then your Fleet will be just as profitable. It is a bit murky on how long it takes for the Treasure Fleet to be created from the moment you improve the resource and build a Fishing Quay, but you must research Shipbuilding tech first and then it is created every 7 turns.
Treasure ships can be destroyed, so ensure to protect them if you are at war. You could also take foreign settlements with access to treasure resources by force yourself, earning Military points in the process.
- 10 Treasure Fleet Points
- 1 Economic Legacy Point
- Reward Legacy Option: Economic Attribute Point
- 20 Treasure Fleet Points
- 1 Economic Legacy Point
- Reward Legacy Option – Tap the Source: +2 Gold per turn per Unique Resource you have
- 30 Treasure Fleet Points – Golden Age: Treasure Fleet
- 1 Economic Legacy Point
- All of your Cities from the previous Age remain Cities and all Cities in the Distant Lands gain +2 Population.
- Dark Age: +100% Production and Gold towards building or purchasing Rail Stations and Ports as well as +1 Resource Capacity in all settlements, but -25% Culture.
Military Legacy Path – Build or Conquer Distant Lands Settlements
The Military path is similar to the one in Antiquity, the difference is that the required 12 points come from the Settlements settled (1) or conquered (2) in the Distant Lands (except Mongolia). A strong Navy is very helpful in achieving this goal, think British Empire, historically.
- 4 Settlements points
- 1 Militaristic Legacy Point
- Reward Legacy Option: Militaristic Attribute Point
- Reward Legacy Option: Expansionist Attribute Point
- 8 Settlements points
- 1 Militaristic Legacy Point
- Reward Legacy Option – Land of Opportunity: +10 Production for Settlements in Distant Lands
- 12 Settlements points – Golden Age: Non Sufficit Orbis
- 1 Militaristic Legacy Point
- Gain an infantry unit and ranged unit in all your Distant Land settlements.
- Dark Age: Gain two levels on all Commanders and new Commanders start out with two levels, but +25% cost for all military units.
Science Legacy Path – 40 Yields District
Science Legacy Path in the Exploration Age is all about growing your cities and district yields. You need to build out 5 districts in your empire that have 40 yields each, excluding city centers. It is all about adjacency math and stacking Specialists who increase the total yield output. Research Education and Urbanization techs to increase the number of Specialists you can place.
- 1 District
- 1 Scientific Legacy Point
- Reward Legacy Option: Scientific Attribute Point
- 3 Districts
- 1 Scientific Legacy Point
- Reward Legacy Option – Lyceums: +3 Science per turn for each Quarter
- 5 Districts – Golden Age: Enlightenment
- 1 Scientific Legacy Point
- Universities retain their yields, effects, and adjacency bonuses in the Exploration Age.
- Dark Age: Flight is unlocked with Combustion, but +50% cost for all airplanes.