Ok, I should state my reason here as well: I think that one is screwed in MP without access to sages:
- I can't recall a successful game of mine that went along without masses of sages...admittingly not a good reason!
- Sages are not only efficient in research, they are pretty fast too: Compare Sages to Ctis Shaman for an example
Code:
Shaman (RP 4, cost 110 gold, upkeep 3,66 (sacred))
Sage (RP 7, cost 80 gold, upkeep 5,33)
The Shaman is not only already a little less efficient than the Sage in terms of research per gold, it is slower as well: A single cheap lab allows me to produce a sage per month. Whereas two castles, two labs and two temples are needed to produce two shamen, which will yield a similar research. This is already a lot of time and money! For other nations, similar examples can be given. (I think the shaman is a good example since I assume that it was meant to be a good researcher.)
- Not all nations are (and should be) equally good at research. However, sages are available to all, which thus is a bigger advantage for nations which are bad at research in general.
I thus think that Sages are just better in all respects. I would like it much more, if sages would only yield 3RP as usual and would cost mere 30GP, i.e. 2gold upkeep. Thus they would still be more efficient in the long run, but would not also be as speedy as they are now.
I don't know it, but things that are better in all respects are no-brainers, no? And no-brainers are bad, yes?