My favourite build in EU4: Merc + Inno + Defensive + Espionage. Using this combination it's possible to get max mil advisor cost reduction (-90% so level 5 costs 2.5 ducats p/m) + signficant mil tech cost reduction so you have virtually unlimited mil points for sieges (+siege buffs from espionage) and always ahead on mil tech, also general innovativeness from inno and tech cost reduction, cheaper mercenaries with more manpower (one of most OP things in the game), stack fort defense and fort cost reduction (including other modifiers like estates, gov reforms, terrain etc.) to insane levels, alongside other group-specific mil bonuses.
This build works very well with Switzerland due to their mercenary buffs, and they are one of the most OP countries in the game IMO. It's possible for each of your individual merc companies to have 200k+ manpower in reserve after unlocking every bonus.

Not sure if this is widely known, I havent seen many others talk about it

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>>2431915
Sounds interesting, I might play Switzerland next after I get bored of this playthrough. I thought about either Brandenburg/Teutonic Order into Prussia or some Dutch minor into Netherlands, so Switzerland is close enough. I took Merc ideas in my Novgorod playthrough and I agree they're better than most people think.

Innovative and Espionage are also definitely underrated in the last patch. These two synergize very well with Aristocratic, especially as Poland. It makes more sense than Mercenary here because this country has good manpower bonuses and some of the best cavalry in the game. Which idea group do you think I should take next?

>>2432230
Merc ideas are one of the strongest in the game IMO. I always take merc + inno regardless of country unless you want to colonise, because of how strong effectively unlimited manpower is. Another thing I forgot to mention is you'll be able to constantly fight wars and therefore maintain high army tradition which gives further buffs. You also unlock elite mercenaries gov reform when you complete merc ideas giving further buffs to mercs so theres hidden bonuses.
The reason I added defensive ideas to merc + inno + espionage is simply because there are a lot of fort policies they collectively unlock. Inno+def, esp+def, merc+esp all give fort defensiveness, inno+def also gives -33% fort cost reduction that can be stacked with estate privilege etc. can reach cap of -90% with some countries. You also get combat bonus when fighting on a friendly fort which you will be able to spam.
Even if you think it's overkill for single player, you need every advantage in multiplayer.

Espionage + aristocratic I agree is also very strong and I used to play that a lot for AE reduction, siege buffs, and to stack cav combat ability but it's not as powerful as merc + inno IMO. I also think aristocratic isnt that strong by itself, espionage is doing most of the work in that combo, so i dont feel its worth taking unless you want to stack cav combat ability which is obviously good for poland

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I refuse to use mercenaries unless ABSOLUTELY necessary

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Does this mean Japan will be Confucian in this timeline?

>>2433111
I like to imagine it means the ruling family is Confucian while the ordinary people stay Shinto, ultimately serving as another reason for the overthrow of the Shogunate in the 1800's

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>>2432251
>so i dont feel its worth taking unless you want to stack cav combat ability which is obviously good for poland
Well, what's the point of playing Poland if I not to stack CCA? I currently have 75% and my cavalry-to-infantry ratio limit is 80. Any suggestions on how I can stack more? I ended up choosing Administrative Ideas. This was supposed to be a "tall" playthrough at first, but then I lucked out with a PU over France and realized I can just steamroll through all of Europe easily. I accumulated more than 200 AE with every country in Europe AND the Ottomans, but a coalition isn't forming lol. Currently snaking through Germany to get extra merchants from trade companies and hopefully achieve economic hegemony before the age of reformation ends and my goods produced bonus runs out. I thought about delaying it by demolishing my trade centers in Lubeck if I have to, but I don't think it's gonna be necessary. Currently at 590 ducats of monthly income. I'm also gonna annex The Knights and and get access to the Malta monument soon.

>>2434839
There's cheesy method to reform into horde, but it's way too late for that now. Quality comes with CCA and there's another policy that increases it, from Quality and Aristocratic iirc. There's also some sort of permanent Cav bonus from polish MT

Teutonic Horde is more fun than Poland IMO
100% cavalry armies

>>2435095
You were supposed to destroy them, not join them

Speaking of Poland why the hell are they now by far the worst of the 3 out of compared to Hungary and Bohemia who pretty much get handed PU's over half of Europe with no effort?

Can't wait for 25/06 when the DLCs (hopefully) will go on sale and buy them all.

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Who is the main protagonist of EU4?
I reckon it's Jean Bureau, or "John Table" in English.