popularis?

Hi All ,
am playing as romani and am at 179bc with 71 provinces and approx
65 adult male family members. have just checked the criteria for the
marian reforms and am really struggling with the popularis trait. I have
one solitary family member with that trait and there is no way he will be
consul and is also langerous! also all of my consuls / ex consuls have
been optimas, opposite to popularis!
Is there a preset criteria to becoming popularis? do they have to start life
as a pleb? help please as i'd like to reform on time if poss.

cheers,

Optio Figulus.

Code:

---

;------------------------------------------
Trigger Roman_Worshipper_of_Ceres_builds_temple
    WhenToTest GovernorBuildingCompleted

    Condition Trait WorshipsCeresRoman > 0
            and SettlementBuildingFinished >= temple_of_farming_shrine

    Affects Pious  1  Chance  10
    Affects PublicFaith  1  Chance  20
    Affects ReligiousMania  1  Chance  5
    Affects GoodFarmer  1  Chance  20
    Affects Popularis  1  Chance  20

;------------------------------------------
Trigger Roman_Worshipping_Ceres_encourages_farming
    WhenToTest CharacterTurnEnd

    Condition Trait WorshipsCeresRoman > 0
          and EndedInSettlement
            and SettlementBuildingExists >= temple_of_farming_shrine

    Affects Pious  1  Chance  1
    Affects PublicFaith  1  Chance  2
    Affects ReligiousMania  1  Chance  1
    Affects GoodFarmer  1  Chance  2
    Affects Popularis  1  Chance  2

---

Can the worshipper traits change after a while to a different god, or is he the worshipper of, usually his hometown god, for the rest of his life? Similarly can a "supervisor" change to a "warmonger" if he fights lots of battles?

I don't think he can change his deity, no.

Code:

---

Trait Supervisor
    Characters family
    NoGoingBackLevel 1
    AntiTraits Warmonger, Lenient, Brutal

    Level Supervisor
        Description Supervisor_desc
        EffectsDescription Supervisor_effects_desc
        GainMessage Supervisor_gain_desc
        Threshold 10

        Effect Management 1
        Effect Attack -1
        Effect TroopMorale -1
        Effect Construction  5
        Effect Law  1

Trait Warmonger
    Characters family
    NoGoingBackLevel 1
    AntiTraits Supervisor, Lenient, Brutal

    Level Warmonger
        Description Warmonger_desc
        EffectsDescription Warmonger_effects_desc
        GainMessage Warmonger_gain_desc
        Threshold 10

        Effect Attack  1
        Effect Management -1
        Effect HitPoints  1

---

As you can see, it takes a fair bit of one-sided work to gain those traits, and once you've got either there's no turning back.

I was going to write a whine post criticizing the permanency of both trait types, but I couldn't put it to words, 'cos I realised I have nothing against it. I just found it odd at first.

Does that mean that you can only get Popularis through Temples of Ceres? No other god?

There is always a chance that a man becomes popularis without the help of worship, particularly if he's a pleb, but worshipping Ceres is your best bet. No other deity gives this trait AFAIK.

I've had just a few populares in my game, and they've all been plebs. As soon as I noticed that a man had become one, I naturally focussed on him and turned him into a great victor and statesman. Take your languorous popularis and make him fight every battle on your biggest front. With a few victories under his belt he should have a good shot at the consulship by the time he's 42 (the minimum age for a pleb to become consul). At least he's smart and charismatic! ~;)

A plebeian is 3 times more likely to become Popularis than a patrician.