Should you pick Brutus or Gaius? – Anno 117 Pax Romana Gemini In The Rough

After delivering tiles for the Julia’s Birthday quest in Anno 117 Pax Romana, you’ll receive a missive from Rome offering the choice to recruit one of two aids as part of Gemini In The Rough. Named Brutus Julius Lupus, Pollux of Polities, and Gaius Julius Lupus, Castor of Fortunes, these two are Specialists whose expertise can have a significant impact on your holdings. 

These two aids offer unique buffs and perks that can help your city grow and thrive, which can make the choice a little unnerving. In this guide, we’ll walk you through whether you should choose Brutus or Gaius in Anno 117 Pax Romana.

✓ VideoGamer Summary

• Brutus offers a 20% boost to workforce from residences in range.
• Gaius increases area effect income by 1.5 times for all markets in range.
• Brutus is overall the better choice for most players because workforce is harder to come by and manage than income.

Brutus and Gaius Specialist benefits

First, let’s examine the benefits each of the brothers confers:

Specialist	Benefits
Brutus	+20% workforce from residents for residences in range.
Gaius	+1.5 times income area effect for markets in range.

Brutus’ boost to your workforce is a solid option if you’re struggling to manage your population and resource production. In essence, it means you’ll need to construct fewer houses to get a sizable workforce. This benefit is especially pronounced in the early game before you’ve had time to get a reliable economy setup and running. He’s also to go-to choice on small maps where land is at a premium for the same reason.

Gaius, on the other hand, is a money man, boosting the income effect of your market’s (or multiple markets) area effect. This means more profit from any building with a market range, significantly boosting your income and potentially preventing you from emptying your coffers and running your city at a loss. This can be crucial since, if you let a budget deficit get out of hand, debt could cost you the game. 

Should you choose Brutus or Gaius?

There’s no right or wrong answer here; it depends on where you’re at in a game and your city’s immediate needs. Brutus is a veritable boon in the early phase of a game, providing a meaty workforce boost that you’ll surely put to good use. Gaius tends to fare better in late-game scenarios where you’ll need stacks of Denarii flowing into your city for new buildings, specialist rolls, and trade. 

That said, workforce boosts are a rarer commodity in Pax Romana compared to income boosts, especially later in the game, where economy-focused Specialists are fairly easy to come by alongside buildings with effects that boost your income. For this reason, Brutus is a better all-around pick and is likely to provide better long-term value for your city.

If you’re in a gambling mood, there’s also the option to ‘flip a coin’, letting the game randomly decide between Brutus and Gaius for you. Either way, remember to appoint your new Specialist to your villa for his benefit to take effect.

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