for moderation and temperance.

Explore Tropico 5's starting attributes and backgrounds. Learn how choices like Harvard U., Miner, or Booze Baron impact your island's economy, factions, and citizen happiness.

The strategies you employ in Tropico 5 are heavily influenced by your initial character selection. Choosing specific backgrounds and traits can significantly ease your path to power by affecting education, productivity, crime rates, and faction standing.

Backgrounds:

MOSCOW U.:

Provides a lower Education bonus than Harvard but improves relations with Communists. Ideal for farming and mining economies.

HARVARD U:

Offers a 20% Education bonus and improves relations with America, but may displease the Soviet Union.

MINER:

Increases ore extraction speed by 50%, benefiting both Communist (raw materials) and Capitalist (profit) factions. However, it negatively impacts Environmentalists due to increased pollution and landscape damage.

FARMER:

Boosts productivity for farming and related industries (rum, cigars, canning). Pleases Communists but may slightly decrease respect from Intellectuals.

BIBLICAL SCHOLAR:

Increases respect from both Religious factions and Intellectuals. Leads to faster education and more law-abiding citizens, making it an above-average choice.

MAN OF THE PEOPLE:

Increases favor with Communists but may decrease favor with Religious factions.

BOOZE BARON:

Specializes in sugar production and rum revenue, making hooch twice as profitable. Initially disliked by Religious factions, but they may come around if religious buildings are built.

LEFTIST AUTHOR:

Provides an Education bonus and increases favor with Communists and Intellectuals. A way to boost education while pleasing the Communist faction.

FORTUNATE SON:

Grants a general boost to respect from most factions, excluding Intellectuals. A balanced, if unexciting, choice.

SELF-MADE MAN:

Boosts Capitalism, improving capitalist respect, U.S. relations, and factory productivity.

SILVER SPOON:

Provides a significant boost to Capitalism, an extra $2000 starting cash, and improves tourist ratings. Decreases relations with Communists but accelerates the rise of pro-American sentiment.

GENERALISSIMO:

Significantly increases military respect (30%) and soldier effectiveness (15%) in spreading control, but also increases citizen repression by 20%.

CHIEF OF POLICE:

Improves relations with Militarists, reduces citizen crime by 40%, and lessens the impact on liberty compared to being a soldier.

DEVELOPER:

Generates 50% higher pollution, which can lead to riots from Environmentalists. Offers significant benefits if pollution can be managed.