I have 3800+ hours in EU4
Play it, play the early modern period game. Go core, go casus beli, go diploannex with the dip rep and improve relations %, culture shift and missionary strenght, get your colonial range up for that global trade power. Dev up your prod in your trade centre with the estuary and manufactory to get the goods produced to up the trade value to get more out of your local node trade power with the merchant. 20/0/20 is the meta, add cav if you got the CCA for it with the flanking and positive ratio. Get your ICA with the backrow. Acquire the PP boost to get that +1 to monthly power in all categories. Check your AE in the HRE to avoid the E DoW'ing your WC. And don't forget to click the bi-yearly boost button for whatever special mechanic your country has, or else you'll be playing "sub-optimally", and no one wants that. Don't forget Burgher loans, and to get that interest per annum down to take more loans but don't get inflation and sell crownland and seize crownland to sell crownland to seize crownland to absolutism discipline moral damage combat width the devved up craven Archduke that is exploring withe the carrack