Connect with us

Guides

Civilization VI Tier List (Civ 6)

Published

on

In this article, we decided to put together the ultimate Civ 6 Tier List.

We will be ranking everything from leaders and civilizations, to pantheons, to wonders and natural wonders for the complete game (vanilla plus Rise and Fall, Gathering Storm, and New Frontier).

With so many expansions added, Civilization 6 players can now pick from a long list of civilizations and leaders before starting the game.

As of Gathering Storm (and New Frontier Pass), there are 58 leaders/civilizations in the game if you take into account all of the expansions.

Clearly, different leaders have different strengths and weaknesses, and when you compound other elements of this gameplay (such as which victory condition you are pursuing, or which pantheon you should select), this game becomes all the more complex… which prompted us to prepare this Civ 6 Tier List.

This, of course, is not a bad thing: Civilization is notoriously addictive and one of the most re-playable games we’ve ever enjoyed, largely due to its layers of depth and freedom to play your own way. Throw in some randomness each time you start on a new map, and you have a compelling experience every time you hit “Start Game”.

 

Civ 6 Introduction

 

Civ 6 Tier List (Civilization 6)

Without further ado, see below for the ultimate Civ 6 Tier List where we have ranked 58 leaders and civilizations in order to see who is the best and worst. Scroll down further to see a breakdown by victory type.

 

S-Tier

  • Japan (Hojo Tokimune)
  • Russia (Peter)
  • Portugal (João III)
  • Australia (John Curtin)
  • Maori (Kupe)
  • America (Bullmoose Teddy)

 

A-Tier

  • Greece (Gorgo)
  • Hungary (Matthias Corvinus)
  • Egypt (Cleopatra)
  • Gran Columbia (Simon Bolivar)
  • Brazil (Pedro II)
  • Persia (Cyrus)
  • Arabia (Saladin)
  • America (Rough Rider Teddy)

 

B-Tier

  • Korea (Seondeok)
  • Greece (Pericles)
  • Ethiopia (Menelik II)
  • Maya (Lady Six Sky)
  • Phoenician (Dido)
  • Sumeria (Gilgamesh)
  • Babylon (Hammurabi)
  • Khmer (Jayavarman VII)
  • Mali (Mansa Musa)
  • China (Qin Shi Huang)
  • China (Kublai Khan)
  • Spain (Phillip II)

 

C-Tier

  • Inca (Pachacuti)
  • Dutch (Wilhelmina)
  • Nubia (Amanitore)
  • Aztec (Montezuma)
  • Byzantium (Basil II)
  • Polish (Jadwiga)
  • Georgia (Tamar)

 

D-Tier

  • Vietnam (Bà Triệu)
  • Indonesia (Gitarja)
  • Germany (Frederick Barbarossa)
  • Rome (Trajan)
  • Sweden (Kristina)
  • Canada (Wilfrid Laurier)
  • France (Catherine de Medici)
  • Ottoman (Suleiman)

 

F-Tier

  • England (Victoria)
  • France (Magnificence Catherine)
  • Mongolia  (Genghis Khan)
  • Mongolia (Kublai Khan)
  • Zulu (Shaka)
  • Macedon (Alexander)
  • Gaul (Ambiorix)
  • Mapuche (Lautaro)
  • England (Eleanor of Aquitaine)
  • Scythia (Tomyris)
  • Kongo (Mvemba a Nzinga)

 

LOL-Tier

  • France (Eleanor Aquitaine)
  • Scotland (Robert the Bruce)
  • Cree (Poundmaker)
  • India (Ghandi)
  • Norway (Harald Hardrada)
  • India (Chandragupta)

Civ 6 Tier List: Best Leaders and Civilizations by Victory Condition

So firstly, before you jump up and down screaming how “Gold” is not a victory condition: we know. However, Gold is one of those elements in the game that can substantially boost your path towards any victory type if utilized correctly. It can help you defend, buy buildings and barter. Due to its significance, it is important that it is considered when ranking the overall ability of Civs.

Once you decide which type of victory you want to pursue, you need to choose a proper civilization and a good leader. Some civilizations excel in certain victory types, so be careful what you choose. For example, according to our Civ 6 Tier List, if you choose an S-Tier leader that specializes in science and religion like Arabia, that doesn’t necessarily mean it is the best Civ if you are going for global domination. So, be sure to consider how you intend to play: what is your ultimate goal?

 

Victory Type Legend:

  • Dom: Domination
  • Sci: Science
  • Cul: Culture
  • Reli: Religion
  • Dipl: Diplomacy
  • Gol: Gold
  • Tot: Total
CivilizationDomSciCulReliDiplGoldTotalTier
Japan (Hojo Tokimune)77774638S
Russia (Peter)75884537S
Portugal (João III)58745837S
Australia (John Curtin)58765637S
Maori (Kupe)56884637S
America (Bullmoose Teddy)57858437S
Greece (Gorgo)65848536A
Hungary (Matthias Corvinus)87447636A
Egypt (Cleopatra)64866636A
Gran Columbia (Simon Bolivar)86664636A
Brazil (Pedro II)47874636A
Persia (Cyrus)75844836A
Arabia (Saladin)68684436A
America (Rough Rider Teddy)66748536A
Korea (Seondeok)78745435B
Greece (Pericles)55848535B
Ethiopia (Menelik II)66685435B
Maya (Lady Six Sky)68555635B
Phoenician (Dido)66754735B
Sumeria (Gilgamesh)78645535B
Babylon (Hammurabi)77655535B
Khmer (Jayavarman VII)66784435B
Mali (Mansa Musa)35685835B
China (Qin Shi Huang)47855635B
China (Kublai Khan47755735B
Spain (Phillip II)77464735B
Inca (Pachacuti)67674434C
Dutch (Wilhelmina)68634734C
Nubia (Amanitore)77564534C
Aztec (Montezuma)87563534C
Byzantium (Basil II)85583534C
Polish (Jadwiga)74574734C
Georgia (Tamar)45678434C
Vietnam (Bà Triệu)76844433D
Indonesia (Gitarja)66574533D
Germany (Frederick Barbarossa)87642633D
Rome (Trajan)76644633D
Sweden (Kristina)46838433D
Canada (Wilfrid Laurier)45848433D
France (Catherine de Medici)65844532D
Ottoman (Suleiman)86643532D
England (Victoria)77531831F
France (Magnificence Catherine)55844531F
Mongolia  (Genghis Khan)86652431F
Mongolia (Kublai Khan)66653531F
Zulu (Shaka)86642531F
Macedon (Alexander)87642431F
Gaul (Ambiorix)87542430F
Mapuche (Lautaro)75653430F
England (Eleanor of Aquitaine)56633730F
Scythia (Tomyris)74573430F
Kongo (Mvemba a Nzinga)56714730F
France (Eleanor Aquitaine)54844429LOL
Scotland (Robert the Bruce)58434529LOL
Cree (Poundmaker)46444729LOL
India (Ghandi)35584429LOL
Norway (Harald Hardrada)64461728LOL
India (Chandragupta)74472428LOL

Who Is the Best Leader in Civ 6?

Firstly, it’s important to emphasize that this is a subjective selection. Depending on your playstyle, and the typical strategies you employ, you could get more utility out of an F-Tier Civ than someone who misuses an S-Tier Civ. In our editorial opinion, of the S-Tier Civs, we would choose Hojo of Japan as the single best leader in Civ 6.

Our selection for Japan as the top Civilization in this game would be on the basis of their well-roundedness. Japan’s varying abilities appear throughout the early, mid, and late game. Japan’s abilities are also wide-ranging and can be useful regardless of the Victory condition that you are pursuing. This allows for an additional degree of flexibility for players who need to pivot into another direction should the game go in an unexpected direction.

Our choice for the second-best Civ would be Russia. Russia is also relatively well-rounded (a bit weaker on Science), but has an important advantage when it comes to starting bias. Since Russia starts near (or on) Tundra, this means that you will start on the edge of your continent and there won’t be anyone to your North (or South). Often, you can expand your early Civs in one direction and then also cover your West (or East). This means that during the early game, Russia is less likely to have issues where they are facing opposition from every direction. Of course, this issue fades during the later game when Naval warfare enters into the game.

Nevertheless, this gives players confidence that they have fewer fronts to worry about when they get started.

 

What Do All These Tiers Mean?

While the definitions below primarily apply to Civs and Leaders, you will notice that there are Civ Tier Lists further down in this article that address other elements of the game. To keep things simple, S is considered the best, followed by A, B, C, D, F, and finally LOL.

Another very important consideration is that sometimes civilizations and leaders have bonuses that do not fit under any victory condition. For example, Kublai Khan of Mongolia has the benefit of having an additional economic card slot. This is a great ability but does not fit under any of the victory conditions. So, we recommend that you check out the abilities on the next page to see which ones the official tier list above might be missing.

 

Civilization VI S-Tier Description

The S-Tier Civs are the best civilizations in the game.

They are always highly proficient in more than one way, allowing the player to approach the game in a more flexible manner. If, for example, you play as a very well-rounded Japan, you are not going to have many disadvantages in pursuing Domination, Science, Culture, or Religion.

S-Tier is great for new players and casual players.

 

Civilization VI A-Tier & B-Tier Description

Similar to S-Tier, these Civs are also flexible.

However, they are more notably disadvantaged in certain spaces. While they may still be great for certain game-play strategies, they may have notable disadvantages as well. As an example, Pedro II of Brazil is great for Culture and Religion, but it’s best to avoid domination gameplay with this Civ unless you are looking for a challenge. B-Tier is a continuation of A-Tier; these civs are slightly less well-rounded, and also have notable disadvantages.

They are still suitable for most players.

 

Civilization VI C-Tier, D-Tier & F-Tier Description

C-Tier is where it gets interesting because this is where pre-planning becomes important.

When selecting one of these leaders, it is ideal to know what you are pursuing from the get-go and to carefully consider each turn, because if your options are limited, you can’t afford to fall behind. D-Tier and F-Tier are similar but are more challenging.

 

Civilization VI LOL-Tier Description

Alright, we admit it, we invented “LOL-Tier”. However, there’s nothing funny about them. These are the most challenging Civs to play in the game because they do not have any significant advantages.

These civs are great if you are looking to test your overall ability because well-roundedness is critical.

Does the Civ 6 Tier List Apply to Both Single Player and Multiplayer?

In short, yes. This tier list is equally applicable to both multiplayer and single-player games. It ultimately depends on your competitiveness.

For a casual single-player game, if you are just relaxing and not trying to execute a perfect game plan, then don’t sweat it. The differences between the Civs are not dramatic enough to flip the game in your favor if you aren’t meticulously taking advantage of all of your Civ’s bonuses.

On the flip side, against a strong opponent, you need to utilize as many of the bonuses associated with your Civ as possible. Study up!

 

Civ 6 Tier List: Civ Ability Rankings

Now that we’ve shared our overall rankings, here is the breakdown of how we reached those conclusions. Categories for your reference are as follows:

  • UA: Unique Ability
  • LA: Leader Ability
  • UB: Unique Building
  • UD: Unique District
  • UI: Unique Improvement
  • UU: Unique Unit

 

CivilizationCat.NameAbilityVictoryScore
America / Teddy RooseveltLARoosevelt CorollaryUnits receive a +5 Combat Strength bonus on their home continent. +1 Appeal to all tiles in a city with a National Park.Domination7
AmericaUUP-51 MustangFighter replacement. Higher Combat Strength (105 vs. 100) and Ranged Strength (105 vs. 100). Higher Movement (6 vs. 4). Gains +5 attack against fighter aircraft. Gains +50% experience.Domination3
AmericaUAFounding FathersAll Diplomatic policy slots in the current government are converted to Wildcard policy slots. +1 Diplomatic Favor per turn for each Wildcard slot in their government.Diplomatic8
AmericaUBFilm StudioBroadcast center replacement. 100% Tourism pressure from this city towards other civilizations starting from the Modern Era.Culture8
America / Rough Rider TeddyLARoosevelt CorallaryUnits receive a +5 Combat Strength bonus on their home continent. Envoys sent to City-States you have a Trade-Route to count as two Envoys. Gain the Rough Rider unique unit with Rifling.Diplomatic7
America / Rough Rider TeddyUURough RiderUnique Heavy Cavalry. Earns Culture from kills on its Capital’s continent. Gains +10 Combat Strength when fighting on Hills. Low Gold maintenance cost. No strategic resource requirement.Culture4
ArabiaUAThe Last ProphetAutomatically receives the final Great Prophet when the next-to-last one is claimed (if one has not been earned already). +1 Science per foreign city following Arabia’s Religion.Science5
ArabiaUUMamlukKnight replacement. Heals at the end of every turn, even if it moves or attacks an enemy unit.Domination6
ArabiaUBMadrasaUniversity replacement. +5 Science. Provides bonus Faith equal to the adjacency Science bonus of its districtScience7
Arabia / SaladinLARighteousness of the FaithThe Worship building for Arabia’s Religion can be purchased at 10% of the usual Faith cost, and grants Arabian cities with it +10% Science, Faith, and Culture.Science8
AustraliaUIOutback Station+1 Food +1 Production +0.5 Housing +1 Food from every adjacent Pasture. +1 ​ Production to every adjacent ​Pasture (with Steam Power) +1 Production from every 2 adjacent Outback Stations (with Steam Power) +1 Food from every 2 adjacent Outback Stations (with Rapid Deployment)Any6
Australia / John CurtinLACitadel of Civilization+100% Production in all cities if they have either received a declaration of war or liberated a city in the past 10 turns.Any7
AustraliaUALand Down Under+3 Housing in coastal cities. Building a Pasture triggers a Culture Bomb, claiming surrounding tiles. Campus, Commercial Hub, Holy Site, and Theater Square districts gain +1 to their yields in tiles with Charming Appeal, and +3 with Breathtaking Appeal.Any8
AustraliaUUDiggerInfantry replacement. Higher Combat Strength (72 vs. 70). +10 Combat Strength on coastal tiles. +5 Combat Strength outside Australian territory. No strategic resource requirement.Domination8
AztecUBTlachtliArena with +2 Faith +1 Great General point per turn.Any2
Aztec / MontezumaLAGifts for the TlatoaniImproved Luxury resources provide an Amenity to 2 extra cities. +1 Combat Strength for all units for each different improved Luxury resource in Aztec territory.Domination8
AztecUALegend of the Five SunsCan spend Builder charges to complete 20% of a district’s Production cost.Any8
AztecUUEagle WarriorWarrior replacement. Higher Production cost (65 vs. 40). Higher Combat Strength (28 vs. 20). Can capture defeated enemy units, turning them into Builders for the Aztecs.Domination8
BrazilUUMinas GeraesBattleship replacement. Higher Combat Strength (70 vs. 60), Ranged Strength (80 vs. 70), and Anti-Air Strength (95 vs. 90).Domination4
BrazilUDStreet Carnival / CopacobanaEntertainment/Water park district replacement. +2 Amenities from entertainment to parent city. Special Project which provides +1 additional Amenities Amenity while developed and earns Engineer Great Engineer, Merchant Great Merchant, Writer Great Writer, Artist Great Artist, & Musician Great Musician points upon completion.Culture5
Brazil / Pedro IILAMagnanimousRecruiting or patronizing a Great Person refunds 20% of their point cost.Culture6
BrazilUAAmazonRainforest tiles provide a +1 adjacency bonus for Campus, Commercial Hub, Holy Site, and Theater Square districts, and grant +1 Appeal to adjacent tiles, instead of the usual -1.Culture7
Canada / Wilfrid LaurierLAThe Last Best WestCan build Farms on Tundra tiles, and on Tundra Hills tiles with Civil Engineering. Snow, Snow Hills, Tundra Hills, and Tundra tiles cost 50% less Gold to purchase. On those tiles, resources accumulate twice as fast, Mines and Lumber Mills receive +1 Production and Camps receive +1 Food.Any5
CanadaUAFour Faces of PeaceCannot declare Surprise Wars or war on City-States. Surprise Wars cannot be declared on Canada. For every 100 Tourism earned, gain +1 Diplomatic Favor. +100% Diplomatic Favor gained from succesfully completing Emergencies and Competitions.Diplomatic5
CanadaUIIce Hockey Rink+1 Amenity +2 Appeal to surrounding tiles +1 Culture for each adjacent Tundra, Tundra Hills, Snow, and Snow Hills tile. +2 Food and Production (with Professional Sports) +4 Culture if adjacent to a StadiumCulture7
CanadaUUMountieUnique light cavalry. +5 Combat Strength when within 2 tiles of a National Park. +5 additional Combat Strength if the park is Canadian. Low Gold maintenance cost. Can establish a National Park.Domination8
ChinaUUCrouching TigerUnique ranged unit. Range of 1 and 50 combat strength.Domination3
ChinaUADynastic CycleEurekas and Inspirations provide an extra 10% of the Science and Culture cost for researching technologies and civics.Culture7
China / Qin Shi HuangLAThe First EmperorBuilders receive an additional build charge. Can spend Builder charges to complete 15% of the Production cost for Ancient and Classical wonders. Canals are unlocked with Masonry, instead of Steam Power.Culture7
China / Kublai KhanLAGeregeGain an additional Economic policy slot in all Governments. Gain a random Eureka and Inspiration Inspiration upon first establishing a Trading Post in another major civilization’s city.Any8
ChinaUIGreat WallOccupying unit receives +4 Defense Strength and automatically gains 2 turns of fortification (+6 Defense Strength). +2 Gold +2 Gold for each adjacent Great Wall +2 Culture for each adjacent Great Wall (with Castles). Can only be pillaged but never removed by disasters.Culture7
CreeUANîhithawGains +1 Trade Route capacity and a free Trader with Pottery. Unclaimed tiles within three tiles of a Cree city come under Cree control when a Trader first moves into them.Any5
CreeUUOkihtcitawScout replacement. Higher Production cost (40 vs. 30). Higher Combat Strength (20 vs. 10). Starts with one free promotion.Any5
Cree / PoundmakerLAFavorable TermsAll Alliance types provide Shared Visibility. Trade Routes gain +1 Food per Camp or Pasture at the destination city. Trade Routes sent to Cree cities grant +1 Gold per Camp or Pasture at the destination city.Any6
CreeUIMekewap+1 Production +1 Housing +1 Gold if adjacent to a Luxury Resource +1 Food for every two adjacent Bonus Resources. +1 additional Production and Housing (with Civil Service) +2 additional Gold for each adjacent Luxury Resources (with Cartography) +1 Food for each adjacent Bonus Resource (with Conservation)Any7
Dutch / WilhelminaLARadio OranjeDomestic Trade Routes provide +1 Loyalty per turn for the starting city. Trade Routes sent to or received from a foreign civilization grant +1 Culture to the Netherlands.Culture3
DutchUUDe Zeven ProvinciënHigher Combat Strength (50 vs. 45) and Ranged Strength (60 vs. 55). Receives a +7 bonus when attacking defensible districts.Domination5
DutchUIPolder+1 Food +1 Food for every adjacent Polder +1 Production +0.5 Housing +4 Gold (with Civil Engineering) +2 Food for every adjacent Polder (with Replaceable Parts) +1 Production for every adjacent Polder (with Replaceable Parts) Increases Movement cost of tile to 3.Any6
DutchUAGrote RivierenRivers provide a +2 adjacency bonus for Campus, Theater Square, and Industrial Zone districts. Building a Harbor triggers a Culture Bomb, claiming surrounding tiles. +50% Production toward the Dam district and Flood Barrier building.Science8
Egypt / CleopatraLAMediterranean ‘s BrideInternational Trade Routes grant +4 Gold. Trade Routes sent to Egypt from other civilizations provide +2 Food for them and +2 Gold for Egypt. +100% Alliance Points from trading with allies.Diplomatic5
EgyptUAIteru+15% Production towards districts and wonders built next to a River. Floodplains don’t prevent placement of districts and wonders. Districts, improvements and units are immune to damage from floods.Culture7
EgyptUISphinx+1 Culture +2 Appeal +1 Faith +2 additional Faith if placed next to a Wonder +1 additional Culture if built on Floodplains +1 Culture (requires Natural History)Culture7
EgyptUUMaryannu Chariot ArcherUnique ranged unit. Higher Production cost (120 vs. 60). Higher maintenance cost (2 vs. 1). Higher melee strength (25 vs. 15).Higher ranged strength (35 vs. 25). Gains +2 Movement points if it starts on flat terrain.Domination8
EnglandUUSea DogPrivateer replacement. Can capture adjacent enemy naval units. (Doesn’t work for Barbarian or city-state ships.)Domination4
England / Eleanor of AquitaneLACourt of LoveEach Great Work in her cities causes foreign cities within 9 tiles to lose 1 Loyalty per turn. Any foreign city that leaves its civilization due to loss of Loyalty and is receiving the most Loyalty pressure from Eleanor instantly joins her empire, instead of becoming a Free City.Domination5
EnglandUAWorkshop of the WorldIron and Coal Mines accumulate +2 resources per turn. +100% Production towards Military Engineers. Military Engineers receive +2 charges. Buildings that provide additional yields when powered receive +4 of their respective yields. +20% Production towards Industrial Zone buildings. Harbor buildings grant +10 Strategic Resource stockpiles.Science6
EnglandUDRoyal Navy Dockyard+1 Movement for all units built in Dockyard. +2 Gold when built on a foreign continent. +2 Great Admiral points per turn. +4 Loyalty when built on a foreign continent.Domination6
England / VictoriaLAPax BritannicaThe first city founded on each continent other than their home continent grants a free melee unit in that city and +1 Trade Route capacity. Building a Royal Navy Dockyard grants a free naval unit in that city. Gain the Redcoat unique unit with Military Science.Domination7
England / VictoriaUURedcoatUnique melee unit. +10 Combat Strength when fighting on a continent other than the English Capital’s. No cost to disembark.Domination7
France / Eleanor of AquitaneLACourt of LoveEach Great Work in her cities causes foreign cities within 9 tiles to lose 1 Loyalty per turn. Any foreign city that leaves its civilization due to loss of Loyalty and is receiving the most Loyalty pressure from Eleanor instantly joins her empire, instead of becoming a Free City.Domination5
FranceUUGarde ImpérialeUnique melee unit. ‘+10 Combat Strength on the starting Capital’s home continent. Earns Great General points from kills.Domination6
FranceUAGrand Tour+20% Production towards Medieval, Renaissance, and Industrial Wonders. Double Tourism from Wonders of any era.Culture6
France / Catherine De MediciLACatherine’s Flying SquadronHas an extra level of Diplomatic Visibility with every civilization she’s met. Receives a free Spy (and extra Spy capacity) with Castles. All Spies start with a free promotion.Domination7
FranceUIChâteau+2 Culture +1 Appeal +1 Culture for each adjacent Wonder, doubling to +2 with Flight. +1 Gold for each adjacent luxury resourceCulture7
France / Magnificence CatherineLACatherine’s MagnificenceImproved Luxury resources adjacent to Theater Square districs or Chateaux receive +2 Culture. May initiate the Court Festival project in any city with a Theater Square districtCulture8
GeorgiaUBTsikheLower Production cost (265 vs. 305). +4 Faith +200 Outer Defense Strength. When in a Golden Age, Tourism and Faith are +100%.Culture3
GeorgiaUUKhevsurUnique melee unit. 45 combat strength +7 Combat Strength and no Movement penalties in Hills.Domination3
GeorgiaUAStrength in UnityWhen making Dedications at the beginning of a Golden Age or Heroic Age, receive the Normal Age bonus towards improving Era Score in addition to the other bonus. Construct walls 50% faster.Any5
Georgia / TamarLAGlory of the World, Kingdom and Faith+100% Faith for the next 10 turns after declaring a Protectorate War. Each Envoy sent to a city-state of Georgia’s majority Religion counts as two Envoys.Diplomatic7
GermanyUUU-BoatLower Production cost (430 vs. 480). Gains +1 Sight and +10 Combat Strength when fighting on Ocean tiles.Domination3
Germany / Frederick BarbarossaLAHoly Roman EmperorGain an additional Military policy slot in all Governments. All units gain +7 Combat Strength when attacking city-states.Domination6
GermanyUAFree Imperial CitiesEach city can build one more district than the population limit would normally allow.Any8
GermanyUDHansaMajor bonus (+2) to Production yield for each adjacent Commercial Hub. Standard bonus (+1) to Production yield for each adjacent resource.Science8
GreeceUUHopliteSpearman replacement. +10 Combat Strength when adjacent to at least one other Hoplite.Domination5
Greece / GorgoLAThermopylaeKilling a unit provides Culture equal to 50% of its Combat Strength.Culture8
Greece / PericlesLASurrounded by Glory+5% Culture per city-state Greece has Suzerainty over.Culture8
GreeceUAPlato’s RepublicGain an additional Wildcard policy slot in all Governments.Any8
GreeceUDAcropolisTheater Square replacement. Receives a Major bonus (+2) to Culture yield for being adjacent to the City Center Awards 1 Envoy when completed +1 Culture from each adjacent DistrictCulture8
HungaryUUHuszárCoursier replacement. Higher Production cost (335 vs. 330). Higher Combat Strength (65 vs. 62). +3 Combat Strength for every active Alliance.Domination4
HungaryUBThermal Bath+2 Amenities from entertainment +2 Production. This bonus extends to each City Center within 6 tiles. +3 Tourism and +2 additional Amenities to this city if there is at least one Geothermal Fissure within its borders.Domination6
Hungary / Matthias CorvinusUUBlack ArmyCavalry replacement. Higher Production cost (205 vs. 200). Higher Combat Strength (47 vs. 44). +3 Combat Strength for each adjacent Levied unit.Domination7
HungaryUAPearl of the Danube+50% Production for districts and buildings built across a river from a City Center.Any7
Hungary / Matthias CorvinusLARaven KingLevied city-state units gain +2 Movement and +5 Combat Strength, and can be upgraded at a 75% discount in Gold and resources. Levying troops from a city-state grants 2 Envoys with that city-state. Gain the Black Army unique unit with Castles.Domination8
Inca / PachacutiLAQhapaq ÑanDomestic Trade Routes gain +1 Food for every Mountain tile in the origin city. Gain the Qhapaq Ñan unique improvement with Foreign Trade.Any6
Inca / PachacutiUIQhapaq ÑanAllows units to move into it and exit through another Qhapaq Ñan at the cost of 2 Movement.Any6
IncaUAMit’aCitizens may work Mountain tiles. Mountain tiles provide +2 Production, and +1 Food for each adjacent Terrace Farm.Any7
IncaUUWarak’aqSkirmisher replacement. Higher Production cost (165 vs. 150). Higher Ranged Strength (40 vs. 30). Can make 1 additional attack per turn if Movement allows.Domination7
IncaUITerrace FarmUnique farm. +1 Food for each adjacent Mountain +2 Production for each adjacent Aqueduct +1 Production if adjacent to fresh water and not an AqueductAny8
India / GhandiLASatyagraha+5 Faith for each met civilization (including India) that has founded a Religion and is not at war. Enemies receive double war weariness from fighting against Gandhi.Religion5
IndiaUIStepwell+1 Food +1 Housing +1 Faith if adjacent to a Holy Site +1 Food if adjacent to a Farm +1 Faith (requires Feudalism) +1 Housing (requires Sanitation) +1 Food (requires Professional Sports) Prevents Food loss from droughts.Religion5
IndiaUUVaruUnique Heavy Cavaly. Lower Combat Strength (40 vs. 48). Lower Movement (2 vs. 4). Lower Production cost (120 vs. 220). Reduces the Combat Strength of adjacent enemy units by 5Domination6
IndiaUADharmaCities receive +1 Amenity for each religion with at least one follower in them. +2 Spread Religion charges for Missionaries. +100% Religious pressure from Indian Trade Routes.Religion7
India / ChandraguptaLAArthashastraCan declare a War of Territorial Expansion with Military Training, instead of Mobilization. +2 Movement and +5 Combat Strength for all units for the next 10 turns after declaring a War of Territorial Expansion.Domination8
IndonesiaUAGreat NusantaraCoast and Lake tiles provide a +0.5 adjacency bonus for Holy Site, Campus, Industrial Zone, and Theater Square districts. Entertainment Complexes built adjacent to a Coast or Lake tile provide +1 Amenity.Any6
Indonesia / GitarjaLAExalted Goddess of the Three WorldsMay purchase naval units with Faith. Religious units pay no movement cost to embark or disembark. City Centers adjacent to Coast or Lake tiles gain +2 Faith.Religion7
IndonesiaUIKampung+1 Production +1 Housing +1 Food from every adjacent Fishing Boats +1 Housing (with Mass Production) +1 Production (with Civil Engineering) +1 Tourism from every bonus Food (with Flight)Any7
IndonesiaUUJongHigher Production cost (300 vs. 280). Higher Movement (5 vs. 4). When in formation, +5 Combat Strength and shares its Movement with all units in the formation. No strategic resource requirement.Domination7
JapanUUSamuraiUnique melee unit. Higher production cost (160 vs. 90). Higher combat strength (48 vs. 36). Does not suffer combat penalties when damaged.Domination4
JapanUBElectronics FactoryFactory replacement. +3 Production to all City Centers within 6 tiles of the Electronics Factory’s Industrial Zone. +5 Production additionally when Powered. +4 Culture (after researching Electricity)Science5
Japan / Hojo TokimuneLADivine WindLand units in Coastal tiles and naval units in Coast tiles receive +5 Combat Strength. +50% Production towards Encampment, Holy Site and Theater Square districts. Districts, improvements and units are immune to damage from Hurricanes. +100% damage from Hurricanes in Japanese territory to civilizations at war with Japan.Culture8
JapanUAMeiji RestorationDistricts recieve a +1 adjacency bonus for each adjacent district, instead of +0.5.Any8
Khmer / Jayavarman VIILAMonasteries of the KingHoly Sites provide +2 Food and +1 Housing if adjacent to a river. Building a Holy Site triggers a Culture Bomb, claiming surrounding tiles.Religion4
KhmerUAGrand BaraysAqueducts provide +3 Faith and +1 Amenity. Farms receive +2 Food if adjacent to an Aqueduct.Any5
KhmerUBPrasatTemple replacement. +2 Relic slots Missionaries purchased in this city receive the Martyr promotion.Religion6
KhmerUUDomreyUnique Seige unit. Lower combat strength (45 vs. 55). Lower production cost (220 vs. 280). Can move and attack on the same turn. Exerts Zone of Control.Domination7
Kongo / Mvemba a NzingaLAReligious ConvertCan’t build Holy Sites or found a religion, but receives all the beliefs of any religion that has established itself as Kongo’s majority religion, not just the Follower beliefs. Building a Mbanza or Theater Square grants a free Apostle of the city’s majority religion.Any3
KongoUDMbanzaNeighborhood replacement +5 Housing +2 Food +4 GoldCulture3
KongoUUNgao MbebaSwordsman replacement. Higher Production cost (110 vs. 90). Does not suffer Movement or sight penalties in Woods or Rainforests. +10 Combat Strength when defending against ranged attacks.Domination6
KongoUANkisiRelics, Artifacts and Sculptures provide +2 Food, +2 Production, and +4 Gold. The Palace has four extra slots for Great Works. +50% Great Writer, Great Artist, Great Musician, and Great Merchant points from all sources.Culture7
KoreaUUHwachaField Cannon replacement. Lower Production cost (250 vs. 330). Lower Combat Strength (45 vs. 50). Lower maintenance cost (3 vs. 5). Cannot move and attack in the same turn.Domination5
Korea / SeondeokLAHwarangCities with an established Governor receive +3% Culture and +3% Science for each promotion that Governor has.Science8
KoreaUAThree KingdomsFarms receive +1 Food and Mines receive +1 Science if adjacent to a Seowon.Science8
KoreaUDSeowonCampus replacement. +4 Science with no adjacency bonus. -1 penalty to Science for each adjacent district tile.Science8
Macedon / AlexanderLATo the World’s EndMacedonian cities never incur war weariness. All military units heal completely when a city with a Wonder is captured. Gain the Hetairoi unique unit with Horseback Riding.Domination6
MacedonUUHypaspistSwordsman replacement. Higher Production cost (100 vs. 90). +5 Combat Strength when besieging a district. +50% support bonuses.Domination7
MacedonUAHellenistic FusionConquering a city grants a free Eureka for each Encampment and Campus district in the conquered city and a free Inspiration for each Holy Site and Theater Square district.Domination7
MacedonUBBasilikoi PaidesBarracks replacement. +25% combat experience for all melee, ranged land units, and Hetairoi trained in this city. Gain Science equal to 25% of the unit’s cost when a non-civilian unit is created in this city.Domination7
Macedon / AlexanderUUHetairoiUnique Heavy Cavalry unit. Higher Combat strength (36 vs. 28). Higher Production cost (100 vs. 65). +5 additional Combat Strength when adjacent to a Great General. +5 Great General points from kills. Starts with a free promotion.Domination8
MaliUUMandekalu CavalryHigher Combat Strength (49 vs. 48). Prevents friendly Traders within 4 tiles from being plundered as long as they are on a land tile. Provides Gold equal to 100% of the base Combat Strength of each defeated enemy unit.Domination4
MaliUASongs of the JeliCity Centers gain +1 Faith and +1 Food for every adjacent Desert and Desert Hills tile. Mines receive -1 Production and +4 Gold. May purchase Commercial Hub buildings with Faith. -30% Production towards buildings and units.Any6
Mali / Mansa MusaLASahel MerchantsInternational Trade Routes gain +1 Gold for every flat Desert tile in the sending city. Entering a Golden Age permanently grants +1 Trade Route capacity.Any7
MaliUDSugubaCommercial Hub replacement. Receives Major (+2 Gold) Adjacency bonus for a nearby River or Holy Site 20% discount on all Gold and Faith purchases in this cityAny8
MaoriUIUnique fort. A Māori unit occupying a Pā heals even if they just moved or attacked.Domination4
MaoriUUToaSwordsman replacement. Higher Production cost (120 vs. 90). No Gold maintenance cost. Reduces the Combat Strength of adjacent enemy units by 5 (non-cumulatively). No strategic resource requirement. Can construct a Pā.Domination6
Maori / KupeLAKupe’s VoyageStarts the game in the Ocean. +2 Science and +2 Culture per turn before the first city is settled. Their first settled city receives a free Builder and +1 Population. The Palace grants +3 Housing and +1 Amenity.Any7
MaoriUAManaStarts with Sailing and Shipbuilding unlocked and the ability to enter Ocean tiles. Embarked units gain +5 Combat Strength and +2 Movement. Unimproved Woods and Rainforests provide +1 Production, additional +1 Production with Mercantilism and +2 Production with Conservation. Fishing Boats provide +1 Food. Building a Fishing Boat triggers a Culture Bomb, claiming surrounding tiles. Resources cannot be harvested. Great Writers cannot be earned.Any8
MaoriUBMaraeAmpitheater replacement. +1 Culture and Faith to all of this city’s tiles with a passable feature. No maintenance cost. No Great Work slots.Culture8
MapucheUIChemamullIt must be built on a tile with an Appeal of Breathtaking Provides Culture equal to 75% of its tile’s Appeal.Culture4
Mapuche / LautaroLASwift HawkDefeating an enemy unit within the borders of an enemy city causes that city to lose 20 Loyalty. Pillaging a tile within the borders of an enemy city causes that city to lose 5 Loyalty.Domination4
MapucheUUMalón RaiderUnique Light Cvalry unit. Lower production cost (250 vs. 330). Lower combat strength (55 vs. 62). Lower movement speed (4 vs. 5). Lower maintenance (4 vs. 5). +5 Combat Strength within 4 tiles of friendly territory. Pillaging only costs 1 Movement.Domination7
MapucheUAToquiAll units trained in cities with an established Governor gain +25% combat experience. +10 Combat Strength bonus against civilizations that are in a Golden Age.Domination8
MongoliaUUKeshigUnique Ranged unit. Higher movement (4 vs. 2) When in formation, shares its Movement with all units in the formation. Requires horses.Domination6
MongoliaUBOrduStable replacement. +1 Movement for all light and heavy cavalry units trained in this cityDomination7
Mongolia / Genghis KhanLAMongol HordeAll cavalry class units gain +3 Combat Strength and have a chance to capture defeated cavalry class enemy units.Domination8
Mongolia / Kublai KhanLAGeregeGain an additional Economic policy slot in all Governments. Gain a random Eureka and Inspiration Inspiration upon first establishing a Trading Post in another major civilization’s city.Any7
MongoliaUAÖrtööSending a Trade Route immediately creates a Trading Post in the destination city, instead of when the Trade Route is finished. Gains an extra level of Diplomatic Visibility with civilizations they have a Trading Post with. Mongolian units receive +6 Combat Strength for each level of Diplomatic Visibility they have over their opponents, instead of the usual +3.Domination8
NorwayUUBerserkerUnique Melee unit. Higher production cost (160 vs. 90). Higher combat strength (40 vs. 36). Higher maintenance cost (3 vs. 2). Uses one less movement to pillage tiles. Has 4 Movement if this unit starts in enemy territory. +10 Combat Strength when attacking and -5 Combat Strength when defending.Domination4
NorwayUBStave ChurchTemple replacement. Holy Site gets an additional Standard Adjacency bonus (+1) from Woods. +1 Production for every coastal resource worked by the cityDomination4
Norway / Harald HardradaLAThunderbolt of the North+50% Production toward naval melee units. All naval melee units gain the ability to perform coastal raids. Gain the Viking Longship unique unit with Sailing. Pillaging and coastal raiding grants additional yields: Science in addition to Gold for Mines, and Culture in addition to Faith for Quarries, Pastures, Plantations, and Camps.Domination5
NorwayUAKnarrCan enter enter Ocean tiles with Shipbuilding, instead of Cartography. All units pay no movement cost to embark or disembark. Naval melee units can heal in neutral territory.Domination5
Norway / Harald HardradaUUViking LongshipGalley replacement. Higher Combat Strength (30 vs. 25). 4 Movement while in coastal waters.Domination6
NubiaUINubian Pyramid+1 Faith +1 Food if adjacent to a City Center +1 yield for any adjacent districtAny5
NubiaUATa-Seti+50% Production toward Ranged units. Ranged units gain +50% combat experience. +1 Production for Mines over strategic resources, and +2 Gold for Mines over bonus and luxury resources.Any7
Nubia / AmanitoreLAKandake of Meroë+20% Production towards districts, increasing to +40% Production if there’s a Nubian Pyramid adjacent to the City Center.Any8
NubiaUUPítati ArcherArcher replacement. Higher Production cost (70 vs. 60). Higher Combat Strength (17 vs. 15). Higher Ranged Strength (30 vs. 25). Higher Movement (3 vs. 2).Domination8
OttomanUUBarbary CorsairPrivateer replacement. Lower Production cost (240 vs. 280). Lower Gold maintenance cost (3 vs. 4). Uses no Movement to perform coastal raids.Domination6
OttomanUBGrand BazaarBank replacement. +5 Gold Lower production cost (220 vs. 290). Accumulate one extra Strategic resource for every different type of Strategic resources this city has improved. Receive 1 Amenity for every Luxury resource this city has improved.Domination7
Ottoman / SuleimanUUJanissaryMusketman replacement. Lower Production cost (120 vs. 240). Higher Combat Strength (60 vs. 55). Starts with one free promotion. Can only be trained in cities with a Population of 2 or more. If trained in a city that was founded by the Ottomans, subtracts 1 from its Population.Domination8
Ottoman / SuleimanLAGrand VizierHas access to a unique Governor, Ibrahim, the Grand Vizier. Gain the Janissary unique unit with Gunpowder.Domination8
OttomanUAGreat Turkish Bombard+50% Production toward Siege units. Siege units gain +5 Combat Strength when attacking defensible districts. Conquering a city doesn’t cause that city to lose Population. +1 Amenity and +4 Loyalty per turn for cities not founded by the Ottomans.Domination8
Persia / CyrusLAFall of Babylon+2 Movement for all units for the next 10 turns after declaring a Surprise War. Surprise Wars count as Formal Wars for the purposes of warmongering penalties and greivances. +5 Loyalty per turn in occupied cities with a garrisoned unit.Domination7
PersiaUASatrapiesGains +1 Trade Route capacity with Political Philosophy. Domestic Trade Routes provide +2 Gold and +1 Culture. Roads built inside Persian territory are one level more advanced than usual.Culture7
PersiaUUImmortalSwordsman replacement. Higher Production cost (100 vs. 90). Lower Combat Strength (30 vs. 36). Can make melee and ranged attacks (25 strength).Domination8
PersiaUIPairidaeza+1 Culture +2 Gold +2 Appeal +1 Culture for every adjacent Holy Site and Theater Square +1 Gold for every adjacent Commercial Hub and City Center +1 Culture (with Diplomatic Service)Culture8
PhoenicianUUBiremeGalley replacement. Higher Combat Strength (30 vs. 25). Higher Movement (4 vs. 3). Prevents friendly Traders within 4 tiles from being plundered as long as they are on a water tile.Domination6
Phoenician / DidoLAFounder of CarthageCities with a Cothon gain the unique Move Capital project, which moves the Phoenician Capital to that city. Gains +1 Trade Route capacity after building the Government Plaza or any Government Plaza building. +50% Production towards districts in the city with the Government Plaza.Any6
PhoenicianUAMediterranean ColoniesStarts with the Eureka for Writing. Coastal cities founded by Phoenicia and in the same continent as their Capital always have full Loyalty. Settlers receive +2 Movement and sight radius while embarked, and pay no Movement costs to embark or disembark.Any6
PhoenicianUDCothonHarbor replacement. +50% Production towards naval units and Settlers in this city. All wounded naval units in the city’s borders heal +100 HP each turn.Any8
Polish / JadwigaLALithuanian UnionTaking territory from a foreign city with a Culture Bomb converts it to Poland’s religion. Relics provide +4 Gold, +2 Culture and +2 Faith. Holy Sites receive a +1 adjacency bonus from districts, instead of +0.5.Religion6
PolishUAGolden LibertyBuilding an Encampment or Fort triggers a Culture Bomb, claiming surrounding tiles. One Military policy slot in all governments is converted into a Wildcard policy slot.Any6
PolishUBSukienniceMarket replacement. +3 Gold. +4 Gold from domestic Trade Routes and +2 Production from international Trade RoutesAny7
PolishUUWinged HussarUnique Heavy Cavalry unit. Higher production cost (250 vs. 220). Higher combat strength (55 vs. 48). Pushes back enemies if it does more damage than it takes when attacking. Defenders that cannot be pushed back take additional damage.Domination8
RomeUAAll Roads Lead to RomeFounded or conquered cities start with a Trading Post and, if within Trade Route range of the Capital, a road to it. Trade Routes generate +1 additional Gold from Roman Trading Posts they pass throughDomination6
RomeUDBathAqueduct replacement. Provides an additional bonus of +2 Housing and +1 Amenity in either case.Any6
RomeUULegionSwordsman replacement. Higher Production cost (110 vs. 90). Higher Combat Strength (40 vs. 36). Has one build charge. Can construct a Roman FortDomination7
Rome / TrajanLATrajan’s ColumnAll founded cities start with a free building in the City Center. (A Monument if the game is started in the Ancient Era)Culture7
Russia / PeterLAThe Grand EmbassyTrade Routes to more advanced civilizations grant Russia +1 Science for every three technologies that civilization is ahead of them, and +1 Culture for every three civics.Any5
RussiaUUCossackCavalry replacement. Higher Production cost (340 vs. 330). Higher Combat Strength (67 vs. 62). +5 Combat Strength when fighting in or next to home territory. Can move after attacking.Domination7
RussiaUAMother RussiaFounded cities start with eight additional tiles. Tundra tiles provide +1 Faith and +1 Production, in addition to their usual yields. Districts, improvements and units are immune to damage from Blizzards. +100% damage from Blizzards inside Russian territory to civilizations at war with Russia.Any8
RussiaUDLavraHoly Site replacement. +2 Great Prophet points per turn (vs. +1). +1 Great Writer, Great Artist and Great Musician point per turn. (Not affected by the Oracle.) Expands the city’s borders whenever a Great Person is used in the city.Culture8
ScotlandUUHighlanderRanger replacement. Higher Strength (50 vs. 45) and Ranged Strength (65 vs. 60). +5 Combat Strength in Hills and Woods.Domination3
Scotland / Robert the BruceLABannockburnCan declare a War of Liberation with Defensive Tactics, instead of Diplomatic Service. +100% Production and +2 Movement for all units for the next 10 turns after declaring a War of Liberation.Any4
ScotlandUAScottish EnlightenmentHappy cities gain +5% Science and +5% Production, and generate +1 Great Scientist points in their Campuses and +1 Great Engineer points in their Industrial Zones. Ecstatic cities double these bonuses.Science6
ScotlandUIGolf Course+1 Amenity +2 Gold +1 Appeal +1 Culture if adjacent to a City Center +1 Culture if adjacent to an Entertainment Complex +1 Housing (with Globalization)Science6
ScythiaUUSaka Horse ArcherUnique Ranged unit. Higher production cost (100 vs. 60). Higher maintenance cost (2 vs. 1). Higher movement (4 vs. 2). Has a range of 1Domination2
ScythiaUIKurgan+1 Faith +1 Gold +1 Faith for each adjacent Pasture +1 Gold (requires Guilds) +1 Gold (requires Capitalism)Religion4
ScythiaUAPeople of the SteppeBuilding a light cavalry unit or Saka Horse Archer grants a free second copy of that unit.Domination6
Scythia / TomyrisLAKiller of CyrusAll units receive +5 Combat Strength when attacking wounded units, and heal up to 30 hit points after killing a unit.Domination8
Spain / Phillip IILAEl EscorialAll units receive +4 Combat Strength against civilizations following a different Religion. Inquisitors have one extra use of their Remove Heresy ability. Inquisitors eliminate 100% presence of other Religions.Domination4
SpainUATreasure FleetMay form Fleets and Armadas with Mercantilism, instead of Nationalism and Mobilization. Trade Routes between cities on different continents gain +1 Food and +1 Production for domestic Trade Routes, and +6 Gold for international Trade Routes. +2 Loyalty per turn for cities outside their home continent if they have a Mission adjacent to the City Center.Domination8
SpainUIMission+2 Faith. +2 Faith , 1 Food, 1 Production if on a different continent than your Capital. +1 Science for every adjacent Campus and Holy Site. +2 Science (requires Cultural Heritage)Science6
SpainUUConquistadorMusketman replacement. Higher Production cost (250 vs. 240). +10 Combat Strength when escorting (or when in the same tile with) a religious unit. Converts cities to Spain’s religion (if they have founded one) if it captures a city or is adjacent to the city when it is captured.Domination7
Sumeria / GilgameshLAAdventures of EnkiduMay declare war on anyone at war with his allies without incurring warmonger penalties. When at war with a common foe, Sumerian and allied units share pillage rewards and combat experience if within 5 tiles of each other. Gains Alliance Points per-turn for being at war with a common foe.Domination6
SumeriaUAEpic QuestCapturing a Barbarian Outpost also grants a Tribal Village reward. May levy city-state units at 50% of the usual Gold cost.Any7
SumeriaUIZiggurat+2 Science +1 Culture if placed adjacent to a River +1 Culture (with Natural History)Science8
SumeriaUUWar CartUnique Heavy Cavalry. Lower production cost (55 vs. 65). Higher combat strength (30 vs. 28). Higher movement (3 vs. 2). Lower maintenance (0 vs. 1). No combat penalties against anti-cavalry units.Domination8
SwedenUUCaroleanPike and Shot replacement. Lower Gold maintenance cost (3 vs. 4). Higher Movement (3 vs. 2). +3 Combat Strength per point of unused Movement.Domination5
Sweden / KristinaLAMinerva of the NorthBuildings with at least three Great Work slots and wonders with at least two Great Work slots are automatically themed when all slots are filled. Gains the Queen’s Bibliotheque unique building in the Government Plaza.Culture7
Sweden / KristinaUBQueen’s Bibliotheque+2 Great Writer points per turn. +2 Great Artist points per turn. +2 Great Musician points per turn. +2 Great Work of Writing slots. +2 Great Work of Art slots. +2 Great Work of Music slots.Culture7
SwedenUANobel Prize+50 Diplomatic Favor whenever a Great Person is earned. +1 Great Engineer points from Factories and +1 Great Scientist points from Universities. Sweden’s presence in the game adds three unique World Congress competitions in the Industrial Era.Diplomatic8
SwedenUIOpen-Air Museum+2 Loyalty per turn in this city. +2 Culture and +2 Tourism for each type of terrain (Snow, Tundra, Desert, Plains, or Grassland) in which at least one Swedish city is founded.Culture8
ZuluUAIsibongoConquering a city will upgrade the conquering unit into a Corps or Army, if the proper civics are unlocked. +3 Loyalty per turn to cities with a garrisoned unit, increasing to +5 Loyalty per turn if the garrisoned unit is a Corps or Army.Domination8
ZuluUDIkandaEncampment replacement. +1 Housing. 25% faster training of Corps and Armies. Allows Corps and Armies to be built without the Military Academy building.Domination7
ZuluUUImpiPikeman replacement. Lower Production cost (125 vs. 200). Lower maintenance cost (1 vs. 3). Increased flanking bonus. Gains XP faster.Domination8
Zulu / ShakaLAAmabuthoMay form Corps with Mercenaries, instead of Nationalism, and Armies with Nationalism, instead of Mobilization. Corps and Armies gain an additional +5 Combat Strength.Domination8
MayaUAMayabSettling adjacent to fresh water and coast do not provide extra housing. Instead each farm provides an additional +1 housing and +1 gold. +1 amenity for every luxury adjacent to the city center.Any6
MayaUDObservatory+2 science bonus for adjacent plantations. +1 science bonus for every two adjacent farm or district tiles.Science8
MayaUUHul’cheReplaces the archer. Strong ranged attack. +5 combat strength when fighting a wounded opponent.Domination6
Maya / Lady Six SkyLAIx Mutal AiawNon capital cities within 6 tiles of the capital gain +10% to all yields. Other non capital cities recieve -15% to all yields. +5 combat strength to units within 6 tiles of the capital.Any8
Gran ColumbiaUIHacienda+2 Gold, +1 Production, and +1 Housing. +1 Food for every two adjacent Plantations (increased to every plantation with replaceable parts). Plantations and Haciendas (increased to every Hacienda with Rapid Deployment).Any6
Gran ColumbiaUAEiercito Patriota+1 movement to all units. Promoting a unit does not end that units turn.Domination8
Gran Columbia / Simon BolivarUUComandante GeneralA special type of Great Person only available to Simon BolivarDomination6
Gran Columbia / Simon BolivarLACampana AdmirableEarn a Comandante General when the game enters a new eraDomination8
Gran ColumbiaUULlaneroReplaces the Calvary. Low maintenance cost. +4 combat strength for every adjacent Llanero. Fully heals when when in range of a Comandante General that activates its retire ability.Domination8
Ethiopia / menelik IILACouncil of MinistersReceive science and culture equal to +15% of your faith generation in cities founded on hills. Units receive +4 combat strength on hills.Religion7
EthiopiaUAAskumite LegacyEthipoia’s International Trade Routes grant +0.5 faith per resource at the origin. Improved resources provide +1 faith for each copy the city owns. Can purchase Archaelogical Museums and Archeologists with faith.Faith5
EthiopiaUIOromo CavalryEthiopian unique Medieval era light cavalry unit. Stronger and greater sight than the Courser that it replaces. Receives no movement penalties from moving on hills.Domination5
EthiopiaUURock-Hewn Church+1 faith. +1 faith for every adjacent mountain and hill tile. Provides tourism after researching flight from faith. +1 appeal. Can only be built on hills or volcanic soil not adjacent to another Rock-Hewn Church.Faith6
ByzantiumUATaxisUnits receive +3 combat strength for each Holy City converted to Byzantium’s religion. Byzantium’s religion is spread to nearby cities when defeating an enemy unit belonging to a civilization or city-state. +1 Gret Prophet point from cities with a Holy Site.Faith8
ByzantiumUUDromonClassical Era unit that replaces the quadrireme. Has +1 range and +10 combat strength against units.Domination4
ByzantiumUIHippodromeReplaces the Entertainment Complex. Provides +3 amenities, and cheaper to build. When the Hippodrome and its buildings are constructed, receive a heavy cavalry unit. Units granted from this district do not have a resource management cost.Domination7
Byzantium / Basil IILAPorphyro- génnētosHeavy and Light Cavalry do full damage against cities following the same religion as Byzantium. Gain the Tagma unique unit when the Divine Right civic is discovered.Domination8
Byzantium / Basil IIUUTagmaMedieval Era unit that replaces the Knight. Land units within 1 tile of the Tagma receive +4 Combat Strength or Religious Strength.Domination7
GaulUAHallstatt CultureMines provide a minor adjacency bonus for all districts, a Culture Bomb of unowned territory, and receive +1 Culture. Specialty districts do not receive a minor adjacency for being adjacent to another district and cannot be built adjacent to the City Center.Any4
GaulUUGaesataeAncient era unit that replaces the Warrior. This unit has increased cost and receives +10 Combat Strength when fighting units with a higher base Combat Strength. +5 Combat Strength against district defenses.Domination7
GaulUIOppidumCheaper and available earlier than the district it replaces, the Industrial Zone. The Oppidum district is defensible with a ranged attack. When the first Oppidum is constructed, the Apprenticeship technology is unlocked. Major adjacency bonus from Quarries and strategic resources.Any6
Gaul / AmbiorixLAKing of the EburonesGain Culture equal to 20% of the unit’s cost when a non-civilian is trained. Anti-Cavalry, Melee, and Ranged Units receive +2 combat for every adjacent military unit.Domination8
BabylonUAEnuma Anu EnlilEurekas provide all of the science for technologies. -50% science per turnScience7
Babylon / HammurabiLANinu Ilu SirumWhen each specialty district type except the Goverment Plaza is constructed for the first time receive the lowest production cost building that can currently be constructed in that district. Receive an Envoy when any other district is constructed for the first timeAny6
BabylonUUSabum KibittumUnique ancient era melee unit. +17 combat strength against Heavy and Light Cavalry promotion class units. This unit has 3 movement and sight.Domination5
BabylonUBPalgum+1 housing and +2 production. Freshwater tiles receive +1 food. City must be adjacent to a river.Any5
VietnamUANine Dragon River DeltaAll land specialty Districts can only be built on Rainforest, Marsh, or Woods tiles. Buildings on these features receive additional yields: +1 Culture in Woods, +1  Science in Rainforest, and +1 Production in Marsh. Woods can be planted with Medieval Faires, instead of Conservation.Any4
Vietnam / Bà TriệuLADrive out the AggressorsAll units gain +5 Strength Combat Strength when fighting in Rainforest, Marsh, and Woods tiles, and +1  Movement if they start their turn there. Both of these bonuses are doubled in tiles inside Vietnamese territory.Domination8
VietnamUUVoi ChiếnRanged Medieval Era unit. Can move after attacking. Slightly improved sight and movement (+1) and increased combat strength from 35 to 30.Domination8
VietnamUDThànhReplaces encampment. +2 Culture for adjacent districts.  Provides culture and tourism bonus after researching flight.Culture8
PortugalUACasa Da IndiaInternational Trade Routes can only reach cities on the coast or with a Harbor, but receive +50% towards all yields. Trader units have +50% range over water, and can embark as soon as they are unlocked.Any8
PortugalUUNauPortuguese unique navel melee unit that replaces the Caravel. Starts with 1 free Promotion and is less maintenance. Has two charges to build Feitorias.Domination7
PortugalUAFeitoriaUnlocks the Nau ability to construct a Feitoria, unique to Portugal. Provides +4 Gold and +1 Production. Trade routes sent to this city from Portugal gain +4 Gold and +1 Production. Can only be built adjacent to luxury or Bonus resources in territory belonging to other Civilizations or City-States that you have Open Borders with. Must be built on a Coast or Lake tile adjacent to land and not adjacent to another Feitoria. Feitorias cannot be removed.Any7
PortugalUBNavigation SchoolA building unique to Portugal. +25% Production towards navel units in this city. +1 Science for every two coast or lake tiles in this city. +1 Great Admiral points.Science8
Portugal / João IIILAPorta Do CercoAll units receive +1 sight. +1 Trade Route capacity when civilization is met. Open Borders with all city-states.Domination7

 

Civ 6 Tier List: All Pantheons Ranked

Do not underestimate the value of Pantheons. This is one of the most important considerations of the early game. One consideration is doing the Shrine Rush, where you get Pottery first, then build A Scout and Shrine. This will allow you a greater choice of Pantheons, which is critically important, as these benefits last you the entirety of the game.

NameDescriptionTier
God of the Open Sky+1  Culture from Pastures. Especially Australia/Scythia.A
Divine Spark+1  Great Person Points from Holy Sites (Prophet), Campuses with a Library (Scientist), and Theater Squares with an Amphitheater (Writer).A
God of the Forge+25%  Production toward Ancient and Classical military units.A
Goddess of Festivals+1  Culture from Plantations.A
Religious SettlementsWhen chosen receive a Settler in your capital. Border expansion rate is 15% faster. Especially Russia.A
Fertility RitesWhen chosen receive a Builder in your capital. City growth rate is 10% higher. Especially China.A
Earth Goddess+2  Faith from tiles with Breathtaking Appeal. Especially Inca.B
God of the Sea+1  Production from Fishing Boats. Especially Indonesia/Norway/Maori.B
Goddess of the Hunt+1  Food and +1  Production from Camps. Especially Canada.B
God of Craftsmen+1  Production and +1  Faith from improved Strategic resources. Especially Mongolia.B
Desert FolkloreHoly Site districts get +1  Faith from adjacent Desert tiles. Especially Mali.B
Dance of the AuroraHoly Site districts get +1  Faith from adjacent Tundra tiles. Especially Russia.B
City Patron Goddess+25%  Production toward districts in cities without a specialty district.C
Religious Idols+2  Faith from Mines over Luxury and Bonus resources. Especially Nubia.C
Fire Goddess+2  Faith from Geothermal Fissures and Volcanic Soil. Especially Hungary.C
Monument to the Gods+15%  Production to Ancient and Classical era Wonders. Especially China.C
Sacred PathHoly Site districts get +1  Faith from adjacent Rainforest tiles. Especially Brazil.C
Lady of the Reeds and Marshes+2  Production from Marsh, Oasis, and Desert Floodplains. Especially Egypt.C
Initiation Rites+50  Faith for each Barbarian Outpost cleared. The unit that cleared the Barbarian Outpost heals +100 HP. Especially Sumeria.D
River Goddess+2  Amenities and +2  Housing to cities if they have a Holy Site district adjacent to a River. Especially KhmerD
God of HealingIncreases Healing by +30 in your Holy Site district, or any adjacent tiles.D
God of WarBonus  Faith equal to 50% of the strength of each enemy unit killed within 8 tiles of a Holy Site district you own.D
Stone Circles+2  Faith from Quarries.D

Which Pantheon in Civ 6 is the Best?

When choosing a Pantheon, it is best to select one that has an ongoing benefit regardless of your location or what geographical benefits are within your vicinity.

The best Pantheon in Civ 6 is “Religious Settlements” because you are able to capture more ground with fewer cities. This enables more flexible location selection for new Cities and allows you to grab vital strategic resources more easily (horses, iron).

Fertility Rites is a close second, but growing indefinitely isn’t necessary for Civ 6, as many of the benefits are capped at specific population numbers (ie, you need 7 populations for a successful City, and no more than 10 is necessary).

Civ 6 Tier List: Best Places of Worship

Just a friendly reminder that this is purely game-related! We are not judging anyone’s religion! The Mosque takes the cake. The additional spread by Missionaries and Apostles can add up significantly if you are actively spreading your faith across the world.

NameTypeAbilityTier
MosqueWorship+3  Faith; Missionaries and Apostles +1 Spread Religion chargeS
SynagogueWorship+5  FaithA
Meeting HouseWorship+3  Faith; +2  ProductionA
WatWorship+3  Faith; +2  ScienceA
PagodaWorship+3  Faith; +1 Diplomatic FavorB
StupaWorship+3  Faith; +1  AmenityB
GurdwaraWorship+3  Faith, +2  Food, +1 housingB
Dar-e MehrWorship+3  Faith; +1 additional  Faith for each era since constructed or last repaired. Immune to environmental effectsC
CathedralWorship+3  Faith; 1 slot for religious artC

 

 

Civ 6 Tier List: Best Founder Beliefs

If you founded a religion, you are privy to some additional benefits. More specifically, you receive perks from all followers of your religion, even if they’re not part of your Civ.

NameTypeAbilityTier
PilgrimageFounder+2  Faith for every city following this Religion.A
TitheFounder+3 gold for each city following this religionA
Sacred PlacesFounder+2 Science, Culture, Gold and Faith for each city following this religion that has a world wonderA
Cross-Cultural DialogueFounder+1  Science for every 4 followers of this Religion in other civilizations.B
World ChurchFounder+1  Culture for every 4 followers of this Religion in other civilizations.B
Lay MinistryFounderEach Holy Site or Theater Square district in a city following this Religion provides +1  Faith or +1  Culture respectively.C
StewardshipFounderEach Campus or Commercial Hub district in a city following this Religion provides +1  Science or +1  Gold respectively.C
Papal PrimacyFounderWhen you send an  Envoy to a City-State it adds 200 Religious pressure to that City-State.D
Religious UnityFounder+1  Envoy at each city-state when it first adopts this religion, in addition to any envoy from a city-state quest.D

 

Civ 6 Tier List: Best Follower Beliefs

Much less potent than the Founder beliefs, the Follower beliefs can still add a boost to your gameplay.

NameTypeAbilityTier
Work EthicFollowerHoly site district’s faith adjacency provides equal productionS
Choral MusicFollowerShrines and Temples provide  Culture equal to their intrinsic  Faith output.A
Divine InspirationFollowerAll world wonders provide +4  Faith.A
Jesuit EducationFollowerMay purchase Campus and Theater Square district buildings with  Faith.B
ReliquariesFollowerRelics have triple yield of both  Faith and  Tourism.B
Warrior MonksFollowerAllows spending  Faith to train Warrior Monks, medieval land combat units with a unique promotion tree. May only be purchased in a city with a Temple in its Holy Site. Holy sites culture bomb adjacent tilesC
Feed the WorldFollowerShrines and Temples provide +3 food and +3 housing eachC
Zen MeditationFollower+1  Amenity in cities with 2 specialty districts.C
Religious CommunityFollowerInternational trade routes provide +1 gold for every Temple and Shrine in the origin cityD

Civ 6 Tier List: Best Enhancer Beliefs

Wrapping up our section on Religion, Enhancer Beliefs come later in game and has mostly to do with combat and spreading your religion further.

NameTypeAbilityTier
Religious ColonizationEnhancerCities start with this religion in place if founded by a player who has this as their majority religion.S
ScriptureEnhancerReligious spread from adjacent city pressure is 25% stronger. Boosted to 50% once Printing Press is researched.S
Itinerant PreachersEnhancerReligion spreads to cities 30% further away.A
Missionary ZealEnhancerReligious units ignore movement costs of terrain and features.B
Monastic IsolationEnhancerYour Religion’s pressure never drops due to losses in Theological Combat.B
Defender of the FaithEnhancerCombat units gain +5  Combat Strength near friendly cities that follow this Religion.B
Holy WatersEnhancerIncreases healing of your religious units by +10 in Holy Site districts belonging to cities with your majority religion, or any adjacent tilesC
CrusadeEnhancerCombat units gain +10 Combat Strength near foreign cities that follow this Religion.C
Holy OrderEnhancerMissionaries and Apostles are 30% cheaper to Purchase.C

 

Civ 6 Tier List: Best governments at every stage of the game:

Early GameThe first thing you need to do is determine if you will be going to war early, or not. If you choose  to go to war, then choose Oligarchy. If not, then choose Classical Republic
Early-ish gameMerchant Republic is a safe bet for any win type. If you are choosing to go for religion, then go for Theology. Monarchy is good for a few select Civs like Hungary and Poland.
Mid GameFascism for domination, Communism for Science, and Democracy for everything else.
Late GameSynthetic Technocracy for Science, Corporate for Domination, and Digital Democracy for everything else.

 

Civ 6 Tier List: All Wonders Ranked

civ6wonders

Similar to the Pantheons, Wonders allow ongoing benefits throughout the entirety of the game (so long as you are in control of it!). Planning around Wonders is important, because of the high amount of turns it takes to build them.

In that same amount of time, you can build several scouts, settlers, warriors, or builders, so you need to consider the opportunity cost. Is that wonder worth the trade-off, especially in the early game?

In short, some of them are worth it. Some of them are not. This list will help you see that distinction.

WonderAbilityDomSciCulRelDipTier
Forbidden City+5 Culture +1 Wildcard policy slot88888S
Pyramids+2 Culture Grants a free Builder. All Builders can build one extra improvement.78877S
Taj Mahal+1 Era Score from Historic Moment earned after the wonder is complete if that Moment is usually worth 2 or more Era Score.77837A
Colosseum+2 Culture, +2 Amenities and +2 Loyalty to each City Center within 6 tiles88838A
Big Ben+6 Gold +3 Great Merchant points per turn +1 Economic policy slot Upon construction the treasury is increased by 50%.68845A
Apadana+2 Great Work slots +2 Envoys when you build a wonder, including Apadana, in this city.56858A
Kilwa Kisiwani+3 Envoys when built When you are the Suzerain of a City-state this city gains a +15% boost to the yield provided by that City-state. If you are the Suzerain of 2 or more City-states of that type an additional 15% boost is given to all your cities.67777A
Oxford University+3 Great Scientist points per turn +2 Great Works of Writing slots +20% Science in city, and awards 2 randomly chosen free technologies when completed.68726A
Mausoleum at HalicarnassusCoastal tiles in this city gain +1 science, culture and faith. All Great Engineers have an additional charge.48857A
Temple of Artemis+4 Food +3 Housing Each Camp, Pasture, and Plantation within 4 tiles provides +1 Amenity.67757A
Petra+2 Food, +2 Gold, and +1 Production on all Desert tiles for this city (non-Floodplains)77737B
Ruhr Valley+20% Production in this city, and +1 Production for each Mine and Quarry in this city.78547B
Great Library+2 Science +1 Great Scientist point per turn +1 Great Writer point per turn +2 Great Works of Writing slots Receives boost to all Ancient and Classical era technologies. Receive a random tech boost after another player recruits a Great Scientist.75845B
Oracle=+1 Culture +1 Faith Patronage of Great People costs 25% less Faith. Districts in this city provide +2 Great Person points of their type.46834B
Jebel BarkalAwards 4 Iron per turn. Provides +4 Faith to your cities that are within 6 tiles.74784C
Bolshoi Theatre+2 Great Writer points per turn. +2 Great Musician points per turn. +1 Great Work of Writing slot. +1 Great Work of Music slot. Awards 2 randomly-chosen free civics when completed.44845C
Hanging GardensIncreases Growth by 15% in all cities. +2 Housing55555C
Colossus+3 Gold +1 Great Admiral point per turn +1 Trade Route capacity Grants a Trader unit.55644C
St. Basil’s Cathedral+3 Relic slots. +100% Religious Tourism from this city. +1 Food, +1 Production and +1 Culture from all Tundra tiles for this city.45745C
Statue of ZeusGrants 3 Archers, 3 Spearmen, and a Battering Ram. +50% Production towards anti-cavalry units. +3 Gold per turn.85544C
Potala Palace+2 Culture +3 Faith +1 Diplomatic policy slot +1 Diplomatic Victory Point when built.35738C
Broadway+3 Great Writer points per turn. +3 Great Musician points per turn. +1 Great Work of Writing slot. +2 Great Work of Music slot. +20% Culture in that city Gain a free random Atomic Era civic boost34835C
Chichen Itza+2 Culture and +1 Production to all Rainforest tiles for this city36735C
Alhambra+2 Amenities +1 Great General point per turn +1 Military policy slot Provides the same defensive bonuses as the Fort improvement.77444C
Machu Picchu+4 Gold Mountain tiles provide a standard adjacency bonus to Commercial Hub, Theater Square and Industrial Zone districts in all cities.66746C
Terracotta Army+2 Great General points per turn All current land units gain a promotion level. All Archaeologists from the owner may enter foreign lands without Open Borders.84544C
Eiffel TowerAll tiles in your civilization gain +2 Appeal33863C
Casa de Contratación+3 Great Merchant points per turn Gain 3 Governor promotions All your cities on your non-home continent with a Governor gain +15% Production, +15% Faith and +15% Gold.86554D
Kotoku-in+20% Faith in this city Grants 4 Warrior Monks.63583D
Estádio do Maracanã+6 Culture in each city of your civilization +2 Amenities in each city of your civilization44545D
Great Zimbabwe+5 Gold +2 Great Merchant points per turn. +1 Trade Route capacity. Your Trade Routes from this city get +2 Gold for every Bonus resource in this city’s territory.36636D
Hermitage+3 Great Artist points per turn +4 Great Works of Art slots23822D
Amundsen-Scott Research Station+5 Great Scientist points per turn +20% Science and +10% Production in all cities. Yields are doubled if there are 5 Snow or Snow Hill tiles within 3 tiles of a city owned by this player.68344D
Stonehenge+2 Faith Grants a free Great Prophet. Great Prophets may found a religion on Stonehenge instead of a Holy Site.55575D
Cristo Redentor+4 Culture Tourism output from Relics and Holy Cities is not diminished by other civilizations who have researched The Enlightenment civic. Doubles Tourism output of Seaside Resorts across your civilization.22823D
Great Lighthouse+3 Gold +1 Great Admiral point per turn. +1 Movement for all naval units.73322D
BiosphèreReceive +200% Power for all Offshore Windfarms, Solar Farms, Wind Farms, Geothermal Plants, and Hydroelectric Dams. This building and these improvements provide Tourism equal to their Power. +1 Appeal to tiles adjacent to Rainforest and Marsh in your empire.17816D
Statue of Liberty+4 Diplomatic Victory points when built. All your cities within 6 tiles are 100% Loyal.62218F
Great Bath+3 Housing +1 Amenity from entertainment The Floodplains tiles along the river containing the Wonder become immune to Flood damage at the cost of reducing Food and Production bonuses from flooding by 50% Floodplains tiles belonging to this city gain +1 Faith for each time Flood damage is mitigated55565F
Huey Teocalli+1 Amenity from Entertainment for each adjacent lake tile. +1 Food and +1 Production for each Lake tile in your empire34434F
Angkor Wat+2 Faith +1 Population in all current cities when built. +1 Housing in all cities.26452F
University of Sankore+3 Science +1 Faith +2 Great Scientist points per turn +2 Science for every Trade Route to this city Domestic Trade Routes grant an additional +1 Faith to this city. Other Civilizations’ Trade Routes to this city grant them +1 Science and +1 Gold.36444F
Sydney Opera House+8 Culture +5 Great Musician points per turn +3 Great Works of Music slots12713F
Venetian Arsenal+2 Great Engineer points per turn Receive a second naval unit each time you train a naval unit.74323F
Golden Gate Bridge+3 Amenities from entertainment +4 Appeal to all tiles in this city +100% Tourism from improvements and National Parks in this city Acts as a Modern Road and creates Modern Roads in land tiles on either end if not present Land units can cross without needing to disembark33833F
Hagia Sophia+4 Faith Missionaries and Apostles can spread religion 1 extra time.41383F
Panama CanalUpon completion 1 or 2 adjacent Canal districts are automatically constructed. The Canal wonder tile can now be crossed by naval units. +10 Gold73323F
Országház+4 Culture +100% Diplomatic Favor per turn from starting a turn as a Suzerain of a city-state.22218F
Mont St. Michel+2 Faith +2 Relic slots All Apostles you create gain the Martyr ability in addition to a second ability you choose normally.12551LOL
Mahabodhi Temple+4 Faith Grant 2 Apostles +2 Diplomatic Victory Points when built12478LOL
Meenakshi Temple+3 Faith Grants 2 Gurus Gurus are 30% cheaper to purchase. Religious units adjacent to Gurus gain +5 Religious Strength in Theological Combat and +1 Movement.12381LOL

Which Wonder is the Best?

Pyramids are the best wonder in Civ 6. The ongoing benefit of having an extra improvement from each worker cannot be understated. Across an entire game, consider how many fewer workers you will need. If you need fewer workers, consider how many turns you can allocate to building something else in your Cities.

 

Civ 6 Tier List: Best Natural Wonders

Natural Wonders are less important than Pantheons and normal wonders because the benefits are localized, so the benefits only apply to the nearby tiles. Nevertheless,  when settling, any one of these natural wonders can be beneficial, especially if you really milk its benefits. For example, if you were located near the Fountain of Youth, which has science and faith benefits, then it would be strongly advisable to place a Campus district and Holy Site district, which could compound the benefits. Each one of these has its perks, but it’s really a matter of luck with respect to which of these will end up near your Cities.

We would suggest checking this list whenever you run into one, so you can adjust your gameplay around the natural wonder accordingly.

WonderAbilityTier
Paititi+3 gold and +2 culture per adjacent tile. Major adjacency bonus for commercial hubs and theater squares. +4 gold for outgoing international trade routes.A
Fountain of Youth+4 science and +4 faith. Units that move next to it gain a unique promotion that allows them to heal +10 a turn.A
Eyjafjallajökull+1  Culture and +2  Food to adjacent tiles. Is considered a Volcano. On eruption grants medium yields and is most likely to damage buildings and districts. Infrequently erupts, but is always active.A
Matterhorn+1  Culture to adjacent tiles. Land units are given a permanent bonus when they move adjacent to Matterhorn wonder for the first time – this bonus lets them move more quickly on Hill tiles, and grants +3  Combat Strength when fighting in hills.A
Mount Roraima+1  Faith and +1  Science to adjacent tiles.A
Torres del PaineDoubles the base terrain yields of all adjacent tiles. Tile feature bonuses (such as Forest, Rainforest, and Marsh yields) are not modified.A
Uluru+2  Culture and +2  Faith to adjacent tiles. +4 Appeal to adjacent tiles (instead of the usual +2)A
Zhangye Danxia+2  Great General and +2  Great Merchant points if you own at least one of the tiles.A
Giant’s CausewayGrants a permanent +5  Combat Strength bonus to land units when they move adjacent to the wonder for the first time. The bonus is reset when the unit is upgraded.A
Tsingy de Bemaraha+1  Culture and +1  Science to adjacent tiles.B
Galápagos Islands+2  Science to adjacent tiles.B
Gobustan+3  Culture and +1  Production on wonder tilesB
Hạ Long Bay3  Food, 1  Production, and 1  Culture on wonder tiles. +15  Combat Strength when defending on wonder tiles.B
Lake Retba1  Production, 2  Gold and 2  Culture on wonder tiles.B
Mount Kilimanjaro2  Food to adjacent tiles. Is considered a Volcano. On eruption it gives low yields and is most likey to damage improvements and buildings. Infrequently erupts, but is always active.B
Mount Vesuvius+1  Production to adjacent tiles Acts as a Volcano. On eruption it gives high yields to adjacent tiles, but large  Population loss. Always active.B
Pamukkale+1  Amenity. Provides an additional  Amenity if adjacent to an Entertainment Complex. Major adjacency bonus to Theater Square, Campus and Commercial Hub districts. Standard adjacency bonus to the Holy Site district.B
Piopiotahi+1  Gold and +1  Culture to adjacent tiles.B
Sahara el Beyda1  Science, 1  Culture and 4  Gold on wonder tiles.B
Cliffs of Dover3  Culture and 2  Gold on wonder tiles and +4 appeal to adjacent tilesC
Yosemite+1  Gold, +1 food, and +1  Science to adjacent tilesC
Chocolate Hills1  Food, 2  Production and 1  Science on wonder tiles.C
Dead Sea2  Faith and 2  Culture on wonder tiles. Units healing on adjacent tiles are healed completely.C
Great Barrier Reef3  Food and 2  Science on wonder tiles.C
Ik-Kil+50%  Production when producing wonders and districts in the adjacent tiles.C
LysefjordNaval units are granted a free promotion when they move adjacent to the wonder for the first time.C
Mount Everest+1  Faith to adjacent tiles. Religious units are given a permanent bonus whem they move adjacent to Mount Everest for the first time – this bonus lets them move on hills more quickly.C
Pantanal2  Food, 2  Culture on wonder tiles.C
Mato Tipila1  Faith and 1  Production to adjacent tilesC
Bermuda TriangleNaval units that pass through it receive a movement bonus and get teleported to another ocean tile. +5 science for each adjacent tileD
Crater Lake1  Science and 4  Faith on wonder tile.D
Delicate Arch+2  Faith and +1  Gold to adjacent tiles.D
Eye of the Sahara+2 Production and +1 Science on wonder tiles. Additional 1  Production and 3  Science on wonder tiles after the game reaches the Atomic Era.D
Ubsunur Hollow2  Faith, 1  Food and 1  Production on wonder tiles.D

Most Commonly Searched Questions

In doing all of the research for this article, we learned that there are a lot of elements to this game that people find confusing. So, here are some of the most searched questions and their answers that can hopefully shed some light on the nuances of the game.

 

How do you do a Culture Bomb in Civ 6?

Firstly, not every Civilization can do a Culture Bomb out of the gate. The Civs that have this ability are Poland, Australia, the Dutch, Maori, Gaul and Khmer.

  • Poland: Golden Liberty (build Encamptments or Forts)
  • Australia: Land Down Under (build Pastures)
  • Dutch: Grote Rivieren (build harbors)
  • Maori: Mana (build fishing boats)
  • Gaul: Hallstatt Culture (build mines)
  • Khmer: Jayavarman VII leader ability, Monasteries of the King (build holy sites)

You can also do a Culture Bomb by achieving the Enhancer Belief “Burial Grounds”, by building a Holy Site (changed in Gathering Storm to Follower Belief “Warrior Monks”.

Other methods of achieving the Culture Bomb:

  • A great Engineer Mimar Sinan can grant it when building an Industrial Zone
  • The World Congress resolution Border Control Treaty can also trigger a Culture Bomb upon competition of any district, to whomever wins it.

 

What’s the use of a National Park in Civ 6?

There are several benefits, but its best to check out our Civ 6 National Park article on the subject to get a full breakdown.  In short, its an effective feature when pursuing a Cultural Victory as it boosts tourism.

 

Does War Weariness Go Away in Civ 6?

War Weariness typically lasts approximately 10 turns. However, there are some complicating factors. It occurs quicker in cities that you did not originally build and it can also last longer.

Further, it won’t just go away on it’s own. You need to ensure you stop losing units, especially in foreign lands (2 for foreign lands, 1 in allied lands). One way to mitigate the effect is by working towards happiness with various amenities.

 

How long does the Warmonger penalty last in Civ 6 and how do you get rid of it?

The Warmonger penalty in Civ 6 depends on the level of your aggression. It decays at a rate of 0.5 per turn, so it could take hundreds of turns if you have been particularly aggressive! Consider that the declaration of a formal war costs 200 points, and you can see that this can be a very long-term problem.

In order to get rid of the Warmongering penalty in Civ 6, you need to liberate cities (instead of annexing or destroying), and if you return a city to the original owner, the penalty is erased.

 

Is there an optimal Build Order in Civ 6?

Yes, we have prepared an extensive guide on this subject. If you are new, we suggest playing through this guide as Trajan of Rome and this will show you the fundamentals. If you are experienced, it’s worth a read to see how your style compares!

 

How do you use a battering ram in Civ 6?

In order to use a Battering Ram in Civ 6, simply place it beside a City with walls, and then attack the City with other units. The battering ram is not a stand-alone unit that attacks, but rather, it enhances the strength of other units when attacking a City with walls.

The battering ram does not do anything if the City does not have walls. However, it can be devastating to a walled city as every attacking unit will receive a significant boost.

 

What’s an inquisition in Civ 6?

An inquisition in Civ 6 removes other religions from your cities. It is an incredibly valuable unit if you are pursuing a religious victory.

 

What does an Apostle do in Civ 6?

An apostle is a unit that spreads religion like missionaries but can also engage in Theological Combat. In Theological Combat, your apostle can battle other religions’ apostles and missionaries which reduces their spread accordingly. The apostle also has special abilities like launching Inquisitions (explained above) or Evangelizing Beliefs. Evangelizing beliefs involves consuming the unit but providing a very significant religious boost to the tile where he is located.

 

What’s the difference between the difficulty levels in Civ 6?

Generally speaking, Prince is the “normal” level where you nor the AI have any advantages.

Unfortunately, in Civ, the AI does not play more intelligently or less intelligently at different difficulty levels. Instead, what happens is that at lower difficulty levels, you end up receiving various bonuses, and at higher levels, the AI starts receiving different bonuses.

Here is a detailed breakdown of the difficulty levels in Civ 6.

 

How do you use a Military Engineer in Civ 6?

A military engineer builds roads, forts, railroads, silos, airstrips, and tunnels. In order to use the Military Engineer, place them on a tile that can support one of these improvements, and execute the action.

 

How do you form an Alliance in Civ 6?

In order to form an Alliance in Civ 6, you need to continually improve relations with another Civ until you are able to declare each other as friends. Once this is done, options will appear that allow requesting alliances. There are 5 types of alliances: Religious, Economic, Military, Research and Cultural.

 

How do you get an Archaeologist in Civ 6 and how do you use one?

An archaeologist can only be built in a Theater Square with an Archaeological Museum in the Industrial Era. The archaeologist can extract artifacts that are placed in the Archaeological Museum which boosts Culture and Tourism.

 

What’s better, Civ 5 or Civ 6?

The gameplay between the two games is not extremely different, however, Civ 6 has better late-game performance and there is a notable visual graphical style between the two genres.

In Civ 5, you will notice that in the late game on large maps, your computer will slow to a crawl even if you have a very powerful computer. In Civ 6, this simply does not occur. It appears that Civ 5 was not optimized to use your hardware to its maximum potential. For this reason alone, we would recommend Civ 6 as the better game of the two.

The second key difference is the graphical style. Civ 6 is notably more “cartoony” and Civ 5 appears more realistic. This is a matter of preference.

The gameplay itself is remarkably robust in both games. We have spent hundreds of hours in both games we cannot pick one as more fun than the other. You can check out our Civ 5 Tier List here.

 

Summary

Going back to the meat and potatoes of this article, we ultimately recommend playing with whatever Tier you want! It’s a game, it’s meant to be fun. Whether you’re playing as an S-Tier civ or a LOL-Tier civ, you can rest assured you will still utter “just… one… more.. turn..” under your breath, as you play into the middle of the night. Have fun!

Some background information:

Sid Meier’s Civilization VI was released in 2016 and is still a popular game, with a Metacritic score of 88 and 9.5 scores from different publications. So far, Civilization 6 received four major expansions: Rise and Fall, Gathering Storm, Red Death, and New Frontier.

The last expansion, New Frontier was released this year in May, and it has brought four downloadable content packs. Pack five will be added in January 2021 and Pack six will be available in March 2021.

The purpose of the game is to:

  • Found cities and manage them so that they continually grow;
  • Create various improvements around the cities to promote growth and productivity, such as farms and mines;
  • Explore randomly generated maps with scouts and other units;
  • Develop a military to defend against and attack roaming barbarians and other civilizations;
  • Advance your technology, government structure and culture between the Ancient Era and Future Eras; and,
  • Manage diplomatic relations and trade with other civilizations

Civilization 6 is available for a long list of platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Android, macOS, iOS, Windows PC, Linux, Classic Mac OS, and the next-generation platforms PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X.

Special Thanks to Twitch Streamer CivCenturion who undertook some truly exceptional analysis in preparing some of the rankings for this Civ 6 Tier List. ProClockers modified some of these tables for easy reading.

Want more Civilization content? Check out our Civ 5 Tier List here, and our detailed Civ 6 Guide here.

If you enjoyed this list, don’t forget to check out our other tier lists:

Who’s your favorite Civ 6 Leader? Leave a comment below.

Dan Western is the founder of Gaming Gorilla, as well as several other infotainment blogs. When he's not working on his business, he's likely in the gym or playing video games. Dan's current setup is a PS5/Nintendo Switch living room setup, and a custom RTX 3090, I9-10850K inside the Lian Li 011D Mini for his office setup.

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *