Civilization 7 Leaders Tier Checklist

Civilization 7 introduces a number of huge modifications to the collection, most notably the Ages mechanic that has you swap out your civilization for a brand new one as the sport progresses by way of Antiquity, Exploration, and Trendy Ages. Your alternative of chief, although, sticks with you all through the whole sport.

Whereas they don’t present as many traits and models as Civilizations, Leaders nonetheless have highly effective skills that may create some glorious mixtures when blended and matched. That can assist you out, we’ve created this tier record of each Chief and highlighted their strengths and weaknesses. This could assist you to select who you need to be the face of your empire as you construct your future all the way in which into the Trendy Age.

Civilization 7 Chief Tier Checklist

S-Tier – Confucius, Xerxes King of Kings, Ashoka World Conquerer, Augustus

A-Tier – Ashoka World Renouncer, Benjamin Franklin, Charlemagne, Harriet Tubman, Hatshepsut, Himiko Excessive Shaman, Isabella, Jose Rizal, Machiavelli, Trung Trac, Xerxes The Achaemenid

B-Tier – Amina, Catherine The Nice, Friedrich Indirect, Ibn Battuta, Lafayette, Napoleon Emperor, Napoleon Revolution, Tecumseh, Himiko Queen of Wa

C-Tier – Friedrich Baroque, Pachacuti

S-Tier Leaders

S-Tier: Ashoka, World Conquerer

• +1 Manufacturing for each 5 extra Happiness in Cities.
• +10% Manufacturing in Settlements not based by you.
• Declaring a Formal Battle grants a Celebration. +5 Fight Energy towards Districts for all Models throughout a Celebration.

Ashoka, World Conquerer is all about protecting your individual residents blissful whereas terrorizing different civilizations. Happiness is a really sturdy yield, and so long as you possibly can hold a powerful stream of extra Happiness, you’re going to get continuous advantages. Settlements not based by you and extra Happiness lead to additional Manufacturing that means you may make a variety of Models and preserve a powerful base to gas your warfare efforts. Additionally, declaring a Formal Battle grants you an automated Celebration. This provides you an prompt +5 Fight Energy towards Districts and All Models. This makes you glorious at placing your enemy on the again foot instantly as soon as a warfare is said.

With all the surplus Happiness, you possibly can seemingly get one or two additional Celebrations throughout a warfare, so that you undergo intervals of utmost navy energy. The one factor to handle is, as you’re taking over Settlements out of your fellow civs, coping with the unrest they create. Nevertheless, if you happen to can handle that and hold everybody blissful, Ashoka, World Conquerer is likely one of the strongest leaders within the sport.

S-Tier: Augustus

• +2 Manufacturing within the Capital for each City. Should buy Tradition Buildings in Cities.
• +50% Gold in the direction of buying Buildings in Cities.

Augustus will get a variety of advantages from a comparatively easy type of play. He’s all about going huge together with his Settlements and establishing as many Cities as potential, be that by way of settling or conquest. Apparently although, his worth is available in not upgrading Cities to Metropolis. That saves him Gold, however he will get a pleasant bonus to Gold and Manufacturing for sustaining as many Cities as potential.

He can flip his Capital right into a powerhouse, with all of his cities feeding his central base. On prime of he can purchase buildings cheaper in Cities, and has entry to purchasing Tradition buildings. This may actually add up, each giving him immense quantities of Manufacturing and Tradition, but in addition saving him cash alongside the way in which. It’s a properly rounded type of play with nice advantages and an easy-to-understand purpose. Simply get on the market and settle numerous Cities – or take them by power.

S-Tier: Confucius

• +25% Development Fee in Cities.
• +2 Science from Specialists.

Confucius is a grasp in relation to increasing his Cities. The pure +25% Development Fee in Cities is simply highly effective, particularly early on when land-grabbing is vital. You possibly can increase your borders a lot quicker than your opponents, absorbing key Sources earlier than they will. And you are able to do it with out the ache of going to warfare.

He additionally has ease turning into the most effective producers of Science within the sport because of getting +2 Science from Specialists. This may make him significantly potent, particularly ultimately sport the place his Specilasits stack up, and he has entry to rather more superior Expertise than different civilizations. He might have a bit of assist defending his lands, so a powerful Civilization pairing, or making a robust ally can go far. Exterior of that although, there’s not lots that’s going to cease Confucius from gobbling up all of the land he can, all whereas being one of the technologically superior.

S-Tier: Xerxes, King of Kings

• +3 Fight Energy for Models which can be attacking in impartial or enemy territory.
• Achieve 100 Tradition and Gold per Age upon capturing a Settlement for the primary time. +10% Gold in all Settlements, elevated even additional in Settlements not based by you.
• +1 Settlement restrict per Age.

Xerxes, King of Kings is as easy because it will get. He has one specialty – attacking different gamers and taking their Settlements. It’s not difficult or highbrowed, however it’s undoubtedly efficient, particularly in case you are on the lookout for a Army Victory.

He advantages from being the aggressor in each state of affairs, getting free fight power, that doesn’t require something to activate previous initiating fights in international territory. He’s additionally incentivized to take over as many Settlements as his limits will permit, although he even will get the next Settlement restrict. For doing so, not solely is he advancing the Army Legacy Path, he beneficial properties Tradition and Gold additional fueling his navy goals.

A-Tier Leaders

A-Tier: Ashoka, World Renouncer

• +1 Meals in Cities for each 5 extra Happiness.
• +10% Meals in all Settlements throughout Celebration.
• All buildings achieve a +1 Happiness adjacency for all Enhancements.

Whereas not as militarily spooky because the World Conquerer model of Ashoka, the World Renouncer is definitely nothing to smell at. Whereas the opposite model is about turning Happiness into navy may, this model of Ashoka is all about turning Happiness into inhabitants.

This modifications the play from attempting to take over as many Settlements together with your models, into going for a land seize and establishing Districts. This may be glorious in the precise arms, particularly those that know methods to handle large populations and metropolis development. You can too bypass the unrest of taking on Settlements, so there’s an argument the World Renouncer is as sturdy and even stronger. That mentioned, it requires a bit of extra finesse and doesn’t obtain the highly effective manufacturing bonuses. Both method although, so long as your inhabitants is blissful, your borders needs to be increasing if you happen to select to go the World Renouncer route.

A-Tier: Benjamin Franklin

• +1 Science per Age on Manufacturing Buildings in CIties.
• +50% Manufacturing in the direction of developing Manufacturing Buildings.
• +1 Science per Age lively Endeavors you began or supported.
• Can have two Endeavors of the identical sort lively at a time.

Benjamin Franklin is an distinctive and versatile Chief if you happen to intend to go down the Science route in your sport. What’s good is his specialties are in Science and Manufacturing, that means not solely are you able to analysis a variety of Expertise shortly, however you possibly can then make the product of your labor quickly after too.

His traits create a pleasant suggestions loop round Manufacturing Buildings the place developing Manufacturing Buildings may be performed quick, and he then will get additional Science for each. He additionally advantages from having good relations with these round him, and may additional his Science technology by coming into into Endeavors.

A-Tier: Charlemagne

• Army and Science Buildings obtain a Happiness adjacency for Quarters. Achieve 2 free Cavalry Models, as soon as unlocked, when coming into a Celebration.
• +5 Fight Energy for Cavalry Models throughout a Celebration.

Army and Science are at all times a robust mixture, permitting you to be on the leading edge of recent warfare Applied sciences, after which urgent that benefit. Charlemagne is inspired to push for Army and Science buildings to assist prop up some highly effective Happiness traits.

So long as he can hold his inhabitants blissful, he can frequently enter Celebrations, which in flip provides him free Cavalry Models. Whereas that’s happening too, these already sturdy early and mid-game models achieve much more power. It’s a really horse-centric technique, however stampeding over your fellow Civilizations is a really sturdy tactic within the early elements of the sport. Whereas he could wrestle extra within the Trendy Age as soon as the likes of Tanks and Planes are launched, he needs to be established with a really sturdy empire by then.

A-Tier: Harriet Tubman

• +100% Affect in the direction of Initiating Espionage Actions.
• Achieve 5 Battle Assist on all wars declared towards you.
• Models ignore motion penalties from Vegetation.

Harriet Tubman is undoubtedly one of many stealthiest selections in Civilization 7. Affect is usually a highly effective yield, and Harriet can wield it maybe most powerfully of all. She will trigger some actual hassle for different Civilizations by messing with them by way of technique of Espionage, permitting you to disrupt or steal benefits from others.

Even if you happen to get caught and anger a robust power, the 5 Battle Assist you get when a warfare is said towards you is a gigantic drain on them, that ought to mean you can grind out a victory. On prime of that, her armies are nimble, and capable of ignore vegetation, making her onerous to pin down, tricksy, and a ache to cope with when she’s defending.

A-Tier: Hatshepsut

• +1 Tradition for each imported Useful resource.
• +15% Manufacturing in the direction of the development of Buildings and Wonders in Cities adjoining to Navigable Rivers.

Hatshepsut can get entry to actually sturdy spikes in Tradition. It advantages her to have good relationships and set up Commerce Routes for imported Sources. She will get +1 Tradition for each, so each time she enters right into a commerce with one other civilization, it provides her a pleasant enhance of Tradition.

She’s additionally one of many highest at producing Wonders, but in addition, Buildings generally. This makes her very sturdy within the early Tradition Legacy Paths. Whereas she must be using a Navigable River, most cities needs to be on one anyway, so this isn’t a tough requirement to fulfill.

A-Tier: Himiko, Excessive Shaman

• +2 Happiness per Age on Happiness Buildings.
• +50% Manufacturing in the direction of developing Happiness Buildings.
• +20% Tradition however -10% Science, and these results are doubled whereas in a Celebration.

Himiko is probably the most effective producer of Tradition in Civilization 7. Her traits are very highly effective, and the combination it has with Happiness is a potent one. Establishing Happiness Buildings is quick because of the manufacturing bonus, and the Happiness Buildings solely get stronger with age. She additionally will get a ridiculous +20% passive enhance to Tradition, which doubles throughout Celebrations, additional feeding into Happiness.

Nevertheless, it comes with drawbacks. She additionally has a -10% passive to Science, which additionally doubles throughout a celebration. It will require you to pay attention to your handicap and work round it. That mentioned, so long as you both make the most of Endeavors or compensate for the Science loss with Buildings and assets, these potential peaks of Tradition boosts far outweigh the destructive Science nerf.

A-Tier: Isabella

• Achieve 300 Gold each time you uncover a Pure Surprise, doubled if the Pure Surprise is in Distant Lands.
• +100% extra tile yields from Pure Wonders.
• +50% Gold in the direction of buying Naval Models, and -1 Gold upkeep value for Naval Models.

Isabella can completely catapult herself early on if she will be able to discover a Pure Surprise. Particularly within the Antiquity Age, if discovered early sufficient, 300 Gold is an enormous boon. This enables her to purchase models or buildings that ought to put her fairly a bit forward if performed on the proper time. If she is ready to incorporate the Pure Surprise into her borders too, she’s going to get huge tile Yields, making it once more, very highly effective the sooner you are able to do it.

That mentioned, this in fact depends in your discovering and securing the Pure Wonders. She will fall sufferer to unfortunate map placement. If there’s no close by Pure Surprise early on, then she’s not going to be getting many advantages. That mentioned, it doesn’t matter what, she ought to have a powerful Navy, by shopping for water-based Models and sustaining them with no downside.

A-Tier: Jose Rizal

• When gaining rewards from Narrative Occasions, achieve an extra 20 Tradition and Gold per Age.
• Has extra Narrative Occasions.
• +50% Celebration length.
• +50% Happiness in the direction of Celebrations.

Jose Rizal is a grasp of Celebrations. The 50% Celebration Length and +50% Happiness in the direction of Celebrations tandem may be very sturdy. This can assist him make huge beneficial properties with highly effective Celebration results, particularly if he strikes within the route of Tradition. He may have Celebrations typically and have them lively for longer. That’s glorious.

He additionally will get good boosts of Tradition and Gold for the Narrative Occasions he participates in and fortunately they occur extra often to him than over civs. Whereas these seemingly received’t sway a sport on their very own, they’re a pleasant garnish on the Celebration synergy obtainable to him.

A-Tier: Machiavelli

• +3 affect per Age.
• Beneficial properties 50 Gold per Age when your Diplomatic Motion proposals are accepted or 100 Gold when they’re rejected.
• Ignore Relationship necessities for declaring Formal Wars.
• Can Levy Army Models from Metropolis-States you aren’t Suzerin of.

Machiavelli is a superb possibility for many who prefer to get positively devious. He has a robust synergy of Affect and Gold that makes him a menace always. Whereas he will not be on the offensive each second, his means to disregard Relationship Necessities to declare wars means even allies aren’t protected from a stab within the again.

Even his obvious energy degree may be misleading, as because of his means to realize a variety of Gold from Diplomatic Actions made together with his Affect, he can purchase significant navy power shortly. On prime of that, he has the very highly effective means to levy models from Metropolis-States he isn’t Suzerain of. He’s not finest at taking up sturdy armies and must be thought-about in his actions, however he excels at a smash-and-grab playstyle, even on the expense of his buddies.

A-Tier: Trung Trac

• Achieve 3 free Ranges in your first Military Commander.
• +20% Commander expertise.
• +10% Science in Cities in Tropical Areas. This bonus is doubled whereas in a Formal Battle you declare.

Trung Trac is the grasp of using the highly effective new Military Commander models. These models allow you to command a number of models without delay whereas offering them with highly effective bonuses. Whereas they aren’t essentially the strongest to start with, the extra ranges they get, the extra of a deciding issue they grow to be. Trung Trac not solely will get 20% Commander Expertise, however her Commanders spawn with three free ranges. This may make for some fairly sizeable spikes in navy energy that may affect wars. If her Commanders get actually highly effective and get a number of Commendations too, her armies will probably be a number of the strongest on the map.

She additionally will get a pleasant enhance to Science on Tropical Areas, a whopping 20% boostwhen at warfare, supercharging the formidable Science and Army combo. That mentioned, it’s map-dependent, as she’s going to want entry to these Tropical tiles.

A-Tier: Xerxes, The Achaemenid

• +1 Commerce Route restrict with all different leaders.
• +50 Tradition and 100 Gold per Age if you create a Commerce Route or Street.
• +1 Tradition and Gold per Age on Distinctive Buildings and Distinctive Enhancements.

Xerxes, The Achaemenid has entry to a pleasant number of yields and advantages. The 100 Gold and 50 Tradition he will get from creating Commerce Routes and Roads are glorious and may offer you huge spikes of each if you happen to arrange a number of across the similar time. Contemplating he will get entry to 1 additional Commerce Route too for every Chief, there’s a good synergy right here.

That’s solely helped by his buff to Tradition and Gold on Distinctive Buildings and Enhancements. Make no mistake, this can be a huge quantity of each, and when utilized correctly, it’s very, very sturdy.

B-Tier Leaders

B-Tier: Amina

• +1 Useful resource Capability in Cities.
• +1 Gold per Age for every Useful resource assigned to Cities.
• +5 Fight Energy on all Models in Plains or Desert.

Amina is unquestionably an honest Chief who does nicely with Sources. Sources are highly effective in Civilization 7, so getting access to extra isn’t a nasty factor. Whereas the +1 capability is sweet to have, the +1 Gold per Age for every Useful resource assigned to Cities is a superb Gold generator.

After all, you will have to get entry to as many Sources as potential whereas housing them too, so that’s the place your sport plan needs to be targeted. Her Models getting a +5 Fight Energy on all Models in Plains or Desert is a bit situational, but it surely may are available in clutch in the precise circumstances.

B-Tier: Catherine the Nice

• +2 Tradition per Age on displayed Nice Works. Constructing with Nice Works slot achieve 1 extra slot.
• Cities settled in Tundra achieve Science equal to a share of their Tradition per flip.

Catherine the Nice is mostly an ideal producer of Tradition. Displaying Nice Works is part of the Tradition Legacy Path, so her gaining access to additional slots to show them may be helpful when attempting to run by way of that as quick as potential. The Tradition enhance for doing so may even feed extra Nice Works, making a pleasant suggestions loop.

That mentioned, she is usually a little situational. Her cities being on Tundra do make for glorious Science output in tandem together with her Tradition technology. That mentioned, if you happen to can’t decide on Tundras or their barrenness finally ends up hurting you by way of assets, she is usually a little trickier to make the most of.

B-Tier: Friedrich, Indirect

• Military Commanders begin with the Benefit Commendation, granting them extra Command Radius.
• Achieve an Infantry Unit if you assemble a Science Constructing.

The Indirect model of Friedrich is probably going his higher possibility, although he’s nonetheless removed from the most effective within the sport. That isn’t to say he isn’t with out advantage although. Military Commanders are sturdy Models and the Benefit Commendations present probably the most highly effective results amongst them. Beginning with a kind of is an efficient approach to enhance your military’s energy early on. The extra Command Radius is as highly effective as any buffs and debuffs, permitting you to have an effect on extra Models.

He can also get an Infantry Unit when developing a Science Constructing, which is a pleasant incentive to place your Gold and Manufacturing into these. That mentioned, he has no entry to Science, Affect, or Tradition buffs. Even for a scientific-focused Civilization, he can find yourself hurting his viability a bit as he’ll seemingly lag behind different specialists.

B-Tier: Ibn Battuta

• Achieve 2 Wildcard Attribute Factors after the primary Civic in each Age.
• +1 Sight for all Models.
• Achieve a singular Endeavor referred to as Commerce Maps that means that you can progressively see different Leaders’ Explored space.

Ibn Battuta may grow to be a robust Civilization if performed accurately, although he’s so versatile, his strengths will not be obvious to these undecided methods to make the most of Attribute Factors. Getting 2 of those after the primary Civic in every Age means that he’s versatile, and may spec himself into the state of affairs he finds himself in. That mentioned, with that flexibility comes extra alternative and complexity that is likely to be a bit of unwieldy for brand new gamers.

Likewise, his visibility of the map granted from stealing different Explored areas and the additional sight from models is one thing that may be highly effective in skilled arms. Nevertheless that worth won’t be obvious to these much less versed in methods to make use of that data. He brings lots to the desk and may be very versatile. Simply ensure you understand how to make the most of that.

B-Tier: Lafayette

• Achieve a singular Endeavor referred to as Reform, which grants an extra Social Coverage slot. Supporting this Endeavor additionally grants the opposite chief an extra Social Coverage Slot.
• +1 Fight Energy for each Custom, however not Coverage, slotted into Authorities.
• +1 Tradition and Happiness per Age in Settlements, doubled in Distant Lands.

Lafayette has entry to some good traits, although they aren’t probably the most eye-catching in isolation. Him having the ability to use Reform to get extra Social Coverage Slots is sweet, and can assist present yield boosts. The +1 Fight Energy he will get from Traditions too is nothing to smell at. That mentioned, even with yield-focused insurance policies, he could wrestle to maintain up with extra specialised Leaders.

The +1 to Tradition and Happiness per Age, which is doubled in Distant Lands, is a very unconditional buff although. That’s good to have. This all comes collectively to make him a very good Civilization, with a pleasant choice of good traits, although nothing right here is completely compelling right here by itself.

B-Tier: Napoleon, Emperor

• Achieve a singular Sanction referred to as Continental System that reduces the Commerce Route restrict of the focused Chief to all different Leaders. Causes huge Relationship penalty, and prices extra to reject.
• +8 Gold per Age for each Chief you might be Unfriendly or Hostile with.
• Can reject endeavors for Free.

Napoleon, Emperor is for many who like being a little bit of a brat. He will get advantages from being a troll, gaining an excellent +8 Gold for each Chief he’s Unfriendly or Hostile with. That may be lots if he’s annoying everybody. His Continental System Sanction messes with different civilizations’ means to commerce, making it a wonderful choice to tick off his neighbors.

The issue is available in managing that detest. This implies will probably be very onerous to enter into Endeavors, and even hold Open Borders with these round you. After all, it can additionally paint an infinite goal in your again. Since he gives no buffs to his Models militarily, that’s a harmful sport. So, if you happen to’re going to be a jerk to everybody, be sure to have the military to again it up simply in case the results of your actions catch as much as you.

B-Tier: Napoleon, Revolutionary

• +1 Motion for all Land Models.
• Defending an enemy unit gives Tradition equal to 50% % of its Fight Energy.

Napoleon, Revolutionary is an attention-grabbing Chief. All of his land models get +1 motion which is useful when attempting to each traverse massive areas, in addition to being nimble when maneuvering round enemy models.

Nevertheless, the way you make the most of his different trait is probably going going to be what decides if you happen to do nicely with him or not. Tradition equal to 50% of enemy Fight Energy when defending may be very spikey, providing you with a variety of Tradition if you end up defending a number of occasions per flip. Nevertheless, to make the most effective of this, you should end up on this place comparatively typically. Meaning you’re going to need to be upsetting enemies, however holding your floor. It’s a reasonably distinctive playstyle and could also be a bit awkward for some. But when used nicely, it could possibly be a giant supply of Tradition. Simply anticipate to be placing different assets into sustaining your military as you frequently take hits.

B-Tier: Tecumseh

• +1 Meals and Manufacturing per Age in Settlements for each Metropolis-State you might be Suzerain of.
• +1 Fight Energy for all of your Models for each Metropolis-State you might be Suzerin of.

Tecumseh has the potential to be excellent, however it can want time and setup. He’s all about turning into the Suzerain of Metropolis-States. In the event you can rack up three or 4 of those, that’s a big bonus to Meals and Manufacturing, in addition to Fight Energy.

The problem is that turning into a Suzerain takes a variety of Affect and he doesn’t have an inherent trait that helps. So he’ll want a very good pairing with a Civilization, Coverage, and Buildings/Districts to facilitate this. On prime of that, it can simply take time so that you can get the Affect you want and persuade these states they need to come below your wing. Nevertheless, when you’ve got the infrastructure for it, the rewards may be pure and constant worth.

B-Tier: Himiko, Queen of Wa

• Achieve a singular Endeavor referred to as Pal of Wei that may be carried out in an Alliance to grant you and your ally +25% Science.
• +4 Science per Age for each Chief you might be Pleasant or Useful with.
• Can help Endeavors without spending a dime.

Himiko, Queen of Wa is the alternative of Napoleon, Emperor. She is all about being everybody’s finest good friend, and if you happen to can preserve that, you’ll reap huge advantages. The +4 Science per Age for each Chief you’re Pleasant or Useful with is barely helped by the Pal of Wei Endeavor. Multiply that by a number of allies, and that’s critical Science manufacturing.

Nevertheless, you do need to be a bit of cautious with it too. Be sure being good to everybody doesn’t come at the price of your defensive navy. Your Technological advances and sunny demeanor could make others jealous, so don’t get caught out pondering everyone seems to be your good friend. That may exit the window shortly when they need what you may have.

C-Tier Leaders

C-Tier: Friedrich, Baroque

• Achieve a Nice Work if you seize a Settlement for the primary time.
• Achieve an Infantry Unit if you assemble a Tradition Constructing.

Friedrich, Baroque has two traits and neither is especially sturdy or distinct. Gaining a Nice Work for capturing a Settlement for the primary time is first rate, however is unlikely to outright assist you to win video games. In a area of very sturdy Chief traits, this feels merely ‘high quality’.

Gaining an Infantry Unit when constructing a Tradition Constructing can also be helpful, and can assist gas your navy ambitions, but it surely’s not precisely going to make up for having no yield bonuses right here. There are simply many stronger choices in relation to Tradition and your Army.

C-Tier: Pachacuti

• All Buildings achieve a +1 Meals adjacency bonus for Mountains.
• Specialists adjoining to Mountains don’t value Happiness upkeep

Pachacuti isn’t a nasty Chief. Actually, in some video games, he may be distinctive. The issue is, he may also do subsequent to nothing if the map hasn’t favored you. To excel, you want Mountains. If he can settle close to them, then he’ll get good entry to a very good quantity of Meals and have little disadvantage from Specialists. That may be actually good, particularly when paired with Civilizations that make the most of Mountains too.

The issue is, that’s a strict requirement. With out Mountains, he gives little else, so if you happen to spawn on a map with none round you, you’re out of luck. After all, you can begin over, or transfer the map sliders in your favor earlier than choosing him, however if you need a impartial expertise the place you begin and play on a standard map, know you’re rolling the cube if you begin.

Patrick is a a contract journalist with over 13 years of expertise who loves going deep on video games and entering into their techniques. His four-figure hours into each Overwatch 2 and Future 2 are a testomony to that.