Civilization 7 introduces several significant changes, notably the Ages mechanic that transitions your civilization through Antiquity, Exploration, and Modern Ages. However, your chosen leader remains constant throughout the game. While leaders don't offer as many traits and units as civilizations, their abilities can lead to powerful synergies. To assist in selecting your leader, we've created a comprehensive tier list highlighting their strengths and weaknesses for a standard, single-player game of Civilization 7. This list does not consider synergies with civilizations, multiplayer, or DLC leaders such as Ada Lovelace or Simón Bolívar.
S-Tier - Confucius, Xerxes King of Kings, Ashoka World Conquerer, Augustus
A-Tier - Ashoka World Renouncer, Benjamin Franklin, Charlemagne, Harriet Tubman, Hatshepsut, Himiko High Shaman, Isabella, Jose Rizal, Machiavelli, Trung Trac, Xerxes The Achaemenid
B-Tier - Amina, Catherine The Great, Friedrich Oblique, Ibn Battuta, Lafayette, Napoleon Emperor, Napoleon Revolution, Tecumseh, Himiko Queen of Wa
C-Tier - Friedrich Baroque, Pachacuti
### S-Tier: Ashoka, World Conquerer
Ashoka, World Conquerer excels in maintaining high levels of Happiness while exerting military dominance. With +1 Production for every 5 excess Happiness in Cities and +10% Production in Settlements not founded by you, Ashoka can rapidly build units and strengthen his base. Declaring a Formal War grants a Celebration, providing a +5 Combat Strength boost against Districts for all Units. This ability to convert Happiness into military might makes Ashoka a formidable leader, provided you manage the unrest from conquered Settlements effectively.
Augustus thrives on establishing numerous Towns, enhancing his Capital's Production and Gold output. With +2 Production in the Capital for every Town and the ability to purchase Culture Buildings in Towns, Augustus can efficiently expand without upgrading Towns to Cities, saving Gold while reaping substantial benefits. His strategy focuses on a broad empire and efficient resource management, making him a strong choice for players who prefer a wide settlement approach.
Confucius is ideal for rapid city growth and technological advancement. With a +25% Growth Rate in Cities and +2 Science from Specialists, he can outpace opponents in land expansion and technological development. This early advantage in growth and Science production can lead to a dominant position in the game, though you'll need to ensure your defenses are strong or ally with a robust civilization to protect your expanding empire.
Xerxes, King of Kings is designed for aggressive play, with +3 Combat Strength for Units attacking in neutral or enemy territory. Capturing a Settlement for the first time grants 100 Culture and Gold per Age, and an increased Settlement limit per Age encourages continuous expansion. His straightforward military focus and bonuses make him an excellent choice for those aiming for a Military Victory.
### A-Tier: Ashoka, World Renouncer
Ashoka, World Renouncer focuses on turning Happiness into population growth, offering +1 Food in Cities for every 5 excess Happiness and +10% Food in all Settlements during a Celebration. All buildings gain a +1 Happiness adjacency for Improvements, facilitating a strategy centered on land expansion and city development. While less aggressive than his World Conquerer counterpart, the World Renouncer can be equally potent with effective population management.
Benjamin Franklin is a versatile leader for a Science-focused game, with +1 Science per Age on Production Buildings in Cities and +50% Production towards constructing them. His ability to have two Endeavors of the same type active at a time and gain +1 Science per Age from active Endeavors supports a feedback loop of Science and Production, making him a strong choice for technological advancement.
Charlemagne combines Military and Science, gaining Happiness adjacency bonuses for Military and Science Buildings in Quarters. Entering a Celebration grants two free Cavalry Units and a +5 Combat Strength boost for Cavalry Units. This horse-centric strategy is effective in the early and mid-game, though it may struggle in the Modern Age against advanced units like Tanks and Planes.
Harriet Tubman excels in Espionage and defensive play, with +100% Influence towards Initiating Espionage Actions and 5 War Support when wars are declared against her. Her Units ignore movement penalties from Vegetation, making her a stealthy and resilient leader, perfect for players who enjoy disrupting opponents and maintaining strong defenses.
Hatshepsut leverages Trade Routes for +1 Culture per imported Resource and +15% Production towards constructing Buildings and Wonders near Navigable Rivers. Her focus on Culture and production makes her a strong contender in the early Culture Legacy Paths, provided she can establish Trade Routes effectively.
Himiko, High Shaman is a top Culture producer, with +2 Happiness per Age on Happiness Buildings and +50% Production towards constructing them. Her +20% Culture boost, doubled during Celebrations, is powerful, though offset by a -10% Science penalty. Players pursuing the Cultural Legacy Path should consider Himiko, compensating for the Science deficit with strategic building and resource management.
Isabella's strategy revolves around Natural Wonders, gaining 300 Gold upon discovery (doubled in Distant Lands) and +100% additional tile yields from them. Her +50% Gold towards purchasing Naval Units and -1 Gold maintenance cost for Naval Units make her an excellent choice for early game advantages, though dependent on map placement.
Jose Rizal excels in maximizing Celebrations, with +50% Celebration duration and +50% Happiness towards Celebrations. Additional Culture and Gold from Narrative Events, which occur more frequently for him, enhance his cultural pursuits, making him a strong choice for players aiming to leverage Celebration mechanics.
Machiavelli thrives on Influence and Gold, gaining +3 Influence per Age and 50 or 100 Gold when Diplomatic Action proposals are accepted or rejected. His ability to ignore Relationship requirements for declaring Formal Wars and levy Military Units from non-Suzerain City-States makes him a devious and flexible leader, perfect for a smash-and-grab playstyle.
Trung Trac is a master of Army Commanders, with her first Commander starting with three free Levels and +20% Commander experience. Her +10% Science in Cities in Tropical Spaces, doubled during Formal Wars, supports a strong Science and Military strategy, though dependent on map terrain.
Xerxes, The Achaemenid benefits from Trade Routes and Roads, gaining +50 Culture and 100 Gold per Age upon creation. His +1 Culture and Gold per Age on Unique Buildings and Improvements provides significant yields, making him a versatile leader for economic and cultural strategies.
### B-Tier: Amina
Amina focuses on Resources, with +1 Resource Capacity in Cities and +1 Gold per Age for each Resource assigned to Cities. Her +5 Combat Strength on all Units in Plains or Desert can be situational but valuable in the right context, making her a solid choice for Resource-centric gameplay.
Catherine the Great is a strong Culture producer, with +2 Culture per Age on displayed Great Works and an additional slot for Great Works. Her Science boost in Tundra Cities can be advantageous, though her effectiveness depends on settling in Tundra regions.
Friedrich, Oblique enhances Army Commanders with the Merit Commendation and an Infantry Unit upon constructing a Science Building. While his focus on Commanders is strong, his lack of Science, Influence, or Culture buffs can hinder his overall viability.
Ibn Battuta offers flexibility with 2 Wildcard Attribute Points after the first Civic in every Age and +1 Sight for all Units. His unique Endeavor, Trade Maps, provides visibility of other Leaders’ Explored areas, making him a versatile but complex leader to master.
Lafayette's unique Endeavor, Reform, grants additional Social Policy Slots, and his +1 Combat Strength per Tradition supports a strong military. His +1 Culture and Happiness per Age, doubled in Distant Lands, provide consistent benefits, though his traits may not be as compelling as more specialized leaders.
Napoleon, Emperor thrives on antagonizing other leaders, gaining +8 Gold per Age for every Leader he is Unfriendly or Hostile with. His Continental System Sanction reduces other leaders' Trade Route limits, though managing the resulting hostility and maintaining a strong military are crucial.
Napoleon, Revolutionary offers +1 Movement for all Land Units and Culture from defending enemy units. This unique playstyle requires frequent defensive engagements to maximize Culture gains, making it a challenging but rewarding strategy.
Tecumseh benefits from being Suzerain of City-States, gaining +1 Food and Production per Age in Settlements and +1 Combat Strength for all Units. His effectiveness depends on securing multiple City-States, requiring significant Influence and strategic planning.
Himiko, Queen of Wa focuses on alliances, gaining +4 Science per Age for every Friendly or Helpful Leader and +25% Science from the Friend of Wei Endeavor. Her strategy requires careful diplomacy to maximize Science production while maintaining a strong defense.
### C-Tier: Friedrich, Baroque
Friedrich, Baroque gains a Great Work upon capturing a Settlement and an Infantry Unit upon constructing a Culture Building. While these traits are useful, they lack the distinctiveness and strength of higher-tier leaders, making him a less compelling choice.
Pachacuti offers +1 Food adjacency bonus for Mountains and no Happiness maintenance cost for Specialists adjacent to Mountains. His effectiveness is highly dependent on map terrain, making him an excellent choice with Mountains but nearly ineffective without them.
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