Civilization 7 Leaders Tier List

In *Civilization 7*, the introduction of the Ages mechanic brings a dynamic shift to the series, allowing players to transition their civilization through Antiquity, Exploration, and Modern Ages. A unique aspect is that while you swap out your civilization, your chosen leader remains constant, influencing your gameplay throughout the entire journey. Leaders in *Civ 7* may not offer as many traits and units as civilizations, but their abilities are powerful and can significantly enhance strategic combinations when paired correctly. To assist you in selecting the right leader for your empire, we've compiled a comprehensive tier list, detailing the strengths and weaknesses of each leader. This guide focuses on standard single-player gameplay and does not consider synergies with civilizations or include DLC leaders like Ada Lovelace or Simón Bolívar.

Civilization 7 Leader Tier List

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 Leaders

S-Tier: Ashoka, World Conquerer

Ashoka, World Conquerer, excels in maintaining high levels of Happiness to fuel his military campaigns. With +1 Production for every 5 excess Happiness in Cities and +10% Production in Settlements not founded by you, he can rapidly expand his forces. Declaring a Formal War triggers a Celebration, granting an immediate +5 Combat Strength against Districts for all Units. This makes Ashoka a formidable opponent who can put enemies on the defensive from the outset. Managing unrest from conquered Settlements is key to sustaining his power, but with effective Happiness management, Ashoka, World Conquerer, stands out as one of the most potent leaders.

S-Tier: Augustus

Augustus thrives by expanding through numerous Towns, either settled or conquered. His strategy revolves around not upgrading Towns to Cities, saving Gold while benefiting from +2 Production in the Capital for every Town and the ability to purchase Culture Buildings in Towns. A 50% reduction in Gold cost for purchasing Buildings in Towns further amplifies his advantages. Augustus turns his Capital into a powerhouse, fueled by the output of his extensive network of Towns, offering a straightforward yet powerful approach to building an empire.

S-Tier: Confucius

Confucius is a master of City expansion, with a +25% Growth Rate in Cities that accelerates land acquisition and resource absorption. Additionally, he gains +2 Science from Specialists, making him a top contender in technological advancement. While he may require assistance in defense, his rapid expansion and technological edge make Confucius a leader capable of dominating the game through peaceful growth and scientific superiority.

S-Tier: Xerxes, King of Kings

Xerxes, King of Kings, is the epitome of military aggression, gaining +3 Combat Strength for Units attacking in neutral or enemy territory. Capturing a Settlement for the first time rewards him with 100 Culture and Gold per Age, along with a +10% Gold boost in all Settlements, increased further in those not founded by him. His +1 Settlement limit per Age encourages continuous expansion, making him ideal for players pursuing a Military Victory.

A-Tier Leaders

A-Tier: Ashoka, World Renouncer

Ashoka, World Renouncer, focuses on converting Happiness into population growth, offering +1 Food in Cities for every 5 excess Happiness and +10% Food in all Settlements during a Celebration. Buildings gain a +1 Happiness adjacency bonus for all Improvements, promoting a strategy centered on land expansion and population management. While less aggressive than his World Conquerer counterpart, this version of Ashoka can be equally effective with the right approach.

A-Tier: Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin is a powerhouse in Science and Production, gaining +1 Science per Age on Production Buildings and a 50% Production boost towards constructing them. His ability to have two Endeavors of the same type active at once further amplifies his Science output. Franklin's traits create a synergistic loop, allowing for rapid technological advancement and subsequent production of advanced units and buildings.

A-Tier: Charlemagne

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 them, making him a strong contender in the early and mid-game. While his effectiveness may wane in the Modern Age, Charlemagne can establish a formidable empire before then.

A-Tier: Harriet Tubman

Harriet Tubman specializes in Espionage, with a 100% boost to Influence towards initiating Espionage Actions. She gains 5 War Support on all wars declared against her, and her Units ignore movement penalties from Vegetation, making her elusive and difficult to counter. Tubman's unique abilities make her a stealthy and disruptive force on the map.

A-Tier: Hatshepsut

Hatshepsut excels in Culture generation, gaining +1 Culture for every imported Resource and a 15% Production boost towards constructing Buildings and Wonders adjacent to Navigable Rivers. Her focus on Trade Routes and Wonders makes her a strong choice for players aiming to dominate the Cultural Legacy Path.

A-Tier: Himiko, High Shaman

Himiko, High Shaman, is a top Culture producer, with +2 Happiness per Age on Happiness Buildings and a 50% Production boost towards constructing them. She gains a 20% Culture boost, doubled during Celebrations, but suffers a 10% Science penalty, also doubled during Celebrations. Her strategy revolves around leveraging Happiness for prolonged and impactful Cultural boosts.

A-Tier: Isabella

Isabella's fortunes rise with the discovery of Natural Wonders, gaining 300 Gold (doubled if in Distant Lands) and 100% additional tile yields from them. Her Naval Units benefit from a 50% Gold discount and reduced maintenance costs. While dependent on map placement, Isabella can achieve significant early-game advantages with the right terrain.

A-Tier: Jose Rizal

Jose Rizal excels in Celebrations, with a 50% increase in Celebration duration and Happiness towards them. He gains additional Culture and Gold from Narrative Events, which occur more frequently for him. Rizal's ability to maintain and extend Celebrations makes him a strong choice for a Culture-focused strategy.

A-Tier: Machiavelli

Machiavelli is a master of Influence and Gold, gaining +3 Influence per Age and 50 or 100 Gold per Age based on Diplomatic Action outcomes. He can ignore Relationship requirements for declaring Formal Wars and levy Military Units from City-States he's not Suzerain of. Machiavelli's deceptive playstyle makes him a threat to all, even allies.

A-Tier: Trung Trac

Trung Trac is a leader who thrives with Army Commanders, starting them with three free Levels and a 20% experience boost. She gains a 10% Science boost in Tropical Spaces, doubled during Formal Wars she declares. Her ability to quickly elevate her Commanders can shift the balance of power in military engagements.

A-Tier: Xerxes, The Achaemenid

Xerxes, The Achaemenid, benefits from Trade Routes and Roads, gaining 50 Culture and 100 Gold per Age for each created. He gets +1 Culture and Gold per Age on Unique Buildings and Improvements, making him a versatile leader with strong economic and cultural potential.

B-Tier Leaders

B-Tier: Amina

Amina focuses on Resources, with a +1 Resource Capacity in Cities and +1 Gold per Age for each Resource assigned to Cities. Her Units gain +5 Combat Strength in Plains or Desert, offering situational military advantages. Amina's effectiveness hinges on securing and managing a diverse array of Resources.

B-Tier: Catherine the Great

Catherine the Great enhances Culture through Great Works, gaining +2 Culture per Age on displayed works and an additional slot in Buildings with Great Works. Cities settled in Tundra gain Science equal to a percentage of their Culture per turn, making her a situational but potent choice for Culture and Science.

B-Tier: Friedrich, Oblique

Friedrich, Oblique, benefits Army Commanders with a starting Merit Commendation and additional Command Radius. He gains an Infantry Unit when constructing a Science Building, encouraging a focus on scientific advancement. While lacking direct yield boosts, Friedrich's traits can bolster a military strategy.

B-Tier: Ibn Battuta

Ibn Battuta offers versatility with 2 Wildcard Attribute Points after the first Civic in every Age and +1 Sight for all Units. His unique Trade Maps Endeavor allows gradual visibility of other leaders' explored areas. While complex, his traits can be powerful in the right hands.

B-Tier: Lafayette

Lafayette gains a unique Reform Endeavor for additional Social Policy slots and +1 Combat Strength for every Tradition. He also gets +1 Culture and Happiness per Age in Settlements, doubled in Distant Lands. While his traits are solid, they may not be as compelling as those of more specialized leaders.

B-Tier: Napoleon, Emperor

Napoleon, Emperor, thrives on being disliked, gaining +8 Gold per Age for every Leader he's Unfriendly or Hostile with. His Continental System Sanction reduces the Trade Route limit of targeted leaders, though it comes with significant relationship penalties. Managing these penalties is crucial to his success.

B-Tier: Napoleon, Revolutionary

Napoleon, Revolutionary, boosts all Land Units with +1 Movement and gains Culture equal to 50% of an enemy unit's Combat Strength when defending. His strategy requires frequent defensive engagements to maximize Culture gains, making it a unique and potentially challenging playstyle.

B-Tier: Tecumseh

Tecumseh gains +1 Food and Production per Age in Settlements for every City-State he's Suzerain of, along with +1 Combat Strength for all Units. His effectiveness depends on becoming Suzerain of multiple City-States, which requires significant Influence and strategic planning.

B-Tier: Himiko, Queen of Wa

Himiko, Queen of Wa, focuses on alliances, gaining +4 Science per Age for every Friendly or Helpful Leader and a unique Friend of Wei Endeavor for +25% Science in an Alliance. While beneficial, maintaining these relationships requires careful diplomacy.

C-Tier Leaders

C-Tier: Friedrich, Baroque

Friedrich, Baroque, gains a Great Work when capturing a Settlement for the first time and an Infantry Unit when constructing a Culture Building. While these traits are useful, they lack the strength and distinctiveness of higher-tier leaders.

C-Tier: Pachacuti

Pachacuti benefits from Mountains, gaining +1 Food adjacency for Buildings and no Happiness maintenance cost for Specialists adjacent to them. His effectiveness is highly map-dependent, requiring favorable terrain to excel.