Civilization 7 introduces a groundbreaking Ages mechanic, where you transition your civilization through Antiquity, Exploration, and Modern Ages, each time swapping out for a new civilization. However, your chosen leader remains constant throughout the entire game, making their selection crucial to your strategy. While leaders don't provide as many traits and units as civilizations, their unique abilities can lead to powerful synergies, enhancing your gameplay experience. To aid in your leader selection, we've compiled a detailed tier list, focusing on their strengths and weaknesses, to guide you in crafting an empire that thrives from Antiquity to the Modern Age.
### Best Civ 7 LeadersNote: This tier list does not take into account synergies with Civilizations, and is entirely focused on a standard, single-player game of Civilization 7. Multiplayer is not taken into account here, and we haven't included DLC Leaders 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, is a master of leveraging happiness to bolster your empire's military prowess. For every 5 units of excess Happiness, you gain +1 Production in your cities, and +10% Production in settlements not founded by you. Declaring a Formal War triggers a Celebration, granting your units a +5 Combat Strength against districts. This combination of happiness-driven production boosts and combat advantages makes Ashoka a formidable leader, perfect for those looking to dominate through both economic and military might.
S-Tier: Augustus
Augustus excels in expanding wide across the map. For every town you establish, your capital gains +2 Production, and you can purchase Culture Buildings in towns at a 50% discount on Gold. This leader's strategy is to spread out quickly, either through settlement or conquest, and turn your capital into a powerhouse by maximizing town benefits. Augustus's straightforward yet effective playstyle makes him an ideal choice for players focused on rapid expansion and cultural growth.
S-Tier: Confucius
Confucius is your go-to leader for rapid city growth and technological advancement. With a +25% Growth Rate in cities and +2 Science from Specialists, Confucius allows you to expand your borders and outpace rivals in technological development. This leader is best suited for players who aim to dominate through cultural expansion and scientific superiority, though they might need to ally with strong civilizations or focus on defense to protect their burgeoning empire.
S-Tier: Xerxes, King of Kings
Xerxes, King of Kings, is the epitome of military aggression. His units gain +3 Combat Strength when attacking in neutral or enemy territory, and capturing a settlement for the first time in an age yields 100 Culture and Gold. With an additional +10% Gold in all settlements, especially those not founded by you, and an increased settlement limit per age, Xerxes is perfect for players aiming for a Military Victory, aggressively expanding their empire through conquest.
A-Tier Leaders
### A-Tier: Ashoka, World Renouncer
Ashoka, World Renouncer, transforms excess happiness into population growth, offering +1 Food in cities for every 5 units of excess Happiness and +10% Food during Celebrations. All buildings gain a +1 Happiness adjacency for improvements, making this leader ideal for those who prioritize population growth and city development over military conquest. The World Renouncer version of Ashoka requires a strategic approach to maximize its potential, but can be very powerful in the right hands.
A-Tier: Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin is a versatile leader focused on science and production. With +1 Science per age on Production Buildings, +50% Production towards constructing these buildings, and additional Science from active Endeavors, Franklin creates a powerful feedback loop that accelerates technological advancement. He's perfect for players aiming to dominate through scientific breakthroughs and efficient production.
A-Tier: Charlemagne
Charlemagne combines military strength with scientific progress. Military and Science Buildings gain Happiness adjacency for Quarters, and entering a Celebration grants two free Cavalry Units with a +5 Combat Strength boost. This leader is ideal for early and mid-game dominance, particularly with a strategy centered around cavalry, though players should prepare for challenges in the Modern Age as technology evolves.
A-Tier: Harriet Tubman
Harriet Tubman excels in espionage and guerrilla warfare. With a 100% increase in Influence for Espionage Actions, +5 War Support when wars are declared against you, and the ability to ignore vegetation movement penalties, Tubman is perfect for players who enjoy a stealthy, disruptive approach to gameplay. Her abilities allow for strategic advantages through espionage and resilience in defense.
A-Tier: Hatshepsut
Hatshepsut leverages trade and river adjacency for cultural growth. She gains +1 Culture for every imported Resource and a +15% Production boost towards buildings and wonders near navigable rivers. This leader is excellent for players aiming to advance quickly along the Culture Legacy Path, especially if they can establish effective trade routes and utilize river-adjacent cities.
A-Tier: Himiko, High Shaman
Himiko, High Shaman, is the ultimate culture producer, with +2 Happiness per age on Happiness Buildings, +50% Production towards these buildings, and a +20% Culture boost that doubles during Celebrations. However, she suffers a -10% Science penalty that also doubles during Celebrations. Himiko is best for players focused on cultural dominance, though they must manage the science trade-off effectively.
A-Tier: Isabella
Isabella's strength lies in her ability to exploit Natural Wonders. Discovering one grants 300 Gold, doubled if in Distant Lands, and she gains 100% additional tile yields from them. With a 50% discount on purchasing Naval Units and reduced maintenance costs, Isabella is ideal for players who can secure Natural Wonders early and leverage them for economic and naval advantages.
A-Tier: Jose Rizal
Jose Rizal excels in extending Celebrations, with a +50% duration and +50% Happiness towards them. He also gains additional Culture and Gold from Narrative Events, which occur more frequently for him. Rizal is perfect for players who want to maximize the benefits of Celebrations and cultural events, enhancing their empire's growth and prosperity.
A-Tier: Machiavelli
Machiavelli is the leader for players who enjoy diplomatic manipulation and surprise attacks. With +3 Influence per age, Gold gains from Diplomatic Actions, and the ability to ignore relationship requirements for declaring wars, Machiavelli is a master of deceit and strategic opportunism. His ability to levy military units from non-Suzerain City-States adds a layer of flexibility to his aggressive playstyle.
A-Tier: Trung Trac
Trung Trac specializes in commanding powerful Army Commander units, starting with three free levels and gaining a +20% Commander experience boost. She also gets a +10% Science bonus in tropical spaces, doubling during Formal Wars she declares. Trung Trac is ideal for players who want to leverage the strength of Army Commanders and excel in tropical environments.
A-Tier: Xerxes, The Achaemenid
Xerxes, The Achaemenid, focuses on economic and cultural growth through trade and unique buildings. He gains +1 Trade Route limit, 50 Culture and 100 Gold per age for creating Trade Routes or Roads, and additional Culture and Gold on Unique Buildings and Improvements. This leader is perfect for players who aim to build a prosperous empire through economic and cultural expansion.
B-Tier Leaders
### B-Tier: Amina
Amina is a solid choice for resource management, with +1 Resource Capacity in cities and +1 Gold per age for each resource assigned. Her units gain +5 Combat Strength in Plains or Desert, making her a good option for players who can focus on resource-rich areas and leverage situational combat advantages.
B-Tier: Catherine the Great
Catherine the Great excels in cultural production, gaining +2 Culture per age on displayed Great Works and an additional slot for them. Cities in Tundra gain Science based on their Culture output, making her a good choice for players who can utilize Tundra effectively and focus on cultural and scientific growth.
B-Tier: Friedrich, Oblique
Friedrich, Oblique, enhances Army Commanders with the Merit Commendation and gains Infantry Units from constructing Science Buildings. While he lacks direct boosts to Science, Influence, or Culture, he's a decent choice for players focusing on early military advantages through Commanders and Science Buildings.
B-Tier: Ibn Battuta
Ibn Battuta offers flexibility with 2 Wildcard Attribute Points after the first Civic in every age and increased unit sight. His unique Endeavor, Trade Maps, allows visibility of other leaders' explored areas. He's a good choice for players who enjoy adapting to different situations and leveraging map knowledge.
B-Tier: Lafayette
Lafayette provides a unique Endeavor, Reform, granting additional Social Policy slots, and gains +1 Combat Strength for every Tradition. He also gets +1 Culture and Happiness per age, doubling in Distant Lands. Lafayette is a solid choice for players who want to focus on policy flexibility and steady growth.
B-Tier: Napoleon, Emperor
Napoleon, Emperor, thrives on being unpopular, gaining +8 Gold per age for every unfriendly or hostile leader. His Continental System Sanction reduces others' Trade Route limits, but at a high relationship cost. He's a good choice for players who enjoy a provocative playstyle and can manage the consequences.
B-Tier: Napoleon, Revolutionary
Napoleon, Revolutionary, enhances land unit movement and gains Culture from defending against enemy units. This leader is ideal for players who can provoke enemies while maintaining a strong defense, leveraging the resulting Culture spikes to advance their empire.
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. He's a good choice for players who can invest time in becoming Suzerain of multiple City-States, reaping consistent benefits over time.
B-Tier: Himiko, Queen of Wa
Himiko, Queen of Wa, excels in alliances, gaining +4 Science per age for every friendly or helpful leader and a unique Endeavor, Friend of Wei, that boosts Science for both allies. She's ideal for players who can maintain positive relationships and focus on scientific advancement.
C-Tier Leaders
### C-Tier: Friedrich, Baroque
Friedrich, Baroque, gains a Great Work and an Infantry Unit from capturing settlements and constructing Culture Buildings, respectively. While these traits are useful, they lack the impact of higher-tier leaders, making Friedrich a decent but not standout choice for players focused on culture and military growth.
C-Tier: Pachacuti
Pachacuti offers +1 Food adjacency for mountains and no Happiness maintenance cost for Specialists adjacent to mountains. His effectiveness is heavily dependent on mountain availability, making him a situational choice for players who can leverage mountainous terrain effectively.
