Civilization 7 introduces a groundbreaking Ages mechanic, allowing players to transition their civilization through Antiquity, Exploration, and Modern Ages. Throughout this journey, your chosen leader remains constant, bringing their unique abilities to bear across the game's progression. These leader abilities can synergize effectively with various civilizations, enhancing your gameplay strategy. To aid in your decision-making, we've compiled a comprehensive tier list of every leader, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses to help you select the ideal leader for your empire's journey into the Modern Age.
Note: This tier list focuses on standard, single-player games of Civilization 7 and does not consider synergies with civilizations or multiplayer scenarios. Additionally, it excludes DLC leaders Ada Lovelace and 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 at leveraging happiness to enhance military prowess. With +1 Production for every 5 excess Happiness in Cities and +10% Production in Settlements not founded by you, Ashoka enables rapid unit production and a strong war foundation. Declaring Formal War triggers a Celebration, boosting all units by +5 Combat Strength against Districts. Ashoka's strategy focuses on maintaining high happiness levels to sustain production boosts and exploit celebrations for military dominance. However, managing unrest in newly conquered settlements is crucial to keep the empire stable.
S-Tier: Augustus
Augustus thrives on expanding his empire through numerous settlements, both settled and conquered. He gains +2 Production in the Capital for every Town and can purchase Culture Buildings in Towns at a 50% discount. Augustus's strategy is to establish and maintain as many Towns as possible, turning the Capital into a production powerhouse fueled by these settlements. This approach not only enhances production and culture but also conserves gold, making it an efficient way to build a robust empire.
S-Tier: Confucius
Confucius is a master of city growth and science. With a +25% Growth Rate in Cities, he can quickly expand his borders and secure vital resources. Additionally, +2 Science from Specialists makes Confucius a top contender in technological advancement, especially in the later stages of the game. While he may need support in defense, his ability to grow and advance technologically positions him as a formidable leader.
S-Tier: Xerxes, King of Kings
Xerxes, King of Kings, is built for conquest, gaining +3 Combat Strength for Units attacking in neutral or enemy territory. Capturing a Settlement for the first time in each Age rewards 100 Culture and Gold, and he benefits from a +10% Gold increase in all Settlements, further enhanced in those not founded by him. Xerxes also enjoys a higher Settlement limit per Age, making him a relentless force in pursuing military victories.
A-Tier Leaders
A-Tier: Ashoka, World Renouncer
Ashoka, World Renouncer, focuses on population growth and happiness. With +1 Food for every 5 excess Happiness and a +10% Food increase during Celebrations, he's ideal for players who prioritize land expansion and city development. His ability to gain +1 Happiness from building adjacency enhances his focus on peaceful growth and urban planning.
A-Tier: Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin is the go-to leader for a science-focused strategy. He gains +1 Science per Age on Production Buildings and a +50% Production boost towards constructing them. Additionally, active Endeavors he starts or supports yield +1 Science per Age, and he can maintain two Endeavors of the same type simultaneously. Franklin's synergy between science and production makes him a versatile choice for technological advancement.
A-Tier: Charlemagne
Charlemagne combines military and science for a potent strategy. Military and Science Buildings receive a Happiness adjacency bonus for Quarters, and entering a Celebration grants 2 free Cavalry Units with a +5 Combat Strength boost. This leader is ideal for early and mid-game dominance through cavalry-based military strategies, though he may face challenges in the Modern Age.
A-Tier: Harriet Tubman
Harriet Tubman excels in espionage and defensive warfare. With +100% Influence towards Initiating Espionage Actions and 5 War Support on all wars declared against you, she can disrupt opponents and maintain resilience in conflicts. Her units ignore movement penalties from Vegetation, enhancing her tactical flexibility.
A-Tier: Hatshepsut
Hatshepsut leverages trade and culture for her strategy. She gains +1 Culture for every imported Resource and a +15% Production boost towards constructing Buildings and Wonders near Navigable Rivers. Her approach is perfect for players aiming to dominate the early Culture Legacy Paths through trade and wonder construction.
A-Tier: Himiko, High Shaman
Himiko, High Shaman, is the ultimate culture producer. She gains +2 Happiness per Age on Happiness Buildings and a +50% Production boost towards constructing them. Her +20% Culture boost, doubled during Celebrations, is offset by a -10% Science penalty, requiring careful management to balance cultural gains with technological progress.
A-Tier: Isabella
Isabella's strategy revolves around exploiting Natural Wonders. She gains 300 Gold upon discovering a Natural Wonder, doubled if in Distant Lands, and +100% additional tile yields from them. She also enjoys a +50% Gold discount on purchasing Naval Units and a -1 Gold maintenance cost for them. Isabella's success hinges on early access to Natural Wonders, which can significantly boost her empire's early growth.
A-Tier: Jose Rizal
Jose Rizal excels at prolonging Celebrations. With a +50% Celebration duration and +50% Happiness towards Celebrations, he can maximize the benefits of these periods. Additional Culture and Gold from Narrative Events further enhance his cultural strategy, making him ideal for players aiming for cultural victories.
A-Tier: Machiavelli
Machiavelli is the master of diplomacy and subterfuge. He gains +3 Influence per Age and 50-100 Gold from Diplomatic Actions, depending on their acceptance. His ability to ignore Relationship requirements for declaring Formal Wars and levy Military Units from non-Suzerain City-States makes him a formidable and unpredictable opponent.
A-Tier: Trung Trac
Trung Trac focuses on Army Commanders, gaining 3 free levels on the first Commander and a +20% Commander experience boost. She also enjoys a +10% Science boost in Tropical Spaces, doubled during Formal Wars she declares. Trung Trac's strategy is perfect for players looking to leverage powerful Commander units for military dominance.
A-Tier: Xerxes, The Achaemenid
Xerxes, The Achaemenid, thrives on trade and unique structures. He gains +1 Trade Route limit with all leaders, +50 Culture and 100 Gold per Age for creating Trade Routes or Roads, and +1 Culture and Gold per Age on Unique Buildings and Improvements. His strategy is ideal for players aiming for an Economic Victory through trade and infrastructure development.
B-Tier Leaders
B-Tier: Amina
Amina focuses on resource management, gaining +1 Resource Capacity in Cities and +1 Gold per Age for each Resource assigned. Her units receive a +5 Combat Strength bonus in Plains or Desert, making her a solid choice for players with access to these terrains.
B-Tier: Catherine the Great
Catherine the Great is a cultural powerhouse, gaining +2 Culture per Age on displayed Great Works and additional slots for them. Cities settled in Tundra gain Science based on their Culture output, making her effective in specific terrains but challenging in others.
B-Tier: Friedrich, Oblique
Friedrich, Oblique, enhances Army Commanders with the Merit Commendation, granting them additional Command Radius. He also gains an Infantry Unit when constructing a Science Building, making him a decent choice for players focusing on science and military strategies.
B-Tier: Ibn Battuta
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, allows visibility into other leaders' explored areas, making him suitable for players who value strategic information and adaptability.
B-Tier: Lafayette
Lafayette gains an additional Social Policy slot through the Reform Endeavor and +1 Combat Strength for every Tradition. He also benefits from +1 Culture and Happiness per Age, doubled in Distant Lands, making him a versatile but not overly specialized leader.
B-Tier: Napoleon, Emperor
Napoleon, Emperor, thrives on being disliked, gaining +8 Gold per Age for every unfriendly or hostile leader. His Continental System Sanction reduces trade route limits for targeted leaders, though this comes with significant relationship penalties and requires careful management.
B-Tier: Napoleon, Revolutionary
Napoleon, Revolutionary, enhances land unit mobility with +1 Movement and gains Culture equal to 50% of an enemy unit's Combat Strength when defending. This leader is ideal for players who can maintain a defensive stance while leveraging culture gains.
B-Tier: Tecumseh
Tecumseh's strength lies in his relationship with City-States, gaining +1 Food and Production per Age and +1 Combat Strength for every City-State he's Suzerain of. His success depends on building influence and alliances, requiring time and strategic planning.
B-Tier: Himiko, Queen of Wa
Himiko, Queen of Wa, focuses on diplomacy and science, gaining +4 Science per Age for every friendly or helpful leader and a unique Endeavor, Friend of Wei, that boosts science in alliances. Her strategy requires maintaining positive relationships but can yield significant scientific benefits.
C-Tier Leaders
C-Tier: Friedrich, Baroque
Friedrich, Baroque, gains a Great Work upon capturing a Settlement for the first time and an Infantry Unit when constructing a Culture Building. While these traits are decent, they lack the impact to compete with stronger leaders in their respective categories.
C-Tier: Pachacuti
Pachacuti's effectiveness hinges on settling near Mountains, gaining +1 Food adjacency for Buildings and no Happiness maintenance cost for Specialists. While potentially powerful in the right terrain, his utility is severely limited without access to Mountains, making him a risky choice for players without map control.
