Civilization 7 Leader Tier List - Every Civ Ranked

Civilization 7 is a game of many layers and complicated mechanics. One game can run for multiple hours over many sessions, and the leader you pick can have a huge impact on the quality of the game you play.

While all leaders are viable in their own way, we’ve listed the ones we think are the best of the bunch. We’ll make some specific suggestions for the best types of leaders as well, if you want to go for different victory types.

This list is based on the Sovereign difficulty, i.e. the “normal”, however, it should translate across difficulties.

Civilization 7 Leader Tier List

Updates

Added Ada Lovelace who is the first DLC leader to join. Moved her to B after initially predicting she would be A.

S tier Leaders In Civilization 7

These are the best leaders in the game right now. Not only are they strong in one win condition, they excel across win conditions. One thing about Civilization is any leader can win in the right conditions, but if you just want to pick a trustworthy leader, then S tier is your best bet.

Confucius

A famous Chinese philosopher, Confucius, begins the trend of "leaders" in Civ 7 being about more than leaders of people, and more about leaders of an idea. As far as how he performs in game, Confucius feels like the most worthy of that crown. In game, his leadership accelerates city growth by 25% and provides an additional +2 Science from specialists. This combination fosters rapid population growth and technological advancement, positioning Confucius as an ideal leader for players pursuing a Science victory. Though his accelerated city growth also makes him great for anyone looking to snowball an early lead.

Augustus

As the founder of the Roman Empire, Augustus is renowned for his administrative acumen and territorial expansion. In Civilization 7, his leadership translates to a production powerhouse. Each town established grants +2 Production in the capital, and there's a 50% gold reduction when purchasing buildings in towns. This allows for rapid infrastructure development and territorial expansion, making Augustus a versatile choice for various victory paths. The key to Augustus' success is his ability to expand out the blocks fast, and his 50% reduction of building purchases in towns allows him to snowball an early lead.

Himiko (High Shaman)

Himiko, a shaman queen of ancient Japan, is shrouded in legend and mystique. In her High Shaman persona, she provides a 20% Culture boost, doubled during celebrations, and adds +2 Happiness per age on Happiness buildings, with a 50% Production increase for these structures. While there's a 10% Science reduction, her abilities significantly enhance cultural growth, making her a strong candidate for Culture victories. While not amazing for domination players, Himiko is ideal for those looking to win in most other victory states.

Charlemagne

Known as the "Father of Europe," Charlemagne united much of Western Europe during the early Middle Ages. In the game, his leadership grants two free cavalry units upon entering a celebration and provides a +5 combat strength boost for cavalry units during these periods. Additionally, military and science buildings receive a Happiness adjacency bonus for Quarters, enhancing both military prowess and technological advancement. A great leader for those looking to win with power, well timed attacks during periods of celebration will see you dominate the map.

Harriet Tubman

An iconic figure in American history, Harriet Tubman is renowned for her role in the Underground Railroad and her espionage efforts during the Civil War. In Civilization 7, she excels in defensive strategies, gaining war support when attacked and utilizing espionage to disrupt opponents. However, her strengths are primarily defensive, and she may not be as effective in offensive campaigns. While at first Harriet Tubman might seem weak, she can abuse alliances to fend off nations attacking her. For anyone used to playing a Turtle strategy in RTS games, Isabella is well worth a try.

Isabella

Isabella I of Castile is an iconic historical figure from Spain. Seven Cities of Gold, provides 300 Gold bonuses upon discovering Natural Wonders. This bonus is doubled for wonders in distant lands, making her great at becoming a exploratory leader. Additionally, her civilization benefits from a 100% increase in tile yields from Natural Wonders, a 50% boost in Gold towards purchasing naval units, and a reduction of 1 Gold in maintenance costs for these units. While this makes her great for an Economic Victory, her rapid economic and naval expansion can also make her great at combat victories.

A tier Leaders In Civilization 7

Although they may not be the absolute best, figures like Catherine the Great and Benjamin Franklin can be overshadowed by optimal civilization and strategic game choices. While navigating their strengths can be a bit challenging, these leaders still offer enjoyable bonuses.

Machiavelli

Machiavelli excels in diplomacy and economic manipulation. His Il Principe ability grants extra Influence and Gold from diplomatic actions, even when rejected, making him ideal for controlling City-States and leveraging diplomacy for profit. His Agenda: The Spider incentivizes warmongering civilizations to stay on good terms with him. He’s strong in Economic and Diplomatic Victories, with solid flexibility in military affairs. Much like with Harriet Tubman, it makes Machiavelli a great Turtle leader, though we think Tubman has a slight edge.

Benjamin Franklin

A literate and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, Benjamin Franklin's contributions span science, politics, and diplomacy. In the game, he provides +1 Science per age on Production buildings in cities and a 50% Production boost towards constructing these buildings. Additionally, active Endeavors grant +1 Science per age, and players can maintain two Endeavors of the same type simultaneously, accelerating scientific and industrial growth. Franklin is very strong, but he's one of those leaders that requires you to play a certain way to get the best out of him.

Catherine The Great

Empress of Russia, Catherine the Great is famed for her expansionist policies and patronage of the arts. In Civilization 7, she offers +2 Culture per age on displayed Great Works and provides an extra slot for each building with Great Work slots. Furthermore, cities settled in tundra regions gain Science equal to 25% of their Culture per turn, making her a formidable leader for cultural and scientific pursuits, especially in challenging terrains. Much like Franklin, and why she's only in A Tier, Catherine requires a bit of setup and good planning to fully utilise her kit.

Ashoka (World Conqueror)

Ashoka the Great, initially known for his military conquests, later embraced Buddhism and non-violence. In his World Conqueror persona, he offers Production bonuses leading to more military units and guarantees celebrations when declaring formal wars. However, these celebrations may expire before or during a city siege, requiring strategic timing. He also grants cities with excess happiness more production, making your people's happiness a key factor. Ashoka is an interesting leader to play, and one that requires timing to fully make the most of his bonuses.

Jose Rizal

Rizal is a culture-heavy leader excelling in Narrative Events and Celebrations, granting bonus Culture and Gold per Age. His Pambansang Bayani ability extends Celebrations, fostering empire-wide growth. His Kapwa Agenda rewards civilizations engaging in peaceful endeavours while disfavouring sanctions. He’s excellent for Cultural Victories but lacks strong military capabilities. Rizal is another leader best focused on peace and love and not war. Find a city state or a similar style faction early and keep in good favour with warmongering civz.

B tier Leaders In Civilization 7

These leaders can be more challenging to approach, and their bonuses may not be as clear as the game progresses. But if you hyper-focus on their positives, you can come away with a solid victory.

Ada Lovelace

Ada Lovelace is a famous British scientist, who is often credited as making the first computer. Ada Lovelace in Civilization 7 is a hybrid Science-Culture leader who thrives on Mastery completions to accelerate her civilization’s progress. Her unique ability, Enchantress of Number, grants bonus Science per Age when completing a Civic Mastery and Culture based on Science per turn when finishing a Technology Mastery, creating a strong synergy between the two development trees. While her abilities offer significant bonuses to Science and Culture, they may require specific strategies to maximise their potential. Much like a lot of leaders in tier B and lower, these require some work to get online, with your playstyle needing to change drastically in some cases.

Trung Trac

Trung Trac was a Vietnamese noblewoman who led a rebellion against Chinese rule in the first century. In Civilization 7, her leadership provides a significant military advantage. Army commanders start with three free promotions, granting them enhanced capabilities early on. Additionally, all commanders gain a 20% experience boost, accelerating their progression. Cities located in tropical regions benefit from a 10% Science increase, which is further amplified during formal wars, making her a formidable choice for players aiming for military dominance with a scientific edge. One warning about Trung Trac, if you don't like using commanders or have not got used to that system yet, she's one to avoid. Her tropical region bonus can help, but as with any such bonuses will require you to expand specifically into those regions.

Napoleon (Revolutionary)

Napoleon Bonaparte, as a revolutionary leader, is renowned for his military strategies and cultural reforms. In this persona, he offers unique bonuses. Land units receive an additional movement point, enhancing their mobility on the battlefield. Moreover, defeating enemy units grants 50% of their cultural cost, blending military conquest with cultural advancement. This combination is ideal for players seeking to expand their empire through warfare while simultaneously boosting cultural development. On paper Napoleon seems great, however, his overreliance on non-stop combat can cause issues if your bloodlust is stopped.

Xerses (King of Kings)

Xerxes I, also known as Xerxes the Great, ruled the Achaemenid Empire at its territorial apex. In his King of Kings persona, he emphasizes military expansion and economic gain. Units receive a combat strength bonus when fighting in non-friendly territories. Settlement expansion is his other trait, gaining Culture and Gold per age upon capturing a Settlement for the first time. Gold is also increased for all Settlements captured, more so for ones not founded by you. This, plus his increased Settlement limit per age makes Xerses the King of Expansion. Much like Napoleon that does somewhat limit his ability outside of just killing everything in sight.

Amina, Himoki (Queen Of Wa)

Queen Amina of Zazzau was a Hausa warrior queen known for her military exploits and expansionist policies in West Africa. In the game, her leadership enhances economic and military aspects. Cities gain +1 resource capacity, allowing for greater resource management. Each slotted resource yields +1 gold per age, boosting the economy. Additionally, units receive a +5 combat strength bonus when operating in plains and deserts, making her particularly effective in such terrains. Amina is one of those leaders that really needs to stay in her lane, and by lane, we mean plains and deserts. It's a very neiche ability, but with the correct planning she can be a dangerous foe.

Friedrich (Oblique)

Frederick the Great, King of Prussia, was renowned for his military tactics and patronage of the arts and sciences. In his Oblique persona, he offers a blend of military and scientific benefits. Army commanders start with the Merit Commendation, expanding their command radius by one tile. Constructing science buildings grants a free infantry unit, intertwining scientific development with military expansion. This synergy supports a balanced approach between technological advancement and defense. Friedrich is one of those leaders that is best left alone to just focus on Science, with his military units a great way to have a sizeable army without every training a military unit.

Ibn Battuta

Ibn Battuta was a medieval Muslim traveler and scholar who journeyed extensively across the Islamic world and beyond. In Civilization 7, his leadership is characterized by flexibility. He receives free attribute points every age, allowing players to adapt their strategy dynamically. His expertise in exploration enables rapid map revelation through scouts and endeavors, providing strategic advantages in discovering resources and potential allies or adversaries. On the surface, Ibn is the best example of a blank canvaes leader. In theory, due to your ability to assign attribute points faster, you can adapt to the map state. It does, however, leave him feeling a leader weak early, with no clear goal.

Lafayette

Marquis de Lafayette was a French aristocrat and military officer who played a significant role in the American Revolutionary War. In the game, his leadership focuses on governance and military strength. The unique "Reform" endeavor grants an extra social policy slot, enhancing governmental flexibility. Each tradition adopted in the government increases combat strength, allowing for a customizable and potent military force. This combination supports a strategy that leverages policy choices to bolster military capabilities. A bit like Ibn, Lafayette is fairly flexible, though more of a military leader.

Ashoka (World Renouncer)

Emperor Ashoka of the Maurya Dynasty is remembered for his transformation from a conqueror to a proponent of Buddhism and non-violence. In his World Renouncer persona, he emphasizes internal development: cities gain +1 food for each excess happiness beyond a certain threshold, promoting population growth. During celebrations, all settlements receive a 10% food boost, further accelerating growth. Buildings gain a +1 happiness adjacency for improvements, creating a harmonious and prosperous society. While not focused on a specific victory condition, his abilities provide a stable foundation for various strategies. Slightly more reliable than his other persona, it's also not as impressive due to the lack of military impact.

Hatshepsut

Hatshepsut, one of Egypt's most successful pharaohs, is celebrated for her prosperous reign and monumental architecture. In Civilization 7, she offers a 15% Production boost for buildings and wonders in cities adjacent to navigable rivers and grants +1 Culture for each imported resource. These abilities make her exceptionally effective in cultural and economic development, especially when starting near rivers. Once again, Hatsheput is hindered by her need to be near a specific title type to fully unlock her kit.

Napoleon (Emperor)

As Emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte is recognized for his administrative reforms and military conquests. In this role, he introduces economic and diplomatic strategies: the unique "Continental System" sanction reduces a target's trade route limit, hindering trade-dependent rivals. He gains +8 gold per age for every leader with whom he has an unfriendly or hostile relationship, incentivizing aggressive diplomacy. Additionally, he can reject endeavors for free, conserving influence for other uses. This approach suits players aiming to disrupt opponents' economies while bolstering their own. It's a very interesting playstyle for a leader in a civ game, and while we think it will take time to learn, it might turn into a good playstyle given time.

C tier Leaders In Civilization 7

Although it may appear severe to position certain leaders at the very bottom of the list, especially after noting their occasional usefulness, we had to select those we believe truly belong there. This is primarily due to their bonuses being either difficult to activate or feeling less impactful when compared to other leaders in the game.

Xerxes (Achaemenid)

Xerxes I, also known as Xerxes the Great, ruled the Achaemenid Empire at its zenith. In Civilization 7, his leadership allows an additional trade route with all other leaders and grants +50 Culture and +100 Gold per age when creating a trade route or road with a merchant. Moreover, unique buildings and improvements provide +1 Culture and +1 Gold per age, enhancing both economic and cultural dimensions. While it's good on paper, it just doesn't really feel like you're playing Xerxes. It's an interesting playstyle, that focuses a lot of good trade.

Pachacuti

Pachacuti was the ninth Sapa Inca of the Kingdom of Cusco, credited with transforming it into the Inca Empire. In the game, his leadership is highly terrain-dependent: all buildings gain a food adjacency bonus when placed next to mountains, encouraging strategic city planning in mountainous regions. Specialists adjacent to mountains do not incur happiness maintenance costs, promoting efficient use of such terrains. This specialization can lead to rapid growth and prosperity if the starting location is favourable. Once again, Pachacuti suffers from the requirement of needing a specific tile to make the kit work.