"Top Leaders in Civilization 7 Ranked"

Civilization 7 introduces a groundbreaking Ages mechanic that allows players to transition their civilization through Antiquity, Exploration, and Modern Ages, requiring them to adapt their strategies as the game evolves. Despite these shifts, your choice of leader remains constant throughout the game, making it crucial to select one that aligns with your playstyle and goals. Leaders in Civilization 7 come with unique abilities that can significantly impact gameplay, and to aid in your decision-making, we've compiled a comprehensive tier list of every leader, focusing on their strengths and weaknesses for a standard, single-player game.

Best Civ 7 Leaders

Note: This tier list does not consider synergies with Civilizations and is focused solely on a standard, single-player game of Civilization 7. Multiplayer and DLC leaders such as Ada Lovelace and Simón Bolívar are excluded.

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 boost military strength. With +1 Production for every 5 excess Happiness in Cities and +10% Production in Settlements not founded by you, Ashoka can rapidly build and maintain a strong military. Declaring a Formal War triggers a Celebration, granting +5 Combat Strength against Districts for all Units, making Ashoka a formidable force on the battlefield. Managing unrest in newly conquered Settlements is key to maintaining this advantage.

S-Tier: Augustus

Augustus thrives on expansion, with +2 Production in the Capital for every Town and the ability to purchase Culture Buildings in Towns at a 50% discount on Gold. Augustus encourages a wide playstyle, focusing on establishing numerous Towns through settlement or conquest. By maintaining Towns rather than upgrading them to Cities, Augustus maximizes Gold and Production, turning the Capital into a powerhouse of resources.

S-Tier: Confucius

Confucius is the go-to leader for rapid City expansion, boasting a +25% Growth Rate in Cities and +2 Science from Specialists. This allows for quick border expansion and early access to key Resources, as well as becoming a top Science producer by the end game. To offset potential defensive weaknesses, pairing Confucius with a strong Civilization or ally can be beneficial.

S-Tier: Xerxes, King of Kings

Xerxes, King of Kings is a straightforward military leader, gaining +3 Combat Strength for Units attacking in neutral or enemy territory. Capturing Settlements for the first time grants 100 Culture and Gold per Age, with a +10% Gold increase in all Settlements, further boosted in those not founded by you. Xerxes also benefits from an increased Settlement limit per Age, making him ideal for aggressive expansion and Military Victory.

A-Tier Leaders

A-Tier: Ashoka, World Renouncer

While not as aggressive as his World Conquerer counterpart, Ashoka, World Renouncer leverages Happiness to boost Food production, with +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, making Ashoka ideal for those focused on population growth and city management.

A-Tier: Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin is perfect for a Science-focused strategy, with +1 Science per Age on Production Buildings in Cities and a 50% Production boost towards constructing them. He can also benefit from active Endeavors, gaining +1 Science per Age for each one he starts or supports, and can have two Endeavors of the same type active at once, creating a powerful feedback loop.

A-Tier: Charlemagne

Charlemagne combines Military and Science, with Military and Science Buildings gaining a Happiness adjacency for Quarters. Entering a Celebration grants 2 free Cavalry Units and +5 Combat Strength for Cavalry Units, making Charlemagne strong in the early and mid-game. His strategy is best suited for players who want to leverage cavalry units effectively.

A-Tier: Harriet Tubman

Harriet Tubman excels in stealth and espionage, with a 100% boost to Influence for initiating Espionage Actions and 5 War Support on all wars declared against you. Her Units ignore movement penalties from Vegetation, making her a nimble and hard-to-pin-down leader. Harriet is ideal for players who enjoy a more covert approach to victory.

A-Tier: Hatshepsut

Hatshepsut thrives on Culture and Wonders, gaining +1 Culture for every imported Resource and a 15% Production boost towards constructing Buildings and Wonders in Cities adjacent to Navigable Rivers. This makes her an excellent choice for players aiming for early Culture Legacy Paths, provided they can establish effective trade routes.

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, which doubles during Celebrations, though this comes at the cost of a -10% Science penalty, also doubled during Celebrations. Himiko is perfect for those aiming for a Cultural Legacy Path, but players must manage the Science trade-off.

A-Tier: Isabella

Isabella can gain significant early-game advantages by discovering Natural Wonders, earning 300 Gold per discovery, doubled if in Distant Lands. She also benefits from a 100% increase in tile yields from Natural Wonders and a 50% discount on purchasing Naval Units, with -1 Gold maintenance cost for Naval Units. Isabella is ideal for players who can secure Natural Wonders early on.

A-Tier: Jose Rizal

Jose Rizal excels in prolonging Celebrations, with a 50% increase in Celebration duration and +50% Happiness towards triggering them. He gains additional Culture and Gold from Narrative Events, which occur more frequently for him. Jose Rizal is perfect for players aiming to leverage the power of Celebrations for significant gains.

A-Tier: Machiavelli

Machiavelli is a master of diplomacy and deceit, gaining +3 Influence per Age and 50 Gold per Age when Diplomatic Action proposals are accepted, or 100 Gold when rejected. He can ignore Relationship requirements for declaring Formal Wars and levy Military Units from City-States he is not Suzerain of. Machiavelli is ideal for players who enjoy a more cunning and manipulative approach.

A-Tier: Trung Trac

Trung Trac is all about maximizing the power of Army Commanders, with her first Commander gaining 3 free Levels and a 20% boost to Commander experience. She also gains a 10% Science boost in Cities in Tropical Spaces, doubled during Formal Wars she declares. Trung Trac is ideal for players who want to focus on commanding powerful military units.

A-Tier: Xerxes, The Achaemenid

Xerxes, The Achaemenid focuses on economic and cultural growth, gaining +1 Trade Route limit with all other leaders and 50 Culture and 100 Gold per Age when creating a Trade Route or Road. He also gains +1 Culture and Gold per Age on Unique Buildings and Unique Improvements, making him a strong choice for players aiming for an Economic Victory.

B-Tier Leaders

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 Units gain +5 Combat Strength in Plains or Desert, making her a decent choice for players who can secure and manage Resources effectively.

B-Tier: Catherine the Great

Catherine the Great is a strong Culture producer, gaining +2 Culture per Age on displayed Great Works and an additional slot for Great Works in Buildings. Cities settled in Tundra gain Science based on their Culture output, making her a situational choice depending on map terrain.

B-Tier: Friedrich, Oblique

Friedrich, Oblique benefits Army Commanders, starting them with the Merit Commendation and gaining an Infantry Unit when constructing a Science Building. While he lacks direct Science, Influence, or Culture buffs, he can be effective for players focusing on early military strength.

B-Tier: Ibn Battuta

Ibn Battuta offers flexibility with 2 Wildcard Attribute Points after the first Civic in every Age, +1 Sight for all Units, and a unique Endeavor called Trade Maps that reveals other Leaders' explored areas. He's best suited for experienced players who can leverage his versatility.

B-Tier: Lafayette

Lafayette offers a unique Endeavor called Reform, granting an additional Social Policy slot, and +1 Combat Strength for every Tradition slotted into Government. He also gains +1 Culture and Happiness per Age in Settlements, doubled in Distant Lands, making him a good choice for players looking for steady, if unspectacular, growth.

B-Tier: Napoleon, Emperor

Napoleon, Emperor thrives on being disliked, gaining +8 Gold per Age for every Leader he is Unfriendly or Hostile with. He can use a unique Sanction called Continental System to disrupt other Leaders' Trade Routes, though this comes at the cost of strained relationships and potential targets on his back.

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. This unique playstyle requires players to provoke and defend against enemies frequently to maximize Culture gains.

B-Tier: Tecumseh

Tecumseh gains +1 Food and Production per Age in Settlements for every City-State he is Suzerain of, as well as +1 Combat Strength for all Units for each City-State. He requires a strong focus on becoming Suzerain, which can be time-consuming but rewarding.

B-Tier: Himiko, Queen of Wa

Himiko, Queen of Wa thrives on positive relationships, gaining +4 Science per Age for every Leader she is Friendly or Helpful with. She can perform a unique Endeavor called Friend of Wei in an Alliance, granting +25% Science to both parties. She's ideal for players who can maintain good relations without compromising their defense.

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 distinctiveness and strength of higher-tier leaders.

C-Tier: Pachacuti

Pachacuti benefits from Mountain adjacency, with all Buildings gaining a +1 Food adjacency bonus for Mountains and Specialists adjacent to Mountains not costing Happiness maintenance. His effectiveness is highly dependent on map terrain, making him a risky choice for players who don't control map generation.