"Top Leaders in Civilization 7 Ranked"

In Civilization 7, a significant evolution in gameplay comes with the introduction of the Ages mechanic, allowing you to transition through Antiquity, Exploration, and Modern Ages while switching civilizations. However, your chosen leader remains constant throughout your journey. While leaders may not offer as many traits or units as civilizations, their unique abilities can still form powerful synergies. To aid in your selection of a leader for your empire's journey into the Modern Age, we've compiled a comprehensive tier list detailing each leader's strengths and weaknesses.

Best Civ 7 Leaders

Note: This tier list focuses solely on standard, single-player games of Civilization 7, excluding multiplayer and DLC leaders such as 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 fuel both domestic growth and military expansion. With a +1 Production boost for every 5 excess Happiness in cities, and an additional +10% Production in settlements not founded by you, Ashoka ensures robust production capabilities. Declaring a Formal War grants a Celebration, providing a +5 Combat Strength boost against districts for all units. This makes Ashoka a formidable force capable of rapid military growth and territorial expansion, provided happiness is managed effectively.

S-Tier: Augustus

Augustus thrives on expanding through numerous towns, gaining +2 Production in the capital for every town and the ability to purchase Culture Buildings in towns. Additionally, Augustus benefits from a 50% reduction in Gold costs when purchasing buildings in towns. This strategy of maintaining a wide array of towns without upgrading them to cities not only saves Gold but also maximizes production and culture output. Augustus is perfect for players aiming for a comprehensive and efficient empire.

S-Tier: Confucius

Confucius is a leader focused on rapid city expansion and technological advancement. With a +25% Growth Rate in cities, Confucius allows for swift border expansion and resource acquisition. The additional +2 Science from Specialists further solidifies Confucius's position as a science powerhouse, particularly in the late game. While defensive measures may need external support, Confucius's ability to expand and advance technologically is unmatched.

S-Tier: Xerxes, King of Kings

Xerxes, King of Kings, is a straightforward military leader designed for aggressive expansion. Units gain +3 Combat Strength when attacking in neutral or enemy territory, and capturing a settlement for the first time grants 100 Culture and Gold per Age. Xerxes also benefits from a +10% Gold increase in all settlements, further boosted in those not founded by you, and an increased settlement limit per Age. For those pursuing a Military Victory, Xerxes offers a direct path to dominance.

A-Tier Leaders

A-Tier: Ashoka, World Renouncer

Ashoka, World Renouncer, focuses on population growth through happiness. With +1 Food in cities for every 5 excess Happiness and a +10% Food increase in all settlements during a Celebration, Ashoka encourages a strategy centered on land acquisition and district development. While less aggressive than the World Conquerer, this version of Ashoka can be equally effective, especially in managing large populations and city growth.

A-Tier: Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin is ideal for players aiming for a Science Victory. With +1 Science per Age on Production Buildings in cities and a +50% Production boost towards constructing these buildings, Franklin creates a powerful feedback loop. Additionally, he gains +1 Science per Age for active Endeavors, and can have two Endeavors of the same type active at a time, making him versatile and potent in scientific pursuits.

A-Tier: Charlemagne

Charlemagne combines military prowess with scientific advancement. Military and Science Buildings receive a Happiness adjacency bonus, and entering a Celebration grants two free Cavalry Units with a +5 Combat Strength boost during the celebration. This strategy is particularly effective in the early and mid-game, where Cavalry units can dominate the battlefield.

A-Tier: Harriet Tubman

Harriet Tubman excels in espionage and defense, with a 100% Influence boost towards initiating Espionage Actions and 5 War Support on all wars declared against you. Units also ignore movement penalties from vegetation, making Tubman a stealthy and agile leader capable of disrupting opponents and maintaining a strong defensive stance.

A-Tier: Hatshepsut

Hatshepsut leverages trade for cultural growth, gaining +1 Culture for every imported Resource and a +15% Production boost towards constructing Buildings and Wonders near Navigable Rivers. This makes Hatshepsut an excellent choice for players focusing on cultural development and early wonders.

A-Tier: Himiko, High Shaman

Himiko, High Shaman, is a leader geared towards cultural dominance, gaining +2 Happiness per Age on Happiness Buildings and a +50% Production boost towards constructing them. With a +20% Culture increase (doubled during Celebrations) and a -10% Science penalty (also doubled), Himiko offers high cultural peaks at the cost of scientific progress, necessitating strategic management.

A-Tier: Isabella

Isabella thrives on discovering and exploiting Natural Wonders, gaining 300 Gold per discovery (doubled in Distant Lands) and a 100% increase in tile yields from Natural Wonders. Additionally, she benefits from a 50% reduction in Gold costs for purchasing Naval Units and a -1 Gold maintenance cost for these units. Isabella can gain a significant advantage early on if Natural Wonders are accessible.

A-Tier: Jose Rizal

Jose Rizal excels in extending Celebrations, with a +50% increase in Celebration duration and a +50% Happiness boost towards Celebrations. He also gains additional Culture and Gold from Narrative Events, making him ideal for players pursuing a cultural victory through prolonged Celebration periods.

A-Tier: Machiavelli

Machiavelli is the master of diplomatic manipulation, gaining +3 Influence per Age and 50 Gold per Age when Diplomatic Action proposals are accepted (or 100 Gold if rejected). He can ignore Relationship requirements for declaring Formal Wars and levy military units from City-States he is not Suzerain of, making him a versatile and potentially deceitful leader.

A-Tier: Trung Trac

Trung Trac is designed to maximize the potential of Army Commanders, starting with three free levels and a +20% Commander experience boost. Additionally, she gains a +10% Science increase in cities located in Tropical Spaces (doubled during a Formal War she declares), making her a powerful choice for players who utilize Army Commanders effectively.

A-Tier: Xerxes, The Achaemenid

Xerxes, The Achaemenid, focuses on trade and infrastructure, gaining +1 Trade Route limit with all leaders and 50 Culture and 100 Gold per Age when creating a Trade Route or Road. Unique Buildings and Improvements also provide +1 Culture and Gold per Age, making Xerxes an excellent choice for players aiming for an Economic Victory.

B-Tier Leaders

B-Tier: Amina

Amina offers a decent boost to resource management, with +1 Resource Capacity in cities and +1 Gold per Age for each Resource assigned to cities. Her units gain a +5 Combat Strength in Plains or Desert, making her a situational but effective leader for resource-focused strategies.

B-Tier: Catherine the Great

Catherine the Great focuses on cultural development through Great Works, gaining +2 Culture per Age on displayed Great Works and an additional slot for Great Works buildings. Cities settled in Tundra also gain Science based on a percentage of their Culture per turn, making her a good choice for players with access to Tundra.

B-Tier: Friedrich, Oblique

Friedrich, Oblique, enhances Army Commanders with the Merit Commendation, granting additional Command Radius. He also gains an Infantry Unit when constructing a Science Building, making him a solid choice for players focused on military science.

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 gradual visibility of other leaders' explored areas, making him a versatile leader for players who can leverage this information effectively.

B-Tier: Lafayette

Lafayette provides a unique Endeavor called Reform, granting an additional Social Policy slot and +1 Combat Strength for every Tradition slotted into the government. He also gains +1 Culture and Happiness per Age in settlements (doubled in Distant Lands), making him a balanced but not standout leader.

B-Tier: Napoleon, Emperor

Napoleon, Emperor, gains benefits from being unfriendly, with +8 Gold per Age for every leader he is Unfriendly or Hostile with. His Continental System Sanction reduces the Trade Route limit of targeted leaders, though this comes at the cost of significant relationship penalties.

B-Tier: Napoleon, Revolutionary

Napoleon, Revolutionary, provides +1 Movement for all land units and Culture equal to 50% of an enemy unit's Combat Strength when defending. This unique playstyle can be effective for players who can consistently provoke and defend against enemies.

B-Tier: Tecumseh

Tecumseh focuses on becoming the Suzerain of City-States, gaining +1 Food and Production per Age in settlements for every City-State and +1 Combat Strength for all units per City-State. While effective, this strategy requires time and infrastructure to maximize.

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. Her unique Endeavor, Friend of Wei, grants +25% Science to both her and an ally, making her a strong choice for diplomatic and scientific players.

C-Tier Leaders

C-Tier: Friedrich, Baroque

Friedrich, Baroque, offers a Great Work upon capturing a settlement for the first time and an Infantry Unit when constructing a Culture Building. While these traits are useful, they are not particularly strong compared to other leaders.

C-Tier: Pachacuti

Pachacuti's effectiveness is heavily dependent on mountain proximity, with +1 Food adjacency for mountains and no Happiness maintenance cost for Specialists adjacent to mountains. While potentially powerful in the right terrain, Pachacuti can be limited by map generation.