Civ 6: Conquer the World of Faith – Fastest Religious Victory Paths
Securing a Religious Victory in Civilization 6 can be surprisingly swift, especially if you're not facing stiff religious competition. Several Civ 6 civilizations excel at Faith generation, but some significantly outperform others in achieving a rapid Religious Victory. This guide highlights the top contenders for a quick religious win, focusing on strategies that maximize their unique strengths.
These civilizations boast the highest Faith generation rates, enabling swift Holy Site acquisition and a rapid Religious Victory. While other civilizations might offer more reliable paths, these leaders can achieve victory quickly under the right conditions and with focused Faith strategies.
Theodora – Byzantine: Conquest and Conversion
Leader Ability: Metanoia (Holy Sites gain Culture equal to adjacency bonus; Farms gain +1 Faith from Hippodromes and Holy Sites).
Civilization Ability: Taxis (+3 Combat and Religious Strength per converted Holy City; killing a unit spreads your religion).
Unique Units: Dromon (Classical ranged unit), Hippodrome (replaces Entertainment Complex, grants Amenities and a free Heavy Cavalry).
Theodora's strategy centers on religious warfare. Byzantium's ability boosts combat and religious strength with each converted Holy City, while unit kills spread your religion. The Hippodrome fuels rapid conquest with free Heavy Cavalry. Focus on the Theology and Monarchy civics for faster Policy Slot acquisition.
Winning Strategy: Combine Domination and Religious strategies. Don't conquer every civ; focus on combat engagements to spread your religion. The Crusades founding belief enhances combat strength against co-religionists. Convert cities before invading, ensuring continuous religious influence and damage bonuses. Combine military pressure with Missionaries and Apostles for rapid Holy City conversions.
Menelik II – Ethiopia: Hilltop Faith and Resource Exploitation
Leader Ability: Council of Ministers (Cities founded on Hills gain Science and Culture equal to 15% of their Faith output; +4 Combat Strength for units on Hills).
Civilization Ability: Aksumite Legacy (Resource improvements gain +1 Faith per copy; International Trade Routes grant +0.5 Faith per resource in the origin city; Archaeologists and Museums can be purchased with Faith).
Unique Units: Oromo Cavalry (Medieval Light Cavalry), Rock-Hewn Church (+1 Faith per adjacent Mountain or Hills tile; provides Tourism from Faith after Flight, spreads +1 Appeal).
Menelik II's strength lies in his Leader ability. Founding cities on Hills provides a balanced approach, generating Science and Culture alongside Faith. Maximize Faith from multiple copies of resources and trade routes.
Winning Strategy: Settle on Hills. Prioritize Faith buildings early. Build Rock-Hewn Churches near mountains and hills for maximum Faith. Focus on acquiring and trading Bonus and Luxury Resources for increased Faith generation. Prioritizing Culture alongside Faith accelerates Civic progression for enhanced religious influence.
Jayavarman VII – Khmer: River-Based Faith Boom
Leader Ability: Monasteries of the King (Holy Sites gain Food equal to adjacency bonus; +2 adjacency from Rivers; +2 Housing near Rivers; triggers a Culture Bomb).
Civilization Ability: Grand Barays (Aqueducts provide +1 Amenity and +1 Faith per citizen; Farms gain +2 Food near Aqueducts and +1 Faith near Holy Sites).
Unique Units: Domrey (Medieval Siege unit), Prasat (+6 Faith, Relic slot, extra Housing, Culture, and Food with certain beliefs; +0.5 Culture per citizen).
Jayavarman VII excels at both Cultural and Religious victories. His Leader ability makes Holy Sites near rivers incredibly powerful.
Winning Strategy: Place Holy Sites next to rivers. Prioritize Aqueducts for Amenities and Faith. Utilize Wonders like the Great Bath and The Hanging Gardens to boost growth and mitigate river penalties. Rapid city growth and high Faith generation allow for swift Apostle production to peacefully convert Holy Cities.
Peter – Russia: Tundra Domination
Leader Ability: The Grand Embassy (Trade Routes with advanced civilizations grant +1 Science and +1 Culture per 3 Technologies or Civics they are ahead of Russia).
Civilization Ability: Mother Russia (+5 extra founding tiles; Tundra tiles grant +1 Faith and +1 Production; units are immune to Blizzard; enemy civilizations suffer double penalties in Russian territory).
Unique Units: Cossack (Industrial Era), Lavra (Replaces Holy Site; expands by 2 tiles when a Great Person is spent there).
Russia is a powerful all-around civilization, but Peter excels at Religious Victories.
Winning Strategy: Utilize Tundra tiles for Faith and Production. The Dance of the Aurora pantheon further enhances Tundra yields. Expand rapidly using Settlers with the Magnus promotion. Lavras significantly expand city borders with Great Person spending. Build St. Basil's Cathedral for additional Tundra bonuses. High Faith output from Tundra development leads to a rapid Religious Victory.
