Civilization 7 introduces significant changes to the series, including the Ages mechanic that transitions your civilization through Antiquity, Exploration, and Modern Ages. However, your chosen leader remains constant throughout the game. While leaders don't offer as many traits and units as civilizations, their abilities can lead to powerful combinations when matched correctly. To help you select the best leader for your empire, we've compiled a comprehensive tier list based on their strengths and weaknesses in a standard, single-player game. Note that this list does not consider synergies with civilizations, multiplayer dynamics, or DLC leaders like 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 converting excess Happiness into military strength. With +1 Production for every 5 excess Happiness in Cities and +10% Production in Settlements not founded by you, you can build units and maintain a robust base for your war efforts. Declaring a Formal War grants a Celebration, boosting all Units with +5 Combat Strength against Districts. This leader's ability to sustain periods of extreme military power makes him one of the strongest in the game, provided you manage unrest in newly acquired Settlements effectively.
S-Tier: Augustus
Augustus thrives on establishing numerous Towns, whether through settling or conquest. He gains +2 Production in the Capital for every Town and can purchase Culture Buildings in Towns with a 50% Gold discount. This strategy turns his Capital into a powerhouse, maximizing both Production and Culture while saving on Gold. Augustus offers a straightforward and potent playstyle focused on expansion and resource management.
S-Tier: Confucius
Confucius is unmatched in city expansion, boasting a +25% Growth Rate in Cities and +2 Science from Specialists. This allows for rapid border expansion and significant technological advancement, especially in the endgame. While Confucius may require support in defense, his ability to grow and innovate makes him a top choice for players aiming for a technological edge.
S-Tier: Xerxes, King of Kings
Xerxes, King of Kings is designed for aggressive play, gaining +3 Combat Strength for Units attacking in neutral or enemy territory. Capturing a Settlement for the first time grants 100 Culture and Gold per Age, with additional Gold bonuses in all Settlements. His increased Settlement limit per Age further supports his military-focused strategy, making him a formidable choice for those pursuing a Military Victory.
A-Tier Leaders
A-Tier: Ashoka, World Renouncer
Ashoka, World Renouncer focuses on population growth through Happiness, gaining +1 Food in Cities for every 5 excess Happiness and +10% Food in all Settlements during a Celebration. Buildings also gain a +1 Happiness adjacency for all Improvements. While less militarily dominant than his counterpart, the World Renouncer excels in managing large populations and expanding through city construction.
A-Tier: Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin is a versatile leader for those pursuing a Science victory. He gains +1 Science per Age on Production Buildings in Cities and +50% Production towards constructing these buildings. Additionally, he can have two Endeavors of the same type active at a time, boosting his Science output further. Franklin's focus on Science and Production creates a powerful feedback loop, enabling rapid 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's early game strength lies in his Cavalry, which can help establish a strong empire before the Modern Age challenges arise.
A-Tier: Harriet Tubman
Harriet Tubman offers a stealthy approach with +100% Influence towards Initiating Espionage Actions and +5 War Support on all wars declared against you. Her Units also ignore movement penalties from Vegetation, making her an elusive and disruptive force. Tubman's ability to manipulate and undermine other civilizations through Espionage is a significant advantage.
A-Tier: Hatshepsut
Hatshepsut excels in Culture generation, gaining +1 Culture for every imported Resource and +15% Production towards the construction of Buildings and Wonders in Cities adjacent to Navigable Rivers. Her focus on trade and river-adjacent cities makes her a strong contender in the early Culture Legacy Paths.
A-Tier: Himiko, High Shaman
Himiko, High Shaman is the best producer of Culture, with +2 Happiness per Age on Happiness Buildings and +50% Production towards constructing them. Her +20% Culture boost (doubled during Celebrations) is offset by a -10% Science penalty. However, her focus on Happiness and Culture makes her ideal for the Cultural Legacy Path if managed correctly.
A-Tier: Isabella
Isabella can gain significant early advantages by discovering Natural Wonders, receiving 300 Gold (doubled in Distant Lands) and +100% additional tile yields from them. Her naval focus, with +50% Gold towards purchasing Naval Units and -1 Gold maintenance cost, can propel her ahead if she secures Natural Wonders early in the game.
A-Tier: Jose Rizal
Jose Rizal excels in managing Celebrations, with a +50% Celebration duration and +50% Happiness towards Celebrations. He also gains additional Culture and Gold from Narrative Events, which occur more frequently for him. Rizal's synergy with Celebrations and Culture makes him a strong choice for players aiming to capitalize on these effects.
A-Tier: Machiavelli
Machiavelli is the master of deception, 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's ability to manipulate and surprise opponents makes him a formidable leader.
A-Tier: Trung Trac
Trung Trac is the leader for those who want to leverage Army Commanders effectively. She gains 3 free Levels on her first Army Commander and +20% Commander experience. Additionally, she receives a +10% Science boost in Cities in Tropical Spaces, doubled during a Formal War she declares. Trung Trac's focus on military upgrades and Science makes her a powerful choice in the right environment.
A-Tier: Xerxes, The Achaemenid
Xerxes, The Achaemenid benefits from economic strategies, gaining +1 Trade Route limit with all other leaders and +50 Culture and 100 Gold per Age when creating Trade Routes or Roads. He also gains +1 Culture and Gold per Age on Unique Buildings and Improvements. Xerxes' focus on trade and economic development can lead to significant yields if managed well.
B-Tier Leaders
B-Tier: Amina
Amina is a solid choice for resource management, with +1 Resource Capacity in Cities and +1 Gold per Age for each Resource assigned to Cities. Her Units gain +5 Combat Strength on all Units in Plains or Desert, which can be situational but useful. Amina's focus on resources and situational combat bonuses makes her a decent but not exceptional leader.
B-Tier: Catherine the Great
Catherine the Great focuses on Culture through Great Works, gaining +2 Culture per Age on displayed Great Works and an additional slot for Great Works in Buildings. Cities settled in Tundra gain Science equal to a percentage of their Culture per turn. While her abilities are strong, they are situational and depend on Tundra access.
B-Tier: Friedrich, Oblique
Friedrich, Oblique enhances Army Commanders by starting them with the Merit Commendation and gaining an Infantry Unit when constructing a Science Building. While these traits can boost early military power, Friedrich lacks Science, Influence, or Culture buffs, making him less competitive against specialized leaders.
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. While versatile, Ibn Battuta's effectiveness depends on the player's ability to utilize his flexibility and map information.
B-Tier: Lafayette
Lafayette gains 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. While his traits are solid, they lack the punch of higher-tier leaders.
B-Tier: Napoleon, Emperor
Napoleon, Emperor thrives on being disliked, gaining +8 Gold per Age for every Leader he is Unfriendly or Hostile with. His Continental System Sanction reduces other leaders' Trade Route limits, but at a significant Relationship penalty. While his trolling can be lucrative, it comes with substantial risks.
B-Tier: Napoleon, Revolutionary
Napoleon, Revolutionary gains +1 Movement for all Land Units and Culture equal to 50% of enemy Combat Strength when defending. This unique playstyle requires provoking enemies while holding ground, which can be challenging but rewarding if managed well.
B-Tier: Tecumseh
Tecumseh gains +1 Food and Production per Age in Settlements for every City-State he is Suzerain of, and +1 Combat Strength for all Units for each City-State. While potentially powerful, becoming a Suzerain requires significant Influence and time, making Tecumseh a long-term investment.
B-Tier: Himiko, Queen of Wa
Himiko, Queen of Wa focuses on alliances, 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 herself and her ally. While strong, maintaining these relationships requires careful diplomacy.
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 impact to compete with stronger leaders, especially in terms of yield bonuses.
C-Tier: Pachacuti
Pachacuti gains +1 Food adjacency bonus for Mountains on all Buildings and no Happiness maintenance cost for Specialists adjacent to Mountains. While potentially powerful in the right map, Pachacuti's effectiveness is heavily dependent on Mountain access, making him a risky choice.
