Civilization 6: Conquer Faith – The Fastest Religious Victory Paths
A Religious Victory in Civilization 6 can be surprisingly swift, particularly if you're the only player pursuing this path. While many Civs boast strong Faith generation, some significantly outperform others. This guide highlights the Civ leaders best suited for a rapid Religious Victory, focusing on strategies that maximize their unique abilities.
Theodora – Byzantine: Religious Warfare for Rapid Conversion
Leader Ability: Metanoia: Holy Sites gain Culture equal to their 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 to the controlling Civ or City-State.
Unique Units: Dromon (Classical Ranged), Hippodrome (replaces Entertainment Complex, grants Amenities and a free Heavy Cavalry).
Theodora excels in religious warfare. Byzantium's ability boosts combat and religious strength with each converted Holy City, and eliminating enemy units spreads your faith. Hippodromes facilitate rapid conquest through free Heavy Cavalry. Focus on Theology and Monarchy civics for quick Policy Slot gains.
Strategy: Combine Domination and Religious strategies. Don't conquer every Civ; focus on combat to spread your religion. The Crusades founding belief provides extra combat strength against same-religion units. Convert cities before invading; your religious influence will accelerate conversion. Combine military pressure with Missionaries/Apostles for swift Holy City conversions.
Menelik II – Ethiopia: Hill Settlements for Balanced Growth
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: All Resource improvements gain +1 Faith per copy. International Trade Routes grant +0.5 Faith per resource in the origin city. Archaeologists and Museums are Faith-purchasable.
Unique Units: Oromo Cavalry (Medieval Light Cavalry), Rock-Hewn Church (+1 Faith per adjacent Mountain or Hill, provides Tourism from Faith after Flight, spreads +1 Appeal).
Menelik II’s strength lies in balanced growth. Found cities on Hills to gain Science and Culture from Faith, prioritizing Faith without sacrificing other yields.
Strategy: Focus on obtaining the first Pantheon and Religion. Build Rock-Hewn Churches near mountains and hills for maximum Faith. Acquire multiple copies of Bonus and Luxury Resources and trade with resource-rich Civs. Prioritize Culture alongside Faith to unlock beneficial policies faster.
Jayavarman VII – Khmer: River-Based Holy Sites for Explosive Faith
Leader Ability: Monasteries of the King: Holy Sites gain Food equal to their adjacency bonus, +2 adjacency from Rivers, +2 Housing near Rivers, and trigger a Culture Bomb.
Civilization Ability: Grand Barays: Aqueducts provide +1 Amenity and +1 Faith per citizen. Farms gain +2 Food near Aqueducts, +1 Faith near Holy Sites.
Unique Units: Domrey (Medieval Siege), Prasat (+6 Faith, Relic slot, extra Housing, Culture, and Food with certain beliefs). +0.5 Culture per citizen.
Jayavarman VII is exceptional for both Cultural and Religious victories. His Leader ability makes Holy Sites near rivers incredibly powerful.
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 drawbacks. Generate Apostles (or Missionaries) to rapidly convert Holy Cities.
Peter – Russia: Tundra Domination for Unmatched Faith
Leader Ability: The Grand Embassy: Trade Routes with more advanced Civs grant +1 Science and +1 Culture per 3 Technologies or Civics they are ahead.
Civilization Ability: Mother Russia: +5 city tiles on founding. Tundra tiles grant +1 Faith and +1 Production. Units are immune to Blizzard; enemies 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).
Peter is arguably the strongest contender for a Religious Victory. Russia's ability to expand rapidly and leverage Tundra tiles for massive Faith production is unmatched.
Strategy: Utilize the Tundra terrain bonus. Rush the Dance of the Aurora pantheon for increased Tundra yields. Use Settlers (with Magnus promotion) to expand widely across the Tundra. Build Lavras to expand city borders with Great People. Construct St. Basil's Cathedral for further Tundra bonuses.
These strategies, tailored to each leader's unique abilities, offer the fastest paths to a Religious Victory in Civilization 6. Remember that success depends on adapting to the game's circumstances and the actions of other players.
