"Top Leaders in Civilization 7 Ranked"

*Civilization 7* introduces a few massive changes to the series, most notably the Ages mechanic that has you swap out your civilization for a new one as the game progresses through Antiquity, Exploration, and Modern Ages. Your choice of leader, though, sticks with you throughout the entire game.

While they don’t provide as many traits and units as Civilizations, Leaders still have powerful abilities that can create some excellent combinations when mixed and matched. To help you out, we’ve created this tier list of every Leader and highlighted their strengths and weaknesses. This should help you choose who you want to be the face of your empire as you build your future all the way into the Modern Age.

Best Civ 7 Leaders

Note: This tier list does not take into account synergies with Civilizations, and is entirely focused on a standard, single-player game of Civilization 7. Multiplayer is not taken into account here, and we haven't included DLC Leaders Ada Lovelace or 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 is all about keeping your own citizens happy while terrorizing other civilizations. With +1 Production for every 5 excess Happiness in Cities, and +10% Production in Settlements not founded by you, you can rapidly expand your military capabilities. Declaring a Formal War grants a Celebration, giving all Units a +5 Combat Strength against Districts during the celebration. This combination of happiness and military might makes Ashoka one of the strongest leaders in the game, especially if you can manage the unrest from conquered settlements effectively.

S-Tier: Augustus

Augustus excels at expanding your empire wide with multiple Towns, whether settled or conquered. His abilities grant +2 Production in the Capital for every Town, and the ability to purchase Culture Buildings in Towns at a 50% discount on Gold. This strategy focuses on maintaining Towns rather than upgrading them to Cities, saving Gold while boosting both Production and Culture. Augustus is ideal for players who enjoy a balanced, expansive playstyle.

S-Tier: Confucius

Confucius is a powerhouse when it comes to city growth and technological advancement. With a +25% Growth Rate in Cities and +2 Science from Specialists, you can expand your borders quickly and become a leader in technological development. This makes Confucius perfect for players who prioritize rapid expansion and technological dominance, though you may need to bolster your defenses with strong allies or a complementary Civilization.

S-Tier: Xerxes, King of Kings

Xerxes, King of Kings is the epitome of military aggression. With +3 Combat Strength for Units attacking in neutral or enemy territory, and benefits like 100 Culture and Gold per Age upon capturing a Settlement for the first time, Xerxes thrives on conquest. Additionally, a +10% Gold boost in all Settlements, particularly those not founded by you, and an increased Settlement limit per Age, make him a formidable choice for those aiming for a Military Victory.

A-Tier Leaders

A-Tier: Ashoka, World Renouncer

While less aggressive than his World Conquerer counterpart, Ashoka, World Renouncer turns Happiness into population growth. With +1 Food in Cities for every 5 excess Happiness, and a +10% Food boost in all Settlements during a Celebration, you can focus on expanding your population and establishing Districts. This strategy is excellent for players who prefer a peaceful approach to expansion, though it requires careful management of population and city growth.

A-Tier: Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin is a versatile leader perfect for a Science-focused game. With +1 Science per Age on Production Buildings in Cities, and a +50% Production boost towards constructing these buildings, Franklin creates a strong feedback loop between Science and Production. Additionally, he benefits from active Endeavors, gaining +1 Science per Age for each one started or supported, and can have two Endeavors of the same type active at once. This makes him ideal for players looking to advance quickly in technology and production.

A-Tier: Charlemagne

Charlemagne combines Military and Science to great effect. Military and Science Buildings receive a Happiness adjacency bonus from Quarters, and entering a Celebration grants 2 free Cavalry Units, with an additional +5 Combat Strength for Cavalry Units during the celebration. This strategy is perfect for early and mid-game dominance, though you may need to adapt as the game progresses into the Modern Age.

A-Tier: Harriet Tubman

Harriet Tubman is a stealthy choice, excelling in Espionage and defensive play. With +100% Influence towards Initiating Espionage Actions, and 5 War Support on all wars declared against you, Harriet can disrupt other civilizations while remaining hard to pin down, thanks to Units ignoring movement penalties from Vegetation. She's ideal for players who enjoy a more covert and strategic approach to gameplay.

A-Tier: Hatshepsut

Hatshepsut thrives on Culture and Wonders, gaining +1 Culture for every imported Resource and a +15% Production boost towards the construction of Buildings and Wonders in Cities adjacent to Navigable Rivers. This makes her a strong choice for players aiming to dominate the early Culture Legacy Paths, provided they can secure access to these rivers.

A-Tier: Himiko, High Shaman

Himiko, High Shaman is a Culture powerhouse, with +2 Happiness per Age on Happiness Buildings and a +50% Production boost towards constructing these buildings. She also gains a +20% Culture boost, doubled during Celebrations, though at the cost of -10% Science. This makes her a top pick for players focusing on the Cultural Legacy Path, provided they can manage the Science deficit.

A-Tier: Isabella

Isabella can catapult her early game with Natural Wonders, gaining 300 Gold upon discovery, doubled if in Distant Lands, and +100% additional tile yields from these Wonders. She also benefits from a +50% Gold discount on Naval Units and -1 Gold maintenance cost for them. This makes her a strong choice for players who can secure Natural Wonders early on, though she may struggle without them.

A-Tier: Jose Rizal

Jose Rizal excels at prolonging and benefiting from Celebrations, with +50% Celebration duration and +50% Happiness towards Celebrations. He also gains additional Culture and Gold from Narrative Events, which occur more frequently for him. This makes him an excellent choice for players who want to maximize the benefits of Celebrations.

A-Tier: Machiavelli

Machiavelli is a master of Influence and Gold, 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. This makes him ideal for players who enjoy a more devious and strategic approach to diplomacy and warfare.

A-Tier: Trung Trac

Trung Trac is all about utilizing Army Commanders, gaining 3 free Levels on her first Army Commander and a +20% Commander experience boost. She also gains a +10% Science boost in Cities in Tropical Spaces, doubled while in a Formal War she declares. This makes her a strong choice for players who want to leverage powerful Army Commanders, though her effectiveness depends on the map's Tropical spaces.

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. This makes him a versatile choice for players looking to expand economically and culturally.

B-Tier Leaders

B-Tier: Amina

Amina focuses on resource management, gaining +1 Resource Capacity in Cities and +1 Gold per Age for each Resource assigned to Cities. Her Units also gain a +5 Combat Strength boost in Plains or Desert. This makes her a decent choice for players who want to maximize their resource utilization, though her combat bonus is situational.

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 equal to a percentage of their Culture per turn. This makes her a good choice for players who can settle in Tundra and leverage Culture and Science effectively.

B-Tier: Friedrich, Oblique

Friedrich, Oblique enhances Army Commanders with the Merit Commendation and gains an Infantry Unit when constructing a Science Building. While his traits are useful, they lack the yield bonuses of other leaders, making him a decent but not standout choice for players focusing on military and science.

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. His versatility can be powerful in experienced hands, but may be challenging for new players to utilize effectively.

B-Tier: Lafayette

Lafayette provides additional Social Policy slots through the Reform Endeavor, +1 Combat Strength for every Tradition slotted into Government, and +1 Culture and Happiness per Age in Settlements, doubled in Distant Lands. His traits are solid but not exceptionally compelling on their own, making him a good but not top-tier choice.

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 also use the Continental System Sanction to reduce other leaders' Trade Route limits. This makes him a good choice for players who enjoy a more antagonistic playstyle, though it comes with significant diplomatic risks.

B-Tier: Napoleon, Revolutionary

Napoleon, Revolutionary provides +1 Movement for all Land Units and Culture equal to 50% of enemy Combat Strength when defending. This unique playstyle can be effective if you can provoke enemies while holding your ground, though it requires careful management of your military.

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. This makes him a strong choice if you can become Suzerain of multiple City-States, though it requires significant setup and time.

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, and a unique Endeavor called Friend of Wei that boosts Science for both her and her ally. While powerful, this strategy requires careful diplomatic management to maintain friendly relations.

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 strength and distinctiveness of other leaders, making him a less competitive choice.

C-Tier: Pachacuti

Pachacuti gains +1 Food adjacency bonus for Mountains and Specialists adjacent to Mountains do not cost Happiness maintenance. While potentially powerful, his effectiveness is heavily dependent on the presence of Mountains on the map, making him a risky choice for players without map control.