"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 excels at maintaining high Happiness while dominating other civilizations. With +1 Production for every 5 excess Happiness in Cities and +10% Production in Settlements not founded by you, Ashoka can rapidly build a powerful military. Declaring a Formal War triggers a Celebration, granting an instant +5 Combat Strength against Districts for all Units. This makes Ashoka exceptionally strong in aggressive playstyles, as long as you manage the unrest from conquered Settlements effectively.

S-Tier: Augustus

Augustus thrives by expanding wide with numerous Towns, whether through settling or conquest. His unique ability to gain +2 Production in the Capital for every Town and purchase Culture Buildings in Towns provides a robust foundation for growth. Additionally, the 50% Gold discount on purchasing Buildings in Towns further boosts his empire's development. Augustus's strategy is clear and effective: establish as many Towns as possible to turn your Capital into a powerhouse of Production and Culture.

S-Tier: Confucius

Confucius is a powerhouse for city expansion and technological advancement. His +25% Growth Rate in Cities enables rapid territorial expansion, crucial for securing key Resources early on. Moreover, his +2 Science from Specialists makes him one of the best at generating Science, particularly in the late game. While Confucius may need assistance in defense, his ability to expand and advance technologically makes him a top-tier choice.

S-Tier: Xerxes, King of Kings

Xerxes, King of Kings is the epitome of military aggression, designed for those aiming for a Military Victory. He gains +3 Combat Strength for Units attacking in neutral or enemy territory and can capture Settlements to gain 100 Culture and Gold per Age. With a +10% Gold increase in all Settlements and an additional Settlement limit per Age, Xerxes is well-equipped to conquer and expand his empire relentlessly.

A-Tier Leaders

A-Tier: Ashoka, World Renouncer

Ashoka, World Renouncer focuses on turning Happiness into population growth. With +1 Food in Cities for every 5 excess Happiness and +10% Food in all Settlements during Celebration, this version of Ashoka excels at expanding through land grabs and District establishment. While less aggressive than the World Conquerer, the World Renouncer's strategy can be highly effective with proper management.

A-Tier: Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin is ideal for players pursuing a Science-focused strategy. His traits provide +1 Science per Age on Production Buildings and +50% Production towards constructing them, creating a powerful feedback loop. Additionally, his ability to have two active Endeavors of the same type and gain +1 Science per Age from supported Endeavors makes him versatile and strong in technological advancement.

A-Tier: Charlemagne

Charlemagne combines Military and Science for a potent strategy. His Military and Science Buildings receive a Happiness adjacency bonus, and entering a Celebration grants two free Cavalry Units with +5 Combat Strength. This makes Charlemagne a formidable force in the early to mid-game, particularly with a horse-centric strategy.

A-Tier: Harriet Tubman

Harriet Tubman is the master of stealth and espionage. With +100% Influence towards Initiating Espionage Actions and the ability to ignore movement penalties from Vegetation, she can disrupt other civilizations effectively. Additionally, gaining 5 War Support on all wars declared against her makes Harriet a resilient and cunning leader.

A-Tier: Hatshepsut

Hatshepsut excels in Culture generation, gaining +1 Culture for every imported Resource and +15% Production towards constructing Buildings and Wonders near Navigable Rivers. Her strategy revolves around establishing strong Trade Routes, making her a top choice for early Culture Legacy Paths.

A-Tier: Himiko, High Shaman

Himiko, High Shaman is one of the best producers of Culture in Civilization 7. Her +2 Happiness per Age on Happiness Buildings and +50% Production towards constructing them, combined with a +20% Culture boost (doubled during Celebrations), make her a cultural powerhouse. While she suffers a -10% Science penalty, her cultural advantages are significant.

A-Tier: Isabella

Isabella can gain a significant early advantage by discovering Natural Wonders, earning 300 Gold (doubled in Distant Lands) and +100% additional tile yields from them. Her ability to purchase Naval Units at a 50% Gold discount and reduce their maintenance costs makes her a strong naval leader, though her success depends on map placement.

A-Tier: Jose Rizal

Jose Rizal excels at leveraging 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 synergy makes him a strong choice for a Culture-focused game.

A-Tier: Machiavelli

Machiavelli is perfect for players who enjoy a devious playstyle. With +3 Influence per Age and the ability to gain Gold from Diplomatic Actions, he can quickly build a powerful military. His ability to ignore Relationship requirements for declaring Formal Wars and levy units from City-States he isn’t Suzerain of makes him a flexible and dangerous opponent.

A-Tier: Trung Trac

Trung Trac is a master of utilizing Army Commanders, granting them three free Levels and +20% Commander experience. Her +10% Science in Cities in Tropical Spaces (doubled during Formal Wars) provides a strong Science and Military combination, though her effectiveness is map-dependent.

A-Tier: Xerxes, The Achaemenid

Xerxes, The Achaemenid focuses on economic growth and Culture, gaining +50 Culture and 100 Gold per Age from creating Trade Routes and Roads. With an additional Trade Route limit and bonuses to Culture and Gold from Unique Buildings and Improvements, he offers a versatile and powerful set of abilities.

B-Tier Leaders

B-Tier: Amina

Amina excels with Resources, gaining +1 Resource Capacity and +1 Gold per Age for each Resource assigned to Cities. Her Units also receive a +5 Combat Strength bonus in Plains or Desert, making her a solid choice for players focused on Resource management.

B-Tier: Catherine the Great

Catherine the Great is a strong producer of Culture, with +2 Culture per Age on displayed Great Works and additional slots for them. Her Science boost in Tundra cities complements her Culture generation, though her effectiveness can be situational based on map placement.

B-Tier: Friedrich, Oblique

Friedrich, Oblique benefits from Army Commanders starting with the Merit Commendation and gaining an Infantry Unit when constructing Science Buildings. While his focus on Commanders is strong, he lacks direct boosts to Science, Influence, or Culture, which can limit his overall impact.

B-Tier: Ibn Battuta

Ibn Battuta offers flexibility with 2 Wildcard Attribute Points after the first Civic in every Age and increased visibility of other Leaders’ Explored areas. His versatility requires strategic planning to maximize his potential, making him more suitable for experienced players.

B-Tier: Lafayette

Lafayette provides a unique Endeavor called Reform, granting additional Social Policy slots and +1 Combat Strength for every Tradition. His unconditional +1 Culture and Happiness per Age (doubled in Distant Lands) offers consistent value, though his traits may not be as compelling as those 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 disrupts other civilizations’ Trade Routes, but managing the resulting hostility requires a strong military.

B-Tier: Napoleon, Revolutionary

Napoleon, Revolutionary offers +1 Movement for all Land Units and Culture gains from defending against enemy units. His unique playstyle requires provoking enemies while maintaining a strong defense, which can be challenging but rewarding.

B-Tier: Tecumseh

Tecumseh benefits from becoming Suzerain of City-States, gaining +1 Food and Production per Age in Settlements and +1 Combat Strength for all Units per City-State. His potential is high, but requires significant setup and time to realize.

B-Tier: Himiko, Queen of Wa

Himiko, Queen of Wa focuses on maintaining friendly relations, gaining +4 Science per Age for every Leader she is Friendly or Helpful with. Her Friend of Wei Endeavor further boosts Science, but she must balance this with a strong defense.

C-Tier Leaders

C-Tier: Friedrich, Baroque

Friedrich, Baroque offers a Great Work upon capturing a Settlement and an Infantry Unit when constructing a Culture Building. While these traits are useful, they lack the strength and distinctiveness of higher-tier Leaders, making him a less compelling choice.

C-Tier: Pachacuti

Pachacuti's effectiveness is heavily dependent on the presence of Mountains, gaining +1 Food adjacency for Buildings and no Happiness maintenance for Specialists near them. Without Mountains, his impact is minimal, making him a risky choice for players looking for consistent performance.