Civilization 7 introduces a groundbreaking Ages mechanic, allowing you to transition your civilization through Antiquity, Exploration, and Modern Ages, while keeping your chosen leader constant throughout the game. Although leaders don't provide as many traits and units as civilizations, their unique abilities can significantly enhance your gameplay when paired effectively. To aid in your strategic planning, we've compiled a detailed tier list of every leader, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses. This guide will help you decide which leader best suits your playstyle as you navigate your empire into the Modern Age.

Note: This tier list focuses solely on standard, single-player gameplay in Civilization 7, excluding multiplayer and DLC leaders such as 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 leveraging happiness to fuel your empire's growth and military strength. With +1 Production for every 5 excess Happiness in cities and +10% Production in settlements you didn't found, you can rapidly expand your forces. Declaring a Formal War triggers a Celebration, granting +5 Combat Strength against districts for all units, making you a formidable opponent. While managing unrest in newly acquired settlements can be challenging, maintaining high happiness levels will keep Ashoka among the game's most powerful leaders.

S-Tier: Augustus

Augustus thrives on expanding widely, focusing on establishing as many towns as possible. With +2 Production in the capital for each town and the ability to purchase Culture Buildings in towns, Augustus turns his capital into a powerhouse. Additionally, he receives a 50% discount on purchasing buildings in towns, allowing for rapid growth in both production and culture. This straightforward strategy of settling or conquering towns, without upgrading them to cities, provides Augustus with a solid foundation for a thriving empire.

S-Tier: Confucius

Confucius's strength lies in his ability to rapidly expand cities, with a +25% growth rate that accelerates land acquisition. This early advantage allows you to claim key resources before competitors. Additionally, Confucius gains +2 Science from specialists, making him one of the top science producers, particularly in the late game. While he may require defensive support, his focus on growth and technological advancement makes him a formidable leader.

S-Tier: Xerxes, King of Kings

Xerxes, King of Kings is a straightforward leader focused on military conquest. With +3 Combat Strength for units attacking in neutral or enemy territory, Xerxes excels in offensive operations. Capturing a settlement for the first time grants 100 Culture and Gold per Age, and a +10% Gold increase in all settlements, particularly those not founded by you. His increased settlement limit per Age further fuels his aggressive expansion, making him an excellent choice for players seeking a Military Victory.

A-Tier Leaders

A-Tier: Ashoka, World Renouncer

Ashoka, World Renouncer converts happiness into population growth, offering +1 Food in cities for every 5 excess Happiness and +10% Food in all settlements during Celebrations. All buildings gain +1 Happiness from adjacent improvements, emphasizing a strategy of land acquisition and city development over military conquest. This approach can be highly effective for players skilled in managing large populations and city growth.

A-Tier: Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin is a versatile leader focused on science and production. With +1 Science per Age on production buildings and a 50% increase in production towards constructing these buildings, Franklin creates a powerful feedback loop. Additionally, he gains +1 Science per Age from active endeavors and can have two endeavors of the same type active simultaneously, making him an excellent choice for players pursuing a Science Victory.

A-Tier: Charlemagne

Charlemagne combines military and scientific prowess, gaining happiness adjacency bonuses for military and science buildings in quarters. Entering a Celebration grants two free Cavalry Units and +5 Combat Strength for cavalry, enabling a strong early and mid-game strategy. While he may struggle in the Modern Age, Charlemagne's focus on cavalry and technological advancement can establish a robust empire by the time tanks and planes become relevant.

A-Tier: Harriet Tubman

Harriet Tubman excels in espionage and defensive play, with +100% Influence towards initiating espionage actions and 5 War Support on all wars declared against her. Her units ignore movement penalties from vegetation, enhancing their mobility and making her a stealthy and resilient choice. Harriet's ability to disrupt and defend makes her an excellent leader for players who enjoy a more covert strategy.

A-Tier: Hatshepsut

Hatshepsut leverages trade routes and navigable rivers to boost her culture and production. With +1 Culture for every imported resource and a 15% production increase towards buildings and wonders near rivers, Hatshepsut excels in the early Culture Legacy Paths. Her strategy requires good relationships and strategic city placement, making her a strong choice for players focused on cultural development.

A-Tier: Himiko, High Shaman

Himiko, High Shaman is a top producer of culture, with +2 Happiness per Age on happiness buildings and a 50% production increase towards these structures. She gains a 20% culture boost, doubled during Celebrations, though at the cost of a 10% science penalty, which also doubles during Celebrations. Himiko's focus on culture and happiness makes her an excellent choice for the Cultural Legacy Path, provided you manage the science drawback effectively.

A-Tier: Isabella

Isabella can gain a significant early advantage by discovering natural wonders, receiving 300 Gold for each discovery, doubled if in Distant Lands. She also benefits from a 100% increase in tile yields from natural wonders and a 50% discount on purchasing naval units. While her effectiveness depends on map placement, Isabella's focus on natural wonders and naval power makes her a strong choice for players looking to capitalize on these elements.

A-Tier: Jose Rizal

Jose Rizal excels at leveraging Celebrations, with a 50% increase in Celebration duration and +50% Happiness towards Celebrations. He also gains additional culture and gold from narrative events, which occur more frequently for him. Jose's focus on maximizing Celebration effects makes him an excellent choice for players pursuing a cultural victory.

A-Tier: Machiavelli

Machiavelli is a master of diplomacy and subterfuge, gaining +3 Influence per Age and 50 or 100 Gold per Age when diplomatic proposals are accepted or rejected, respectively. He can declare Formal Wars without relationship requirements and levy military units from city-states he isn't Suzerain of. Machiavelli's deceptive playstyle and ability to manipulate diplomatic relations make him a strong choice for players who enjoy strategic maneuvering.

A-Tier: Trung Trac

Trung Trac is the master of Army Commanders, granting three free levels to the first Army Commander and a 20% increase in Commander experience. She also gains a 10% science boost in tropical spaces, doubled during Formal Wars she declares. Trung Trac's focus on powerful Army Commanders and scientific advancement in tropical regions makes her an excellent choice for players who want to leverage these units effectively.

A-Tier: Xerxes, The Achaemenid

Xerxes, The Achaemenid benefits from establishing trade routes and roads, gaining 50 Culture and 100 Gold per Age for each creation. He also gets +1 Culture and Gold per Age on unique buildings and improvements and an extra trade route limit with all leaders. Xerxes's focus on economic development and trade makes him a strong choice for players pursuing an Economic Victory.

B-Tier Leaders

B-Tier: Amina

Amina focuses on 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 in plains or deserts, making her a decent choice for players who can leverage these bonuses effectively. Amina's strategy requires careful resource planning and map utilization.

B-Tier: Catherine the Great

Catherine the Great excels in culture production, gaining +2 Culture per Age on displayed Great Works and an additional slot for Great Works. Cities settled in tundra gain science based on their culture output, creating a strong synergy between culture and science. While situational, Catherine's focus on Great Works and tundra settlements can be powerful in the right hands.

B-Tier: Friedrich, Oblique

Friedrich, Oblique enhances Army Commanders with the Merit Commendation, increasing their command radius. He also gains an Infantry Unit when constructing a Science Building. While not offering direct yield bonuses, Friedrich's focus on Army Commanders and science can be beneficial for players who prioritize these elements.

B-Tier: Ibn Battuta

Ibn Battuta offers versatility with 2 Wildcard Attribute Points after the first Civic in every Age and +1 Sight for all units. His unique Trade Maps Endeavor allows gradual visibility of other leaders' explored areas. Ibn Battuta's flexibility and map visibility can be powerful for experienced players, though may be challenging for newcomers.

B-Tier: Lafayette

Lafayette gains an additional Social Policy slot through the Reform Endeavor 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 may not be as impactful as those of higher-tier leaders.

B-Tier: Napoleon, Emperor

Napoleon, Emperor thrives on antagonizing other leaders, gaining +8 Gold per Age for every leader he is Unfriendly or Hostile with. His Continental System Sanction reduces trade route limits for targeted leaders, though it comes with a significant relationship penalty. Napoleon's strategy requires careful management of relationships and a strong military to counter potential backlash.

B-Tier: Napoleon, Revolutionary

Napoleon, Revolutionary enhances land unit mobility with +1 Movement and gains Culture equal to 50% of enemy Combat Strength when defending. This unique playstyle requires frequent defensive engagements to maximize culture gains, making it potentially challenging but rewarding for players who can provoke and hold their ground effectively.

B-Tier: Tecumseh

Tecumseh gains +1 Food and Production per Age in settlements for every City-State he is Suzerain of, as well as +1 Combat Strength for all units for each Suzerainship. While powerful, becoming a Suzerain requires significant Influence, making Tecumseh's strategy time-consuming and dependent on effective influence generation.

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 Friend of Wei Endeavor grants +25% Science to both her and her ally. While requiring careful diplomatic management, Himiko's strategy can lead to substantial science production if maintained effectively.

C-Tier Leaders

C-Tier: Friedrich, Baroque

Friedrich, Baroque gains a Great Work upon capturing a settlement for the first time and an Infantry Unit when constructing a Culture Building. While these traits are useful, they lack the distinctiveness and strength of higher-tier leaders, making Friedrich a less compelling choice in most scenarios.

C-Tier: Pachacuti

Pachacuti gains +1 Food adjacency bonus for mountains and no happiness maintenance cost for specialists adjacent to mountains. While potentially powerful near mountains, Pachacuti's effectiveness is highly map-dependent, making him a risky choice without favorable terrain.