As a game built for hardcore strategy players, Civilization 6 encourages the consideration of countless tactical actions to win games. A high skill ceiling is required for players to be successful in the most challenging difficulty settings.
While winning in Civ 6 depends a lot on player skill, the choice of civilization you choose to play as also plays a huge role. There are civilizations in the game which make dominating the world much easier, while others actively handicap you.
To map out how civilizations in the game stack up against each other, we’ve ranked them into tiers S to F. If you’re looking for the best civ to fit your playstyle, then you’ll find no better guide than this one.
Table of ContentsShow
S-Tier
These are the best civilizations in the game. They have a good chance of winning any victory path available even on the highest difficulty settings.
Civilization | Leader | Leader Bonus | Unique Ability | Unique Unit | Unique Structure |
Japan | Hojo Tokimune | Divine Wind | Meiji Restoration | Samurai | Electronics Factory |
Macedonia | Alexander the Great | To the World’s End | Hellenistic Fusion | Hypaspist | Basilikoi Paides |
Russia | Peter I | The Grand Embassy | Mother Russia | Cossack | Lavra |
Germany | Frederick Barbarossa | Holy Roman Emperor | Free Imperial Cities | U-Boat | Hansa |
Gran Colombia | Simon Bolivar | Campaña Admirable | Ejercito Patriota | Llanero | Hacienda |
A-Tier
The simplest description to these would be “nerfed S-Tiers”. They can completely dominate regardless of skill level and victory path, but it takes more effort and skill on the player’s end. When controlled by the opponent, these civilizations will surely give you a hard time.
Civilization | Leader | Leader Bonus | Unique Ability | Unique Unit | Unique Structure |
Rome | Trajan | Trajan’s Column | All Roads Lead to Rome | Legion | Bath |
Greece | Pericles | Surrounded by Glory | Plato’s Republic | Hoplite | Acropolis |
Greece | Gorgo | Thermopylae | Plato’s Republic | Hoplite | Acropolis |
Maya | Lady Six Sky | Ix Mutal Ajaw | Mayab | Hul’che | Observatory |
Dutch/Netherlands | Wilhelmina | Radio Oranje | Grote Rivieren | De Zeven Provincien | Polder |
Korea | Seondeok | Hwarang | Three Kingdoms | Hwacha | Seowon |
Brazil | Pedro II | Magnanimous | Amazon | Minas Geraes | Street Carnival, Copacabana |
Sumeria | Gilgamesh | Adventures of Enkidu | Epic Quest | War-Cart | Ziggurat |
Canada | Wilfrid Laurier | The Last Best West | Four Faces of Peace | Mountie | Ice Hockey Rink |
Maori | Kupe | Kupe’s Voyage | Mana | Toa | Marae |
Aztec | Montezuma | Gifts for the Tlatoani | Legend of the Five Suns | Eagle Warrior | Tlachtli |
Ottoman | Suleiman | Grand Vizier | Great Turkish Bombard | Barbary Corsair | Grand Bazaar |
Nubia | Amanitore | Kandake of Meroe | Ta-Seti | Pitati Archer | Nubian Pyramid |
Arabia | Saladin | Righteousness of the Faith | The Last Prophet | Mamluk | Madrasa |
Mongolia | Genghis Khan | Mongol Horde | Ortoo | Keshig | Ordu |
Hungary | Matthias Corvinus | Raven King | Pearl of the Danube | Huszar | Thermal Bath |
B-Tier
These civilizations can be considered specialists in their victory path (mostly culture). While they lack the versatility of S and A-tiers, their solid focus on at least one path to victory makes up for their shortcomings.
Civilization | Leader | Leader Bonus | Unique Ability | Unique Unit | Unique Structure |
Egypt | Cleopatra | Mediterranean’s Bride | Iteru | Maryannu Chariot Archer | Sphinx |
Phoenicia | Dido | Founder of Carthage | Mediterranean Colonies | Bireme | Cothon |
Zulu | Shaka | Amabutho | Isibongo | Impi | Ikanda |
America | Teddy Roosevelt | Roosevelt Corollary | Founding Fathers | P-51 Mustang | Film Studio |
Australia | John Curtin | Citadel of Civilization | Land Down Under | Digger | Outback Station |
Persia | Cyrus | Fall of Babylon | Satrapies | Immortal | Pairidaeza |
France | Catherine de Midici | Catherine’s Flying Squadron | Grand Tour | Garde Imperiale | Chateau |
France | Eleanor of Aquitane | Court of Love | Grand Tour | Garde Imperiale | Chateau |
C-Tier
C-Tier civilizations are specialists like those in B-Tier. What makes them less viable is that their paths to victories aren’t the easiest to compete within the game’s current meta. Several of the civilizations here taut a specialty in dominance and scientific wins, but there are higher-tiered civs that achieve the same victory path, with viability in other aspects of the game as well.
Civilization | Leader | Leader Bonus | Unique Ability | Unique Unit | Unique Structure |
Mali | Mansa Munsa | Sahel Merchants | Songs of the Jeli | Mandekalu Cavalry | Suguba |
Sweden | Kristina | Minerva of the North | Nobel Prize | Carolean | Open-Air Museum |
England | Victoria | Pax Britannica | British Museum / Workshop of the World | Sea Dog | Royal Navy Dockyard |
Indonesia | Gitarja | Exalted Goddess of the Three Worlds | Great Nusantara | Jong | Kampung |
Poland | Jadwiga | Lithuanian Union | Golden Liberty | Winged Hussar | Sukiennice |
Inca | Pachacuti | Qhapaq Nan | Mit’a | Warak’aq | Terrace Farm |
China | Qin Shi Huang | The First Emperor | Dynastic Cycle | Crouching Tiger | Great Wall |
India | Chandragupta | Arthashastra | Dharma | Varu | Stepwell |
India | Gandhi | Satyagraha | Dharma | Varu | Stepwell |
Khmer | Jayavarman VII | Monasteries of the King | Grand Barays | Domrey | Prasat |
D-Tier
Civilizations that perform poorly with leaders that have only a few unique skills that are viable for high difficulties.
Civilization | Leader | Leader Bonus | Unique Ability | Unique Unit | Unique Structure |
Scotland | Robert the Bruce | Bannockburn | Scottish Enlightenment | Highlander | Golf Course |
Kongo | Mvemba a Nzinga | Religious Convert | Nkisi | Ngao Mbeba | Mbanza |
Scythia | Tomyris | Killer of Cyrus | People of the Steppe | Saka Horse Archer | Kurgan |
Spain | Philip II | El Escorial | Treasure Fleet | Conquistador | Mission |
Mapuche | Lautaro | Swift Hawk | Toqui | Malon Raider | Chemamull |
F-Tier
The worst civilizations to play in the game right now. These civs and their leaders offer little utility in all aspects of the game. They are completely outclassed by all others, which makes them ideal if you want to do a challenge run of your skills.
Civilization | Leader | Leader Bonus | Unique Ability | Unique Unit | Unique Structure |
Georgia | Tamar | Glory of the World, Kingdom of Faith | Strength in Unity | Khevsur | Tsikhe |
Norway | Harald Hardrada | Thunderbolt of the North | Knarr | Berserker | Stave Church |
Cree | Poundmaker | Favorable Terms | Nihithaw | Okihtcitaw | Mekewap |