Best Civilization VII Leaders for Every Attribute

There are a lot of leaders for players to learn how to use in Civilization VII, and this mostly comes down to personal preference. That said, if you are aiming for one of the four main victory conditions, some leaders are better than others. These are the best Civ VII leaders I recommend for each type of victory and attribute.

Best Science Civilization VII Leader

When it comes to the pure Scientific leader that I highly recommend to everyone, it is Benjamin Franklin. He has an incredible level of added Science every Age to buildings and various Endeavors you have going on. If you want the fastest Science Victory, this is the way.

In terms of civilizations you should pair with Benjamin Franklin if you are going the Science route, I recommend the following:

• Age of Antiquity: Maya, Maurya, Khmer
• Age of Exploration: Ming or Normal
• Modern Age: Russia or Meiji Japan

Best Military Civ VII Leader

There are quite a lot of solid Military-themed leaders you can pick. But, for me, the one I pick for Military players, especially newcomers, is Xerxes, King of Kings. His ability to get boosted Combat Strength majority of the time, plus more settlements, and Gold is always helpful this route.

Here are the Military civilizations you should pick for Xerxes:

• Age of Antiquity: Persia
• Age of Exploration: Mongolia
• Modern Age: French Empire or Prussia

Best Economic Civ VII Leader

When it comes to the Economic route, your best bet is either Xerxes, the Achaemenid or Amina. I prefer Amina since she is all-arounder, boosting Gold, resources, and even combat. When it comes to pairing Amina with the right civilization, here are my picks:

• Age of Antiquity: Aksum
• Age of Exploration: Majapahit or Chola
• Modern Age: America or Qing

Best Cultural Civ VII Leader

When it comes to the Culture route, there are a fair number of leaders that would be best in Civ VII. If there is a single leader I recommend for the best chance at a Culture Victory, I would go with Augustus. This is mainly for his ability to purchase Culture Buildings in towns, which is uncanny.

Here are the civilizations I would pair with Augustus in each Age:

• Age of Antiquity: Rome
• Age of Exploration: Majapahit or Abbasid
• Modern Age: Mexico or Russia

Civilization VII releases for Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on February 11, 2025. It is currently available in Early Access.