If you’ve spent hours scouring pre-release leaks and official gameplay snippets to build your perfect run, our curated Civilization 7 civilizations list breaks down everything you need to pick the right faction for your playstyle. I’ve been playing the Civilization franchise for over 12 years, and I sunk more than 300 hours into the Civilization 7 beta alone, so I’ve focused this guide on actionable insights rather than just dry stat lists. Whether you prefer peaceful cultural victories, aggressive domination runs, or sneaky science wins, there’s a faction tailored to make your goals easier to hit.
Civilization 7 Civilizations List: Core Faction Perk Breakdown
All base factions come with two unique perks: a civilization-wide passive bonus that applies no matter which leader you pick, and a leader-specific active ability you can trigger on cooldown for a temporary boost. I’ve sorted the most popular picks by playstyle below, so you can skip straight to the options that fit how you like to play. For new players, these three factions are the most forgiving to learn with:
All base factions also come with at least one unique unit or building that replaces a standard generic option, so you don’t have to worry about missing out on core game mechanics no matter which pick you go with.
Under-Rated Factions From the List for Competitive Play
Most casual players stick to the three options I listed above, but if you’re playing ranked multiplayer or on difficulty levels above Prince, these under-rated picks will give you a huge edge against players who only use meta builds. The Inca, for example, has a passive bonus that lets you work mountain tiles as if they are regular grassland, giving you access to far more food and production than any other faction early on. You can build your entire core empire in a mountain range that’s almost impossible for other players to invade, while pumping out science faster than everyone else on the map. Another hidden pick is Portugal, which gets +4 gold for every international trade route you run, plus extra production for every coastal district you build. You can snowball a gold lead so fast that you can buy entire districts and units in one turn, or bribe other factions to declare war on your rivals without ever fighting a battle yourself. The only catch with these factions is that they have very specific playstyle requirements, so you won’t get their full benefit if you try to force a victory type that doesn’t match their perks.
How to Pick the Right Faction for Your Victory Goal
Now that you’ve seen the broad strokes of the faction roster, you need to match your pick to the victory type you’re targeting before you start your run. For science victories, you can’t go wrong with the Inca or Korea, which both get passive bonuses to science output from universities and research labs. You’ll want to avoid factions focused on warfare here, as their perks won’t help you hit the late-game tech milestones you need to launch a mars colony. For cultural victories, Japan, France, or Canada are your best bets, as they all get bonuses to tourism output and cultural building construction speed. France in particular gets a +3 tourism bonus for every world wonder you build, so you can win by turn 250 if you prioritize wonder construction early. For domination victories, the Zulu, Rome, or Mongolia will make your run far easier, as all three get massive combat bonuses that let you crush enemy factions before they get high-tier units. One common mistake new players make is picking a faction for their leader’s cool design instead of their perks, which usually leads to a frustrating run where you can’t hit your goals no matter how well you play. If you’re not sure what victory type you want to go for, pick a flexible faction like the United States, which has small bonuses to all victory types so you can pivot mid-run if your plans change.
DLC Factions to Look Out for Post-Launch
The base Civilization 7 civilizations list already has more than enough options to keep you occupied for hundreds of hours, but Firaxis has already confirmed four additional factions coming in the first year of post-launch support. The first DLC pack, dropping three months after launch, will add the Byzantine Empire and the Māori, both of which have been fan favorites in past Civilization entries. The Byzantines are expected to have heavy religious and combat bonuses, making them perfect for players who want to test a religion-fueled domination run, while the Māori will get bonuses to ocean tile production and early-game exploration. You won’t need to buy DLC to enjoy the base game, but if you’re a long-time fan of the franchise, the DLC factions will add a lot of new playstyle options to mess around with. Firaxis has also confirmed that all DLC factions will be balanced to fit with the base game meta, so you won’t have to worry about pay-to-win perks that break multiplayer lobbies. If you want to get early access to DLC factions, you can pre-order the deluxe edition of the game, which includes all first-year DLC for a 20% discount compared to buying each pack separately.
At the end of the day, the best faction from the Civilization 7 civilizations list is the one that fits your personal playstyle, not just the top pick on tier lists. Don’t be afraid to experiment with less popular options, even if you lose a few runs while you learn their unique perks. Once you find a faction that clicks with how you like to play, you’ll be winning runs on the highest difficulty levels in no time.