The core of Civilization 6 is to select a civilization and then take it to become the world power. This is done by exploring the world, attacking and defending castles, developing new technologies, and negotiating with other world leaders. This list has a total of 7 Civ 6 tiers with several legendary leaders to choose from. Each leader has its own unique strengths and weaknesses in different abilities ranging from domination to science to culture to religion to diplomacy.
Taking your civilization to become the world leader in Civ 6 not only depends on the decisions you make but also on the leader you select. Yes, you read it right. Some leaders make it a little easier for you to become a world leader while some others make it a lot more difficult. Hence, you need to think wisely before selecting a leader to play. To help you out, we have created this Civ 6 tier list with all the 7 tiers and their leaders. The leaders in S Tier are the best and strongest ones followed by A, B, C, D, E, and F Tiers. You need to select a leader based on the difficulty and gameplay that you want to have throughout the game. So, without any further delay, here’s our Civ 6 tier list of best and strongest leaders.
Civ 6 Tier List Guide – Best Civilization 6 Leaders
Civ 6 S Tier List
It is the highest of the Civ 6 tier list. S Tier has the best of leaders in the entire game who can easily pave you the way for world domination. Leaders in the S Tier includes:
Alexander the Great – Macedonia
Macedonia is an ancient civilization in Civ 6 led by Alexander. Similar to the real-world Alexander, the game character leads his civilization into an endless war. His in-game agenda is called Short Life Of Glory. Alexander’s endless war capabilities hold back the Macedonian civilization from progressing rapidly in science and culture. But this can be easily recovered, all you have to do is target cities with campuses, this will boost your science and culture.
Alexander’s leadership bonus, To The World’s End, makes Macedonia a war-weariness civilization, meaning they can constantly enter the war unless they don’t have enough troops to take on a city. Another thing to note is that whenever Macedonia under Alexander captures a wonder, all the army units are healed fully. This makes civilizations such as China and Egypt who loves making wonders early on an easy target for the great warrior.
Hojo Tokimune – Japan
The Japan civilization in Civ 6 is led by Hojo Tokimune, who’s in-game agenda is termed Bushido. He likes to build a civilization with a balance between military strength, faith, science, and culture. Due to such likes, he favors civilizations with a similar balance and dislikes the ones with the strong military but weak faith and culture.
His leadership quality grants the Divine Wind bonus to Japan. This increases his land units’ combat strength by 5 points when they are fighting on tiles that are adjacent to the coast. Similarly, naval units’ combat is also increased by 5 points in shallow water. Divine Wind also helps Japan to build Holy Site, Encampment, and Theatre Square districts in half the time.
Peter the Great – Russia
Peter the Great leads Russian civilization. Under his rule, Russia becomes one of the strongest lands in the world. Peter’s in-game agenda is called a Westernizer. Due to this agenda, he likes cities and civilizations with powerful civics and technologies and dislikes the ones who are behind in science and culture.
He gives The Grand Embassy leader bonus to Russia. With this bonus, every three trade with civilizations who are ahead of Russia in science and culture yields them an extra point, i.e, +1 for science trades and +1 for culture trades.
Simon Bolivar – Gran Colombia
The first President of Gran Colombia leads the civilization in Civ 6. His units are very agile in both offense and defense and with his many intelligent Comandante Generals, his troops become unstoppable. His in-game leader agenda is Carabobo due to which he likes promoting his army by developing encampments. He dislikes civilizations with low-promoted troops.
Gran Colombia receives Campana Admirable bonus under his leadership. This bonus grants them a unique person called Comandante General when the civilization enters a new era.
Frederick Barbarossa – Germany
The Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa leads the German civilization in the game. Germany has a lot of independent states around, which can be easily brought together under his leadership. His agenda is Iron Crown and he likes to conquer states. He likes cities who don’t associate with him and dislikes the ones who sort of becomes his competition by conquering many states.
Barbarossa’s bonus is called the Holy Roman emperor, which grants an additional military slot. This also gives his troops a 7-point increased combat strength while fighting city-states.
Civ 6 A Tier List
The next in Civ 6 Tier list that follows S is the A Tier. It is also sometimes referred to as the Immortal Tier. They are not immortal, but with the right leadership qualities, they can become really tough to beat. The A Tier list comprises of every type of leaders right from powerful abilities in science to domination to culture and the rest. Here are the leaders in Civ 6 A Tier list.
Pericles – Greece
The general of Athens during the Peloponnesian war leads Greece civilization. Pericles is graced with the power of the word. He can easily advance Greece in civics. Delian League is his agenda and he like civilizations who do not directly compete for city-state conquer.
Pericles’ leadership bonus, Surrounded by Glory, grants an additional 5 points for each city-state that Greece has Suzerainty over.
Trajan – Rome
Trajan was an Emperor of Rome and his army is always ready for a march. He is the one who leads Rome to glory in Civ 6. His agenda is called Optimus Princeps and he likes to conquer as many cities and states as possible. He likes the civilizations who do the same and dislikes others.
His leadership bonus is termed Trajan’s Column and grants a free building for every newly founded and built city.
Lady Six Sky – Maya
She was a queen who ruled the city of Naranjo. Lady Six Sky’s agenda is Solitary and she likes to keep her troops and cities close by the capital. She likes civilizations who stay far from Maya and dislikes the ones who come closer to her boundaries with troops and army.
Her bonus is Ix Mutal Ajaw that gives 10% additional trade yields when non-capital cities trade within six tiles, otherwise reduces 15% yield. Lady Six Sky’s troops also get an additional 5 points of combat strength when within six tiles of Mayan capital.
Wilhelmina – Dutch
Wilhelmina was the queen of the Netherlands and leads the Dutch civilization in Civ 6. She and her people have got a brilliant mind that helps them to exceed in science. Her in-game agenda is called Billionaire and she wants to get as many trade routes as possible to Dutch. She likes civilizations who send trade routes to Dutch and hates them who don’t.
Her bonus is Radio Oranje that gives +1 loyalty for domestic trades and +1 culture for all the foreign trade routes.
Pedro II – Brazil
He was the last ruler of Brazil and leads the civilization in Civ 6. He is very sharp and can easily grow Brazil for science and culture. His agenda is termed Patron of the Arts and he likes to bring in as many great minds as possible to Brazil. He likes civilizations who don’t bother much about great people and dislikes the ones who compete with him for them.
Pedro II’s leadership bonus is Magnanimous (his nickname) which gives him a 20% refund for recruiting all the great people.
Gilgamesh – Sumeria
Gilgamesh has the agenda called Ally of Enkidu and he likes to make friends with other civilizations. He dislikes the civilizations who denies his friendship or attacks his declared friends.
Adventures of Enkidu is his leadership bonus that allows him to enter a war with a friend civilization without incurring any warmonger penalties. This bonus also allows Sumeria and allied civilizations to share rewards and combat experience if within five tiles of each other.
Seondeok – Korea
She was the first queen of Silla, and her agenda is Cheomseongdae. Seondeok likes increasing science in her civilization and favors others who do the same. She dislikes civilizations with low science abilities.
Seondeok’s leadership bonus is Hwarang that gives an additional 3% for both culture and science when an established Governor gets a promotion.
Wilfrid Laurier – Canada
The seventh Prime Minister of Canada leads his civilization in Civ 6. His in-game agenda is termed as the Canadian Expeditionary Force. He is very much fond of competitions and likes to enter them whenever possible. He likes civilizations that participate in competitions and emergencies just like him and dislikes the others.
His bonus is The Last Best West and it allows Canada to build Farms on Tundra tiles and hills. Snow tiles & hills and Tundra tiles & hills cost half the price to purchase. Mines and mills receive +1 production and camps yield +1 food on those tiles and hills.
Montezuma – Aztec
Aztec is led by its second Emperor Montezuma with an agenda called Tlatoani. He is well equipped with resources in his capital. Montezuma likes civilizations with similar resources and hates them who lack behind in resources.
His leadership bonus Gifts for the Tlatoani gifts an Amenity to 2 additional cities when resources are improved. It also increases 1 combat strength point for each improved luxury within its territory.
Kupe – Maori
Kupe’s agenda is Kaitiakitanga and he likes nature. He plants woods & find national parks, and likes civilizations who does the same.
His bonus is Kupe’s Voyage that grants +2 science and culture for each turn before a city is built. When a city gets built, Maori receives a free builder and +1 population. The capital gives +3 housing and a +1 amenity.
John Curtin – Australia
He is the 14th Prime Minister of Australia. His agenda is Perpetually on Guard and he tries to create peace by making pacts with friend civilizations. He likes civilizations who tries to keep peace and dislikes them who try to conquer other states.
The leadership bonus Citadel of Civilization gives a +100% production for the next 10 turns when a war is declared upon them or a city is liberated.
Cyrus – Persia
The founder of the Achaemenid Empire is the leader of the Persian civilization in Civ 6. His agenda is Opportunist and he likes to declare surprise war. He likes civilizations who do the same and hate others.
Fall of Babylon is his leadership bonus that gives +2 momentum when he declares a surprise war. Persia also gets +5 loyalty per turn in cities with garrisoned units.
Catherine de Medici – France
Her agenda is Black Queen and she tries to gain as many spies as possible and likes other cities and civilizations who do the same.
Catherine’s Flying Squadron is her leadership bonus that gives +1 diplomatic visibility for every encountered civilization. She also gets a free spy with castles.
Amanitore – Nubia
Her in-game agenda is City Planner and she likes to keep her cities filled with maximum numbers of districts. She likes civilizations who do the same and hate others.
Amanitore’s leadership bonus is Kandake of Meroe that grants +20% production towards districts and +40% production when a Nubian Pyramid is adjacent to the city.
Sulieman – Ottoman
He is the tenth Sultan of the Ottoman with in-game agenda called Lawgiver. He tries to keep his cities happy and loyal.
His leadership bonus, Grand Vizier, gives him access to a unique Governor, Ibrahim.
Saladin – Arabia
His agenda is the Ayyubid Dynasty and he likes to build his worship building in as many states as possible. He likes civilizations with his worship building.
The Righteousness of the Faith is his leadership bonus offers a 90% off on Arabia’s worship buildings. All the cities with the worship building get +10% science, faith, and culture.
Genghis Khan – Mongolia
Genghis Khan was the founder of the Mongol Empire and he leads the Mongolian civilization in CIv 6. His agenda is termed Horse Lord and he likes to build cavalry force. He dislikes his competition who builds strong cavalry force just like him.
Mongol Horde is his bonus that gives +3 combat strength to all his cavalry units.
Matthias Corvinus – Hungary
Raven Banner is his agenda and he likes to levy troops from city-states. He likes civilizations who share his kind of agenda.
Matthias’ leadership bonus is Raven King. With the bonus, his levied troops get +2 movement and +5 combat strength. All his levied troops can be upgraded at 75% less gold.
Gorgo – Greece
She was the queen of Sparta who leads Greece. With Your Shield or on it is her agenda and she likes going to war.
Thermopylae is her bonus that gives a culture worth 50% of her combat strength when her troops kill any units.
Civ 6 B Tier List
The next on Civ 6 Tier list is the B Tier. This Tier excels in cultural heroes. All the leaders in this Tier are very well equipped with cultural abilities. The list includes:
Shaka – Zulu
He is the Zulu Chief and King with Horn, Chest, Lions as his agenda. He likes forming corps and armies.
Amabutho is his leadership bonus that grants an +5 combat strength to corps and armies. Also, he has the ability to form corps with mercenaries and armies with nationalism.
Dido – Phoenicia
She was the first queen of Carthage and Sicilian Wars is her in-game agenda. She is keen on settling coastal cities and likes civilizations who settle inland.
Her bonus Founder of Carthage gives her +1 trade route capacity after creating the Government Plaza. It also gives +50% production to districts with the Plaza.
Cleopatra – Egypt
Her agenda is Queen of the Nile and she likes civilizations with powerful militaries. She likes becoming allies with militarily powerful civilizations.
Her bonus Mediterranean’s Bride gives 4 additional gold for every international trade route. She gains 100% alliance points for trading with allies. Any trade with Egypt gives +2 food to traders and +2 gold to Egypt.
Teddy Roosevelt – America
He was the 26th President of USA and his in-game agenda is termed Big Stick Policy. He likes peace and civilizations who don’t attack his continent.
Roosevelt Corollary is his bonus that gives +5 combat strength to all units within the continent and +1 appeal to all tiles to cities having national parks.
Eleanor of Aquitaine – France
Angevin Empire is her in-game agenda and she likes to increase the population of her cities. She likes civilization with a high population.
Her bonus is Court of Love that deals a 1 loyalty loss to all foreign cities within 9 tiles when a great work is done within her civilization.
Civ 6 C Tier List
Civ 6 Tier list’s fourth Tier is the C Tier. The C Tier includes leaders with dominance, religious, and scientific qualities that can help you take the world by storm. Fierce wars, peace, and mind games are all a part of this Tier.
Mansa Musa – Mali
He was the tenth Musa of the Mali dynasty. He’s got the in-game agenda called Lord of the Mines and he is very much of gold. He likes civilizations who focuses on building gold just like him.
Sahel Merchants is his bonus that gives +1 gold for every dessert tile in the trade’s sending city. When Mali enters a Golden Age permanently, he receives a +1 trade route capacity for his capital.
Kristina – Sweden
The Queen of Sweden has the agenda termed Bibliophile. She tries to gather great works and dislikes the civilizations who takes them from her.
Her bonus is Minerva Of the North that offers a unique building Queen’s Bibliotheque.
Victoria – England
Queen Victoria’s in-game agenda is Sun Never Sets and she likes expanding her continent. She likes civilizations who have cities on her continent.
Pax Britannica is her leadership bonus that gives a free melee unit in each city build outside Egypt. She also receives a naval unit for building a naval dockyard and gets a unique Redcoat unit.
Gitarja – Indonesia
Her agenda is Archipelagic State and she likes civilizations that don’t have cities on small islands.
Exalted Goddess of the Three Worlds is the in-game leadership bonus that allows her to purchase Naval units with faith. All the city centers that are adjacent to lake tiles or coast gives +2 faith, which can be then used to buy naval units.
Qin Shi Huang – China
He was the first emperor of China. Qin Shi Huang likes building wonders and his agenda is Wall of 10,000 Li. He likes civilizations who build great walls that protect their cities.
His bonus, The First Emperor, gives builders an additional charge that can be used to build ancient wonders.
Jadwiga – Poland
She was the queen of Poland and leads the civilization in CIv 6. Her agenda is Saint and she tries to expand faith in her civilization.
Her bonus, Lithuanian Union, converts a territory to Poland’s religion when taken with a culture bomb. With this bonus, relics will grant +2 faith, +4 gold, and +2 culture.
Pachacuti – Inca
Sapa Inca is his in-game agenda and he likes to expand his continent around mountains. He likes civilizations who leaves the mountain areas for him.
His Leadership bonus is Qhapaq Ñan that gives +1 food for every mountain tile in trade city. He also gets Qhapaq Ñan unique improvement with this bonus.
Civ 6 D Tier List
The D Tier from the Civ 6 Tier list has only two leaders. It is also sometimes referred to as the Prince Tier as both the leaders in this Tier are a prince. The two princes from this Tier are:
Chandragupta – India
He was the founder of the Maurya Empire in India. His in-game agenda is called Maurya Empire and he wants to expand his civilization. He likes civilizations that stay away from his borders and tries to conquer the ones who come close to his empire.
Arthashastra is his leadership bonus, which allows him to declare a territorial expansion war. His troops and army gains +5 combat strength and +2 movement for 10 turns after declaring the territorial war.
Jayavarman VII – Khmer
An End to Suffering is his agenda and he likes civilizations with holy sites and high average population.
His bonus is Monasteries of the King that offers surrounding tiles of a holy site when it is built. He also gains +2 food and +1 housing for holy sites adjacent to a river.
Civ 6 E Tier List
The next in Civ 6 Tier List is the E Tier. The leaders from this Tier and the coming one doesn’t offer much. These leaders are only supposed to be chosen if you want more challenging gameplay. The names of leaders in this CIv 6 Tier list are:
Robert the Bruce – Scotland
Robert was the king of Scots and leads this civilization in Civ 6. His unique agenda is Flower of Scotland and he never declares war on neighbors until they broke a promise.
Bannockburn is his bonus that allows him to declare a war of liberation. When the war is declared his troops gain +2 movement and his cities get +100% production for 10 turns.
Mvemba A Nzinga – Kongo
Mvemba A Nzinga was the Manikongo of the Kongo dynasty. His agenda is Enthusiastic Disciple and he likes civilization that brings religion to Kongo.
Religious Convert is his bonus that gives religious beliefs of any religion that is established in Kongo.
Tomyris – Scythia
She was a queen and her in-game agenda is Backstab Averse. She likes declared friends and dislikes civilizations who backstab their allies.
Tomyris’ leadership bonus is Killer of Cyrus that gives all her units a +5 combat strength while attacking wounded units. They also receive up to 30 hit points heal after defeating an enemy unit.
Phillip II – Spain
Phillip II was the king of several countries including Spain, Naples, Portugal, Sicily, and Duke of Milan. Counter Reformer is his unique agenda and he likes civilizations who follow the same religion.
His bonus El Escorial grants +4 combat strength while fighting other religious troops.
Civ 6 F Tier List
This is the last Tier in the Civ 6 Tier list. There is not much that leaders from this Tier can offer you. Players who love creating hardships on their way to victory would like leaders from this Tier.
Lautaro – Mapuche
His agenda is Spirit of Tucapel and he likes to keep his cities loyal. He likes civilizations who capture cities due to their loyalty pressure and hates the ones who have low loyalty points.
Swift Hawk is his bonus that makes the enemy city to lose 20 loyalty points when they are defeated within their territory.
Gandhi – India
He was called the “Father of the Nation.” His in-game agenda is Peacekeeper and he never declares a war. He likes peaceful civilizations and dislikes warmongers.
His bonus is Satyagraha that gives +5 faith for each civilization met who is not in a war.
Tamar – Georgia
Tamar’s agenda is Narikala Fortress where she builds large walls around her cities and likes civilizations who do the same.
Her bonus is Glory of the World, Kingdom, and Faith that gives +100% faith after declaring a protectorate war for 10 turns.
Eleanor of Aquitaine – England
Angevin Empire is her agenda and she likes to build up a high population in her cities. She also likes civilizations with a high population just like hers.
Her bonus is Court of Love that causes each city within 9 tiles of her continent to lose 1 loyalty point when a great work is completed.
Harald Hardrada – Norway
He was the king of Norway. His agenda is Last Viking King and he builds a strong navy and likes continent with the same.
Thunderbolt of the North is his bonus that gives +50% production for naval melee.
Poundmaker – Cree
Iron Confederacy is his in-game agenda and he tries to build as many alliances as possible.
His bonus is Favorable Terms where all his allies share visibility. Trade routes in this civilization provide +1 food to the sending city and +1 gold to the destination city.
That’s our Civ 6 Tier list to help you select the best and strongest civilization and leaders in the game. To easily make your civilization the world leader, make sure to read our guides on how to easily win wars and which district you should start building your empire. You can also read how to rename a city and boost tourism to get a culture victory.
