Civilization 6: Conquer the World Through Faith – Top Religious Victory Civs
A Religious Victory in Civilization 6 can be surprisingly swift, especially if you're not facing intense religious competition. Several civilizations excel at generating faith, securing Holy Sites, and achieving a rapid Religious Victory. While some offer consistent wins, these leaders prioritize speed, provided the right conditions and strategic focus.
Theodora – Byzantine: Conquest and Conversion Combined
Leader Ability: Metanoia (Holy Sites gain Culture equal to adjacency bonus; Farms gain +1 Faith from Hippodromes and Holy Sites).
Civilization Ability: Taxis (+3 Combat and Religious Strength per converted Holy City; killing a unit spreads your religion).
Unique Units: Dromon (Classical ranged unit), Hippodrome (replaces Entertainment Complex, grants Amenities and a free Heavy Cavalry).
Theodora's strategy hinges on religious warfare. Byzantium's ability boosts combat and religious strength with each converted Holy City, while enemy unit deaths spread your faith. Hippodromes facilitate rapid conquest through free Heavy Cavalry. Her Holy Site Culture bonus accelerates Civic progression, making Theology and Monarchy crucial early choices.
Theodora excels at a combined Domination/Religious strategy. Focus on combat encounters to spread your religion, converting cities before full invasion. The Crusades founding belief provides extra combat strength against same-religion units. Simultaneously deploying Missionaries/Apostles alongside military units ensures swift Holy City conversions.
Menelik II – Ethiopia: Faith from Hills and Resources
Leader Ability: Council of Ministers (Cities on Hills gain Science and Culture equal to 15% of Faith output; +4 Combat Strength on Hills).
Civilization Ability: Aksumite Legacy (Resource improvements gain +1 Faith per copy; International Trade Routes gain +0.5 Faith per resource in the origin city; Archaeologists and Museums purchasable with Faith).
Unique Units: Oromo Cavalry (Medieval Light Cavalry), Rock-Hewn Church (+1 Faith per adjacent Mountain or Hills tile; provides Tourism from Faith after Flight, spreads +1 Appeal).
Menelik II’s strength lies in his Leader ability. Founding cities on Hills provides Science and Culture alongside Faith, preventing yield imbalances. His civilization ability provides bonus faith from resource copies and trade routes.
Prioritize building Rock-Hewn Churches near mountains and hills for maximum Faith. Maximize resource copies and trade with resource-rich civilizations. The balanced approach to Culture and Faith enables quicker Civic progression and earlier Religious influence.
Jayavarman VII – Khmer: River-Based Faith Generation
Leader Ability: Monasteries of the King (Holy Sites gain Food equal to adjacency bonus, +2 adjacency from Rivers, +2 Housing near Rivers; trigger Culture Bomb).
Civilization Ability: Grand Barays (Aqueducts provide +1 Amenity and +1 Faith per citizen; Farms gain +2 Food near Aqueducts, +1 Faith near Holy Sites).
Unique Units: Domrey (Medieval Siege unit), Prasat (+6 Faith, Relic slot, extra Housing, Culture, and Food with certain beliefs; +0.5 Culture per citizen).
Jayavarman VII is a powerful choice for Religious Victories. His Leader ability makes Holy Sites near rivers incredibly potent, generating massive Faith, Housing, and Culture. The Khmer ability enhances Aqueducts, providing Amenities and Faith. The Prasat further boosts Faith and Culture.
Prioritize Holy Sites next to rivers, build Aqueducts, and utilize Wonders like the Great Bath and Hanging Gardens to maximize growth and amenities. Focus on rapid city growth and Apostle production for swift conversions.
Peter – Russia: Tundra Domination and Lavras
Leader Ability: The Grand Embassy (Trade Routes with more advanced civilizations grant +1 Science and +1 Culture per 3 technologies or civics ahead).
Civilization Ability: Mother Russia (+5 extra tiles when founding a city; Tundra tiles grant +1 Faith and +1 Production; units immune to Blizzard; enemies suffer double penalties in Russian territory).
Unique Units: Cossack (Industrial Era), Lavra (Replaces Holy Site, expands by 2 tiles when a Great Person is spent).
Russia, under Peter, is a formidable Religious Victory contender. His civilization ability provides significant advantages. The extra city tiles and Tundra bonuses are especially valuable. Lavras offer powerful expansion capabilities.
Begin by focusing on Tundra tiles, utilizing the Dance of the Aurora pantheon for increased yields. Employ Settlers with the Magnus promotion to mitigate population loss during expansion. Lavras will accelerate your expansion, leading to a substantial Faith advantage. St. Basil's Cathedral further enhances Tundra tile production. Prioritize building Builders to exploit the resources gained through Lavra expansion.
These four civilizations offer distinct paths to a rapid Religious Victory in Civilization 6. Choosing the right leader and employing the appropriate strategies will significantly increase your chances of success.
