CIV 5 Tier List

Our CIV 5 Tier List provides the best civilizations and leaders you should focus on to breeze through even the game’s most difficult battles. Leader specific details such as unique ability, unit and infrastructure are also provided. Just hover over each hero’s portrait to see all info available.

With over 40 different civilizations to choose from, CIV 5 is a massive strategy experience. Victory in CIV 5 can be achieved through either culture, diplomacy, science, or domination and each civilization and leader favors at least one of these types. Nevertheless not all civilizations are created equal, so we have ranked each one talent for achieving victory and put together a tier list to help you decide the one to choose to easily dominate your enemies and play your way to victory!

Our CIV 5 Tier List aims to guide you select civilizations and leaders that best fit in with your personal play style for achieving the best gaming experience available.

Our Rankings

S+ Tier – Very Overpowered Civs
S Tier – Overpowered Civs (have little to no weaknesses. Can pursue any victory type but excel in achieving 1 or 2 types of victory)
A Tier – Perfectly Balanced Civs (are relatively well-rounded and if played well have a strong chance of securing a win. These civs have advantages toward at least one victory type, and any weaknesses can more or less be covered)
B Tier – Slightly Underpowered Civs (excel toward at least one victory type, but not quite as much as A-Tier civs. These civs may also have exploitable weaknesses, or their strengths dwindle too quickly)
C Tier – Underpowered Civs (don’t have enough overall power or have easily exploitable weaknesses. Playing with these civs can prove more difficult to secure a victory)
D/E Tier – Very Underpowered Civs (are the most difficult to play. These are civs which either don’t have a clear victory type, or their victory type is gained much easier by other civs)
F Tier – Typically Useless Civs

Leaders Tier List

We update our CIV 5 tier list frequently to reflect rankings from the latest addon and patch. Keep in mind that heroes placement inside a specific tier is NOT important. Heroes are positioned randomly within a specific tier thus their placement does not show that they are better or more popular than others in the same tier.

Winning in CIV 5 depends not only on player skill but also on choosing a civilization that will make dominating the world much easier. In addition, it is wise to decide what kind of victory you are going for at the beginning of the game. As mentioned earlier, there are multiple ways to win a game of CIV 5 and each kind of victory is tailored to a specific type of gameplay. For example you might hold back cultural in favor of economic and military growth if your aim is a domination victory. That way, you won’t waste any time improving unnecessary traits.

Last but not least, it’s also best to choose the civilization leader for the strategy you have in mind. Each has special abilities and unique bonuses, so not every leader is suitable for every kind of victory. Some are natural diplomats while others excel at developing scientific advancements. So without further ado, let’s dive into our CIV 5 Tier List.

S Tier	Nebuchadnezzar II DetailsCivilization: Babylonia, Ability: Ingenuity, Unit: Bowman Structure: Walls of Babylon	Casimir III DetailsCivilization: Poland, Ability: Solidarity, Unit: Winged Hussar Structure: Ducal Stable	Maria Theresa DetailsCivilization: Austria, Ability: Diplomatic Marriage, Unit: Hussar Structure: Coffee House
A Tier	Montezuma DetailsCivilization: Aztec, Ability: Sacrificial Captives, Unit: Jaguar Structure: Floating Gardens	Pedro II DetailsCivilization: Brazil, Ability: Carnival, Unit: Pracinha Structure: Brazilwood Camp	Harun al-Rashid DetailsCivilization: Arabia, Ability: Trade Caravan, Ships of the Desert, Unit: Camel Archer Structure: Bazaar	Ramkhamhaeng DetailsCivilization: Siam, Ability: Father Governs Children, Unit: Naresuan’s Elephant Structure: Wat	Pocatello DetailsCivilization: Shoshone, Ability: Great Expanse, Unit: Pathfinder, Comanche Riders Structure:	Ramesses II DetailsCivilization: Egypt, Ability: Monument Builders, Unit: War Chariot Structure: Burial Tomb	Wu Zetian DetailsCivilization: China, Ability: Art of War, Unit: Chu-Ko-Nu Structure: Paper Maker	Oda Nobunaga DetailsCivilization: Japan, Ability: Bushido, Unit: Samurai, Zero Structure:	Alexander DetailsCivilization: Greece, Ability: Hellenic League, Unit: Hoplite, Companion Cavalry Structure:
B Tier	Hiawatha DetailsCivilization: Iroquois, Ability: The Great Warpath, Unit: Mohawk Warrior Structure: Longhouse	Maria I DetailsCivilization: Portugal, Ability: Mare Clausum, Unit: Nau Structure: Feitora	Augustus Caesar DetailsCivilization: Rome, Ability: The Glory of Rome, Unit: Legion, Ballista Structure:	Pachacuti DetailsCivilization: Inca, Ability: Great Andean Road, Unit: Slinger Structure: Terrace Farm	Gustavus Adoplhus DetailsCivilization: Sweden, Ability: Nobel Prize, Unit: Carolean, Hakkapeliitta Structure:	Kamehameha DetailsCivilization: Polynesia, Ability: Wayfinding, Unit: Maori Warrior Structure: Moai	Catherine DetailsCivilization: Russia, Ability: Siberian Riches, Unit: Cossack Structure: Krepost	Shaka DetailsCivilization: Zulu, Ability: Iklwa, Unit: Impi Structure: Ikanda	Ashurbanipal DetailsCivilization: Assyria, Ability: Treasures of Nineveh, Unit: Siege Tower Structure: Royal Library	Gajah Mada DetailsCivilization: Indonesia, Ability: Spice Islanders, Unit: Kris Swordsman Structure: Candi	Suleiman DetailsCivilization: Ottoman Empire, Ability: Barbary Corsairs, Unit: Janissary, Sipahi Structure:	Napoleon DetailsCivilization: France, Ability: Ancient Regime, City of Light, Unit: Foreign Legion, Musketeer Structure: Chateau
C Tier	Isabella DetailsCivilization: Spain, Ability: Seven Cities of Gold, Unit: Tercio, Conquistador Structure:	Genghis Khan DetailsCivilization: Mongolia, Ability: Mongol Terror, Unit: Keshik, Khan Structure:	Ahmad al-Mansur DetailsCivilization: Morocco, Ability: Gateway to Africa, Unit: Berber Cavalry Structure: Kasbah	Pacal DetailsCivilization: Maya, Ability: The Long Count, Unit: Atlatlist Structure: Pyramid	Enrico Dandolo DetailsCivilization: Venice, Ability: Serenissima, Unit: Merchant of Venice, Great Galleass Structure:	Sejong DetailsCivilization: Korea, Ability: Scholars of the Jade Hall, Unit: Hwach’a, Turtle Ship Structure:	Harald Bluetooth DetailsCivilization: Denmark, Ability: Viking Fury, Unit: Berserker, Norwegian Ski Infantry Structure: Viking Fury	Washington DetailsCivilization: America, Ability: Manifest Destiny, Unit: Minuteman, B17 Structure:
D Tier	Gandhi DetailsCivilization: India, Ability: Population Growth, Unit: War Elephant Structure: Mughal Fort	Otto von Bismarck DetailsCivilization: Germany, Ability: Furor Teutonicus, Unit: Landsknecht, Panzer Structure: Hanse	William I DetailsCivilization: Netherlands, Ability: East India Company, Unit: Sea Beggar Structure: Polder	Darius I DetailsCivilization: Persia, Ability: Achaemenid Legacy, Unit: Immortal Structure: Satrap’s Court	Attila DetailsCivilization: Huns, Ability: Scourge of God, Unit: Battering Ram, Horse Archer Structure:	Askia DetailsCivilization: Songhai, Ability: River Warlord, Unit: Mandekalu Cavalry Structure: Mud Pyramid Mosque
F Tier	Boudicca DetailsCivilization: Celts, Ability: Druidic Lore, Unit: Pictish Warrior Structure: Ceilidh Hall	Theodora DetailsCivilization: Byzantine, Ability: Patriarchate of Constantinople, Unit: Cataphract, Dromon Structure:	Haile Selassie DetailsCivilization: Ethiopia, Ability: Spirit of Adwa, Unit: Mehal Sefari Structure: Stele	Dido DetailsCivilization: Carthage, Ability: Phoenician Heritage, Unit: African Forest Elephant, Quinquereme Structure: Phoenician Heritage

Latest Patch Notes

You can find the latest patch notes here.

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Last Update: 13 May 2023