Home > News > Civilization VII Leaders Revealed: Abilities Unveiled

Civilization VII Leaders Revealed: Abilities Unveiled

Author:Kristen Update:Feb 23,2025

Civilization VII Leaders Revealed: Abilities Unveiled

Civilization VII: A Comprehensive Guide to All Leaders

Mastering Civilization VII requires a solid strategy, and your Leader is paramount. This guide details all currently confirmed Leaders in Civilization VII, outlining their unique abilities and agendas. We will update this as more information becomes available. There are currently 20 confirmed Leaders.

LeaderUnique AbilityAttributesAgenda
AminaWarrior-Queen of Zazzau: +1 Resource Capacity in Cities. +1 Gold per Age for each Resource assigned to Cities. +5 Combat Strength to all Units on Plains and Desert tiles.Economic, MilitaristicDesert of the Warrior-Queen: Medium Relationship decrease if the player has more Settlements on Plains or Desert tiles than Amina. Small Relationship increase if the player has none.
Ashoka, World Conqueror (Founders Content Pack)Devaraja: +1 Production in Cities for every 5 excess Happiness. +10% Production in Settlements not founded by you. Declaring war triggers a Celebration; +10 Combat Strength against Districts for all Units during a celebration.Diplomatic, MilitaristicWithout Regret: Medium Relationship decrease with the Leader controlling the most tiles; Medium Relationship increase with the Leader controlling the fewest.
Ashoka, World RenouncerDhammaraja: +1 Food in Cities for every 5 excess Happiness. +10% Food in all Settlements during a Celebration. All Buildings gain +1 Happiness adjacency for all Improvements.Diplomatic, ExpansionistWithout Sorrow: Medium Relationship increase with the player having the highest Happiness; Medium Relationship decrease with the player having the lowest.
AugustusImperium Maius: +2 Production in the Capital for every Town. Can purchase Culture Buildings in Towns. +50% Gold towards purchasing Buildings in Towns.Cultural, ExpansionistRestitutor Orbis: Medium Relationship decrease per Town in other players' empires; Medium Relationship increase per City (excluding Capital) in other players' empires.
Benjamin FranklinThe First American: +1 Science per Age on Production Buildings in Cities. +50% Production towards constructing Production Buildings. +1 Science per Age from active Endeavors you started or supported. Can have two Endeavors of the same type active simultaneously.Diplomatic, ScientificCivic Virtue: Increased Relationship gains with players sharing his Government; Decreased Relationship with players not sharing his Government.
Catherine the GreatStar of the North: +2 Culture per Age on displayed Great Works. Buildings with Great Works gain an additional slot. Cities settled in Tundra gain Science equal to 25% of their Culture per turn.Cultural, ScientificDusha: Medium Relationship decrease with the player having the most Great Works; Medium Relationship increase with the player having the fewest (Catherine must possess a Great Work).
CharlemagneFather of Europe: Military and Science Buildings receive a Happiness adjacency bonus from Quarters. Gains 2 Cavalry units (once unlocked) upon entering a Celebration; +5 Combat Strength for Cavalry units during a Celebration.Militaristic, ScientificThe Golden Shepherd: Medium Relationship increase with the player triggering the most Celebrations (small increase for ties); Medium Relationship decrease with the player triggering the fewest (small decrease for ties).
ConfuciusKeju: +25% Growth Rate in all Cities. +2 Science from Specialists.Expansionist, ScientificGuanxi: Medium Relationship increase for having the most Specialists in an empire.
Friedrich, Baroque (Deluxe Content Pack)Hohenfriedberger Marsch: Gains a Great Work upon capturing a Settlement for the first time. Gains an Infantry Unit when constructing a Culture Building.Cultural, MilitaristicParisian Sensibilities: Medium Relationship increase per Wonder built in the Capital; Small Relationship decrease per Building in the Capital.
Friedrich, ObliqueBerlin Academy: Army Commanders start with the Merit Commendation (+1 Command Radius). Gains an Infantry Unit when constructing a Science Building.Militaristic, ScientificTo Arms!: Medium Relationship decrease with the empire having the fewest Military Units; Small Relationship increase with the empire having the most.
Harriet TubmanCombahee Raid: +50% Influence towards initiating Espionage actions. Gains 5 War Support on all wars declared against her. Units ignore movement penalties from Vegetation.Diplomatic, MilitaristicVeracity: Medium Relationship increase per Formal War declared; Medium Relationship decrease per Surprise War declared.
HatshepsutGod’s Wife of Amun: +1 Culture for every imported Resource. +15% Production towards constructing Buildings and Wonders in Cities adjacent to Navigable Rivers.Cultural, EconomicWonders of Iteru: Small Relationship decrease if having more Wonders than Hatshepsut; Medium Relationship increase if having fewer.
Himiko, High Shaman (Founders Content Pack)Miko of Amaterasu: +2 Happiness per Age on Happiness Buildings. +50% Production towards constructing Happiness Buildings. +20% Culture but -10% Science. These effects are doubled during a Celebration.Cultural, DiplomaticShaman Queen: Small Relationship decrease per Settlement with Science and Gold Buildings; Small Relationship increase per Settlement with Culture and Happiness Buildings.
Himiko, Queen of WaFriend of Wei: Gains a Unique Endeavor, Friend of Wei (+25% Science for both participants). Can support Endeavors for free. +4 Science per Age for every Leader she is Friendly or Helpful with.Diplomatic, ScientificYamatai: Small Relationship decrease per Settlement with Culture and Happiness Buildings; Small Relationship increase per Settlement with Science and Gold Buildings.
Ibn BattutaThe Marvels of Traveling: Gains multiple Attribute points after the first Civic in every Age. Increased Sight for all Units. Gains a Unique Endeavor, Trade Maps (reveals other Leaders' explored areas).Expansionist, WildcardFar and Wide: Large Relationship increase with the player uncovering the most Fog of War tiles (Medium increase for ties); Small Relationship decrease with the player uncovering the fewest.
IsabellaSeven Cities of Gold: Gains 300 Gold upon discovering a Natural Wonder (doubled in Distant Lands). +100% tile yields from Natural Wonders, +50% Gold towards purchasing Naval Units, and -1 Gold Maintenance for Naval Units.Economic, ExpansionistWonderlust: Large Relationship decrease per Natural Wonder in her borders; Small Relationship increase if possessing none.
Jose RizalPambansang Bayani: Gains additional Culture and Gold per Age from Narrative Event rewards. Increased Celebration duration and Happiness from Celebrations. Has additional Narrative Events.Cultural, DiplomaticKapwa: Medium Relationship increase for the player with the most active Endeavors (small increase for ties); Medium Relationship decrease for the player with the most active Sanctions (small decrease for ties).
LafayetteHero of Two Worlds: Gains a Unique Endeavor, Reform (grants an additional Social Policy slot to both participants). Increased Combat Strength for each Tradition (but no Policy) in the Government. Increased Culture and Happiness per Age in Settlements (further increased in Distant Lands).Cultural, DiplomaticFrench Quarters: Small Relationship increase for the player with the most Urban Districts with all Building slots filled; Small Relationship decrease for the player with the fewest.
MachiavelliIl Principe: Gains +3 Influence per Age. Gains 50 Gold per Age when Diplomatic Action proposals are accepted, or 100 Gold per Age when rejected. Ignores Relationship requirements for declaring Formal Wars. Can levy Military Units from City-States he is not a Suzerain of.Diplomatic, EconomicThe Spider: Medium Relationship increase with all other Leaders if not at war.
Napoleon, EmperorEmpereur des Francais: Gains a Unique Sanction, Continental System (reduces Trade Route limit for the target and causes a Relationship penalty). +8 Gold per Age for every Leader he is Unfriendly or Hostile with. Can reject Endeavors for free.Diplomatic, EconomicTBD
Napoleon, RevolutionaryLa Grande Armee: +1 Movement for all Land Units. Defeating an enemy Unit provides Culture equal to 50% of its Combat Strength.Cultural, MilitaristicTBD
PachacutiEarth Shaker: All Buildings gain a Food adjacency bonus from Mountains. Specialists adjacent to Mountains do not cost Happiness maintenance.Economic, ExpansionistMountain King: Medium Relationship increase for the player with the fewest Mountains; Medium Relationship decrease for the player with the most.
Tecumseh (Tecumseh and Shawnee Pack)Nicaakiyakoolaakwe: +1 Food and Production per Age in Settlements for every City-State he is Suzerain of. +1 Combat Strength for all Units for every City-State he is Suzerain of.Diplomatic, EconomicSuzerain of the World: Large Relationship decrease when a player disperses as Independent; Small Relationship increase if the player does not have an active “Befriend Independent” Project.
Trung TracHai Ba Trung: +3 free Promotions on her first Army Commander. Her Commanders gain +20% experience. +10% Science in Cities on Tropical tiles (doubled during Formal Wars declared by her).Militaristic, ScientificVan Minh: Medium Relationship decrease with the player having the most Commander Promotions (small decrease for ties); Medium Relationship increase with the player having the fewest (small increase for ties).
Xerxes, King of KingsCrusher of Rebellions: +3 Combat Strength for Units attacking in neutral or enemy territory. +100 Culture and Gold per Age upon capturing a Settlement for the first time. +10% Gold in all Settlements (doubled in Settlements not founded by him). +1 Settlement limit per Age.Economic, MilitaristicLord of Fire: Medium Relationship decrease when a player is not at war; Small Relationship increase when a player is at war.
Xerxes, the Achaemenid (Deluxe Content Pack)Silk Road: +1 Trade Route limit with all other Leaders. +50 Culture and 100 Gold per Age when creating a Trade Route or Road. +1 Culture and Gold per Age on Unique Buildings and Unique Improvements.Cultural, EconomicLord of Coin: Medium Relationship decrease if a player has an equal or greater number of Trade Routes; Small Relationship increase if a player has fewer.

For more Civilization VII strategies and updates, including the Civ World Summit, check out The Escapist.