Choosing the right leader in Civilization 7 can make or break your empire’s rise to glory. Whether you aim for scientific breakthroughs, cultural dominance, or military conquest, starting with a leader whose strengths match your playstyle is crucial-especially for beginners navigating the game’s complex mechanics for the first time. From Hatshepsut’s river-powered cultural empire to Xerxes’ economic and militaristic might, discover which leaders will best guide you to victory across Nintendo, PC, PlayStation, and Xbox.
In this Civilization 7 guide, we’re going to give you some basic advice for what to think about when choosing your first leader, and then give you some recommendations on the best leaders to start with in Civilization 7. And for a full breakdown of all your options, see our Civilization 7 leaders tier list.
What to think about before choosing a leader?
When choosing a leader in Civilization 7, the most crucial factor to consider is the type of victory you aim to achieve, as each leader offers unique strengths tailored to different victory paths such as Economic, Cultural, Scientific, or Domination victories. It’s important to understand the victory conditions and select a leader whose abilities align with your preferred strategy. Additionally, personal affinity or interest in a leader or their nation can enhance your enjoyment of the game. For beginners, opting for leaders with straightforward and versatile abilities can simplify learning the game mechanics. Since Civilization 7 allows you to choose your leader separately from your civilization, this flexibility lets you experiment with different combinations to find a playstyle that suits you best.
The main thing you want to consider when picking your leader is what kind of victory you’d like to achieve in Civilization 7. There are four main victory conditions:
- Economic
- Military
- Science
- Culture
Each victory has its own playstyle in Civilization 7. It’s a big decision, and you should make sure you understand the different ways to achieve victory in Civilization 7 before you pick the leader that will help you along that path. Check out our guide on all the different types of Civilization 7 victories before you pick.
Past the victory condition, you want to consider if you have any personal connections to these leaders and their nations of origin. Are you Italian or Italian American? Maybe give Machiavelli a spin on your way to an Economic Victory. Do you not really have a cultural connection to any leader but love the hit Broadway musical Hamilton? Then pick Lafayette and go for a Culture Victory.
Once you’ve come to a conclusion on what kind of victory you’d like to achieve, look in that victory’s section below to see what three leaders we recommend you try out first.
Best Economic leaders
For players aiming to secure an Economic Victory in Civilization 7, selecting the right leader is crucial. Leaders like Xerxes, the Achaemenid, stand out for their strong focus on trade routes and gold generation, providing significant boosts to culture and wealth as the game progresses. Machiavelli offers a unique advantage through his diplomatic actions that convert influence into gold, facilitating rapid expansion and economic growth. Additionally, versatile leaders such as Ibn Battuta allow flexible strategies by adapting their attributes to economic goals. Expansionist leaders like Augustus also excel by rapidly acquiring resource-rich territories, essential for building a robust economy. Prioritizing leaders with economic and trade-related abilities will streamline your path to dominating the global economy and achieving victory.
Economic Victories are all about enriching the world, but pocketing most of the cash for your own civilization. You want to select leaders who can generate a lot of Gold and Influence. With that in mind, there are three Economic leaders we recommend starting with:
- Xerxes, the Achaemenid
- Machiavelli
- Isabella
We’ll give you a brief explanation of why each of these leaders are worth a look below. And more details on how to get this type of victory, see our Economic Victory walkthrough.
Xerxes, the Achaemenid
Perks:
- 1 trade route limit with all other leaders
- Gain 50 Culture and 100 Gold when you create a trade route or road
- 1 Culture and Gold per age on unique buildings and improvements
Xerxes is able to have more trade routes with civilizations by default, giving him more resources and wealth without much work. He also instantly gains Gold (and Culture) when creating a trade route, and generates bonus Culture and Gold on unique buildings and improvements. These perks come together to create a leader who is able to quickly stack Gold, use that Gold to construct buildings, and then benefit from permanent Culture and Gold bonuses for the rest of the game.
Machiavelli
Perks:
- 3 Influence per age
- Gains 50 Gold per age when your Diplomatic Action proposals are accepted, or 100 Gold when they are rejected
- Ignores relationship requirements for declaring formal wars
- Can levy troops from city-states you are not suzerain of
Being a morally bankrupt sneak is named after Machiavelli, so naturally he’s a great choice for an Economic Victory. He earns a ton of Gold when instigating diplomatic actions, and is able to defend himself (or take a quick opportunity for a surprise war) with the armies of city-states. This means you can play Machiavelli as a powerful diplomat who is able to enrich himself on every interaction. But, when diplomacy fails, you can get the upper hand with a surprise war that has no penalties, and you can use support troops from nearby city-states to help bolster your numbers
Isabella
Perks:
- Gain 300 Gold every time you discover a Natural Wonder. This is doubled if the Natural Wonder is in distant lands
- 100% tile yields from Natural Wonders
- 50% Gold toward purchasing naval units
- -1 Gold maintenance for naval units
Isabella’s boosts aren’t very helpful in the Antiquity Age, but that’s okay because succeeding at the Economic Legacy Path in the Antiquity Age is very simple. Instead, her skills land more on benefits for Natural Wonders, scouting, and naval units. That will help a lot in the most difficult age for the Economic Legacy Path – the Exploration Age.
Best Military leaders
For players aiming to dominate through military conquest in Civilization 7, choosing the right leader is crucial. Xerxes, King of Kings, stands out as the top military leader with combat bonuses in enemy territory, increased gold from conquered settlements, and an expanded settlement limit, making him ideal for rapid expansion and domination. Ashoka, World Conqueror, is another excellent choice, offering production boosts and combat strength during celebrations, perfect for aggressive warfare and quick conquest. Leaders like Napoleon (Emperor), Charlemagne, and Trung Trac also bring unique military advantages, such as enhanced gold generation, free units, and powerful commanders, respectively. These leaders excel at crushing opponents and efficiently achieving military victory conditions across all ages, making them the best starting points for players focused on military dominance in Civilization 7.
Military Victories are mostly about jumping in and out of wars and conquering settlements. You’ll leverage Gold and Production in order to build a massive army and take on the rest of the world. With that in mind, there are three Military leaders we recommend starting with:
- Ashoka, World Conqueror
- Charlemagne
- Harriet Tubman
We’ll give you a brief explanation of why each of these leaders are worth a look below. And for more details about how to get this type of victory, see our Military Victory walkthrough.
Ashoka, World Conqueror
Perks:
- 1 Production for every 5 excess Happiness in cities
- 1% Production in settlements not founded by you
- Declaring a formal war grants a celebration
- 10 combat strength against districts for all units during a celebration
Ashoka is all about earning celebrations both through war and Happiness, which then gives him bonus combat strength while attacking districts. This makes him very capable when it comes to taking cities, which will enable you to increase your settlements and gain points toward your Legacy Path in multiple ages.
Charlemagne
Perks:
- Military and Science buildings receive a Happiness adjacency for quarters
- Gain 2 free cavalry units, once unlocked, when entering a celebration
- 5 combat strength for cavalry units during a celebration
Charlemagne gains cavalry units whenever a celebration happens, and those units are more powerful throughout the celebration’s run. He also generates Happiness with military and Science buildings. This increased happiness on war-focused buildings will help you combat some of the rioting that can come during long periods of war. Plus it helps pave the way toward the next celebration, giving you even more units and power.
Harriet Tubman
Perks:
- 100% Influence towards initiating espionage actions
- Gain 5 War Support on all wars declared against you
- Units ignore movement penalties from vegetation
Harriet Tubman takes an unconventional approach to securing a Military Victory, and is more about diplomatic espionage. What makes her really strong, however, is that she automatically starts at 5 War Support when others declare war on her, which is great, because being a warmonger makes it more likely for other civilizations to hate you and want to fight you – which ultimately gives you more opportunities to progress toward a Military Victory.
Best Science leaders
For players aiming for a Science Victory in Civilization 7, selecting the right leader is crucial to accelerate research and technological advancement. Leaders like Confucius stand out for their ability to rapidly grow cities and generate extra science through specialists, making them formidable in the mid to late game. Benjamin Franklin excels with bonuses to science from production buildings and endeavors, ensuring steady progress through all ages. Catherine the Great offers a unique synergy of culture and science, especially when settling cities on tundra tiles. Other notable leaders such as Himiko, Trung Trac, and Friedrich blend science with military or expansion strategies, providing diverse paths to scientific dominance. Choosing a leader whose abilities align with boosting science output, production, and city growth will significantly enhance your chances of achieving a Science Victory in Civ 7.
Science Victories are all about advancing your technology faster than the competition and winning the space race. You’ll leverage Science and Production to build launch pads and launch space projects. With that in mind, there are three Science leaders we recommend starting with:
- Benjamin Franklin
- Confucius
- Himiko, Queen of Wa
We’ll give you a brief explanation of why each of these leaders are worth a look below. And for more details about how to get this type of victory, see our Science Victory walkthrough.
Benjamin Franklin
Perks:
- 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 at a time
Benjamin Franklin is able to stack Production and Science together very quickly, as he gets benefits for Science on every Production building (which he can also build faster), making his Science-per-turn income extremely high by the Modern Age. Since Science and Production go hand-in-hand, and help you build and research the space and aeronautics facilities you’ll need to win in the Modern Age, he’s a very easy choice for the Science Legacy Path.
Confucius
Perks:
- 25% growth rate in cities
- 2 Science from specialists
Confucius’ benefits are simple, but very powerful. His cities grow faster, meaning he’s able to assign specialists at a faster pace. He also earns two bonus Science from every specialist, which makes him very good at completing the most difficult Legacy Path for Science players: the Exploration Age.
Himiko, Queen of Wa
Perks:
- Gain a unique endeavor called Friend of Wei that can be performed in an alliance to grant you and your ally 25% Science
- 4 Science per age for every leader you are friendly or helpful with
- Can support endeavors for free
Himiko is able to take a more diplomatic path through the Science Victory, and has tools to help her increase relationships with allies (like bonus Science actions). This makes it less likely for her to be thrown into a war, which can really tank your Science yields and make victory more challenging to achieve.
Best Culture leaders
For players aiming to secure a Culture Victory in Civilization 7, choosing the right leader is crucial. Some of the best Culture leaders include Augustus, Lafayette, and Catherine the Great. Augustus excels at spreading Culture through rapid town establishment and Culture-generating buildings, boosting both Culture and Gold. Lafayette enhances his government with extra Social Policy slots and generates bonus Culture and Happiness across settlements, supporting a strong cultural influence. Catherine the Great shines in the Exploration and Modern Ages with bonuses from Great Works and the ability to generate Science based on Culture yields, offering a balanced approach to cultural and scientific growth. These leaders provide powerful abilities that make achieving a Culture Victory more efficient and rewarding.
Culture Victories are all about wowing the world with your civilization’s greatest achievements. You’ll leverage Culture and Production to study and build Wonders, missionaries, and explorers. With that in mind, there are three Culture leaders we recommend starting with:
- Augustus
- Lafayette
- Catherine The Great
We’ll give you a brief explanation of why each of these leaders are worth a look below. And for more details about how to get this type of victory, see our Culture Victory walkthrough.
Augustus
Perks:
- 2 Production in the capital for every town
- Can purchase Culture buildings in towns
- 50% Gold towards purchasing buildings in towns
Augustus is all about spreading your Culture yields around the empire, as he’s able to make a lot of towns quickly and place Culture generating buildings in said towns. With Augustus, you can rack up a disgusting amount of Culture and Gold, which will help you race toward building the World’s Fair Wonder in the Modern Age.
Lafayette
Perks:
- Gains a unique endeavor called Reform, which grants an additional Social Policy slot. Supporting this endeavor also grants the other leader an additional Social Policy slot.
- 1 combat strength for every Tradition, but not policy, slotted in the government
- 2 Culture and Happiness per age in settlements. These effects are doubled in distant lands
Lafayette is able to stack his government with Social Policy slots, which really helps increase your power as you progress through the Civics tree and unlock more Social Policies. Lafayette also gains bonus Culture and Happiness in all of his settlements throughout the entire game. That’s not as flashy as some of the other leaders, but it’s also not conditional on him doing anything at all. Lafeyette just generates more Culture for every settlement he has, which will really help you push through the Civics trees in all ages.
Catherine The Great
Perks:
- 2 Culture per age on displayed Great Works
- Buildings with Great Work slots gain 1 additional slot
- Cities settled in Tundra gain Science equal to 25% of their Culture per turn
Catherine The Great is excellent at blowing through the Exploration Age and the Modern Age because of the bonuses she gets when displaying Great Works. But her best benefit is that she generates Science at 25% of her Culture yield on any cities established on tundra terrain. If you can swing a lot of tundra cities, you can win a cultural victory without falling as far behind on Science, which will be a major help in the long run – i.e., the one thing that Civilization 7 is all about.
Which leaders in Civ 7 are easiest for beginners to master quickly
For beginners looking to master Civilization 7 quickly, the easiest leaders to start with are:
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Hatshepsut: Recommended by the Civ 7 developers themselves, Hatshepsut is simple to understand and excels in cultural and economic growth, especially when settling cities near navigable rivers. Her abilities make producing wonders and boosting culture straightforward, ideal for new players learning the game mechanics.
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Augustus: A great choice for players who want to expand by settling many towns without micromanaging each one. Augustus boosts production in the capital for each town and allows purchasing cultural buildings in towns, simplifying expansion and cultural development. His balanced playstyle suits beginners aiming for peaceful growth or light military action.
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Confucius: Perfect for those interested in a science victory, Confucius offers increased city growth and science from specialists, which helps players quickly grasp population management and scientific advancement without complex mechanics.
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Gandhi: Focused on peaceful strategies, Gandhi’s bonuses in diplomacy and culture make early gameplay less aggressive and easier to manage for newcomers.
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Xerxes: With straightforward economic and expansion bonuses, Xerxes increases gold generation and settlement limits, easing the challenge of managing happiness and expansion for beginners.
These leaders provide clear, beginner-friendly bonuses that help new players learn Civilization 7’s core systems effectively while offering diverse paths to victory.
Why is Hatshepsut considered the best leader for Civ 7 beginners
Hatshepsut is considered the best leader for Civilization 7 beginners primarily because of her straightforward and powerful bonuses that ease early gameplay. Her unique ability, God’s Wife of Amun, grants increased production towards buildings and wonders in cities adjacent to navigable rivers, providing a clear and tangible early-game strategy: settle along rivers to rapidly develop your empire. This production boost helps new players quickly establish infrastructure and wonders, which are crucial for growth and cultural advancement. Additionally, Hatshepsut gains extra culture from every imported resource, reinforcing a peaceful, trade-focused playstyle that is easier for beginners to manage than aggressive military strategies. The Civilization 7 developers themselves recommend her as the ideal starter leader due to these simple, synergistic mechanics that teach foundational game concepts while enabling a strong cultural and economic path to victory.
