Civilizations Dominate in Divinity: Unveiling the Top Religious Conquests

Civilization VI: Conquer Faith – The Fastest Religious Victory Paths

A Religious Victory in Civilization VI can be surprisingly swift, especially if the competition isn't focused on religion. While many civilizations favor faith, some excel at achieving a rapid Religious Victory. This guide highlights the top contenders for a quick religious win, outlining their strengths and optimal strategies.

These civilizations generate faith exceptionally well, swiftly acquire Holy Sites, and are primed for a fast Religious Victory. While other civilizations might offer more consistent religious victory paths, these leaders can achieve a rapid win under the right circumstances and with the right strategic focus.

Theodora - Byzantine: Conquest and Conversion

Leader Ability: Metanoia – Holy Sites gain Culture equal to their 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 unit).

Theodora's strategy centers on religious warfare. Byzantium's ability boosts combat and religious strength with each converted Holy City, and killing enemy units spreads your religion. The Hippodrome provides rapid conquest through free Heavy Cavalry units. The Culture bonus from Holy Sites accelerates Civic progression; prioritize Theology and Monarchy for quick Policy Slots.

Theodora excels at a combined Domination and Religious strategy. Focus on combat encounters to spread your religion, not necessarily total conquest. The "Crusades" founding belief enhances combat strength against units of your religion. Convert cities before invading them; religious influence will continue to spread even after conquest. Combine military action with Missionaries and Apostles for rapid 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 their Faith output; +4 Combat Strength for units 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 can be purchased with Faith.

Unique Units: Oromo Cavalry (Medieval Light Cavalry unit), 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. Found cities on Hills to gain Science and Culture alongside Faith, preventing imbalances in other yields. This allows for early Pantheon and Religion acquisition. Build Rock-Hewn Churches near mountains and hills for maximum Faith. Maximize Bonus and Luxury Resources, and trade with resource-rich civilizations. Prioritizing Culture alongside Faith allows for faster 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 their adjacency bonus, +2 adjacency from Rivers, +2 Housing near Rivers, and trigger a 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 excellent for both Cultural and Religious victories. His Leader ability makes Holy Sites near rivers incredibly powerful, generating significant Faith, Housing, and Culture. The Khmer civilization ability provides extra Amenities and Faith from Aqueducts. The Prasat unique building further boosts Faith and Culture.

Prioritize placing Holy Sites next to rivers, build Aqueducts, and utilize Wonders like the Great Bath and Hanging Gardens to boost growth and mitigate negative effects of river placement. Focus on rapid city growth, Faith accumulation, and high Housing and Amenity to maximize city size. Use Apostles and Missionaries to peacefully convert Holy Cities.

Peter - Russia: Tundra Domination

Leader Ability: The Grand Embassy – Trade Routes with advanced civilizations grant +1 Science and +1 Culture per 3 Technologies or Civics they are ahead of Russia.

Civilization Ability: Mother Russia – +5 extra founding tiles; Tundra tiles grant +1 Faith and +1 Production; units are immune to Blizzard; warring civilizations 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 there).

Russia is a powerful civilization capable of any victory type, but Peter excels at Religious Victories. His ability provides Science and Culture from Trade Routes, but his civilization ability is key. The extra founding tiles and Lavra allow for rapid expansion. Tundra tiles provide bonus Faith and Production.

Start by leveraging Tundra tiles for bonus Faith and Production. The "Dance of the Aurora" Pantheon further enhances Tundra yields. Use Settlers (with the Magnus promotion) to expand widely across Tundra. The Lavra's expansion capabilities, combined with high Faith output, enable a rapid Religious Victory. Build St. Basil's Cathedral for additional Tundra bonuses.

By understanding the unique strengths of these leaders and employing the appropriate strategies, you can significantly increase your chances of securing a swift and decisive Religious Victory in Civilization VI.