Top Religious Civs in Civ VI

Civilization VI: Conquer Faith – The Fastest Religious Victory Paths

A Religious Victory in Civilization VI can be surprisingly swift, especially if you're the only player pursuing it. While many civilizations boast strong religious capabilities, some excel at achieving this victory type faster than others. This guide highlights the best Civ VI leaders for a rapid Religious Victory, focusing on strategies that maximize Faith generation and Holy Site control. Note that while other civs offer reliable Religious Victory paths, these leaders prioritize speed under specific conditions.

Theodora – Byzantine: Conquest and Conversion

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 excels at religious warfare. Byzantium's ability boosts combat and religious strength with each converted Holy City, while enemy unit kills spread your religion. Hippodromes fuel rapid conquest with free Heavy Cavalry. Focus on the Theology and Monarchy civics for faster Policy Slots. The Crusades founding belief provides extra combat strength against units of your religion. Convert cities before invading; your religious influence will accelerate conversion. Combine military pressure with Missionaries/Apostles for swift Holy City conversions. This is a potent Domination/Religious hybrid strategy.

Menelik II – Ethiopia: Hilltop Faith & Resource Abundance

Leader Ability: Council of Ministers (Cities founded on Hills gain Science and Culture equal to 15% of their Faith output; +4 Combat Strength for units on Hills).

Civilization Ability: Aksumite Legacy (+1 Faith per copy of Resource improvements; 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 Hill, provides Tourism from Faith after Flight, spreads +1 Appeal).

Menelik II simplifies Faith generation. Found cities on Hills for boosted Science and Culture alongside Faith. His ability rewards multiple resource copies and trade routes with resource-rich cities. Rock-Hewn Churches near mountains maximize Faith. Prioritize Faith buildings early to secure your Pantheon and Religion. A secondary focus on Culture accelerates Civic progression, unlocking powerful Religious policies.

Jayavarman VII – Khmer: River-Based Faith Explosions

Leader Ability: Monasteries of the King (Holy Sites gain Food equal to adjacency bonus; +2 adjacency from Rivers; +2 Housing near Rivers; triggers Culture Bomb).

Civilization Ability: Grand Barays (Aqueducts provide +1 Amenity and +1 Faith per citizen; Farms gain +2 Food near Aqueducts and +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 exceptionally strong for Religious Victories. His Leader ability makes Holy Sites near rivers incredibly powerful, generating massive Faith, Housing, and Culture. Khmer's ability boosts Amenity and Faith from Aqueducts. Prasat provides significant Faith and Culture. Prioritize Holy Sites near rivers, build Aqueducts, and utilize Wonders like the Great Bath and Hanging Gardens to enhance growth and amenities. Focus on Apostle production for rapid, peaceful Holy City conversions.

Peter – Russia: Tundra Domination & Lavra Expansion

Leader Ability: The Grand Embassy (Trade Routes with more advanced civilizations grant +1 Science and +1 Culture per 3 Technologies/Civics they are 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 ability boosts Science and Culture from Trade Routes. Russia's ability grants extra Faith and Production on Tundra tiles, along with expanded city founding ranges. The Lavra unique building extends borders when Great People are spent, allowing rapid territorial expansion. The Dance of the Aurora Pantheon further enhances Tundra yields. Utilize the Magnus promotion to prevent population loss during expansion. Focus on building Lavras and utilizing Great People to expand and secure massive Faith generation from Tundra tiles. St. Basil's Cathedral provides additional Tundra bonuses. This strategy enables exceptionally fast Religious Victories.