Civilization VI: Fastest Religious Victory Civs, Ranked

Civilization 6: Fastest Religious Victory Paths

Achieving a Religious Victory in Civilization 6 can be surprisingly swift, especially if you're not facing heavy religious competition. While many Civs boast strong faith generation, some excel at rapid religious dominance. This guide highlights the Civ leaders best suited for a quick Religious Victory, focusing on strategies for maximizing their unique strengths.

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).

Civ 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's strategy hinges on combining military might with religious expansion. The Taxis ability makes conquering and converting cities incredibly efficient. The Hippodrome provides a steady stream of Heavy Cavalry, bolstering your conquest efforts. Focus on early Theology and Monarchy civics for rapid policy acquisition. The Crusades founding belief synergizes perfectly, providing extra combat strength against those of your faith and accelerating conversions.

Menelik II - Ethiopia: Hilltop Faith Generation

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).

Civ Ability: Aksumite Legacy (+1 Faith per copy of Resource improvements; International Trade Routes grant +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's strength lies in his ability to efficiently balance Faith, Science, and Culture. Founding cities on Hills is crucial, leveraging the Council of Ministers ability to generate substantial Science and Culture alongside Faith. Maximize Faith generation with Rock-Hewn Churches strategically placed near mountains and hills. Prioritize acquiring Bonus and Luxury Resources and trading with civs rich in them. This balanced approach ensures you won't lag in other areas while rapidly building your religious power.

Jayavarman VII - Khmer: River-Based Faith Boom

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

Civ 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 offers an incredibly fast path to religious victory. His Leader ability makes Holy Sites placed near rivers incredibly powerful, generating massive Faith, Housing, and Culture. Coupled with the Grand Barays ability, which boosts both Amenities and Faith per citizen, your cities will grow rapidly. Prioritize Aqueduct construction and Wonders like the Great Bath and Hanging Gardens to further enhance growth and amenity generation. This combination of rapid growth and high Faith output allows for swift religious expansion.

Peter - Russia: Tundra Domination

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

Civ Ability: Mother Russia (+5 extra tiles on city founding; Tundra tiles grant +1 Faith and +1 Production; units 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).

Peter’s strategy focuses on exploiting the Tundra. The Mother Russia ability grants extra Faith and Production on Tundra tiles. Combine this with the Dance of the Aurora Pantheon for even greater yields. The Lavra’s expansion ability allows for rapid territorial growth, further boosting your Faith output. Prioritize building Settlers with the Magnus promotion to prevent population loss during expansion. St. Basil's Cathedral further enhances Tundra tile yields. This combination allows for incredibly fast faith generation and expansion, leading to a swift Religious Victory.