Top-Ranked Civs for Speedy Religious Victories in Civ VI

Civ 6: Conquer Faith – A Guide to the Fastest Religious Victories

Securing a Religious Victory in Civilization 6 can be surprisingly swift, particularly if you're not facing overwhelming religious competition. Several civilizations excel at generating Faith, quickly acquiring Holy Sites, and achieving a rapid Religious victory. While some civilizations offer more reliable paths, these leaders can achieve incredibly fast wins under the right conditions and with a focused Faith strategy.

This guide highlights the best Faith-focused civilizations in Civ 6, detailing their strengths and optimal strategies for a rapid Religious Victory.

Theodora – Byzantine: A Master of Religious Warfare

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 to its owner.

Unique Units: Dromon (Classical ranged unit), Hippodrome (replaces Entertainment Complex, grants Amenities and a free Heavy Cavalry).

Theodora's strategy centers on religious warfare. The Byzantine ability provides significant combat and religious boosts for each converted Holy City, and enemy unit kills spread your religion. Hippodromes fuel rapid conquest with free Heavy Cavalry. Prioritize Theology and Monarchy civics for increased Policy Slots.

Winning Strategy: Combine Domination and Religion. Focus on combat engagements to spread your religion. The Crusades founding belief enhances combat strength against units of your religion. Convert cities before invading, leveraging the ongoing religious influence and damage bonuses. Combine military pressure with Missionaries and Apostles for swift 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), 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 Leader ability. Founding cities on Hills provides a balanced approach, generating Science and Culture alongside Faith. Prioritize Faith buildings early to secure the first Pantheon and Religion. Maximize Faith by building Rock-Hewn Churches near mountains and hills, and accumulate Bonus and Luxury Resources. Active trading boosts Faith further.

Winning Strategy: Settle on Hills. Build Rock-Hewn Churches strategically. Focus on resource acquisition and trading. Prioritize Culture alongside Faith for faster Civic progression.

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 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 excels at both Cultural and Religious victories. His Leader ability makes Holy Sites near rivers incredibly powerful, generating substantial Faith, Housing, and Culture. Aqueducts boost Amenities and Faith. The Prasat unique building significantly boosts Faith and Culture.

Winning Strategy: Place Holy Sites next to rivers. Prioritize Aqueduct construction. Utilize Wonders like the Great Bath and Hanging Gardens to boost growth and amenities. Generate Apostles and Missionaries to rapidly convert Holy Cities.

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.

Civilization Ability: Mother Russia – +5 city tiles on founding. Tundra tiles grant +1 Faith and +1 Production. Units are 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).

Peter's Russia is a powerful all-around civilization, but exceptionally strong for Religious victories. The ability to expand rapidly across the tundra, coupled with the faith bonus from tundra tiles, leads to an explosive faith generation. The Lavra expands your borders significantly, further accelerating your growth and resource acquisition.

Winning Strategy: Settle on Tundra. Utilize the Dance of the Aurora pantheon for increased Tundra yields. Build Settlers with the Magnus promotion to prevent population loss during expansion. Build Lavras and utilize Great People to expand your borders. Construct St. Basil's Cathedral for further Tundra bonuses.

By focusing on these strategies, you can significantly increase your chances of achieving a remarkably fast Religious Victory in Civilization 6. Remember that success also depends on map generation, opponent strategies, and a bit of luck.