In Civilization 7, while religion isn’t the sole path to victory anymore, it remains a vital component that players must understand to succeed over the span of about 500 turns. The religion system has been made more straightforward compared to previous versions, yet there are specific steps you’ll want to take to lead your civilization to prominence.
Whether you’re aiming to fulfill the Cultural Legacy path or simply seeking to enrich your society with various benefits through religious structures and units, mastering religion is crucial. This guide will provide you with everything you need to establish a flourishing theocracy in Civilization 7.
What Is Religion In Civ 7?
As in earlier entries of the series, Religion plays a significant role in gameplay and must be developed from the Antiquity Age onward.
In contrast to previous versions, the focus on religion is now much clearer. The religious combat system from Civ 6 has been removed, and your main responsibility will revolve around using Missionaries to convert both your cities and those of other civilizations.
Here are some key aspects of Religion to consider as you advance through the ages:
- Focus on the Right Civics – To establish a religion, you will need to study specific civics (explained below).
- Prepare to Produce Missionaries – In the Exploration Age, invest time in producing or purchasing plenty of Missionaries for success.
- Look Out for Bonuses – In the Antiquity Age and beyond, you can gain bonuses from collecting Reliquaries (crucial later) and for founding a selected Pantheon. Keep an eye on these to enhance your religious strategy.
How Religion Works In The Antiquity Age
Your journey toward founding a religion in Civ 7 starts in the Antiquity Age by establishing a Pantheon, an action that can be taken fairly early in the game. Pantheons provide various passive bonuses, which should be chosen based on your play style.
Pantheons are key to how Religion plays out in the Antiquity Age, and they lay the groundwork for religious practices in the upcoming Age of Exploration.
Here are some examples of effective Pantheons.
|
Pantheon |
Effect |
|---|---|
|
God of the Forge |
+10% production toward constructing buildings in cities with an altar. |
|
Monument to the Gods |
+10% production toward constructing Wonders in cities with an altar. |
|
Fertility Rites |
+10% Growth Rate in cities with an altar. |
|
City Patron Goddess |
+3 Influence on the altar. |
|
God of the Sun |
+1 Culture, Food, Gold, Happiness, Production, and Science on the altar. |
How To Found A Pantheon
To establish a Pantheon, you must first research the Mysticism Civic, which is available early on in the game. Focus on this research task as soon as it’s unlocked.
While establishing a Pantheon is important, remember that the Antiquity Age is not heavily centered on Religion.
Feel free to prioritize other Legacy Paths and win conditions during this period if you are looking for a more balanced civilization.
How Religion Works In The Exploration Age
The Exploration Age is where Religion truly begins to flourish in Civ 7 and represents the most crucial age for faith development.
If you’re aiming for a Culture Victory, and you have tutorials enabled, your Cultural Advisor will provide tips on leveraging Religion to your advantage.
As this age commences, you will receive specific objectives. Once you complete these two tasks, you can establish a religion that will provide a range of bonuses.
- Study the Piety Civic
- Construct a Temple
If you’re focusing on a Culture Victory, prioritize completing these objectives over anything else. Don’t waste valuable turns!
How To Found A Religion
After completing your temple, you’ll be prompted to establish a religion where you can select several bonuses detailed below.
|
Belief |
Effect |
How to Unlock |
|---|---|---|
|
Reliquary |
Provides bonuses and new methods for obtaining Reliquaries, which are essential for Legacy Paths. |
This is a unique benefit you receive upon founding a religion. |
|
Founder |
These buffs increase as your religion spreads. |
Unlocked at the time of founding your religion; you can gain more by expanding your faith. |
|
Enhancer |
Offers even greater buffs for gameplay. |
Unlocked through studying the Theology Civic. |
How To Spread Your Religion
Once your Religion is established, you should aim to spread your faith worldwide. The primary method to achieve this is by producing Missionaries and dispatching them to other civilizations.
Once you’ve created a Missionary, you can use it to convert your cities or those of another civilization to your faith. Follow these steps:
- Send your Missionary into the borders of the settlement.
- Select the Convert Action to convert the city (required for first-time conversions).
- If the city is already following a religion and has both rural and urban populations, you’ll need to perform two Convert Actions to convert both groups.
When trying to convert a city with both rural and urban populations, ensure you execute the Convert Action once on an urban tile and once on a rural tile to convert the entire city successfully.
How To Earn Relics
During the Exploration Age, earning and showcasing 12 relics is essential as part of the Cultural Legacy Path. Gaining relics through Religion and other respects is crucial for achieving a Cultural Victory before the game’s conclusion.
There are several ways to obtain Relics during this period.
|
Method |
Details |
|---|---|
|
Use Your Reliquary Belief |
The Reliquary Belief selected when founding a religion will provide unique ways to acquire Relics. |
|
Research Civics or Technologies |
Certain Civics or Technologies, such as Theology or Education, can provide Relics. |
|
Narrative Events |
Randomized narrative events may grant you a Relic. |
|
Construct Wonders |
Building certain Wonders will yield Relics. |
When you earn Relics, ensure you display them properly. Make sure to construct Temples and Wonders that support displaying Relics. You can manage Relic display options in the Great Works menu.
How Religion Works In The Modern Age
While Religion is influential throughout all three ages, it is particularly significant in achieving legacy points during the Exploration Age. In the Modern Age, although Religion remains a factor in gameplay, it is not the central focus.
If you effectively spread your Religion during the Exploration Age, you will continue to reap benefits from your Reliquary, Founder, and Enhancer beliefs, as well as from your Pantheon beliefs during the Modern Age.
The Legacy Points obtained in prior ages from advancing your religion can significantly aid in achieving victory in the Modern Age.
