Civilization VI: Fastest Religious Victory Civs, Ranked

Civ 6's Fastest Religious Victory Paths: Top Faith Civs

Securing a Religious Victory in Civilization 6 can be surprisingly swift, particularly if you're not facing stiff religious competition. While many Civs boast strong Faith generation, some significantly outperform others in achieving a rapid Religious Victory. This guide highlights the Civs best suited for a quick religious win, focusing on strategies to maximize their Faith generation and Holy Site acquisition. Note that while these Civs excel at speed, others offer greater reliability.

Theodora - Byzantine: Conquest and Conversion Combined

Leader Ability: Metanoia – Holy Sites gain Culture equal to their 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), Hippodrome (replaces Entertainment Complex, grants Amenities and a free Heavy Cavalry).

Theodora's strategy centers on religious warfare. Byzantium's ability boosts combat and religious strength for each converted Holy City, and enemy unit deaths spread your religion. Hippodromes facilitate rapid conquest through free Heavy Cavalry. Prioritize Theology and Monarchy civics for policy slots. The Crusades belief enhances combat strength against co-religionists. Combine military pressure with Missionaries/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.

Civ 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 purchasable with Faith.

Unique Units: Oromo Cavalry (Medieval Light Cavalry), Rock-Hewn Church (+1 Faith per adjacent mountain/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. Focus on acquiring multiple copies of Bonus and Luxury Resources, trading with resource-rich civs, and building Rock-Hewn Churches near mountains/hills for maximum Faith. Prioritizing Culture alongside Faith accelerates Civic progression.

Jayavarman VII - Khmer: River-Based Faith Powerhouse

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 excels at rapid Religious Victories. Place Holy Sites next to rivers for massive Faith generation, boosted by the +2 adjacency bonus. Aqueducts provide Amenities and Faith per citizen. The Prasat provides significant Faith. Prioritize Aqueduct construction and Wonders like the Great Bath and Hanging Gardens to enhance growth and mitigate river adjacency penalties. Utilize Apostles/Missionaries for rapid, peaceful Holy City conversions.

Peter - Russia: Tundra Domination

Leader Ability: The Grand Embassy – Trade Routes with more advanced Civs grant +1 Science and +1 Culture per 3 Technologies or Civics ahead.

Civ Ability: Mother Russia – +5 city tiles on founding; 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. The Civ ability grants extra tiles and boosts Tundra yields. The Lavra significantly expands city borders upon spending Great People. Utilize the Dance of the Aurora pantheon for increased Tundra yields. Prioritize Settlers (with the Magnus promotion) for wide expansion across Tundra. The Lavra's border expansion, combined with high Faith output from Tundra tiles, enables exceptionally fast Religious Victories. St. Basil's Cathedral further enhances Tundra tile bonuses.