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 the only player pursuing this path. 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 Victory, focusing on their unique abilities and strategies for maximizing Faith production.

Theodora - Byzantine: Conquest and Conversion

Leader Ability: Metanoia – Holy Sites gain Culture equal to their adjacency bonus. Farms receive +1 Faith from adjacent Hippodromes and Holy Sites.

Civ Ability: Taxis – +3 Combat and Religious Strength per converted Holy City. Killing a unit spreads your religion to the controlling civilization or city-state.

Unique Units: Dromon (Classical ranged unit), 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, while unit kills spread your religion. Hippodromes fuel rapid conquest with free Heavy Cavalry. Focus on Theology and Monarchy civics for extra policy slots. The Crusades founding belief provides extra combat strength against units of your religion. Convert cities before invasion to accelerate religious dominance.

Menelik II - Ethiopia: Hilly 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 – 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 balances Faith, Science, and Culture. Maximize Faith from multiple resource copies and trade routes. Rock-Hewn Churches near mountains significantly boost Faith. Prioritize early Pantheon and Religion acquisition. A secondary focus on Culture accelerates Civic tree progression.

Jayavarman VII - Khmer: River-Based Faith Boom

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.

Civ 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 rapid Religious Victories. Place Holy Sites next to rivers for massive Faith generation, Housing, and Culture Bombs. Aqueducts boost Amenities and Faith. The Prasat provides substantial Faith and Culture. Prioritize Wonders like the Great Bath and Hanging Gardens for growth and amenity boosts. Rapid city growth and high Faith output ensure 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 are immune to blizzards; 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 there).

Peter's Russia is a powerhouse for Religious Victories. The ability to found cities with extra tiles and the Lavra's expansion capability allow for rapid territorial control. Tundra tiles provide significant Faith and Production. The Dance of the Aurora pantheon further boosts Tundra yields. Early expansion and Lavra usage create a massive Faith advantage, leading to a rapid Religious Victory.

These strategies, when implemented effectively, can significantly accelerate your path to a Religious Victory in Civilization 6. Remember that success depends on adapting to the specific game conditions and the actions of your opponents.