Civilization VI: Fastest Religious Victory Civs, Ranked

Civ 6: Conquer Faith – The Fastest Religious Victory Paths

Securing a Religious Victory in Civilization 6 can be surprisingly swift, particularly if you're not facing intense religious competition. Several Civ 6 civilizations excel at Faith generation, allowing for rapid Holy Site acquisition and a decisive religious victory. While some civilizations offer more reliable paths, these leaders prioritize Faith strategies for exceptionally fast wins under the right conditions.

Theodora – Byzantine: Religious Conquest

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 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 with each converted Holy City, while unit kills spread your faith. Hippodromes facilitate rapid conquest by providing free Heavy Cavalry. Prioritize Theology and Monarchy civics for quick policy slot acquisition. The Crusades founding belief enhances combat strength against units of your religion. Convert cities before invasion; your religious influence will accelerate conversion. Combine military action with Missionaries and Apostles for swift Holy City conversions. This is a potent blend of Domination and Religious strategies.

Menelik II – Ethiopia: Hilltop Faith

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.

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. Found cities on Hills to gain Science and Culture from Faith, balancing your focus without sacrificing other yields. His ability to gain extra Faith from resource copies and trade routes makes early Pantheon and Religion acquisition straightforward. Maximize Rock-Hewn Church placement near mountains and hills for optimal Faith bonuses. Prioritizing Culture alongside Faith accelerates Civic tree progression, unlocking beneficial religious policies earlier.

Jayavarman VII – Khmer: Riverine 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.

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 rapid Cultural and Religious victories. His Leader ability makes Holy Sites near rivers incredibly powerful, generating massive Faith, Housing, and Culture. Khmer's ability boosts Amenities and Faith from Aqueducts. The Prasat provides significant Faith and other benefits. Prioritize Holy Sites near rivers, build Aqueducts, and utilize Wonders like the Great Bath and Hanging Gardens to maximize growth and amenities. Rapid city growth and high Faith generation allow for swift conversion of Holy Cities using Apostles and Missionaries.

Peter – Russia: Tundra Triumph

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

Civilization Ability: Mother Russia – +5 extra tiles when founding a city. 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 offers one of the fastest Religious Victory paths. Russia's ability grants extra tiles, Faith, and Production on Tundra. The Lavra allows for significant territorial expansion using Great People. Utilize the Dance of the Aurora pantheon for increased Tundra yields. Build Settlers with the Magnus promotion to prevent population loss during expansion. The combination of high early Faith output and rapid territorial growth can lead to a very early Religious Victory. Prioritize building Lavras and utilizing Builders to harvest resources in newly expanded territories.

These strategies, when executed effectively, can significantly shorten the time to a Religious Victory in Civilization 6. Remember that success depends on map generation, opponent strategies, and your ability to adapt to changing circumstances.