Top Civs for Quickest Religious Victory in Civilization VI

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• Theodora - Byzantine

• Menelik II - Ethiopia

• Jayavarman VII - Khmer

• Peter - Russia

Achieving a Religious Victory in Civilization 6 is often one of the fastest paths to victory, especially if you're up against fewer opponents who are also pursuing a religious strategy. Some civilizations in Civ 6 are particularly adept at generating Faith, quickly taking over Holy Sites, and securing a swift Religious Victory. While other civilizations may offer more reliable paths to a Religious Victory, the following leaders can achieve it rapidly under the right conditions and with focused Faith strategies.

Theodora - Byzantine

Easily Convert Cities While Conquering Them

Theodora Leader Ability: Metanoia

Holy Sites also grant Culture equal to their Adjacency Bonus. Farms gain +1 Faith from Hippodromes and Holy Sites.

Byzantine Civ Ability: Taxis

+3 Combat and Religious Strength for all units for every Holy City you have converted, including Byzantium. Whenever you kill a unit, your Religion spreads to its controlling Civilization or City-State.

Unique Units

• Dromon (Classical Ranged unit)
• Hippodrome (replaces Entertainment Complex, grants Amenities and a free Heavy Cavalry unit on completion and for every building in this district)

Theodora, the leader of the Byzantine civilization, excels in religious warfare to spread her faith. The Byzantine civ ability provides extra Combat and Religious Strength for every Holy City converted (including your own), and your Religion spreads to the civilization or City-State of any unit you defeat.

The Hippodrome facilitates rapid conquest throughout the ages by providing free Heavy Cavalry units as you establish and expand this district. Theodora's bonus to Culture from Holy Sites accelerates your progression through the Civics tree, making it crucial to rush the Theology and Monarchy civics for more Policy Slots.

Theodora is ideal for a combined Domination and Religious strategy. You don't need to conquer every civilization; simply engage and defeat their units to spread your religion effectively. Opt for the Crusades founding belief to gain extra combat strength against units following your religion, and convert outlying cities before invading them. Your religious influence will continue to spread from the city, and units following your religion will take more damage, spreading your faith upon death. Use regular Missionaries and Apostles to convert target Holy Cities quickly.

Menelik II - Ethiopia

Settle On Hills To Harvest Faith Without Sacrificing Culture or Science

Menelik II Leader Ability: Council of Ministers

Cities founded on Hills gain Science and Culture output equal to 15% of their Faith output. +4 Combat Strength for all units on Hills.

Ethiopia Civ Ability: Aksumite Legacy

All Resource improvements receive +1 Faith for every copy. International Trade Routes grant +0.5 Faith for every resource in the origin city. Archaeologists and Museums can be purchased with Faith.

Unique Units

• Oromo Cavalry (Medieval Light Cavalry unit)
• Rock-Hewn Church (extra +1 Faith for every adjacent Mountain or Hills tile, provides Tourism from Faith after getting to Flight, spreads +1 Appeal to surroundings)

Menelik II, leader of the Ethiopian civilization, offers a more nuanced approach to Faith generation. He gains extra Faith from multiple copies of non-strategic resources and from trading with cities rich in Luxury Resources. However, it's his Leader ability that accelerates Religious Victories.

As Menelik II, found all your cities on Hills to gain Science and Culture equal to 15% of your Faith output in those cities. This allows you to focus on Faith without compromising your Culture or Science progress. Aim for the first Pantheon and Religion by prioritizing Faith buildings.

Construct Rock-Hewn Churches next to mountains and surrounded by Hills or Mountain tiles to maximize Faith bonuses. Focus on acquiring multiple copies of Bonus and Luxury Resources, trade with civilizations rich in these resources, and settle on Hills to balance your yields. Prioritize Culture alongside Faith to advance through the Civic tree and unlock policies that enhance your Religious influence earlier than other civilizations.

Jayavarman VII - Khmer

Place Holy Sites Next To Rivers For Enormous Faith Gains

Jayavarman VII Leader Ability: Monasteries of the King

Holy Sites grant Food equal to their Adjacency Bonus, gain +2 Adjacency from Rivers, +2 Housing if built next to a River, and trigger a Culture Bomb.

Khmer Civ Ability: Grand Barays

Aqueducts provide +1 Amenity, and +1 Faith for each Citizen in the city. Farms get +2 Food if placed next to an Aqueduct, and +1 Faith next to a Holy Site.

Unique Units

• Domrey (Medieval Siege unit)
• Prasat (+6 Faith, Relic slot, extra Housing, Culture, and Food with certain beliefs). +0.5 Culture for every Citizen.

Jayavarman VII, the leader of the Khmer civilization, is excellent for both Cultural and Religious Victories, with a particular strength in the latter. His Leader ability is often underestimated, but placing a Holy Site next to a River (which the Khmer are biased towards) results in significant Faith generation, additional Housing, and a Culture Bomb that absorbs adjacent tiles.

As the Khmer, you also benefit from extra Amenities from Aqueducts and a point of Faith for every citizen in the city. The Prasat unique building enhances Culture based on population and provides a substantial +6 Faith per turn.

To leverage Jayavarman VII's strengths, place all Holy Sites next to rivers, prioritize building Aqueducts, and construct Wonders like the Great Bath and The Hanging Gardens to boost Growth and mitigate river effects. Throughout the game, focus on developing your Holy Sites and producing Apostles or Missionaries to convert other Holy Cities rapidly and peacefully.

Peter - Russia

Bonus Faith On Tundra + Dance Of The Aurora = Game Over

Peter Leader Ability: The Grand Embassy

Trade Routes with other Civilizations grant +1 Science and +1 Culture for every 3 Technologies or Civics they are ahead of Russia.

Russia Civ Ability: Mother Russia

Gain 5 extra tiles on founding a city, Tundra tiles grant +1 Faith and +1 Production. Units are immune to Blizzard, but civilizations at war with Russia suffer double penalties inside Russian territory.

Unique Units

• Cossack (Industrial Era)
• Lavra (Replaces Holy District, expand by 2 tiles in the nearest city whenever you spend a Great Person there)

Russia, led by Peter, is a versatile civilization capable of achieving any victory type, but it excels at Religious Victories. Peter's Leader ability enhances Science and Culture through Trade Routes with technologically or civically advanced civilizations. However, Russia's true power lies in its civilization ability.

When playing as Russia, you receive additional tiles upon founding a city and the Lavra, which replaces the Holy Site. Expending a Great Person in a city with a Lavra extends your borders by two tiles. Additionally, Tundra tiles provide extra Faith and Production.

Start by settling in Tundra zones to immediately benefit from the Faith and Production bonuses. Rush the Dance of the Aurora pantheon to further enhance Tundra yields, and expand widely across the Tundra using Settlers with the Magnus promotion to prevent Population loss.

By the time you establish your fourth city with a Lavra, your Faith output will likely surpass that of other civilizations. Continue to develop these Holy Sites, construct St Basil's Cathedral for additional Tundra bonuses, and use Builders to harvest new resources as your Great People expand your cities.

Peter can secure one of the fastest Religious Victories in Civ VI by significantly improving Tundra tiles and leveraging the power of Lavras for maximum Faith output.