14 Best Abilities In Civilization 6
When playing a game as open and big as those in the Civilization series, it’s always a good idea to hear what the experts say is the best ability.
Players who like Civilization 6 know that winning against both AI and other players isn’t just a matter of fighting other civs at random and making decisions on the spot, especially when their favorite civs have Civiliation Abilities that encourage them to play in a certain way. Players can take their civilizations to new heights if they choose the right Civilization Ability and know how to use it to its best potential.
Each society has its own society Ability that gives it a special bonus or advantage in a certain part of the game. Most of these perks and buffs are based on well-known aspects of these civilizations’ cultures. This gives a nod to the unique parts of these civs in the real world while also adding a mechanical element that shows how strong they are in the game. But which of the Civilization Skills might be better than the others?
Cree – Nihithaw
In the Rise and Fall update, the Cree people were added to the game. The Cree do well early in the game because their Civilization Ability, Nihithaw, gives them one trade route and a free trading wagon as soon as they learn how to make pottery.
At first look, the Civilization Ability doesn’t seem as useful as other buffs that are more forward or aggressive. But because a Cree trader can get vacant tiles that are within three tiles of another Cree city, their early access to Pottery can make their society grow faster than others.
Norway – Knarr
Since the Vikings are the most important part of the Norweigan Empire, their Civilization Ability should be based on seafaring and raiding, which Knarr represents. Norway’s Civilization Ability is based on the fact that units can move onto ocean tiles as soon as they research Shipbuilding. This means that, unlike in other civs, they don’t need to study Cartography. This gives Norway an early-game edge in naval war.
Knarr also makes sure that Norwegian land units don’t have to pay more to move when they board or get off the ship. In neutral land, naval melee units can also heal, which is a big boost to their naval power.
Zulu – Isibongo
The Rise and Fall expansion added the Zulu civilization as another group to the game. They were a good addition for players who liked to win games through Domination Victories. Isibongo, one of their Civilization Abilities, gives them this incentive. It makes units stronger as they take over towns.
When playing as the Zulu, taking over a city will turn the unit that took it over into a Corps or Army if it wasn’t already one and if the appropriate civics are unlocked. Cities with garrisoned units will also get +3 loyalty per turn. If the city has a corps or army, it will get +5 loyalty per turn.
Australia – Land Down Under
The Land Down Under is available for the first time in a mainline Civilization game for the first time in Civilization 6. So, to honor this, the famous name for Australia was used to name the civilization skill.
Australia has a good chance of getting a Cultural Victory because of its “Land Down Under” skill. Australia’s Civilization Ability gives its coastal cities an extra three homes, which is a small gain. When Australia builds Pastures, it sets off a Culture Bomb that destroys the tiles around it. The returns of the Campus, Commercial Hub, Holy Site, and Theater Square districts go up by one in tiles with Charming Appeal and by three in tiles with Breathtaking Appeal.
Sumeria – Epic Quest
Sumeria’s Civilization Ability, “Epic Quest,” gives Gilgamesh and Sumeria a big boost to their early-game firepower. This is especially true when paired with Gilgamesh’s Leader Ability, “Adventures of Enkidu,” which lets Sumeria declare war on other civilizations that are at war with any of its allies without getting punished for being a warmonger. This time, Epic Quest gives Sumeria a good reason to go after enemy camps, even more so than Civs did.
Sumeria gets a Tribal Village as a prize for taking over a Barbarian Outpost. Sumeria could also charge city-state units 50% less Gold than normal. This would be a good reason for city-states to stay independent instead of being taken over.
Scythia – People Of The Steppe
People of the Steppe, Scythia’s Civilization skill, is tied to their unique unit, the Saka Horse Archer. The Saka Horse Archer is one of the most powerful unique units in the game, giving players who like to play more aggressively with more specific unit parts a reason to use it.
Scythia’s ability is simple compared to those of other Civilizations. When they train a light cavalry unit or a Saka Horse Archer, this power gives them a copy of that unit. This makes it possible to build attacking forces very quickly. These forces can be used to kill annoying ranged units or even barbarians.
Canada – Four Faces Of Peace
In the Gathering Storm Expansion, Canada was added to the game, which many proud Canadians liked. The Four Faces of Peace Civilization in Canada Ability has a limit that may make it hard for aggressive players to play, but it can help players who want to be more smart. At its heart, being the Great White North means you can’t start Surprise Wars.
But because Canada has the Civilization Ability, other countries can’t start surprise wars against it either. Also, Canada gets one diplomatic favor for every $100 it makes from tourists. Lastly, Canada gets +100% Diplomatic Favor if they finish an Emergency or a Scored Competition smoothly.
America – Founding Fathers
The Civilization Ability of the American Empire changes based on which expansions of Drift Boss players have or don’t have. This version of Founding Fathers is in the Gathering Storm Expansion. All Diplomatic slots become Wildcard slots, which gives players a huge edge in terms of being able to adapt. They also get +1 Diplomatic Favor each turn for each Wildcard spot they are using in the government.
This version of the Ability is much better than the one in the base game, where government legacy bonuses don’t add up as quickly. In the same way, the Rise and Fall expansion doesn’t add any extra Diplomatic Favor. Instead, it just turns Diplomacy spots into Wildcards.
Mongolia – Örtöö
Mongolia’s Civilization ability, Ortoo, is the best in both how useful it is and how accurate it is historically. Ortoo lets the Mongolian state start a trade route with another Civ and set up a trading post right away, instead of waiting until the trade route is over.
Mongolia gets an extra level of diplomatic visibility with cultures with which it has a Trading Post. This helps Mongolia because each level of Diplomatic Visibility they have over their enemies gives their units +6 Combat Strength instead of the normal +3. So keep conquering and make Genghis Khan proud!
Macedon – Hellenistic Fusion
Macedon’s playstyle is geared toward Domination, which may appeal to Civ 6 players who want to take a strong approach to the game. Because of Alexander the Great’s “To World’s End,” his cities don’t get tired of war, and when he captures a city with a World Wonder, his units are quickly healed and ready for battle. This Leader Ability can be used with Macedon’s Civilization Ability, Hellenistic Fusion, which gives players a Eureka Boost or an Inspiration Boost if a captured city has an Encampment, Campus, Holy Site, or Theatre Square.
These skills that depend on conquering other cities make players more likely to play aggressively and encourage them to settle other cities quickly and carelessly to get the upper hand. If Macedon does come up against a civilization that is just as developed as it is, Hellenistic Fusion can help players make much faster progress by letting them make smart captures.
Byzantium – Taxis
In Byzantium, religion and battle go hand in hand. The game’s features let players go for both a Religious Victory and a Domination Victory, but they also have the freedom to focus on one. This is mostly because of Taxis, which is one of Byzantium’s Civilization Abilities. For every holy city that follows Byzantium’s religion, units get +3 Combat Strength or Religious Strength. When you defeat an enemy unit in the area, the religion spreads to nearby towns, so you almost always get the buff. Not only that, but towns with a holy site district also get an extra 1 Great Prophet Point. This makes it almost certain that Byzantium will win, either by force or through divine help, whichever comes first.
The rest of Byzantium’s benefits boost all units to encourage aggressive play. For example, cavalry units do full damage to cities that follow Byzantium’s religion (Porphyrogennetos), a buffer gives +4 Combat/Religious Strength to adjacent land units (Tagma), or a much cheaper entertainment complex can give a free cavalry unit (Hippodrome).
Germany – Free Imperial Cities
Production is the best way for a society to stay alive in the long run, and Frederick Barbarossa’s guidance has set Germany up to become a master of industry. His “Holy Roman Emperor” Leader Ability gives him a Military Policy Slot and a +7 Combat Strength boost when fighting city-states. This encourages early-game dominance so that stronger production zones can be set up. This is made more likely by the Free Imperial Cities ability of the German civilization, which gives each city an extra space for a district.
The extra district room from Free Imperial Cities goes well with the Hansa, a German industrial district that is only for Germans. This is a cheaper option to the industrial zone that gets +2 Production for every aqueduct, canal, commercial hub, and dam district next to it. Players who want to be ahead of other civilizations in terms of trade and industry can choose Germany and use this cheaper but more efficient way to make things.
Japan – Meiji Restoration
Players who want to get a head start in Civilization 6 should take advantage of Japan’s built-in bonuses when it comes to internal growth. Thanks to Hojo Tokimune’s “Divine Wind” Leader Ability, units now get +5 Combat Strength in certain situations while certain districts (encampment, holy site, and theater squares) are made in half the time. As a bonus, storms make enemy units in Japan do 100% more damage.
Adjacency is also the key to Japan’s Civilization Ability, Meiji Restoration. All districts now get a +1 Bonus (instead of +0.5) for being next to other districts, which encourages balanced city builds. Japan is a good all-around piece because it has both flat bonuses and proximity bonuses. This makes it easy for players to use any plan without much risk.
Aztec – Legend Of The Five Suns
People often use the word “straightforward” to describe an aggressive way to play Civilization 6, and the Aztec is made for Domination tactics. If players use Montezuma, his “Gifts for the Tlatoani” Leader Ability gives them +1 Combat Strength on the attack if they improve different luxury resources in Aztec land. Luxury resources are useful because they make two more cities comfortable. Maybe even more important to the way the Aztecs play is their Civilization Ability, Legend of the Five Suns, which lets players use Builder charges to finish 20% of a district’s Production cost.
The fact that the game is based on speed and that the Aztecs have benefits based on luxury makes conquest a very appealing goal for players. Not only that, but unique culture features like the Eagle Warrior, which turns enemy military units into Aztec builders, and the Tlachtli, which gives a lot of bonuses, can help players get the upper hand early in the game if they act quickly enough.
