These civs lack the heavy-hitting unique features of the S- & A-Tier civs but can pose a serious threat given the right situation. In the hands of a skilled player, these civs can easily compete with S-Tier. These civs are more situational but still provide a clear route to victory with at least one highly differentiating and unique feature. These can be great for players who aren’t sure which route to victory they want to take when starting out. S-Tier civs provide a clear advantage to the player who is not situationally dependent, providing multiple avenues to victory with several extraordinary uniques.
In this tiered list, we break down the unique leader abilities (ULA), unique units (UU), unique buildings (UB), and unique improvements (UI) from each one to help you determine the best world leader for your style and strategy.
Some civs are better than others, and understanding the ins and outs of each can swing any game in your favor. Civ 5 is a complicated game with hundreds of different variables, but that doesn't mean you need to pick your nation blindly when setting up a game.
