Civilization 6 Leader list: Leader Agendas, Traits, Abilities and Unique Units

Publish date: 2022-11-12

Each Civilization 6 Leader enjoys a number of unique Leader Traits, Agendas and Abilities that can be employed in any number of ways. However, if you're looking for the lowdown on which leader and civilization best suits your play-style, or you've started a game with a random leader and want to know how to utilise their gifts most effectively, then you've come to the right place.

Below, you'll find a rundown of the unique elements of each leader and civilization along with tips on how to play as them, as well as what to watch out for if you're playing against them. Bear in mind that the 'Agenda' described in each leader's tips section details their consistent likes and dislikes based on their personality.

Civilization 6 Interview - 18 minutes with lead designer, Ed Beach (plus some new gameplay)

In addition to this, each leader will have a hidden agenda that is randomly assigned at the beginning of each game; to unearth that hidden agenda, you'll need to gain their trust and improve your relationship with them through delegations, trade deals and by adhering to their known likes. Or you could just send a spy to do some snooping. But remember, if you get caught, you didn't get these tips from us, okay?

A quick note: we've refreshed out Civ 6 guides for the game's launch on Nintendo Switch, but just be aware that they contain information regarding the Rise and Fall DLC as well as the base game, which means some things only apply if you have that DLC! Otherwise... crack on!

Civilization 6 Leader list: Every Leader Agenda, Trait, Ability and Unique Unit

Below you'll find a list of every Civ 6 leader and their traits, including the new leader, Jadwiga, from the Poland DLC.

Civilization: Poland
Leader: Jadwiga

Pland Unique Ability - Golden Liberty: When Poland completes an Encampment or Fort inside friendly territory, it gains adjacent tiles, even if they belong to another Civ. Also, one of Poland's Military Policy slots is converted to a Wildcard Policy slot.
Poland Unique Unit - Winged Hussar: Medieval era cavalry unit. When attacking, if it does more damage than the defending enemy, it pushes them back one tile. If they can't move back, it does additional damage.
Poland Unique Infrastructure - Sukiennice: Replaces the Market. +3 Gold, +1 Citizen, +1 Great Merchant Point-per-turn, +4 Gold from domestic Trade Routes, +2 Production from international Trade Routes.
Jadwiga Unique Ability - Lithuanian Union: When using the Golden Liberty 'culture bomb' to gain territory from another Civ's city, it will convert that city to her Religion. Relics also produce +4 Gold, +2 Culture, +2 Faith, and Holy Site districts gain additional adjacency bonuses.

Jadwiga Tips:

Civilization: America
Leader: Teddy Roosevelt

America Unique Ability - Founding Fathers: Earn all government legacy bonuses in half the usual time.
America Unique Unit - P-51 Mustang: Modern era air unit. Gains +5 attack against fighter aircraft, has +2 flight range, and gains +50% experience Replaces the Fighter.
America Unique Infrastructure - Film Studio: +100% Tourism pressure from this city towards other civilizations in the Modern era. Replaces Broadcast Centre.
Roosevelt Unique Ability - Roosevelt Corollary: Units receive a +5 Combat Strength on their home continent. +1 Appeal to all tiles in a city with a National Park. Gain the Rough Rider unique unit when they research the Rifling technology.
Roosevelt Unique Unit - Rough Rider: Modern era unit. Culture is earned from kills on their Capital's continent. +10 Combat Strength when fighting on Hills. Lower maintenance cost.

Teddy Roosevelt Tips:

Civilization: England
Leader: Victoria

England Unique Ability - British Museum: Each Archaeological Museum holds 6 Artifacts instead of 3 and can support 2 Archaeologists at once. Archaeological Museums are automatically themed when they have 6 Artifacts.
England Unique Unit - Sea Dog: Renaissance era naval unit. Can capture enemy ships. Cannot be seen unless adjacent to it. Replaces Privateer.
England Unique Infrastructure - Royal Naval Dockyard: Removes the Movement penalty for embarking and disembarking to and from this tile. +1 Movement for all naval units built in the Dockyard. +2 Gold when built on a foreign continent. +1 Trade Route capacity. Replaces Harbour district.
Victoria Unique Ability - Pax Britannica: All found or conquered cities on a continent other than your home continent receive a free melee unit. Gain the Redcoat unique unit when the Military Science technology is researched.
Victoria Unique Unit - Redcoat: Industrial era unit. +10 Combat Strength when fighting on a continent other than your Capital's. No disembark cost.

Victoria Tips: 

Civilization: Germany
Leader: Frederic Barbarossa

Germany Unique Ability - Free Imperial Cities: Each city can build one more district than usual (exceeding the normal limit based on population).
Germany Unique Unit - U-Boat: Modern Era naval unit that replaces the Submarine. Cheaper to produce, +1 Sight, +10 Combat Strength when fighting on Ocean tiles. Able to reveal other stealthed units.
Germany Unique Infrastructure - Hansa: Replaces the Industrial Zone district. +1 Production from every 2 adjacent district tiles. +2 Production from each adjacent Commercial Hub. +1 Production from each adjacent resource.
Barbarossa Unique Ability - Holy Roman Emperor: Additional Military Policy slot. +7 Combat Strength when attacking city-states.

Frederic Barbarossa tips:

Civilization: Greece
Leader: Pericles

Greece Unique Ability - Plato's Republic: One extra Wildcard policy slot in any government
Greece Unique Unit - Hoplite: Ancient era unit. +10 Combat Strength if there is at least one adjacent Hoplite unit. Replaces Spearman.
Greece Unique Infrastructure - Acropolis: +1 Culture from each adjacent Wonder. +1 Culture from each adjacent district. +1 Culture from each adjacent City Centre. Replaces Theatre Square district.
Pericles Unique Ability - Surrounded by Glory: +5% Culture per city-state you are the Suzerain of.

Pericles Tips:

Civilization: Japan
Leader: Hojo Tokimune

Japan Unique Ability - Meiji Restoration: All districts receive an additional standard adjacency bonus for being adjacent to another district.
Japan Unique Unit - Samurai: Medieval era unit. Does not suffer combat penalties when damaged.
Japan Unique Infrastructure - Electronics Factory: +4 Production to all cities within 6 tiles. After researching the Electricity technology this building provides an additional +4 Culture to its city. Replaces Factory.
Tokimune Unique Ability - Divine Wind: Land units receive +5 Combat Strength in land tiles adjacent to Coast; naval units receive +5 Combat Strength in shallow water tiles. Builds Encampment, Holy Site and Theatre Square districts in half the time.

Hojo Tokimune tips:

Civilization: Kongo
Leader: Mvemba a Nzinga

Kongo Unique Ability- Nkisi: +2 Food, +2 Production, and +4 Gold from each Relic, Artifact, and Sculpture Great Work of Art in addition to the usual Culture. Receive double Great Writer, Great Artist, Great Musician and Great Merchant points. Palace has slots for 5 Great Works.
Kongo Unique Unit - Ngao Mbeba: Classical era unit. +10 Combat Strength when defending against ranged attacks. Can move and see through Woods and Rainforest. Replaces Swordsman.
Kongo Unique Infrastructure - Mbanza: Unique district that can only be constructed in Rainforest or Woods. Replaces the Neighbourhood district but is available earlier. Provides +5 Housing, +2 Food, and +4 Gold, regardless of Appeal.
Nzinga Unique Ability - Religious Convert: May not build Holy Site districts, gain Great Prophets, or found Religions. Gains all Beliefs of any Religion that has established itself in a majority of his cities. Receives an Apostle each time he finishes a Mbanza or Theatre Square district (of that city's majority Religion).

Mvemba a Nzinga tips:

Civilization: Norway
Leader: Harald Hardrada

Norway Unique Bonus - Knarr: Units gain the ability to enter Ocean tiles after researching the Shipbuilding technology. Naval melee units heal in neutral territory. Units ignore additional Movement costs from embarking and disembarking.
Norway Unique Unit - Berserker: Medieval era unit. 4 Movement if this unit starts in enemy territory. +7 Combat Strength when attacking and -7 Combat Strength when defending.
Norway Unique Infrastructure - Stave Church: Required to train Apostles. Holy Site districts get an additional standard adjacency bonus from Woods. Replaces Temple.
Hardrada Unique Ability - Thunderbolt of the North: Allows coastal raiding for all naval melee units
Hardrada Unique Unit - Viking Longship: Ancient era naval unit. Can pillage enemy coastal lands and capture civilians using its coastal raiding ability. 4 movement while in coastal waters.

Harald Hardrada tips:

Civilization: Rome
Leader: Trajan

Rome Unique Ability - All Roads Lead to Rome: All cities you found or conquer start with a Trading Post. If in Trade Route range of your Capital, they also start with a road to it. Your Trade Routes earn +1 Gold for passing through Trading Posts in your own cities.
Rome Unique Unit - Legion: Classical era unit. Can build a Roman Fort. Replaces Swordsman and has +5 additional Combat Strength.
Rome Unique Infrastructure - Bath: Replaces the Aqueduct district and provides an additional bonus of +2 Housing and +1 Amenity.
Trajan Unique Ability - Trajan's Column: All cities start with an additional City Centre building (starts with a Monument building in the Ancient era).

Trajan tips:

Civilization: Scythia
Leader: Tomyris

Scythia Unique Ability - People of the Steppe: Receive a second cavalry unit or Saka Horse Archer each time you train a light cavalry unit or Saka Horse Archer.
Scythia Unique Unit - Saka Horse Archer: Classical era unit. Ranged unit with 4 Movement with an Attack Range of 1.
Scythia Unique Infrastructure - Kurgan: Unlocks the builder ability to construct a Kurgan, unique to Scythia. +1 Faith, +1 Gold, +1 Faith for each adjacent Pasture. Cannot be built on Hills.
Tomyris Unique Ability - Killer of Cyrus: All units receive +5 Combat Strength when attacking wounded units. When they eliminate a unit, they heal up to 50 hit points.

Tomyris tips:

If your lust for Civilization 6 knowledge is still going strong, expansion owners should take a look at our Civ 6 Rise and Fall guide hub which takes you through the basics of everything new, whilst we have dedicated pages on Governors and Loyalty, along with how to earn Golden Ages, Era Points and Era Score through Historic Moments, and a full list of new Civs in Civ 6 Rise and Fall and other DLC. Otherwise, our Civilization 6 guide, tips and tricks covers the essentials before you master early game, mid-game and late-game strategies. We also have tips on the new Districts feature, a Leaders list with their Traits and Agendas, plus the best ways to get Gold, Science, and Faith, how to win by Religious Victory, and how to earn the elusive Science Victory and Military domination victory. Finally, here's the Culture Victory, Foreign Tourism, and Domestic Tourism explained in depth.

Civilization: Spain
Leader: Philip II

Spain Unique Ability - Treasure Fleet: May build Fleets and Armadas earlier than usual (Mercantilism). Trade Routes between multiple continents receive bonus Gold for routes to other civilizations, and bonus Food and Production for routes between your own cities.
Spain Unique Unit - Conquistador: Renaissance era unit. +10 Combat Strength when there is a Missionary, Inquisitor, or Apostle in the same hex. If this unit captures a city or is adjacent to a city when it is captured, the city will automatically adopt the Conquistador player's Religion as the dominant Religion.
Spain Unique Infrastructure - Mission: Unlocks the builder ability to construct a Mission, unique to Spain. +1 Faith, +2 Faith if on a different continent than your Capital. +1 Science if built next to a Campus district.
Philip II Unique Ability - El Escorial: Inquisitors can Remove Heresy one extra time. Combat units have a bonus of +4 Combat Strength against players following other Religions.

Philip II tips:

Civilization: Arabia
Leader: Saladin

Arabia Unique Ability - The Last Prophet: Automatically receive the final Great Prophet when the penultimate one is claimed (if you have not earned a Great Prophet already). +1 Science for each foreign city following Arabia's Religion
Arabia Unique Unit - Mamluk: Medieval era mounted unit. Heals at the end of every turn, even after moving or attacking. Replaces the Knight.
Arabia Unique Infrastructure - Madrasa: Bonus Faith equal to the adjacency bonus of the Campus district. Replaces University.
Saladin Unique Ability - Righteousness of the Faith: The worship building for their Religion can be purchased by any player for just one-tenth of the usual Faith cost. This worship building is enhanced to add 10% to the Science, Faith and Culture output of Arabian cities.

Saladin Tips:

Civilization: Aztec
Leader: Montezuma

Aztec Unique Ability- Legend of the Five Suns: Spend Builder charges to complete 20% of the original district charge.
Aztec Unique Unit - Eagle Warrior: Ancient era melee unit. Has a chance to capture other civilization's military units by turning them into builders. Replaces the Warrior.
Aztec Unique Infrastructure - Tlachtli: +2 Faith, +1 Amenity from entertainment, +1 Great General point per turn. Replaces Arena.
Montezuma Unique Ability - Gifts for the Tlatoani: Luxury resources in his territory provide an Amenity to 2 extra cities. Military units receive +1 Combat Strength for each different Luxury resource improved in Aztec lands.

Montezuma Tips: 

Civilization: Brazil
Leader: Pedro II

Brazil Unique Ability - Amazon: Rainforest tiles provide +1 adjacency bonus for Campus, Commercial Hub, Holy Site, and Theatre Square districts. Rainforest tiles provide +1 Housing for Neighbourhoods built adjacent to them.
Brazil Unique Unit - Minas Geraes: Modern era naval unit. Replaces the Battleship and is stronger than the battleship (additional +10 Melee Strength, +10 Ranged Strength, +10 Anti-air Strength). Requires Nationalism to unlock.
Brazil Unique Infrastructure - Street Carnival: Replaces Entertainment Complex district and provides +2 Amenities. Also unlocks the Carnival project, which grants an additional +1 Amenity when underway and a variety of Great People points once completed.
Pedro II Unique Ability - Magnanimous: After recruiting or patronising a Great Person, 20% of its Great Person point cost is refunded.

Pedro II Tips: 

Civilization: China
Leader: Qin Shi Huang

China Unique Ability - Dynastic Cycle: Eureka moments and Inspirations provide 60% of civics and technologies instead of 50%.
China Unique Unit - Crouching Tiger: Medieval era ranged unit. Range of 1 and high combat strength (30 melee strength and 50 ranged strength).
China Unique Infrastructure - Great Wall: Unlocks the Builder ability to construct the Great Wall. Provides an increase to Defence. Bonus to Gold if adjacent to other segments. Additional Culture and Tourism as you advance through the Technology Tree for adjacent segments. Must be built in a line along the borders of your empire.
Qin Shi Huang Unique Ability - The First Emperor: When building Ancient and Classical wonders you may spend Builder charges to complete 15% of the original wonder cost. Builders receive an additional charge.

Qin Shi Huang Tips: 

Civilization: Egypt
Leader: Cleopatra

Egypt Unique Ability - Iteru: +15% Production towards districts and wonders if placed next to a River. Floodplains do not block placement of districts and wonders.
Egypt Unique Unit - Maryannu Chariot Archer: Ancient era ranged unit. Has 4 movement when starting in open terrain. Replaces the Heavy Chariot (melee).
Egypt Unique Infrastructure - Sphinx: Unlocks the Builder ability to construct a Sphinx. +1 Faith and +1 Culture +2 Faith if next to a wonder. Can be built on Floodplains.
Cleopatra Unique Ability - Mediterranean's Bride: Your Trade Routes to other civilizations provide +4 Gold for Egypt. Other civilizations' Trade Routes to Egypt provide +2 Food for them and +2 Gold for Egypt.

Cleopatra Tips: 

Civilization: France
Leader: Catherine de Medici

France Unique Ability - Grand Tour: +20% Production toward Medieval, Renaissance and Industrial era wonders. Tourism from wonders of any era is doubled.
France Unique Unit - Garde Impériale: Industrial era melee unit. +10 Combat Strength when fighting on your capital's continent. Great General points are earned for killing units.
France Unique Infrastructure - Château: Unlocks the Builder ability to construct a Chateau. +1 Culture. +2 Culture if next to a wonder. +1 Gold if next to a Luxury resource. Can only be built adjacent to Rivers.
Catherine de Medici Unique Ability - Catherine's Flying Squadron: Has 1 level of Diplomatic Visibility greater than normal with every civilization that she's met. Receives capacity to build an extra Spy with the Castles technology.

Catherine de Medici Tips: 

Civilization: Greece
Leader: Gorgo

Greece Unique Ability - Plato's Republic: One extra Wildcard policy slot in any government
Greece Unique Unit - Hoplite: Ancient era unit. +10 Combat Strength if there is at least one adjacent Hoplite unit. Replaces Spearman.
Greece Unique Infrastructure - Acropolis: +1 Culture from each adjacent Wonder. +1 Culture from each adjacent district. +1 Culture from each adjacent City Centre. Replaces Theatre Square district.
Gorgo Unique Ability - Thermopylae: Combat victories provide Culture equal to 50% of the Combat Strength of the defeated unit.

Gorgo Tips:

Civilization: India
Leader: Gandhi

India Unique Ability - Dharma: Receives Follower Belief bonuses in a city from each Religion that has at least 1 follower.
India Unique Unit - Varu: Classical era mounted unit. Replaces Horseman, has 2 movement and 40 melee attack. Inflicts -5 Combat Strength on all adjacent enemy units.
India Unique Infrastructure - Stepwell: Unlocks the Builder ability to construct a Stepwell. Bestows 1 Food and +1 Housing. +1 Faith is adjacent to a Holy Site (with Feudalism). +1 additional Food if adjacent to a Farm (with Professional Sports). Cannot be built on Hills or adjacent to another Stepwell.
Gandhi Unique Ability - Satyagraha: +5 Faith for each civilization (including India) they have met that has founded a Religion and is that is not currently at war. Opposing civilizations receive double the war weariness for fighting against Gandhi.

Gandhi Tips:

Civilization: Russia
Leader: Peter

Russia Unique Ability - Mother Russia: Extra territory upon founding cities. +1 Faith and +1 Production from Tundra.
Russia Unique Unit - Cossack: Industrial era unit. Replaces Cavalry and is stronger than Cavalry. Gains +5 Combat Strength when fighting in or adjacent to its home territory. Can move after attacking if Movement points remain.
Russia Unique Infrastructure - Lavra: Your city border grows by one tile each time a Great Person is expended in this city. Replaces Holy Site district.
Peter Unique Ability - The Grand Embassy: Receives Science or Culture from Trade Routes to civilizations that are more advanced than Russia (+1 per 3 technologies or civics ahead)

Peter Tips: 

Civilization: Sumeria
Leader: Gilgamesh

Sumeria Unique Ability - Epic Quests: When you capture a Barbarian Outpost, receive a Tribal Village reward in addition to the usual Gold. Pay half the usual cost to levy the units of city-states.
Sumeria Unique Unit - War-Cart: Ancient era unit. Stronger than all other starting units. No penalties against anti-cavalry units. 4 Movement if this unit starts in open terrain.
Sumeria Unique Infrastructure - Ziggurat: Unlocks the Builder ability to construct a Ziggurat. +2 Science. +1 Culture if next to a River (requires Natural History). Cannot be built on Hills.
Gilgamesh Unique Ability - Adeventures of Enkidu: May declare war on anyone at war with their allies without warmonger penalties. When at war with a common foe, they and their allies share pillage rewards and share combat experience gains if within 5 tiles.

Gilgamesh Tips: 

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