Civilization VII: Best Pantheons & Religious Beliefs

In Civilization VII, religion plays an important role in shaping a player’s empire. It offers unique benefits that can elevate various aspects of civilization management, from culture to military power. One of the most influential aspects of religion in Civilization VII is the ability to choose the best Pantheons, which serves as the foundation for the player’s religious beliefs. 

Notably, In Civilization VII, the strategic combination of the best Pantheons and Religious Beliefs is crucial for optimizing your empire’s potential. Given that each belief can only be selected by one player per game, you must prioritize your choices wisely. With that in mind, here are the best Pantheons and Religious Beliefs in Civilization VII. 

10. Monuments of the Gods

The Monuments of the Gods belief in Civilization VII boosts the ability to build Wonders. It provides a +10% production bonus toward constructing Wonders in cities with an Altar. Consequently, it makes it easier to complete powerful Wonders, giving players an edge in the game. Wonders can provide significant benefits, like culture, science, or military advantages. It’s a great choice if you want to race for key Wonders and strengthen your civilization’s position.

9. God of Healing

The God of Healing Pantheon in Civilization VII provides a unique bonus to the player’s strategy, making it an excellent choice for certain types of gameplay, especially for civilizations that prioritize sustainability, defense, and support units. This Pantheon boosts healing rates for your units, providing a vital advantage in prolonged conflicts and enabling your armies to recover faster between engagements. This can make a significant difference between winning or losing wars, especially when you’re fighting over extended periods or across difficult terrain.

8. God of the Forest

In the list of best Pantheons is The God of the Forest in Civilization VII, which offers a unique and powerful bonus that can significantly boost your gold income. It works best when paired with the right tiles and infrastructure. With the addition of +1 gold on Camps and Woodcutters in settlements that have an Altar, this Pantheon is perfect for players who are focused on exploiting wooded and vegetated tiles. Similarly, paired with the right Religious Beliefs, players can further enhance their empire’s military, religious, or economic capabilities. It is an extremely rewarding choice in this strategy simulation game.

7. God of War

For players with an aggressive playstyle, God of War is one of the most potent Pantheons. This Pantheon grants bonus faith and gold from plundering enemy cities and units. Notably, it offers a +15% Production for Military Units in Cities with an Altar. Additionally. It encourages early wars and military expansion, giving players the means to fund their religious efforts while simultaneously expanding their territory. It pairs well with aggressive civilizations like the Vikings or the Mongols, who can use their military prowess to convert their neighbors early in the game.

6. Fertility Rites

The Fertility Rites Pantheon provides a bonus to food and housing from farms. It’s ideal for civilizations that rely on agricultural growth to expand rapidly. Furthermore, this Pantheon helps accelerate early population growth in this strategy game. It is a solid choice for empires looking to establish a strong foundation before transitioning into more specialized gameplay. If you’re playing as civilizations like the Egyptians or the Babylonians, which have easy access to fertile land, this Pantheon can rapidly propel your empire’s growth.

5. Interfaith Dialogue

The Interfaith Dialogue belief in Civilization VII helps foster peaceful relations between civilizations by providing a bonus to religious pressure. This belief makes it easier for your religion to spread to cities that follow different religions, encouraging greater tolerance and cooperation. By increasing the influence of your religion in neighboring cities, Interfaith Dialogue can help reduce conflict and make it easier to win a religious victory. It’s a great choice if you want to avoid religious wars while still expanding your faith peacefully.

4. Dawah

The Dawah belief in Civilization VII offers a unique way to spread your religion through trade routes. When you establish a trade route to a settlement, that settlement is automatically converted to your religion. This belief is particularly powerful for peaceful religious expansion, as it uses economic connections rather than military force to spread your faith. If you have a strong network of trade routes, Dawah can help you quickly convert neighboring cities, supporting a religious victory without needing to rely solely on missionaries or apostles.

3. Stewardship

The Stewardship belief in Civilization VII offers a strong incentive to spread your religion to other civilizations. For every tile containing a Natural Wonder in cities that follow your religion, players gain +8 Culture, Gold, and Science. This can significantly boost your empire’s development, especially if you can spread your faith to civilizations with valuable natural wonders. It’s an excellent choice if you want to leverage the benefits of these wonders while advancing in culture, economy, and technology. 

2. Icons

The Icons belief in Civilization VII grants you +2 Relics when you first convert a City-State to your religion. This belief is a great way to accumulate relics, which can provide additional faith, culture, and even gold if you display them in your cities. Therefore, by focusing on converting City-States, players can gain a steady supply of relics to fuel their religious efforts or to support a cultural or tourism victory. Ultimately, it’s a strategic belief for players who want to enhance their empire’s religious and cultural output while building stronger ties with City-States.

1. Defender of the Faith

The Defender of the Faith belief in Civilization VII provides a +5 combat strength bonus to players’ units when they are fighting within their religion’s borders. This belief is ideal for players who want to strengthen their military defences, especially when faced with invasions or conflicts. Therefore, if you’re playing in a region that’s prone to war, Defender of the Faith can give your armies a significant edge, helping you protect your settlements and territory. It’s a solid choice for civilizations that focus on defence, like the French or Japanese.