Civilization 5 is an expansive game that allows players to take control of a single nation and help it become the best civilization the world has ever seen. In their quest to become the most dominant civilization ever, players must spread their culture, research new technologies, and fight numerous battles to ascertain their position.
The game offers players a dauntingly long list of nations to select from, and although all the nations have their specific strengths and weaknesses, some are definitely better than others.
So if you, like countless others, are trying to figure out which civilization is the best and strongest one to select in this extremely popular turn-based 4x strategy game, take a look at our dedicated Civilization 5 Tier List guide to get a better understanding of all the civilizations available in the game to make the right choice.
So without any more delays, let us jump right in and take a look at all the best and worst civilizations to use in Civilizations 5 that one can choose to complement their playstyles completely:
Civilization 5 Tier List
Civilization 5 Tier List – All Tier Categories
Before we jump into each tier separately, let us first take a look at all the tiers according to which the in-game civilizations are segregated based on their specific strengths and weaknesses:
- S-Tier: The Civilizations belonging to this tier are the best ones in the game. They have access to better cultures, more efficient research capabilities, and much stronger military units.
- A-Tier: Although not as strong as S-Tier civilizations, Civilizations belonging to this tier are still relatively strong and versatile enough to work for players with different playstyles.
- B-Tier: Civilizations belonging to this tier are ‘middle-of-the-pack’ civilizations. They aren’t the best at any particular gameplay element per se, be it cultural influence, scientific research, or military might, but they aren’t the worst ones either.
- C-Tier: Civilizations belonging to this tier are among the weakest ones to select in the game as they provide very specific strategic value for players. They do a few aspects right but still do not have enough to convince players to select them when better options are available.
- D-Tier: The civilizations of this tier are the weakest in the game. Period. They provide no bonuses or buffs to players as far as their culture, scientific research, or military strength is concerned. Players should avoid selecting these nations at all costs if they do not want to be obliterated by other stronger civilizations in-game.
Now that we have a fair understanding of all the tiers, let us take a look at the individual tiers in more detail:
All S-Tier Civilizations
| Civilization | Unique Leader | Unique Ability |
| Korea | Sejong | Scholars of the Jade Hall |
| Poland | Casimir III | Solidarity |
| Persia | Darius I | Achaemenid Legacy |
| Babylon | Nebuchadnezzar II | Ingenuity |
| Arabia | Harun al-Rashid | Bazaar |
| Zulu | Shaka | Iklwa |
Also Read: Civilization 6 Tier List (February) 2024: Civ 6 Tier List
All A-Tier Civilizations
| Civilization | Unique Leader | Unique Ability |
| Greece | Alexander | Hellenic League |
| Venice | Enrico Dandolo | Serenissima |
| England | Elizabeth | Sun Never Sets |
| Songhai | Askia | River Warlord |
| Inca | Pachacuti | Great Andean Road |
| Germany | Bismarck | Furor Teutonicus |
| Mongolia | Genghis Khan | Mongol Terror |
| Maya | Pacal | The Long Count |
| Huns | Attila | Scourge of God |
| America | Washington | Manifest Destiny |
All B-Tier Civilizations
| Civilization | Unique Leader | Unique Ability |
| Russia | Catherine | Siberian Riches |
| Morocco | Ahmad al-Mansur | Gateway to Africa |
| Ethiopia | Haile Selassie | Spirit of Adwa |
| Egypt | Ramesses II | Monument Builders |
| China | Wu Zetian | Art of War |
| Brazil | Pedro II | Carnival |
| Netherlands | William | Dutch East India Company |
| Shoshone | Pocatello | Great Expanse |
| Sweden | Gustavus Adolphus | Nobel Prize |
| Celts | Boudicca | Druidic Lore |
| Denmark | Harald Bluetooth | Viking Fury |
| Spain | Isabella | Seven Cities of Gold |
| Aztec | Montezuma | Sacrificial Captives |
| Polynesia | Kamehameha | Wayfinding |
All C-Tier Civilizations
| Civilization | Unique Leader | Unique Ability |
| Japan | Oda Nobunaga | Bushido |
| Ottoman | Suleiman | Barbary Corsairs |
| Austria | Maria Theresa | Diplomatic Marriage |
| Siam | Ramkhamhaeng | Father Governs Children |
| Assyrian | Ashurbanipal | Treasures of Nineveh |
All D-Tier Civilizations
| Civilization | Unique Leader | Unique Ability |
| France | Napoleon | Vanilla and Godskin, Ancien Regime, City of Light |
| Byzantium | Theodora | Patriarchate of Constantinople |
| Carthage | Dido | Phoenician Heritage |
| India | Gandhi | Population Growth |
| Rome | Augustus Caesar | The Glory of Rome |
| Iroquois | Hiawatha | The Great Warpath |
| Indonesia | Gajah Mada | Spice Islanders |
| Portugal | Maria I | Mare Clausum |
Conclusion
There you have it guys! This was it from our side regarding Civilization 5’s Tier List. We hope that through this article, players will get a great idea of all the civilizations available in the game and help them decide which players to pick in this game and which ones to avoid altogether.
Like with all tier lists, developers keep nerfing and buffing nations periodically, so please keep coming back to this post from time to time, as we’ll make sure to keep this article updated with all the latest news and updates regarding this particular tier list, as and when it is released to the gaming community.
