In Civilization VII, Pantheons add a new layer of strategy and customization for players seeking to enhance their civilization’s growth and production capabilities. Pantheons allow players to choose specific belief systems that provide various bonuses, depending on the needs of their empire.
Unlike in Civ 6, where Pantheon bonuses were largely terrain-dependent, in Civ 7 the bonuses are typically tied to cities with an altar and are a bit more diverse. Building altars is crucial to unlocking and benefiting from Pantheons.
Pantheon Beliefs
Players are offered a selection of Pantheon beliefs and can choose one (or two as Maurya) that will apply to the same Altar within a city. The Pantheon beliefs can significantly influence gameplay, ranging from increased food production to enhanced healing for units.
Here are 16 Pantheons available in the game:
City Patron Goddess: +3 Influence on the Altar.
Influence is a key resource used for diplomatic interactions with both major civilizations and independent powers. Players must spend Influence to propose trades, open or close borders, form alliances, and negotiate with independent powers.
Earth Goddess: The Altar receives a +1 Happiness adjacency for Mountains and Natural Wonders.
Terrain Pantheon, dependent on the amount of mountains and natural wonders. Happiness replaces amenities and is a key mechanic to keep cities productive.
Fertility Rites: +10% Growth Rate in Cities with an Altar.
City growth is important as it allows for more buildings to be constructed and tiles claimed.
Goddess of Festivals: +1 Culture on Quarters in Settlements with an Altar.
Culture pantheon, dependent on the number of specialized districts in the cities, as towns cannot build Quarters.
God of Healing: +5 Healing for Units in Rural Tiles.
Militaristic pantheon that helps heal units quicker.
Goddess of the Harvest: +1 Food on Farms, Pastures, and Plantations in Settlements with an Altar. Warehouse bonus.
Improvement pantheon & terrain, dependent on the number of irrigable land and certain resources.
God of the Forest: +1 Gold on Camps and Woodcutters in Settlements with an Altar. Warehouse bonus.
Improvement & terrain pantheon, dependent on the amount of land with wooden land and certain resources.
God of the Forge: +10% Production towards constructing Buildings in Cities with an Altar.
A generic pantheon that appears to have a strong long-term bonus.
God of the Sea: +1 Production on Fishing Boats in Settlements with an Altar. Warehouse bonus.
Improvement & terrain pantheon, dependent on the availability of sea resources.
God of the Sun: +1 Culture, Food, Gold, Happiness, Production, and Science on the Altar.
Every city with an Altar receives very strong benefits early on, but questionable returns in the long-run.
God of War: +15% Production towards training Military Units in Cities with an Altar.
A generic pantheon that appears to have a strong long-term bonus.
God of Wisdom: +1 Science on Quarters in Settlements with an Altar.
Science pantheon, dependent on the number of specialized districts in the cities, as towns cannot build Quarters.
Monument to the Gods: +10% Production towards constructing Wonders in Cities with an Altar.
A generic pantheon that appears to have a strong long-term bonus.
Oral Tradition: +10% Production towards training Settlers in Cities with an Altar.
A generic pantheon that appears to have a strong long-term bonus.
Sacred Waters: The Altar receives a +1 Happiness adjacency for Coast, Lakes, and Navigable River tiles.
This pantheon is terrain-dependent, offering bonuses based on the presence of water tiles.
Stone Circles: +1 Production on Clay Pits, Mines, and Quarries in Settlements with an Altar. Warehouse bonus.
Improvements pantheon, that appears to be dependent on the terrain and resources, but also on a number of specialized districts.
Maximizing Yield Benefits
Pantheon bonuses do not persist through the Ages and are eventually replaced by the Religious Beliefs in the Exploration Age, which are in turn replaced by SOMETHING ELSE. Since some Pantheons seem to offer stronger long-term benefits than others, this raises questions about their balance. Additionally, players can stack certain bonuses for even greater effects. For example, combining the Monument to the Gods Pantheon, which provides a 10% production boost to wonders, with Marble, which adds another 10% production bonus to specific wonders. By further adding policies, attributes, and other bonuses, the potential for significant results becomes clear.
Players addicted to yield porn may choose the Goddess of the Harvest can complement farming strategies, as it boosts food production in specific tiles like farms, pastures, and plantations. Or pick God of the Forest can further optimize yields in vegetated areas, making these selections particularly useful in biomes that offer scientific or economic advantages, such as tropical rainforests.
Once a city has built an altar, the chosen Pantheon beliefs will stack onto the map, adding extra bonuses without removing any existing improvements. It is unclear as of October, 2024 whether the availability of Pantheons is influenced by how quickly a player builds an altar. In other words, it’s uncertain if each player can choose any Pantheon at any time, or if the best ones are reserved for those who pick first
Strategic Importance of Pantheons
In Civilization VII, Pantheons serve as an essential mechanism for shaping the growth and focus of cities. By carefully selecting beliefs, players can tailor their cities to prioritize specific resources, cultural development, or military strength. Whether aiming for rapid expansion through fertility boosts or focusing on terrain-based advantages, Pantheons provide versatile and powerful tools for managing and growing your civilization.
Players must consider the landscape, available resources, and long-term goals when selecting their Pantheon beliefs, ensuring that the chosen bonuses align with their overall strategy for victory.
Note: This information in this article is based on a game that has not yet been released and therefore includes speculation and opinion. Source.
2 Comments
If im not mistaken i seen that the alter is not ageless. Which maybe means its only for antiquity, but im uncertain of course.
I’m hoping they talk about buildings a bit more in the Exploration Age stream next week.