Once a player has selected one of the best Pantheons in Civilization 6 and attracted a Great Prophet, they will then be able to found a Religion. This will in turn require fans to make several tough decisions, as they will need to select several Religion Beliefs, each of which grants their own special bonuses and perks. For those players having trouble picking their Religion Beliefs in Civilization 6, this guide should help quite a bit.
To note, as players get more experience with Civilization 6 they are likely to deviate from the Religion Beliefs that are recommended below. Indeed, these fans will be able to assess Beliefs relative to things like terrain and desired victory conditions on a per-game basis, allowing them to pick the perfect Beliefs for every set of circumstances. That said, the Civ 6 Religion Beliefs selected for this guide all have a high raw power level, and newer players should certainly consider them on their first playthrough.
Updated November 19, 2021 by Mark Hospodar: Leading an entire civilization to glory (or ruin) is an awfully compelling experience. In Civilization 6, fans possess free rein when it comes to charting their faction's future on the world stage. Countless possibilities are at the player's fingertips.
One of the most important decisions gamers will eventually have to make in a playthrough is selecting their civilization's religion. The Beliefs that compose a religion will possess a marked influence on what type of benefits fans can expect to leverage. In the end, players can't go wrong with choosing any of these Beliefs for their newfound religion.
How To Found A New Religion
Before players even think about selecting Beliefs, they need to found a new Religion. Founding a Religion in Civ 6 requires a Great Prophet and a Pantheon. Players must accrue enough Great Prophet points before the unit itself can be claimed. There are several methods for collecting Great Prophet points; the most straightforward way is by capturing Holy Sites, which generate +1 Great Prophet points per turn.
While players are working towards unlocking a Great Prophet, they can also focus on establishing a Pantheon. A Pantheon is created automatically once players accumulate 25 Faith points. Once fans have both a Pantheon and a Great Prophet, the latter can be used to found a new Religion in any Holy Site district or the Stonehenge Wonder (if available).
Selecting The Best Beliefs
Once players finally have the opportunity to found a new Religion, they can select up to 4 Beliefs that compose its characteristics. There are 4 "types" of Beliefs: Founder Beliefs, Follower Beliefs, Worship Beliefs, and Enhancer Beliefs. Only 1 Belief of each type can be selected.
This is an important decision considering each Belief comes with its own set of bonuses. Players are strongly encouraged to pick the Beliefs that complement their playstyles or goals. The extra advantages these Beliefs provide can help tip the scales in the player's favor against their enemies.
Best Follower Beliefs in Civilization 6
- Choral Music: Shrines and Temples provide culture equal to their intrinsic Faith output.
- Jesuit Education: May purchase Campus and Theater Square district buildings with Faith.
- Feed the World: Shrines and Temples provide +3 Food and +2 Housing.
With Choral Music, attaching a Culture bonus to Shrines and Temples can really help players climb the Civics tree. The ability to use Faith to construct all Campus and Theater Square district buildings with Jesuit Education can lead to big Production savings. Aggressive players will find that Feed the World is highly useful for growth and expansion.
Best Worship Beliefs in Civilization 6
- Cathedral: +3 Faith and 1 slot for Religious Art.
- Mosque: +3 Faith and Missionaries/Apostles gain +1 Spread Religion charge.
- Wat: +3 Faith and +2 Science.
- Gurdwara: +3 Faith, +2 Food, and +1 Housing.
Players attempting a Cultural victory will get big benefits from the Cathedral's ability to store Religious Art. The Mosque will help players that are going for a Religious victory in Civilization 6 spread their religions more quickly. The +2 Science granted by the Wat makes it generally very powerful. The Food and Housing bonuses from the Gurdwara are perfect for bold city-builders.
Best Founder Beliefs in Civilization 6
- Cross-Cultural Dialogue: +1 Science for every 4 followers of this Religion.
- Tithe: +3 Gold for each City following this Religion.
- World Church: +1 Culture for every 4 followers of this Religion.
Cross-Cultural Dialogue is great for players that are pursuing a Science Victory in Civilization 6 or simply need some help getting up the Technology tree. The additional Gold granted by Tithe is generally useful for any type of player. More Gold is always better, right? Lastly, World Church fulfills a similar function as Cross-Cultural Dialogue but is geared more towards a Cultural Victory.
Best Enhancer Beliefs in Civilization 6
- Crusade: Combat units gain +10 Combat Strength near foreign cities that follow this Religion.
- Defender of the Faith: Combat units gain +5 Combat Strength near friendly cities that follow this Religion.
- Religious Colonization: Cities start with this Religion in place if founded by a player who has this as their majority Religion.
The +10 Combat Strength that comes with Crusade can be very powerful but may be difficult to maintain in particular circumstances. Defender of the Faith is more consistent than Crusade but comes with a smaller boost. Nevertheless, the extra boost to Combat Strength from these Beliefs can be quite useful in a pinch. Religious Colonization is great for securing the player's religious foothold in new territories.
Civilization 6 was released in 2016 and is available for iOS, Linux, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.