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With the addition of diplomatic victory in Civilization 6's expansion pack, Gathering Storm, players are given a new way to win and assert their dominance in the game's world. There are numerous ways to secure a win in this game, one of them being the "Diplomacy" victory. This way of victory takes a lot more strategy and cunning than the other, more straightforward ways that come with the base game.

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For those who dream of controlling the world via friendship and diplomatic relationships, this guide will go a long way in helping a player who wants to win their games through diplomacy. This game mode victory type will take some patience, so make sure to look through each little bit of help.

Updated on December 21, 2023, by Rhenn Taguiam: With grand strategy fans still eagerly awaiting the reveal of Civilization 7, fans of Sid Meier’s acclaimed series can still look at Civilization 6 as the most advanced version of the franchise. While the game maintains a Domination Victory as part of its key victory conditions, players can also challenge themselves to a pacifist playthrough and secure supremacy through a Diplomacy Victory. Players who want to have an edge in this regard may want to consider gameplay strategies such as studying how voting works in the World Congress, triggering more disasters, researching the Monarchy, and reserving the Statue of Liberty as a winning piece.

22 Activate Apocalypse Mode

Aiding In Disaster Relief Nets More Rewards

A disaster in Civilization 6
Process Activate Apocalypse Mode to trigger more disasters and Send Aid to those who need aid
Effect Winning Aid Requests will net 2 Diplomatic Victory Points

Courtesy of the Gathering Storm expansion, players of the acclaimed grand strategy game can engage in Scored Competitions called Aid Requests now that disasters have become more common in the update. To win the competition, players simply need to give as much Gold as possible or complete multiple Send Aid city projects.

Winning the Scored Competitions might seem detrimental to the player Civ’s wealth, but they can add a much-needed boost to Diplomatic Victory hopefuls. Winning Aid Requests will grant 2 Diplomatic Victory Points, while they also get 100 Diplomatic Favor and 50 Diplomatic Favor for falling into the Silver Tier and Bronze Tier of aid-givers, respectively.

21 Try To Find Voting Patterns

Vote, Propose Petitions Based On Success Rate

A proposition being voted by Civs
Process Propose and vote for Petitions that other Civs are likely to support
Effect In the likelihood of losing Diplomatic Victory Points, vote against oneself to lose 1 DVP instead of 2 DVP

On top of paying attention to World Congress issues in Civilization 6, players who want to dominate with a Diplomatic Victory need to focus on how their co-Civs tend to vote on certain issues. It’s very likely that decisions that work in the player’s favor will get negated, especially if they notice players gunning for Diplomatic Victory Points.

In turn, it’s more practical to vote and petition requests in the World Congress that will likely get approved. Should players end up being affected by a vote that would put them at -2 Diplomatic Victory Points, players can take the L and vote against themselves so the DVP loss gets reduced to 1 DVP. Even if this places players closer to their rivals’ score, this setback could be recovered by other means.

20 Divine Right With Walls Is The Key

Secure Divine Right For More Diplomatic Favor

The Divine Right
Process Implement a Monarchy via Divine Right, and then unlock Renaissance Walls
Effect Renaissance Walls give +2 Diplomatic Favor, potentially offsetting aggressive behavior

When players acquire the Divine Right civic during their Civilization 6 playthrough, they get the option to implement a Monarchy (Tier 2 Government). Even outside Diplomatic Victories, the Monarchy’s policy card layout makes for a more balanced slate compared to other government types.

However, where Divine Right leading into Monarchy shines is when players also unlock Renaissance Walls from the city center. With this activated, each Renaissance Wall gives +1 Housing as well as +2 Diplomatic Favor. Players can abuse this mechanic with some warmongering, as setting up walls in their captured cities could give them enough Diplomatic Favor to compensate for this act of aggression.

19 Secure The Victory With The Statue Of Liberty

Create The Statue Of Liberty As A Last Resort

Statue of Liberty in Civilization 6
Process Only build the Statue of Liberty if players need a handful of DVP to win
Effect The Statue of Liberty immediately gives +4 Diplomatic Victory Points

As with its real-life counterpart, the Statue of Liberty in Civilization 6 remains a World Wonder, this time around being buildable during the Industrial Era. It can only be built on a Coast in the middle of a Harbor tile and a land tile, with a general effect of +2 Settlers and a guaranteed +100% Loyalty to all cities within six tiles.

However, where the Statue of Liberty shines is its Diplomatic Victory Points bonus, especially with the Gathering Storm expansion. With this expansion installed, building the Statue of Liberty successfully immediately grants +4 Diplomatic Victory Points, potentially upturning strategic setbacks for players that a mere World Congress won’t be able to render ineffective. In turn, players should always get their Statue of Liberty primed for building but only start the process near the end of the game to guarantee their victory. Players who are looking for more challenging DVP acquisitions can consider the Liberty a last resort.

18 Be Careful Not To Win By Other Means

Study Current Playthrough To Ensure Diplomacy Is The Leading Victory Condition

War in CIvilization 6
Process Assess if the player’s current Civ aspects lean more towards Culture, Domination, Science Victories
Effect Not being careful about improvements may trigger different Victory Conditions instead

Considering how fairly technical Civilization 6 gameplay can become when players are eagle-eyed to pursue Victory Conditions, it’s easy to win in other means while pursuing a Diplomacy Victory. This is especially the case for players who are taking a rather long time to secure this Victory Condition, as more options open up to secure a Cultural, Religious, or even Science Victory.

Not to mention, with how easy colonizing other civs can become in the long haul, a Domination Victory is always an option for players gunning for the easy way out. In that regard, players may want to always check what kind of progress they’ve made in key areas to ensure their Diplomacy Victory Condition always weighs more than their progress in other Victory styles.

17 Delay The Future

Secure Future Era Only After 8 To 10 DVP

A Civilization in the Future Era-1
Process Earning high enough DVP will make Civs start conspiring to make players lose DVP. Doing this in Future Era means leaving very few tech to raise DVP back to the original amount
Effect Only research Future Tech once other Civs begin aggression towards DVPs so players can clinch the victory

Despite the temptation of securing tech in the Future Era as soon as players get there, their Civilization 6 gameplay may see some problems the moment they venture into their civ’s late-game scenario when gearing for a Diplomacy Victory. Remember, when players get to around 8 to 10 VP, other civs will start making efforts to lower the player’s Victory Points. If players get to this threshold with Future Era tech, there won’t be a lot of things to research to re-secure the VP lost from enemy resolutions.

To counter this, players should only research Future Era tech only after hitting 8 to 10 VP, be it through Aid Requests or the World Congress. That way, even if other civs lower the player’s VP, they can clinch the win with the VPs earned in Future Era research.

16 Take Note Of An Endgame Resolution

Take Note Which Civs Dump More Favor To The Player’s Disadvantage

Winning a Diplomatic Victory
Process A late-game resolution will make sure players lose DVP, but Civs may dump Favors in doing so
Effect Players may be able to manipulate other Civs in latter turns to re-secure more DVP

When players get into the endgame in their Civilization 6 playthrough, they will eventually encounter a World Congress resolution where a chosen civ gets 2 Victory Points or loses 2 Victory Points. Chances are high that most other civs will opt to decide on the latter, and players aren’t advised to waste their time trying to fight this decision. Players who are doing their tasks correctly will find themselves with the highest Victory Points, making them the prime target.

In that regard, players shouldn’t be worried about missing out on 2 Victory Points especially since they get 1 Victory Point for making their decision. Likewise, it’s important to remember that should this resolution arrive, other AIs will likely dump their Favor to secure the player’s disadvantage. This should leave players with an opening to manipulate other civs in succeeding turns, which can re-secure more Victory Points.

15 Purchase Diplomatic Favors

Get Diplomatic Favors Early On

Diplomatic Favors in action
Process Try to purchase as many Diplomatic Favors from other Civilizations should the opportunity present itself
Effect Even if other Civs start making it harder for players to earn Diplomatic Favors, the stock in advance will make up for it

Players enjoying their Civilization 6 gameplay may have gotten the hang of earning Gold throughout their business deals with other civs, and this is a must-have mechanic if they want to secure a Diplomatic Victory. When a player’s civ manages to find a steady source of income in the early-to-mid game, they need to purchase as many Diplomatic Favors from other civilizations as soon as possible.

The timing here is crucial, especially since the AI of other civs will start to take note once players get much higher Victory Points. If they sense players about to clinch the Diplomacy Victory, they will start to make it much harder for players to get Diplomatic Favors.

14 Earn The Highest Score In An Aid Request

Aid As Much As Possible To Invest In DVP

Aid Request in Civilization 6
Process When other nations send an Aid Request, complete as many Send Aid Projects as possible
Effect Becoming the top aid provider can reward 2 Diplomatic Victory Points

Much like the Diplomacy victory method, Aid Requests were added to Civilization 6 in the Gathering Storm expansion pack. Aid Requests are essentially a competition between civilizations. The goal is to earn the most points by giving the most aid to a Civ struck by a natural disaster. Players earn one point for each Gold offered to the Civ, and earn 50 points by completing a Send Aid project.

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Winning the competition earns players 2 Diplomatic Victory points. Meanwhile, second place gets 100 Diplomatic Favor and third place receives 50 Diplomatic Favor.

13 Passively Encourage Civs To Declare War On Each Other

Coerce Civs To Fight To Weed Out Competition

Scottish Empire in Civilization 6
Process Players can goad other Civs into fighting other Civs through negotiations
Effect When done correctly, not only would a Civ get out of the map, but the attacking Civ will lose Diplomatic Favor and resources

This strategy can be tough to pull off, but it's extremely effective when done correctly. Through discussions, players can add fuel to a fire that may push two disagreeing Civs over the edge, eventually leading to war.

This can have multiple benefits to players. Their opponents' Diplomatic Favor will take a hit and their empires will be deprived of resources, hurting their expansion. Furthermore, one Civ may completely wipe another off the map, giving players one less opponent to worry about.

12 Don't Ignore Culture And Religion

Culture And Religion Victory Are Backups

Religion detials in Civilization 6
Process Try to aim for high Culture and Religion Victory Points on top of Diplomatic Victory Points
Effect Aside from being backup Victory Conditions, rival Civs may focus on hindering the player’s Culture and Religion progress and leave Diplomatic progress be

When having one clear victory path in mind, it can be easy to get tunnel vision and ignore other victory methods. This can be a fatal error, as players will find themselves missing out on the perks that victory paths like Culture and Religion provide.

Furthermore, if players ignore Culture and Religion, it can make victory extremely easy for a rival Civ if they're aiming for either of those two goals. So although it can harm players' diplomatic progress, it's necessary to spend time on Culture and Religion to avoid an early defeat.

11 Maintain A Respectable Army

Defend In Case Of Emergencies

A large army in Civilization 6
Process Preparing a powerful army even without moving them can discourage enemy Civs from attacking while also having a defense mechanism
Effect While fighting other Civs can lose some Diplomatic Favor, this is better than being wiped off the map

Following on from the previous point, it can be easy to ignore army building when aiming for Diplomacy victory. A strong, respectable army is necessary for earning respect from other Civs and discouraging unfriendly opponents from springing a surprise attack. After all, a heavy defeat can render a player's hard work useless.

Moreover, a strong army may be necessary if players are having issues with another Civ and need to take action. Declaring war should be a last resort when aiming for Diplomacy victory, but it's an effective strategy to have in the back pocket.

10 Pick The Right Leader

Specialize In Diplomacy

Civilization 6 Leader
Process Choose Leaders who specialize in Diplomacy, such as Wilfrid Laurier (Canada) who can get Diplomatic Favor via Tourism
Effect Depending on the Leader’s benefit, players may be able to secure more Victory Points, get more Diplomatic Favors, and make deals with other Leaders easier

Picking the right leader will go a long way to helping a player who wants to win a diplomatic victory. Certain civilizations have abilities that go a long way in helping develop ties with other civilizations and city-states, as well as help maintain them.

One of the best civilizations for this situation is one that is added in the Gathering Storm expansion, that being Canada, led by Wilfrid Laurier with an ability that grants diplomatic Favor points based on tourism.

9 Make Friends Early

Allies Can Become A Defensive Buffer

Civilization 6 Leader
Process Secure early-game alliances that may last the entire match
Effect This secures the best possible chances of voting in the player’s favor in the World Congress

Making good friends early on is not only a good tip in life but also can really pay off in the world of Civilization 6. Being kind and friendly to the first few civilizations that a player meets on their journey throughout the game will go a long way in setting up alliances with those civilizations. These could become very powerful and influential in the future.

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This strategy will also help deter any attackers and help vote the player to victory. It's important to try and have more than one friend.

8 Declare War Sparingly

Warmonger Penalty Can Become A Disadvantage

Samurai
Process Avoiding war means incurring less Warmonger Penalties
Effect A high Warmonger Penalty can make other Civs vote against the player

It should go without saying, but going to war isn't the best thing for a civilization that wants to win via diplomacy. Any civilization that goes to war will often incur a warmonger penalty, even if that civilization uses the more reasonable reasons for war.

This will make most if not all other civilizations in the game hate that one specific civilization. A civilization trying to win a diplomatic victory should also do its best to limit the number of cities it conquers, as that also adds to the penalty.

7 Form Alliances

Take Advantage Of Powerful Civs

Civilization 6 Leader
Process Landing alliances with more powerful Civs can guarantee a defensive buffer at wars and allies in decisions
Effect More powerful Civs can vote on the player’s behalf, making the gathering of Diplomatic Victory Points easier

Another fairly obvious tip, but one that is important nonetheless. A player who wants to win a diplomatic victory is also going to need to be a player who is fairly patient, as it is one of the longest ways to win in Civilization 6 due to the player needing to reach a late-game era in order to win.

This means that players are going to need to capitalize on those friends that they made in the early game and turn them into allies to make sure they work with the player.

6 Become A Suzerain

Control A City-State For Benefits

Civilization 6 map
Process Secure the Suzerain Bonus by having the most envoys in a particular city-state
Effect The Suzerain Bonus can land players with more Diplomatic Favor

City-States can give the players big bonuses, especially if a player is the Suzerain of certain city-states. Bonuses that civilizations get from city-states depend on the number of envoys that the civilization has dedicated to that city-state, with the civilization that has the most envoys in a certain city-state gaining the Suzerain bonus.

Being the suzerain of a city-state won't give a player more votes. However, it will provide them with more diplomatic favor.

5 Be Smart With Trade Routes

Facilitate Trade With More Finesse By Focusing On Tech Trees

Civilization 6 leader
Process Trade Routes between Civs can encourage the exchange of technologies
Effect Researching tech can get faster with the help of other Civs, making other Civs indirectly help players in their development

Trade Routes can go a long way to helping a player that wants to win. They can go a long way in helping players get resources between their own cities that might need help in some areas, or to help gain some gold. They can also aid with boosts in science or bringing in different religions to a civilization.

In addition to all of this, they can also have a direct benefit in helping to get a diplomatic victory. Trade routes are one of the best ways to help gain favor with another nation.

4 Be Helpful

Other Civs May Return The Favor

Civilization 6 John Curtin
Process If a decision is not harmful to players, consider agreeing to the terms of another Civ
Effect Boosting the player’s reputation to other Civs can be beneficial in late-game decisions and policies

This should also be fairly obvious. If a player wants to win a diplomatic victory, they must be helpful towards the various nations in their game. This is especially true for ones that are comparable to the player in power, or maybe even have more.

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This means that a player will need to go out of their way to help people. This can involve giving gifts and giving them favorable trade deals. They may even need to help in times of war.

3 Stop Other Civs From Winning

Hinder Another Civ’s Diplomatic Progress

Civilization 6 map
Process Depending on a player’s relationship with a Diplomatic rival, they may incite war between them and other Civs or outright wage war
Effect While certain measures can give players penalties, this at least eliminates rivals

A player looking for a diplomacy victory must actively work towards halting another nation that is getting close to the same goal. This can be done in a peaceful and covert way through voting against that nation's proposals.

If all else fails and an opponent is en route to beat players to the post, it may be necessary to take extreme measures and wipe them off the map. As mentioned before, declaring war should be done sparingly, but it's an effective way to solve issues with another civ.