S-Tier civs provide a clear advantage to the player who is not situationally dependent, providing multiple avenues to victory with several extraordinary uniques.

In this tiered list, we break down the unique leader abilities (ULA), unique units (UU), unique buildings (UB), and unique improvements (UI) from each one to help you determine the best world leader for your style and strategy. Some civs are better than others, and understanding the ins and outs of each can swing any game in your favor. Civ 5 is a complicated game with hundreds of different variables, but that doesn't mean you need to pick your nation blindly when setting up a game.