This page lists each civilization with the bonuses that two or more current sources agree on. Where guides disagree on a number, we say so instead of guessing; check the in-game civilization screen before you commit. For how civilizations fit the rest of the game, start at the Rise of Kingdoms hub.
How much does civilization really matter?
Less than you think. A civilization gives three small bonuses (usually 3 to 20 percent on one stat each), a unique unit that replaces the normal tier 4 and tier 5 unit of one troop type, a city look and a free starting commander. Compare that with a single legendary commander at full skills, or the alliance tech and territory buffs, and the gap is small.
Where it does matter:
- Troop type. A cavalry civilization nudges you toward cavalry research and cavalry commanders. If you already know you love infantry, pick an infantry civ.
- Starting commander. An epic commander you get for free on day one. Sun Tzu (China) and Joan of Arc (France) are useful for months.
- Farm accounts. Gathering and production bonuses add up over thousands of marches.
All 15 civilizations compared
| Civilization | Bonuses (agreed by sources) | Unique unit | Starting commander |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | +5% building speed, +5% action point recovery, troop defense bonus (3 or 5 percent depending on source) | Chu-Ko-Nu (archer) | Sun Tzu |
| Britain | +5% archer attack, +5% training speed, +20% allied garrison capacity | Longbowman (archer) | Boudica |
| France | +3% troop health, +10% wood gathering, +20% hospital healing speed | Throwing Axeman (infantry) | Joan of Arc |
| Spain | +5% cavalry defense, +10% EXP from barbarians and neutral units, +20% resource production | Conquistador (cavalry) | Pelagius |
| Korea | +5% archer defense, +3% research speed, +15% hospital capacity | Hwarang (archer) | Eulji Mundeok |
| Ottoman | +5% archer health, +5% march speed, +5% active skill damage | Janissary (archer) | Osman I |
| Arabia | +5% cavalry attack, +10% damage to barbarians and neutral units, +5% rally damage | Mamluk (cavalry) | Baibars |
| Japan | Troop attack and gathering speed bonuses (sources disagree on values), +30% scout march speed | Samurai (infantry) | Kusunoki Masashige |
| Rome | +5% infantry defense, +10% food gathering, march speed bonus (sources disagree on value) | Legionary (infantry) | Scipio Africanus |
| Germany | +5% cavalry attack, plus training speed and action point recovery bonuses (sources disagree on values) | Teutonic Knight (cavalry) | Hermann |
| Byzantium | +5% cavalry health, plus stone gathering and hospital capacity bonuses (sources disagree on values) | Cataphract (cavalry) | Belisarius |
| Vikings | Infantry attack, counterattack damage and troop load bonuses (current guides: +5%, +3%, +10%) | Berserker (infantry) | Bjorn Ironside |
| Egypt | +5% archer attack, +1.5% building speed, +5% rally damage | Maryannu (archer) | Imhotep |
| Greece | +5% infantry health, +5% rally damage, +10% stone gathering | Argyraspides (infantry) | Check in game (not confirmed by our sources) |
| Maya | +5% archer defense, +3% normal attack damage, +10% gold gathering | Maya unique unit (type not confirmed by our sources) | Check in game |
Sources: Pocketgamer's civilization guide (updated October 2026 for version 1.1.12.20), BlueStacks' civilization guide, MobileMatters' 2026 tier list and RiseofKingdomsGuides' civilization pages. The App Store listing confirms 15 civilizations in total.
Best civilization for free to play and new players
China is the most common recommendation for new and free players, and we agree. Building speed and action point recovery help every single day, and Sun Tzu is a strong infantry commander for months, also as a secondary. Current tier lists (MobileMatters 2026, Pocketgamer October 2026) put China at or near the top for general play.
France is the second safe pick. Joan of Arc is a support commander that stays useful in gathering and rally setups, and the hospital healing bonus helps when you start fighting. Korea and Germany are the growth picks some guides prefer: research speed and hospital capacity for Korea, faster training and action points for Germany.
Korea's hospital capacity and France's healing speed look modest until your first KvK, when hospitals decide whether wounded troops come back or die. That is why some experienced players rank them higher than their raw numbers suggest.
Best civilization for fighting
The Vikings are here! Rise of Kingdoms Cinematic (official channel)- Cavalry: Arabia (cavalry attack plus rally damage, Baibars for free) and Germany (cavalry attack, faster training). Byzantium is the defensive cavalry option.
- Infantry: Vikings for pure aggression, Rome and Greece for tougher infantry. Guides warn that Vikings is a PvP civilization; if you mostly build and gather, it wastes its bonuses.
- Archers: Britain (archer attack, training speed and ally garrison capacity), Egypt (archer attack and rally damage) and Korea (archer defense, research and hospital).
- Rally leaders: Arabia, Egypt and Greece all carry a rally damage bonus.
Match the troop type to the commanders you plan to build. The commander tier list shows which troop type has the strongest commanders right now, and the pairings guide shows the pairs.
Best civilization for gathering and farm accounts
| Resource | Civilization | Bonus |
|---|---|---|
| All production | Spain | +20% resource production in the city |
| Food | Rome | +10% food gathering |
| Wood | France | +10% wood gathering |
| Stone | Greece | +10% stone gathering |
| Gold | Maya | +10% gold gathering |
For a farm account, pick the bonus for the resource your main account is short of. Gold becomes the bottleneck later in the game, which is why Maya farms are popular. The routine for running farms and gem deposits is in our gems and resources guide.
Greece, Maya and the newer civilizations
Global Civilizations Collab Project trailer (official channel)Greece came with update 1.0.71 in July 2023 and brought the Argyraspides, an infantry unique unit. Maya followed with update 1.0.90. Both are selectable today, and the official App Store art for Maya advertises it with the tagline "speed up city development". Egypt and the Vikings were earlier additions with their own cinematics on the official channel. We found no confirmed 16th civilization as of November 2026; articles about upcoming civilizations are speculation.
Remember that new civilizations change nothing for players who already picked one, apart from giving them the option to switch. A new release is not a reason to change on its own.
How to change civilization later
- Get the currency ready. A change costs 10,000 gems, or one Civilization Change item instead. Both Pocketgamer and BlueStacks list the 10,000 gem price.
- Agree it with your alliance first. If the alliance needs a certain troop type or a rally damage civilization, that decides the switch, not tier lists.
- Check your troops. Your unique tier 4 and tier 5 units follow the new civilization's troop type, so a switch from a cavalry to an infantry civ changes what your best units are.
- Keep the starting commander. Commanders you already own stay with you.
Because changing is possible, do not agonise over the first pick. Take China or France if unsure, play a month, then switch if your alliance needs a different troop type.
Quick picks by play style
| You are | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Brand new and unsure | China | Building speed, action points and a strong free commander |
| Free player who wants to fight early | Arabia | Cavalry attack, bonus against barbarians, Baibars from day one |
| Builder who likes to grow fast | Korea or Germany | Research speed and hospital capacity, or faster training |
| Infantry player | Rome, Greece or Vikings | Defense, health or pure aggression |
| Archer player | Britain or Egypt | Archer attack plus training speed or rally damage |
| Future rally leader | Arabia, Egypt or Greece | All three carry a rally damage bonus |
| Farm account | Spain or the matching gathering civ | Production or gathering for the resource you need |
If two picks look equal for you, choose the one whose starting commander you will actually use. A free epic commander that fits your troop type saves you weeks of sculpture hunting, while a bonus of a few percent on a stat you rarely use saves almost nothing.
One last check before you confirm: ask the alliance you plan to join what it needs. Many alliances want a balance of troop types for rallies and garrisons, and a civilization that fills a gap gets you a better spot in the alliance than a slightly better bonus.
FAQ
What is the best civilization in Rise of Kingdoms?
For most new and free players, China: building speed, action point recovery and Sun Tzu as a free commander. France is the other safe pick.
How many civilizations are in Rise of Kingdoms?
There are 15 civilizations: Rome, Germany, Britain, France, Spain, China, Japan, Korea, Arabia, Ottoman, Byzantium, Vikings, Egypt, Greece and Maya.
Can you change civilization in Rise of Kingdoms?
Yes. A civilization change costs 10,000 gems, or you can use a Civilization Change item. Your commanders stay with you.
Which civilization is best for cavalry?
Arabia and Germany. Arabia adds cavalry attack and rally damage with Baibars as starter, Germany adds cavalry attack and faster training.
Which civilization is best for a farm account?
Spain for overall production, or the civ that boosts the resource you need: Rome for food, France for wood, Greece for stone and Maya for gold.
Do unique units matter?
A little. Each civilization replaces the tier 4 and tier 5 unit of one troop type with a unique version that has slightly different stats.