Xerxes, King of Kings, is a formidable leader in Civilization 7, best suited for an aggressive, domination victory. If you’re a player who likes to wage war and conquer all, Xerxes is the leader for you. He’s even largely well-suited for beginner players as his attributes and skills are not all that complicated.
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However, whether you’re new to the Civilization franchise or not, there are some important tips and tricks to remember when playing this leader. For this guide, we’re breaking down Xerxes’ attributes, the best civs to play as, and more. Here’s everything you need to know to rule the world as Xerxes in Civ 7.
Xerxes, King Of Kings Leader Overview
As mentioned, Xerxes is a relatively straightforward leader with simple but powerful attributes at his disposal. Here’s a breakdown of his starting abilities.
|
Leader Attribute |
Details |
|---|---|
|
Combat Strength |
+3 Combat Strength for Units that are attacking in neutral or enemy territory. |
|
Culture And Gold |
Gain 100 Culture and Gold per Age when you capture a settlement. |
|
Rich Settlements |
+10 percent gold in all settlements, doubled in settlements not founded by you. |
|
Settlement Limit |
+1 settlement limit per Age. |
How Do Xerxes’ Attributes Work?
As you can see above, Xerxes’ attributes lend themselves well to a militaristic and expansionist playstyle. You’re likely to have a rich treasury as Xerxes. You’ll also want to keep the following tips in mind when playing as him.
- Settlements Are Key – So many of Xerxes’ abilities work best when you have multiple settlements, or capture settlements. Gaining extra gold and culture is always a plus, and since your settlement limit is different from others, it should be easier to spread outward and upward as Xerxes.
- Play Aggressive – Because your boons work even better when you capture settlements, don’t be afraid of warmongering just a little bit in each age.
What Civs Work Best With Xerxes, King Of Kings?
For Xerxes, there’s not much point in picking civs that round out his weaker attributes, though you can try to pick civs that help bolster his science output if you desire.
Ultimately, you’re going to want to pick civs that strengthen his already powerful militaristic abilities. If you’re starting in the Antiquity Age, consider one of the following civs.
|
Antiquity Civ |
Details |
|---|---|
|
Persia |
Beyond just being historically accurate, Persia is a great choice for Xerxes as you can earn two unique military units, the Immortal and the Hazarapatis. Plus, Infantry Units gain +3 Combat Strength when attacking, making this civ an all around great militaristic empire choice. |
|
Maurya |
The Maurya offer a huge advantage for Xerxes thanks to their unique Settler unit, the Nagarika, which grants a +2 Happiness bonus. Plus, the Maurya have a unique Cavalry unit called the Purabhettarah, which offers +5 Combat Strength against fortified districts, meaning your ability to take settlements will be easier early on. |
|
Rome |
Though not the strongest choice, Rome also offers two unique military units, the Legion and the Legatus, which is always helpful. Plus, Rome allows the construction of Basilicas, which can help increase your already high gold output. |
Which Civs Should You Pick For The Exploration And Modern Ages?
Like many leaders in Civilization 7, Xerxes is rather flexible when it comes to which civs work best in later ages. You may start your campaign gunning for a Military Victory, but if you’ve pivoted to science, you might want to change your tune.
Ultimately, though, the below Exploration and Modern civs synergize best with Xerxes’ attributes and are all great for military and expansionist playstyles.
|
Antiquity Civ |
Exploration Civ |
Modern Civ |
|---|---|---|
|
Persia |
Abbasid or Mongolia |
Mughal or Russia |
|
Maurya |
Chola |
Mughal or Russia |
|
Rome |
Spain |
Prussia |
Both Mughal and Russia are also great for secondary Victory Conditions, Economic Victories and Scientific Victories, respectively.
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What Is The Best Strategy For Playing Xerxes, King Of Kings?
As you can likely assume at this point, Xerxes, King of Kings, is great for primarily one thing: military domination. You’re going to want to focus on one of two Victory Conditions.
- Military
- Economic
Ultimately, while an Economic Victory is always possible, Xerxes is most fun to play as a ruthless military dictator, so lean into this playstyle if you’re considering Xerxes!
How To Get A Military Victory
Military Victories in Civ 7 are contingent on completing the Military Legacy Path. From the get-go, make sure you toggle your Military Advisor on to track your progress in this endeavor.
It’s also important to note that you can earn a third type of victory, the Domination Victory, simply by wiping everyone off the map! This is pretty difficult, but certainly attainable as Xerxes.
Beginning in the Antiquity Age, you’ll want to focus on two things.
- High Gold Output
- High Science Output
Maintaining both of these is essential for developing a strong military.
You’ll want to spend as much time as possible in this age befriending or conquering Independent Powers to prepare to take on an actual enemy civ.
In the Antiquity Age, your goal is to found new settlements and capture enemy civs, as well as develop siege units. You’ll need to research The Wheel tech to do this, and bolster your military early on.
Make sure you also found a Pantheon early so you can prepare to found a Religion in the Exploration Age, as converting settlements is incredibly important for the Military Legacy Path in this age.
Lastly, make sure to spend time developing Army Commanders and building their skill trees through combat. If you can level up these units, and even take out one or two enemy settlements or Independent Powers early on in the game, you’ll be in good shape by the time you reach the Modern Age.
Remember, you’ll need a high science output in the Modern Age to complete the Manhattan Project, essential for this victory, so don’t lag in science.
How To Get An Economic Victory
Though not as easy, an Economic Victory as Xerxes is also certainly achievable thanks to his high gold output. For this Victory Condition, you’ll want to focus on a few things:
- Study Code Of Laws Quickly
- Build A Strong Navy
- Gain Merchants
- Conquer Settlements For Extra Gold
These four tricks will be your bread and butter throughout every age when it comes to achieving an Economic Victory.
For an Economic Victory, choose Persia in the Antiquity Age, then Mongolia, and then Mughal. This is your best bet for an economic landslide.
You’ll notice when playing for an Economic Victory that you’ll still need to play aggressive when it comes to military might against other civs, as most of Xerxes’ buffs (and your civ buffs) will require you to conquer settlements.
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