How to Use Great People in Civilization VI: Maximizing Their Impact

Introduction: Harnessing the Power of Greatness

In Civilization VI, Great People are pivotal to advancing your civilization’s development in various fields such as science, culture, religion, and industry. Each Great Person offers unique abilities that can significantly boost your civilization’s progress, influence cultural developments, or enhance military capabilities. Understanding how to effectively use these individuals is key to leveraging their full potential. Here’s a detailed guide on how to use Great People in Civilization VI.

1. Types of Great People and Their Benefits

Great People come in several categories, each influencing different aspects of your civilization:

• Great Scientists: Provide powerful boosts to scientific progress, such as instant technology discoveries or library and university bonuses.
• Great Writers, Artists, and Musicians: Generate great works that boost your culture and tourism, crucial for cultural victories.
• Great Engineers: Offer benefits ranging from instant building completion to production bonuses and unique improvements.
• Great Merchants: Can increase your trade capacity, generate large amounts of gold, and provide unique luxury resources.
• Great Prophets: Found a new religion or enhance an existing one, allowing you to spread your faith and utilize religious bonuses.
• Great Generals and Admirals: Boost the combat effectiveness of your military units and provide additional bonuses such as faster unit movement.

2. Earning Great People

Great People are earned through the accumulation of Great Person points, which are generated each turn by specific district buildings:

• Campuses: Generate points towards Great Scientists.
• Theater Squares: Generate points towards Great Writers, Artists, and Musicians.
• Industrial Zones: Generate points towards Great Engineers.
• Commercial Hubs: Generate points towards Great Merchants.
• Holy Sites: Generate points towards Great Prophets (only available until all religions have been founded).
• Encampments: Generate points towards Great Generals.
• Harbors: Generate points towards Great Admirals.

You can also use policies, wonders, and the patronage ability (using gold or faith) to accelerate the recruitment of Great People.

3. Strategically Using Great People

To maximize the impact of Great People, consider the following strategies:

• Timing Their Use: Activate Great People abilities at the most opportune moments. For instance, use a Great Scientist to complete critical technologies during a competitive scientific race or a Great Engineer to instantly build a wonder that’s contested by another civilization.
• Positioning for Activation: Some Great People, like Great Engineers and Great Generals, need to be in specific locations to use their abilities. Ensure they are positioned correctly before activation.
• Cultural Impact: Place Great Works from Writers, Artists, and Musicians in appropriate slots in your Theater Square district’s buildings to maximize cultural output and tourism.

4. Managing Great People

• Active Management: You don’t need to activate a Great Person as soon as they are available. In some cases, it might be beneficial to save them for use at a later stage when their impact could be greater.
• Contesting Great People: Keep an eye on which Great People other civilizations are earning and consider beating them to crucial Great People by boosting your own point generation or using patronage.

Conclusion: Leveraging Greatness for Your Civilization

Great People can turn the tide of your civilization’s fortune in Civilization VI. By earning, managing, and strategically deploying these powerful individuals, you can enhance various aspects of your empire and edge closer to victory. Remember, the effective use of Great People often requires careful planning and timely execution.