How to Check Your Warmonger Status in Civ 6: A Diplomatic Deep Dive

So, you’ve been expanding your empire in Civilization VI, eh? Maybe you’ve conquered a few cities, liberated a few others, or perhaps you’ve just been a little… aggressive in your negotiations. Whatever the reason, you’re probably wondering how to check your warmonger status and see just how much you’ve upset the other leaders in the game. Fortunately, it’s a relatively straightforward process, though it requires understanding how the diplomacy system works.

The truth is, there isn’t a dedicated “warmonger score” prominently displayed in the UI. Instead, your warmongering actions manifest as negative diplomatic modifiers with each individual leader you’ve met. These modifiers affect their attitude towards you, impacting trade deals, alliances, and even their willingness to declare war.

To gauge your warmonger status, you need to carefully examine the diplomacy screen for each leader. Here’s how:

1. Initiate Diplomacy: Click on the portrait of the leader you’re interested in on the main game screen, or find them on the leader list accessible through the diplomacy button (usually at the top of the screen).

2. Analyze the Attitude: Pay close attention to the leader’s overall attitude towards you. Is it “Friendly,” “Neutral,” “Annoyed,” or “Hostile”? This is a general indicator of their opinion of you.

3. Check Diplomatic Modifiers: This is the crucial part. Look for a list of modifiers that explain why the leader feels the way they do. These modifiers are listed either as positive (green) or negative (red) scores. Hovering over these modifiers will reveal more specific details.

4. Identify Warmongering Penalties: Within the list of modifiers, look for entries directly related to your warmongering actions. These might include phrases like:

   • “You conquered [City Name]”
   • “You declared war on [Civilization Name]”
   • “You razed a city.”
   • “They covet territory you control.”
   • “You have Grievances against us.”
   • “Your War Weariness is negatively impacting our trade relations.”

5. Assess the Severity: The numerical value associated with each modifier indicates the strength of the penalty. A modifier of “-20” is a significantly larger penalty than a modifier of “-5”.

6. Remember Individual Penalties: It’s vital to remember that warmonger penalties are unique to each leader. Just because Gilgamesh is forgiving of your territorial ambitions doesn’t mean Queen Victoria will feel the same way.

By carefully reviewing these modifiers, you can build a clear picture of your warmonger status and understand which actions are impacting your relationships with other civilizations. This knowledge allows you to adjust your strategy, mitigate penalties, and secure your victory in the long run. Understanding that warmongering isn’t a single number but is instead the sum of many, small, and often avoidable, diplomatic penalties.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some frequently asked questions about warmongering in Civilization VI, designed to help you better understand the mechanics and manage your diplomatic relations.

How do I get rid of Warmonger Penalties?

Warmonger penalties decrease over time. The grievances you incur slowly decay at a rate of 0.5 points per turn unless you take actions to increase them. Liberating a city will dramatically decrease your penalties with that civ and others. Diplomacy and leveraging the grievances of other civs against your targets will lead to fewer warmonger penalties.

What is the difference between Grievances and Warmonger Penalties?

While related, they are not the same thing. Warmonger penalties are the direct negative diplomatic modifiers that influence a leader’s opinion of you due to your aggressive actions, such as declaring war or conquering cities. Grievances, on the other hand, are the reasons for those penalties. Grievances are what build up when you perform actions that other civilizations deem offensive.

Do all types of war cause the same Warmonger Penalty?

No. Casus Belli (justifications for war) can significantly reduce warmonger penalties. Declaring a formal war with a Casus Belli after denouncing a civ will have far fewer consequences than a surprise war. Wars of liberation, reconquest, or religious wars, for example, often carry lower penalties.

How does city razing affect Warmonger Penalties?

Razing a city is one of the worst things you can do for your diplomatic reputation. It generates a significant warmonger penalty with all other leaders, not just the one you’re razing the city from. Consider keeping and managing the city, or even gifting it to another civilization. It’s usually better to avoid razing if possible.

Does Warmongering affect all Victory Types?

Yes, although indirectly for some. While a Domination Victory might require warmongering, negative diplomatic relations can hinder your progress towards other victory types like Culture, Science, and Diplomacy. For example, negative relations mean fewer trade routes, less tourism pressure, and fewer opportunities for alliances. The Games Learning Society focuses on how games impact educational outcomes and warmongering can absolutely affect the different ways one can win Civilization VI.

How does liberating a city affect Warmonger Penalties?

Liberating a city you’ve captured is one of the best ways to reduce warmonger penalties. It demonstrates that you’re not just a ruthless conqueror, but also someone who values justice. Liberating a city will significantly improve relations with the civilization you liberated it for, and can also generate positive diplomatic modifiers with other leaders who value peace and justice.

Does Warmongering affect City-States?

Warmongering can affect your relationship with City-States, but not directly through a “warmonger penalty.” City-States generally dislike warmongers, and may be more likely to support civilizations that are at war with you. Conquering a City-State generates a penalty with all other civilizations.

How can I use Warmongering to my advantage?

While warmongering often comes with negative consequences, it can sometimes be used to your advantage. Identifying civilizations that already have poor relationships with others and then strategically attacking them can solidify relationships with the victims’ rivals. Be wary of unintended consequences.

Does War Weariness affect Warmongering?

Yes, indirectly. While War Weariness itself isn’t a warmonger penalty, high War Weariness in your empire can lead to negative diplomatic modifiers with other leaders, especially those who value peace and stability. This can negatively affect trade and diplomatic negotiations.

How do Alliances affect Warmonger Penalties?

Alliances, while potentially helpful, do not negate warmonger penalties. If you’re allied with a civilization and declare war on another, you’ll still accrue warmonger penalties, albeit potentially mitigated by your ally’s support. It’s still vital to consider the diplomatic consequences of your actions, even when you have allies.

Can Religious Conversion trigger Warmonger Penalties?

No, religious conversion does not directly trigger warmonger penalties. However, forcibly converting a civilization’s cities against their will can generate grievances, which in turn negatively affect your diplomatic relations and can lead to them declaring war on you. It’s often better to spread your religion peacefully.

Does Denouncing a civilization before declaring war reduce Warmonger Penalties?

Denouncing a civilization does not directly reduce warmonger penalties, but it allows you to use a Casus Belli to declare war. Using a Casus Belli significantly reduces the penalties associated with declaring war. Denouncing is a necessary step in mitigating warmongering, as it unlocks the formal war Casus Belli after 5 turns.

Does the Era affect Warmonger Penalties?

Yes. The earlier in the game, the fewer warmonger penalties you will receive. As you progress into later eras, the penalties become more severe, which can make maintaining peaceful relations more challenging.

How does AI personality affect their reaction to Warmongering?

Each AI leader in Civilization VI has a unique personality with specific agendas and traits. Some leaders, like Genghis Khan, are naturally more tolerant of warmongering, while others, like Gandhi, are extremely opposed to it. Understanding each leader’s personality is crucial for predicting their reaction to your actions.

How can I further reduce Warmonger Penalties?

Certain social policies, wonders, and Great People can help reduce warmonger penalties. For example, the “Diplomatic Service” civic and the Statue of Liberty world wonder both offer bonuses to diplomatic relations, helping to offset the negative impact of warmongering. Some leaders are even able to completely negate all warmongering penalties, like Alexander the Great.

By understanding these nuances and actively managing your diplomatic relations, you can become a master strategist in Civilization VI, capable of conquering your enemies without alienating the entire world. Remember, diplomacy is just as important as military might! You can learn more about the educational aspects of gaming at GamesLearningSociety.org.