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Condemning a Religion in Civilization VI: A Comprehensive Guide

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So, you’re looking to stamp out a pesky religion that’s interfering with your grand strategy in Civilization VI? Excellent! There are a few paths you can take, ranging from subtle disruption to outright religious annihilation. The method you choose will depend on your overall goals and your current standing with the civilization spreading the religion.

The most direct way to condemn a religion in Civ 6 involves a strategic combination of military force, religious units, and timing:

Conquer the Holy City: This is the heart of the religion you want to eliminate. You’ll need a strong army to capture the city where that religion was founded.
Establish Religious Dominance (Optional, but Recommended): Before taking the Holy City, it is recommended to convert most of the surrounding cities to your religion. It is highly advisable to have a Great Prophet to assist you with this process.
Inquisitors are Your Friends: If you founded a religion, you must generate an Apostle. Use the Apostle to launch an inquisition near the Holy City. This will allow you to train Inquisitors, who are designed to remove foreign religion from your cities. Position an Inquisitor in the Holy City.
Purge the Holy City: With your Inquisitor in the Holy City, use the “Remove Heresy” action repeatedly until your religion is dominant in that city. This drastically reduces the religious pressure exerted by that city, hindering the religion’s spread.
Maintain Control: Keep a military presence in the Holy City to prevent reconversion and to continue using the “Condemn Heretic” ability on any stray religious units that wander too close.
Focus on Religious Pressure: After removing all traces of the unwanted religion, you should have an Apostle or Great Prophet present in the Holy City to exert even more pressure to follow your founded religion.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Religion in Civ 6

How do I stop someone from getting a Religious Victory?

Stopping a Religious Victory requires a multi-pronged approach. First, build Holy Sites and generate Great Prophets early to found your own religion and compete for followers. Second, use Apostles and Inquisitors to engage in theological combat and remove the offending religion from your cities. Third, wage war and use the “Condemn Heretic” ability of your military units to eliminate enemy religious units near your cities. Finally, close your borders to civilizations that are aggressively spreading their religion.

Can Apostles be killed in Civ 6?

Yes, Apostles can be killed. They can engage in theological combat with other religious units (Apostles, Missionaries, Inquisitors, and Gurus) without a declaration of war. Additionally, if you declare war on a civilization, your military units can instantly kill their religious units using the “Condemn Heretic” action if they occupy the same tile.

Can you start a religion without a Great Prophet in Civ 6?

No, you cannot start a religion without a Great Prophet. Great Prophets are earned by accumulating Great Prophet points, primarily through Holy Sites and religious buildings. If you fail to earn a Great Prophet before all religions are founded, you will be unable to start your own religion.

Can you destroy a religion completely in Civ 6?

While you can’t permanently eliminate a religion from the game code, you can effectively suppress it to the point where it’s no longer a threat. The key is to conquer the religion’s Holy City, use Inquisitors to remove its presence, and maintain religious dominance in the surrounding areas. Even then, religious pressure can still cause it to reappear, especially if other civilizations have adopted it.

Is religion worth it in Civ 6?

Yes, religion is definitely worth considering in Civ 6. It provides numerous benefits, including:

A Religious Victory condition.
Powerful beliefs that can boost your economy, production, science, or culture.
Faith generation that can be used to purchase Great People, military units (with certain beliefs), or naturalists for creating national parks.
Diplomatic advantages with civilizations that share your religion.

What does “Condemn Heretic” do?

The “Condemn Heretic” action allows your military units to instantly destroy enemy religious units when they occupy the same tile. This action can only be performed if the military unit has movement remaining, and it ends that unit’s turn. It’s a powerful tool for countering religious spread, but it requires a declaration of war.

How do I stop supporting a missionary (in the real world)?

This FAQ seems out of place, but here’s a respectful answer: If you’re ending support for a real-world missionary, communicate your decision clearly and compassionately. Provide ample notice and, if possible, help them transition to other sources of funding.

How do you stop being a warmonger in Civ 6?

Reducing your warmonger status takes time. Warmonger penalties decay naturally at a rate of 0.5 points per turn. Actions that reduce warmonger penalties include:

Liberating cities that were conquered by other civilizations.
Returning conquered cities to their original owners.
Apologizing to other leaders for your warmongering behavior.
Improving Diplomatic Relations through trade and alliances.

What religion is best in Civ 6?

There’s no single “best” religion, as the ideal choice depends on your civilization, your victory condition, and your playstyle. However, some strong worship beliefs include:

Cathedral: +3 Faith and 1 slot for Religious Art.
Mosque: +3 Faith and Missionaries/Apostles gain +1 Spread Religion charge.
Wat: +3 Faith and +2 Science.
Gurdwara: +3 Faith, +2 Food, and +1 Housing.

What not to do in Civ 6?

Some common mistakes in Civ 6 include:

Trying to be a jack of all trades: Focus on specific victory conditions and specialize your cities accordingly.
Ignoring district placement: Plan your cities carefully and place districts strategically to maximize their adjacency bonuses.
Neglecting your military: A strong military is essential for defense and expansion, regardless of your chosen victory condition.
Failing to adapt to changing circumstances: Be flexible and adjust your strategy based on the actions of other civilizations and the events that occur in the game.

Can you have slaves in Civ 6?

No, slavery is not a feature in Civilization VI. The game focuses on other aspects of societal development.

What is the best nation for a Religious Victory in Civ 6?

Arabia is exceptionally well-suited for a Religious Victory in Civ 6. Their leader ability, “Righteousness of the Faith,” reduces the cost of faith buildings and provides bonuses to faith, science, and culture. Arabia also has the unique Madrasa building, which provides an extra faith boost. Other strong choices include: Russia, Khmer, Indonesia and Ethiopia.

Can you remove a religion in Civ 5?

Yes, in Civilization V (with the Gods & Kings expansion), you can remove a religion using an Inquisitor in a city that has been converted to that religion. This will eliminate the religion from that city, allowing you to replace it with your own.

When to launch Inquisition in Civ 6?

Launch an Inquisition in Civ 6 after you have been targeted by another civ’s religious units. Also, the best time to launch an inquisition is when a city you own has been converted to another religion. This will allow you to train Inquisitors, who are more effective at removing foreign religions than Apostles or Missionaries. You do need to own a Holy Site to launch this ability.

How do you protect a city in Civ 6?

Protecting a city in Civ 6 involves a combination of factors:

Walls and Defensive Structures: Build walls and defensive structures to provide a defense bonus against enemy attacks.
Garrisoned Units: Garrisoning military units in your cities provides additional defense.
Strategic City Placement: Place cities in defensible locations, such as on hills or near natural barriers.
Allying with City-States: Suzerainty over city-states that provide defensive bonuses can significantly strengthen your cities.
Religious Dominance: If you have founded your own religion, you can have that as a defense by preventing the spread of other religions into your cities.

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