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Should I Settle Near Natural Wonders in Civ 6? A Comprehensive Guide

Absolutely! Settling near a Natural Wonder in Civilization 6 is often an incredibly advantageous move. These unique map features provide substantial bonuses to your cities, influencing everything from appeal and adjacency bonuses to yields of various types. However, the key is to understand which wonders provide the best bonuses, and how to maximize their benefits in your city planning. Understanding the strengths and limitations of each wonder is crucial for effective city placement.

Why Natural Wonders are Worth Settling Near

Natural Wonders, like the Grand Canyon, Mount Everest, or Torres del Paine, are more than just pretty scenery. They offer several tangible benefits:

Appeal Boost: All natural wonders provide a +2 Appeal to adjacent tiles. This is fantastic for setting up thriving Neighborhoods and incredibly lucrative National Parks later in the game. High appeal contributes to tourism, making it a crucial element for a culture victory.
Adjacency Bonuses: Many wonders give excellent adjacency bonuses to specific districts. For example, some significantly boost the adjacency bonus for Holy Sites, making early religious domination easier. Others may boost Campuses or Theater Squares.
Yield Bonuses: Certain wonders offer direct yield bonuses to adjacent tiles or the city itself. This could be in the form of extra science, culture, tourism, or production. These yields can be incredibly valuable, especially early in the game.
Unique Abilities: Some natural wonders have unique abilities that can greatly impact your strategy. These can range from giving free technologies to improving trade routes.

Choosing the Right Natural Wonder

Not all natural wonders are created equal. Here’s a basic tier list mentality that you might want to adopt to help you consider if settling near a Natural Wonder is the right play to make:

S-Tier: Wonders that offer substantial and versatile bonuses, usable in nearly any game.
A-Tier: Strong wonders that are beneficial, but may require specific strategies or civics to maximize their impact.
B-Tier: Decent wonders that provide situational advantages, but aren’t always game-changing.
C-Tier: Wonders with limited benefits or those that require significant investment to be useful.
D-Tier: Wonders which provide a minimal advantage and may not be worth diverting resources for.

Consider the strategic value of each wonder in relation to your overall victory goal. If you’re aiming for a cultural victory, prioritize wonders that boost tourism or appeal. If you’re focusing on science, look for wonders that enhance your campus adjacency.

Planning Your City Layout

Maximizing the benefits of a natural wonder requires careful city planning. Here’s how to approach it:

Assess the Terrain: Look at the surrounding terrain. Are there hills for production? Fresh water for housing? Are there other bonus resources around? You want to ensure your city is well-rounded, not just reliant on the wonder.
District Placement: Strategically place districts around the wonder to maximize adjacency bonuses. Holy Sites next to appeal-boosting wonders are a common and powerful strategy.
Neighborhoods and National Parks: Use the appeal boost to your advantage. Plan for future Neighborhoods and National Parks near the wonder to boost tourism and housing.
Consider other nearby city locations: It’s essential to think about where you will place future cities. As the article states, it is recommended that players settle their cities quite close to one another in Civilization 6, and four tiles in between City Centers is a reasonable rule of thumb..

The Downsides of Settling Near Wonders

While settling near a natural wonder is usually advantageous, there are some drawbacks to consider:

Unimprovable Tiles: You cannot improve or build districts on the wonder tiles themselves. This limits the number of usable tiles in the immediate vicinity.
Potential for Overlap: Depending on the size of the wonder and the surrounding terrain, you might find it difficult to fit all the necessary districts within your city’s borders.
Barbarians: Natural Wonders are often placed in areas that are untouched, with this placement leading to the potential for Barbarian outposts in the nearby area.

Early Settling Considerations

The article states that ideally you should settle in the first turn, but if there are better locations it is worth to take some turns. This rings true when searching for Natural Wonders; if you see one nearby it is worth it to potentially take some turns to move closer to it. When you find one it may be worth considering if you want to settle the city at that location.

Conclusion

Settling near a Natural Wonder in Civilization 6 can provide substantial bonuses to your cities, boosting appeal, adjacency bonuses, and yields. However, it’s important to carefully assess the terrain, plan your district placement, and consider the downsides. By understanding the strengths and limitations of each wonder, you can make informed decisions that contribute to your overall victory strategy. Remember to check out GamesLearningSociety.org for more insights into strategic gameplay and learning through games.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are 15 frequently asked questions about settling near natural wonders in Civilization 6, designed to provide even more clarity and strategic insight:

What’s the most important factor to consider when settling near a natural wonder? The most important factor is the overall yield potential and adjacency bonuses the wonder provides in relation to your chosen victory type. Consider the terrain and potential for future district placement.
Can I build a city directly on a natural wonder tile? No, you cannot settle directly on a natural wonder tile. They are considered impassable terrain and cannot be improved.
Does the appeal bonus from natural wonders stack? Yes, the +2 Appeal bonus from natural wonders stacks. If multiple wonder tiles are adjacent, the appeal bonus will increase accordingly.
How do natural wonders affect tourism in Civ 6? Natural Wonders significantly boost tourism by increasing the appeal of surrounding tiles, which are ideal for National Parks and Seaside Resorts. The tourism bonus increases the amount of incoming tourists your empire receives.
Are some natural wonders better suited for specific victory types? Yes. Wonders that boost culture or tourism are ideal for culture victories, while those enhancing science are better for science victories. Wonders that provide production bonuses are great for any victory type, as they can assist with quick production of buildings or units.
If I settle near a natural wonder, should I prioritize building a Holy Site? This depends on the natural wonder. Some wonders give major adjacency bonuses to Holy Sites. If your chosen wonder does, then it’s often a wise move, especially if you’re pursuing a religious victory.
How does settling near a natural wonder impact early game production? Some natural wonders provide production bonuses to adjacent tiles, which can be a huge advantage in the early game. This will allow you to produce units, buildings, and districts quicker.
Can I still get the resource yield if I settle next to a natural wonder that’s also a resource? No, this is an exception. Natural Wonder resources are not exploitable. Natural wonders take precedence; you cannot build a mine on them, you can only benefit from their adjacency and appeal bonuses.
What happens if another civilization settles near the same natural wonder as me? Territorial control dictates who benefits most. If they settle directly on a tile that would grant you a crucial bonus, they deny you that advantage, potentially leading to diplomatic tensions. It is essential to try and settle next to natural wonders as quickly as possible.
How many natural wonders can spawn in a single game of Civ 6? The number of natural wonders depends on the map size, ranging from 2 to 7.
Are natural wonders always revealed at the start of the game? No, natural wonders are not always revealed at the start. You typically need to explore the map with your scout to discover them. The larger the map the less likely it is that the natural wonder will be revealed to you at the start.
Does the difficulty level affect the spawn rate or effectiveness of natural wonders? No, the difficulty level does not directly affect the spawn rate or effectiveness of natural wonders. However, on higher difficulties, the AI might be more aggressive in settling near them, which can indirectly impact your strategy.
How important is fresh water when settling near a natural wonder? Fresh water is still crucial, even near a natural wonder. Cities require fresh water for housing. Try to find wonders near rivers, lakes, or oases. In the desert, oases and floodplains are essential for city development.
Is it better to go wide or tall when settling near natural wonders? In general, it is recommended that players settle their cities quite close to one another in Civilization 6, and four tiles in between City Centers is a reasonable rule of thumb. This is because the Natural Wonders can have adjacency effects which assist the surrounding cities.
Are there any policies that synergize well with settling near natural wonders? Yes, policies that boost district adjacency, tourism, or appeal can synergize exceptionally well. Examples include policies that double adjacency bonuses for Holy Sites or boost tourism output.

Should I settle near natural wonders Civ 6?