The best civilization in Rise of Kingdoms
For a new account, China is the safest start: building speed, AP recovery and Sun Tzu. For a long-term main, pick the civilization that matches your troop type and role. You can change later for 10,000 Gems and keep your starting commander.
Quick picks
- Best to start
- China
- Cavalry
- Germany / Arabia
- Infantry
- Vikings / Rome / Greece
- Archers
- Britain / Egypt
- Change cost
- 10,000 Gems
Best civilization for each goal
| Goal | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| New account / growth | China | +5% building speed and +5% AP recovery from day one, with Sun Tzu as a strong starter. |
| Cavalry main | Germany or Arabia | Both give +5% cavalry attack. Germany adds training speed and +10% AP; Arabia adds +5% rally damage. |
| Infantry main | Vikings, Rome or Greece | Vikings for attack, Rome for defence and march speed, Greece for health and rally damage. |
| Archer main | Britain or Egypt | Both give +5% archer attack. Britain adds training speed and garrison capacity; Egypt adds rally damage. |
| Rally leader | Arabia, Egypt or Greece | The only civs with +5% damage by rallied armies. |
| Garrison / defence | Britain | +20% ally garrison capacity. |
The wiki is clear that no civilization is strictly better than another. The bonuses are small, so they matter most when they match the troop type you build. Your commanders matter far more (see the commander tier list).
Video: which civilization bonus is actually best
Actual Best Civilization Bonus & Special Unit [expert's did the math...] Rise of Kingdoms by Chisgule Gaming. The video loads from YouTube only when you press play.
All 15 civilizations compared
| Civilization | Starting commander | Special unit | Bonuses |
|---|---|---|---|
| China Growth | Sun Tzu | Chu-Ko-Nu (archer) | +3% troop defence, +5% AP recovery, +5% building speed |
| Germany Cavalry |  Hermann | Teutonic Knight (cavalry) | +5% cavalry attack, +5% training speed, +10% AP recovery |
| Arabia Cavalry / rallies |  Baibars | Mamluk (cavalry) | +5% cavalry attack, +10% damage to barbarians, +5% rally damage |
| Byzantium Cavalry |  Belisarius | Cataphract (cavalry) | +5% cavalry health, +10% stone gathering, +15% hospital capacity |
| Spain Cavalry / economy |  Pelagius | Conquistador (cavalry) | +5% cavalry defence, +10% XP from barbarians, +20% resource production |
| Rome Infantry |  Scipio Africanus | Legionary (infantry) | +5% infantry defence, +5% march speed, +10% food gathering |
| Greece Infantry / rallies | Pericles | Argyraspide (infantry) | +5% infantry health, +5% rally damage, +10% stone gathering |
| Vikings Infantry |  Björn Ironside | Berserker (infantry) | +5% infantry attack, +3% counterattack damage, +10% troop load |
| France Infantry / sustain |  Joan of Arc | Throwing Axeman (infantry) | +3% troop health, +10% wood gathering, +20% healing speed |
| Japan Infantry |  Kusunoki Masashige | Samurai (infantry) | +3% troop attack, +30% scout speed, +5% gathering speed |
| Egypt Archer / rallies | Imhotep | Maryannu (archer) | +5% archer attack, +5% rally damage, +1.5% building and research speed |
| Britain Archer / garrison |  Boudica | Longbowman (archer) | +5% archer attack, +5% training speed, +20% garrison capacity |
| Korea Archer |  Eulji Mundeok | Hwarang (archer) | +5% archer defence, +15% hospital capacity, +3% research speed |
| Ottoman Archer |  Osman I | Janissary (archer) | +5% archer health, +5% march speed, +5% active skill damage |
| Maya Archer | Wak Chanil Ajaw | Spear-Thrower (archer) | +5% archer defence, +10% gold gathering, +3% normal attack damage |
Bonuses from the Rise of Kingdoms Wiki's Civilizations page. Special units replace the normal Tier 4 unit of their type, and an elite version arrives at Tier 5.
Changing civilization later
You can switch at any time with a Civilization Change: 10,000 Gems in the Shop, or 2M individual alliance credits in the Alliance Shop. Your city's look, bonuses and special unit change, but your starting commander stays. That means you can start as China for Sun Tzu and the build speed, then switch to Germany, Arabia or another civ once you know your main troop type. This is the most common advice from experienced players.
If you switch, your troop plan matters more than the civ. See how to unlock T5 for the research path.
Common mistakes
- Picking a civ for its special unit's looks. The bonuses are what matter.
- Choosing a cavalry civ and then building archers. Match the civ to the troop type you'll actually build.
- Worrying too much about the choice. A Civilization Change is always available, and your starting commander stays.
Sources
Checked 3 November 2026. Supercell, Century Games and Lilith change these games often. If something in game disagrees with this page, trust the game and let us know through the contact page.
FAQ
What is the best starting civilization in Rise of Kingdoms?
China, for most new players. +5% building speed and +5% AP recovery help from day one, and Sun Tzu is a strong starter commander.
Can you change civilization in Rise of Kingdoms?
Yes. A Civilization Change costs 10,000 Gems in the Shop or 2M individual alliance credits. You keep your original starting commander.
Which civilizations boost rallies?
Arabia, Egypt and Greece. Each gives +5% damage dealt by rallied armies, paired with cavalry, archer and infantry bonuses respectively.
Related
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