In Rise of Kingdoms, your entire city and troops receive a set of buffs, known as perks, depending on the civilization of your city.
The civilization you choose determines other factors as well – the starting commander of your city and what special units you can unlock later in the game.
In this guide, we give you the information you need about the civilization system in Rise of Kingdoms.
Table of contents
- What is civilization
- All civilizations list
- How to change civilization
- Best civilization in Rise of Kingdoms
What is civilization
Civilization, also known as nation, in Rise of Kingdom is the country of your city.
Your civilization is what determines how your buildings and units look in the game.
What civilization you choose also determines the perks and starting commander you have, as well as what special units you can unlock later on in the game.
Right at the beginning of the Rise of Kingdom game, you get to choose a civilization out of the available 11.
Rise of Kingdoms is a game based on civilizations, giving the experience more character and allowing you to differentiate yourself from others to an extend.
Choosing the right civilization for you is important as it will be a significant determinant in how you play throughout the game.
Every civilization is unique in its mechanics – so be sure to check out what each one offers.
Some provide boosters to all or certain troops, while others may increase gathering or building speed.
Some civilizations are generally better early or late game while others excel at specific parts of the game.
You can learn more about what civilizations are great at these different aspects in our guide on the best civilizations in Rise of Kingdoms.
Don’t worry if you’ve picked a civilization you don’t want to use – you can change it later.
All civilizations list
There are currently a total of 11 civilizations to choose from in Rise of Kingdoms, each with unique perks and playstyle.
#1 – China
Starting Commander
- Sun Tzu.
Perks
- 5% increase in building speed.
- 5% increase in action point recovery.
- 3% increase in troop defense.
Special Unit
- Chu-Ko-Nu.
#2 – France
Starting Commander
- Joan of Arc.
Perks
- 20% increase in hospital healing speed.
- 10% increase in wood gathering speed.
- 3% increase in troop health.
Special Unit
- Throwing Axeman.
#3 – Rome
Starting Commander
- Scipio Africanus.
Perks
- 10% increase in food gathering speed.
- 5% increase in infantry defense.
- 5% increase in troop march speed.
Special Unit
- Legionary
#4 – Spain
Starting Commander
- Pelagius
Perks
- 20% increase in resource production.
- 10% increase in the experience acquired from destroying barbarians/neutral units.
- 5% increment in calvary defense.
Special Unit
- Conquistador.
#5 – Germany
Starting Commander
- Herman
Perks
- 10% increase in action point recovery.
- 5% increase in cavalry attack.
- 5% increase in troop training speed.
Special Unit
- Teutonic Knight.
#6 – Britain
Starting Commander
- Boudica.
Perks
- 20% increase in ally garrison capacity.
- 5% increase in archer attack.
- 5% increase in troop training speed.
Special Unit
- Longbowman
#7 – Japan
Starting Commander
- Kusunoki Masashige.
Perks
- 30% increase in scout march speed.
- 5% increase in gathering speed.
- 3% increase in troop attack.
Special Unit
- Samurai.
#8 – Korea
Starting Commander
- Eulji Mundeok.
Perks
- 15% increase in hospital capacity.
- 5% increase in archer defense.
- 3% increase in research speed.
Special Unit
- Hwarang.
#9 – Byzantium
Starting Commander
- Belisarius.
Perks
- 15% increase in hospital capacity.
- 10% increase in gathering speed.
- 5% increase in cavalry health.
Special unit
- Cataphract.
#10 – Arabia
Starting commander
Baibars.
Perks
- 10% increase in the destruction of barbarians/neutral units.
- 5% increase in destruction done on rallied armies.
- 5% increase in cavalry attack.
Special Unit
- Mamluk.
#11 – Ottoman Empire
Starting Commander
- Osman.
Perks
- 5% increase in active skill damage.
- 5% increase in troop marching speed.
- 5% increase in archer units.
Special Unit
- Janissary.
How to change civilization
Maybe you’ve had enough of your civilization dragging behind the rest, or it doesn’t fit your playing style anymore.
Perhaps you are at a stage where the current civilization isn’t performing according to your needs or focus.
Luckily it is possible to change your civilization.
Actually, it’s recommended that you change your civilization later in the game if you’ve chosen one focused on the early game as your first civilization.
To change your civilization in Rise of Kingdoms, click the profile icon in the top left corner, click the change icon next to your current civilization on the profile window, choose the civilization you wish to change to, and click confirm.
You need to pay either the Civilization Change item or 10,000 Gems to change your civilization.
As soon as you upgrade City Hall to level 10, you will be rewarded with the Civilization Change item.
Another approach is to purchase the Civilization Change item with 2,000,000 Individual Credits.
This is one of the reasons why you should join a powerful alliance.
When you change your civilization, units that are exclusive to your current civilization will be converted into units exclusive to the chosen civilization.
Your current commanders will not change.
The architecture of your city will also be reconstructed to match the new civilization.
The perks of your city will, of course, change to the ones of the new civilization, which is in most cases the reason people change their civilization.
Best civilization in Rise of Kingdoms
If you have a preferred style of playing, then choosing the right civilization will be an important decision in Rise of Kingdoms.
Every civilization is unique in terms of its special units, starting commanders, style of architecture, and perks.
With the right civilization, you can align your strengths to the right playstyle and in-game combat.
There are a few civilizations in the game, and most can be used well in some aspect, but some just beat others.
Here is a short rundown on some of the best civilizations in the game.
China is the best civilization for new players.
Not only will you enjoy defensive and building speed buffs for your city, but you will also benefit from an expeditious style of playing.
The Chinese starting commander Sun Tzu is also very helpful for first-time players.
Britain is a good pick if you love ranged-style combat.
The archer attack buff in this civilization will be very useful in combat.
It’s best to have ranged archers as your allies and not as your enemies.
Boudica will help you farm barbarians and advance faster in the game.
Japan is strong in PvP and offers useful farming capabilities.
The scout aspect of Japan makes it great for exploring the map as well
France is a great civilization for building up a powerful infantry-based army.
The increased healing speed in France is also important for your end game because you will be in vicious combat.
The main focus is gathering resources and ally support which is perfect for infantry.
Germany is overall one of the best civilization picks in Rise of Kingdoms.
You will benefit from increased action point recovery speed and cavalry attack with this civilization, making it well equipped for battle through an offensive approach.
These were just some of the best civilizations in the game, be sure to check out our Rise of Kingdoms civilization tier list for more details on all civilizations.
That’s everything you need to know about civilizations in Rise of Kingdoms!
If you have any input or suggestions for this guide, let us know in the comment section below.
