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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsIn Civilization VII, civilian units handle settlement founding, exploration, trade, religion, population growth, and artifact recovery. The starting Founder establishes your Capital City, while Settlers found Towns; other civilians have distinct roles, and some civilizations field specialized variants. The roster below reflects a unit reference last updated March 3, 2025, so check the current in-game Civilopedia for changes or additions since then.
Core civilian units at a glance
| Unit | Primary job | How it is used |
|---|---|---|
| Founder | Establishes the Capital City | Starting unit; used to found your capital |
| Settler | Founds a Town | Manually directed to a suitable site |
| Scout | Reveals terrain and nearby locations | Manually explores; can use Lookout and Search |
| Merchant | Establishes a Trade Route | Manually directed; some route details are unclear in the reference |
| Trade Ship / Trade Caravan | Operates along a trade route | Automated route unit; Trade Ships can be pillaged |
| Missionary | Spreads religion | Uses Spread Religion; variants may have distinct bonuses or prerequisites |
| Explorer | Finds and extracts artifacts from earlier Ages | Modern support unit |
| Migrant | Adds population to a Settlement | Join a Settlement to add one population |
| Prospector | Claims and improves an unowned land resource | American unique unit; works near one of its civilization’s Settlements |
Founding: Founder versus Settler
Founder
Your starting Founder establishes the Capital City. The March 2025 reference describes it as otherwise similar to a Settler, but does not establish further stat differences, so the key distinction is its capital-founding role.
Settler
A Settler founds a Town. It is the unit for expanding beyond the capital, and it is not interchangeable with the Founder for establishing the Capital City. Civilization-specific Settlers in the reference include the Mauryan Nagarika and Norman Sokeman.
Exploration: Scout and Explorer
Scout
Scouts reveal terrain and help locate discoveries. The reference describes two useful functions: Lookout gives wider visibility while the Scout remains stationary, and Search reveals nearby Discoveries within double range. Scouts are civilian units that do not attack, though they can defend. The Inca Chasqui is listed as a Scout variant.
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Explorer
The Explorer is a Modern support unit that finds and extracts artifacts buried in an earlier Age. For players familiar with older Civilization games, it fills the role associated with the Archaeologist.
Trade: Merchants and route units
Merchant
A Merchant is directed to establish a Trade Route. The reference says a Merchant can enter foreign territory without Open Borders, but it explicitly leaves unresolved whether the Merchant is consumed after creating a route or can establish additional routes. Treat that behavior, along with other route details, as something to confirm in the current game rather than a settled rule.
Rank #2
- STRATEGY GAME: You are a leader of one of the seven greatest cities of the Ancient World. Gather resources, develop commercial routes and affirm your military supremacy. Build your city and erect an architectural wonder which will transcend future times.
- BUILD YOUR CIVILIZATION: Players draft cards over multiple rounds, carefully building towards long-term goals. Keep an eye on your neighbors’ progress since they share similar ambitions. Will your wonder transcend the millennia to come?
- HOW TO WIN THIS GAME: At the end of each age, each player compares their military strength with one of their neighboring cities. When the third age is over, players score the points given by their cards and their military conflicts. The winner is the player with the most points!
- FAST & FUN GAME FOR FAMILIES: Average 30 minutes of gameplay with 3-7 players. The perfect gift to add to family game night with kids aged 10 and up!
- FAST & FUN GAME FOR FAMILIES: Average 30 minutes of gameplay with 3-7 players. The perfect gift to add to family game night with kids aged 10 and up! 150 REPLAY FOR NEW FUN GAMEPLAY: 7 Wonders offers quick gameplays which keep players engaged regardless of player count. Looking for new adventures? Try our 3 Expansions New Editions: Cities, Leaders and Armada (Note: All Expansions require 7 Wonders Base Game to play).
The March 2025 roster lists several Merchant variants: the Mandarin, Tajiro, Watonathi, and Vaishya. Their effects differ, so check each unit’s current description rather than assuming every variant works exactly like the baseline Merchant.
Trade Ship and Trade Caravan
Trade Ships and Trade Caravans are automated units associated with trade routes. The reference says a Trade Ship follows its route and is vulnerable to pillaging. It lists the Aksumite Tankwa as a Trade Ship variant. The reference does not establish all route behavior or current variant details.
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Rank #3
- STRATEGY GAME: Experience an intense two-player struggle for supremacy in the ancient world! Challenge your opponent and bring your civilization to victory with Prestigious Buildings, Military Supremacy or Scientific Supremacy.
- TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR CIVILIZATION: Decide to invest in science, military or prestige. If you fail to build defenses, your capital city may be destroyed, but ignore technology and your people may be left in the dark ages. Will your city achieve greatness, or will your opponent prevent you from completing all your Wonders?
- VICTORY CAN BE ACHIEVE IN THREE WAYS: By invading your opponent’s capital, by achieving a monopoly on scientific advancement, or simply by crafting the city that will earn the most victory points in the end. But be warned: only seven of the eight Wonders in play can be built.
- FAST & FUN GAME FOR TWO PLAYERS: Average 30 minutes of gameplay for 2 players. The perfect gift to add to game night with kids aged 10 and up!
- REPLAY FOR NEW FUN GAMEPLAY: 7 Wonders offers quick gameplays which keep players engaged regardless of player count. Looking for new adventures? Try our other Expansions New Editions (Note: All our Expansions - Cities, Leaders and Armada - require the 7 Wonders Base Game to play).
Religion: Missionary
Missionaries use Spread Religion. Civilization-specific versions may have their own bonuses or prerequisites: the reference lists the Shawnee Hoceepkileni, Majapahit Pedanda, and Hawai‘i Kahuna. Confirm the details shown in your current game, since the shared role does not guarantee identical requirements or effects.
Population and resources: Migrant and Prospector
Migrant
A Migrant can join a Settlement and add one population. The reference notes that Migrants may appear through different events, including the Plague crisis; availability can therefore depend on the game version or scenario.
Rank #4
- STRATEGY GAME: What’s a better testament to your great civilization than an awe-inspiring wonder? In 7 Wonders Architects, you’ll have to balance between gathering building materials, developing your civilization’s academics, and maintaining a military, all through a unique card drafting system.
- CIVILIZATION GAME: You’ll develop your civilization and build your wonder by drawing cards from either a deck of face-up cards on your left or on your right. Materials help build your wonder, academics offer victory point bonuses, and military can earn victory points when war erupts.
- DRAFTING GAME: The decks to your left and right are always face-up and shared with the players next to you as well. This open information creates a fun balancing act of drafting the card you need or drafting a card to deny another player.
- GATEWAY GAME: With streamlined and intuitive rules, 7 Wonders Architects is perfect for younger or new board game players. Being able to host 2 to 7 players also makes it a great choice for game night, with either friends or family!
- NUMBER OF PLAYERS AND AVERAGE PLAYTIME: This easy to learn board game for kids and families can be played with 2 to 7 players and is suitable for ages 8 and older. The average playtime is 25 minutes.
Prospector
The American unique Prospector works on an unowned land-resource tile within range of one of the civilization’s Settlements. The reference says it claims a path of tiles back to that Settlement and immediately improves the resource. It is a specialized way to acquire a resource, not a general-purpose Settler or a replacement for Town founding.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to understand civilian variants and Great People
Unique civilian units modify familiar roles rather than forming one interchangeable class. The March 2025 roster records unique Settlers, Scouts, Merchants, Missionaries, and a Trade Ship; use the base unit’s job to orient yourself, then read the variant’s in-game text for its specific effects and prerequisites.
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Some civilizations also have specialized Great Person units, including the Egyptian Tjaty, Greek Logios, Han Shì Dàfū, Abbasid Ālim, Spanish Conquistador, Mexican Revolucionario, and French Jacobin. The reference describes these as having civilization-specific one-time effects. They are a separate category from the core civilian roster, so do not assume they perform ordinary Settler, Scout, or Merchant duties.
What is confirmed, and what to verify in-game
The unit list and descriptions above follow a reference last updated March 3, 2025. It is a documented snapshot, not proof that the roster or every mechanic is unchanged in October 2026. The official Civilization VII Game Guide is 2K and Firaxis’ hub for gameplay information, while the current in-game Civilopedia is the practical place to verify unit names, variant effects, prerequisites, and mechanics that may have changed.
Quick Recap
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