Civ 5 Lekmod Civ List -
is an expansive fan-made balance and content expansion for Civilization V
, primarily used by the "No Quitters" (NQ) competitive multiplayer community. It overhauls vanilla civilizations and introduces over 100 new civilizations, ensuring that nearly every choice has a distinct, viable niche. Overhauled Vanilla Civilizations
Lekmod rebalances original civilizations to ensure they remain competitive in a multiplayer environment where certain vanilla leaders were previously considered "weak" or "unplayable".
: Transformed from a "dollar-store Shoshone" into a versatile expansionist powerhouse. Its unique Settler can move like a Scout and travel unescorted, allowing for aggressive early land grabs.
: Maintains the Longbowman but sees adjustments to the Ship of the Line (reduced Ranged and Melee strength) to balance its naval dominance.
: The chance to convert Barbarians via Furor Teutonicus is increased to 100%, making early-game military buildup much more consistent.
: Shifted more toward cultural dominance in the capital, with doubled theming bonuses and significant culture boosts after discovering Acoustics. New Civilizations Highlights
The mod adds a massive roster of historical and fan-requested civilizations, each with unique mechanics that often change fundamental gameplay.
The Franks (Charlemagne): A heavy faith-based civ that gains +1 Faith from Farms. Their unique building, the Mead Hall, replaces the Colosseum to provide additional happiness and culture.
Golden Horde (Batu Khan): Focused on rapid expansion and conquest. They enter a Golden Age and receive a free Worker upon completing their unique Courthouse replacement, the Jarliq.
: Features a unique Worker replacement that has extra movement and the ability to construct fishing boats, making it an exceptional coastal expansion civ.
: Often cited as one of the strongest coastal civilizations, gaining +1 Food and Gold from water tiles and spawning with a unique work boat that isn't consumed when used.
Hittites: A solid early-game choice that starts with Mining unlocked and receives extra gold in the early turns. Competitive Standing (Tier List Insights)
While balance is a core goal, certain civilizations are frequently noted for their strength or unique difficulty in competitive play: Civ 5 Lekmod - 34.4 Tier List
Lekmod is a massive multiplayer-focused overhaul for Civilization V
that expands the roster to 77 civilizations (in versions like v31.4), adding 34 new ones while significantly reworking base game leaders. Key Features of the Lekmod Civ List
Vast New Roster: Includes entirely new civilizations such as , , Madagascar , and
, each with unique abilities (UAs), units (UUs), and buildings (UBs).
Balance Reworks: Every vanilla civilization has been tweaked for competitiveness. For example, India
's population growth mechanic was overhauled to be less of a penalty, and Mongolia received food and culture buffs from horses.
Specialized Roles: Many new civs are designed for specific strategies. are optimized for mid-game military pushes, while Madagascar is tailored for faith-heavy "Holy Site" playstyles.
Consistent Power Levels: Unlike vanilla, where civs like the Iroquois were notoriously weak, Lekmod aims for a tighter balance. Even lower-tier civs usually have a specific niche or "timing" where they are formidable. Notable Civilizations (Sample) Civilization Key Unique Feature Artaxias I +1 Food, +2 Production, and +1 Gold from Mountains. Henry Parkes Known for strong coastal starts and powerful early workers. Nebuchadnezzar
Remains top-tier for science but with balanced Great Scientist generation. civ 5 lekmod civ list
A religious "loot piñata" civ that grants bonuses to those who convert it.
Extremely flexible warring civ typically paired with the Honor policy tree. Competitive Rankings
Players often categorize these civilizations into tiers based on their consistency in multiplayer matches: S-Tier: , , , , , , . A-Tier: , China , , Russia , , , . Low Tier: , , and sometimes the , though they still have specific naval niches.
For the most up-to-date specific stats, players often refer to the Lekmod Civilization Document or the community Discord. Lekmod Civilizations Tier List (v31.4)
Lekmod is a massive community-driven expansion and balance overhaul for Civilization V, primarily designed to revitalize multiplayer gameplay within the No Quitters (NQ) community. By drastically expanding the roster of playable civilizations and balancing vanilla mechanics, it offers a fresh experience that remains true to the core feel of the Brave New World expansion while making previously "weak" strategies like Honor and Piety highly viable. The Lekmod Civilization Roster
As of recent versions (v34+), the mod features over 100 civilizations. This includes the original 43 vanilla civs—many of which have been reworked—and over 50 entirely new additions. 1. New Civilizations in Lekmod
These additions introduce unique mechanics and buildings designed for specialized playstyles:
Australia: Known for a powerful Unique Unit (UU) that replaces the worker and can create fishing boats, making it an "S-tier" choice for coastal snowballing.
Brunei: Often banned in competitive play due to its overwhelming dominance on water-heavy maps.
Lithuania: Features the Sacred Grove Unique Improvement (UI), which scales in power with each era, making it an incredibly strong faith-based civ.
Madagascar: A premier "Piety" civilization that gains massive faith and culture from Holy Sites, allowing for early-game snowballs.
The Goths: Highly regarded for aggressive play and early-game power spikes.
Mexico: Noted as a strong all-around contender with unique bonuses that often place it in high tiers.
Papal States: One of the best civilizations for "Tall" (few cities) play, specifically when leveraging Holy Sites. 2. Notable Reworks of Vanilla Civilizations
Lekmod balances vanilla leaders to ensure they aren't "left in the dust" by the mod's power creep: Guide :: Singleplayer Lekmod: An Introduction
Lekmod is a major overhaul for Civilization V that significantly expands the roster of playable civilizations. As of early 2026, the mod includes 77 civilizations
in total—the original 43 from the base game (many with substantial rebalances) and 34 entirely new additions Steam Community New Civilizations in Lekmod
These civilizations are unique to the mod and often feature unconventional mechanics tailored for competitive and multiplayer balance: Artaxias I (Leader); gains significant bonuses from mountains Australia: Robert Menzies
(Leader); known for a powerful unique worker unit with extra movement
(Leader); features unique medieval units that break melee defenses Paul Kruger (Leader); highly dominant on water-heavy maps
(Leader); strong cultural and scientific potential from specialist bonuses Bayinnaung (Leader); noted for a unique long-range siege unit Wilfrid Laurier Charlemagne
(Leader); a powerful faith-based civ that gains bonuses from farms Vercingetorix Golden Horde: Genghis Khan is an expansive fan-made balance and content expansion
(Leader); features a free administrative building (Jarliq) at Philosophy (Leader); starts with Mining and early gold bonuses (Leader); highly flexible with a unique palace Victor Emmanuel II Jerusalem: Baldwin IV Suryavarman II Lithuania:
(Leader); relies on early religion and powerful Sacred Grove tile improvements Macedonia:
(Leader); extremely aggressive and flexible for Domination victories Madagascar: Ranavalona I Manchuria: Benito Juárez (Leader); features the Ranchero unique unit William the Conqueror Papal States:
(Leader); a top-tier "tall" civ optimized for religious play Phoenicia: Frederick William I Sitting Bull Timur (Leader) Bohdan Khmelnytsky Key Modified Base Game Civilizations
Many original civilizations have been tweaked to ensure they remain viable alongside the new additions:
You're looking for a list of civs (civilizations) in Civilization 5, specifically with the Lekmod, which is a popular mod for the game.
Here's a list of the base game civs in Civilization 5, but note that Lekmod adds new civs and may modify or remove some existing ones:
- America
- Ancient Egypt
- Arabia
- Assyria
- Austria
- Brazil
- Byzantium
- Carthage
- China
- Cleveland
- England
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- India
- Indonesia
- Italy
- Japan
- Kongo
- Korea
- Maya
- Mongols
- Netherlands
- Ottoman Empire
- Persia
- Poland
- Portugal
- Prussia
- Rome
- Russia
- Shoshone
- Siam
- Songhai
- Spain
- Sumeria
- Sweden
- Venice
- Vietnam
For the most accurate and up-to-date list of civs with Lekmod, I recommend checking the mod's documentation or wiki, as it may have changed or added new civs.
Civilization 5 Leader Mod: Civilization List Report
Introduction
The Civilization 5 Leader Mod, also known as "Lekmod," offers a comprehensive overhaul of the game's leaders, mechanics, and balance. This report provides an in-depth look at the civilizations included in the mod, highlighting their unique abilities, strengths, and changes.
Methodology
The data for this report was gathered from the latest version of Lekmod Civ (version 2023-02-20) and may not reflect future updates. The civilizations were evaluated based on their:
- Unique Ability (UA)
- Unique Unit (UU)
- Unique District (UD)
- Leader Ability (LA)
- Overall balance and playstyle
Civilization List
The Lekmod Civ list includes 46 civilizations, each with its own set of unique features. Here's a summary of the civilizations, grouped by their primary playstyle:
Part 1: Vanilla vs. Lekmod – What Changed?
Before we dive into the massive Civ 5 Lekmod civ list, you need to understand the philosophy. In vanilla Civ 5, many unique abilities (UAs) are passive or luck-based (e.g., Venice or Byzantium). In Lekmod, the goal is active, powerful, but counterable abilities.
Key changes affecting the civ list:
- Nerfs to top tiers: Poland and Korea have been significantly toned down (no more free social policies every era for Poland).
- Buffs to bottom tiers: Iroquois and Denmark are now terrifying in the right hands.
- New victory types: While science and domination remain king, Lekmod adds unique unit interactions that make tourism and diplomatic victories more viable in PvP.
- The “Unique Unit” overflow: Lekmod adds dozens of new unique units (UUs) and unique improvements (UIs), meaning almost every civ has a distinct power spike.
How to read the list below:
- (NEW) = A custom civilization made specifically for Lekmod.
- (REWORK) = A vanilla civilization that has completely changed abilities.
- (VANILLA+) = A vanilla civ with minor buffs/nerfs.
How the Lekmod Civ List Shapes Multiplayer
In competitive Lekmod games (common on the No Quitters Steam group), banning is rare — because counter-picking exists.
- Seeing an Inuit pick? Rush him before he snowballs (pun intended) into a tundra empire.
- Switzerland on your border? Stay at war with someone else — they get richer from your conflict.
- Vietnam picked? Build roads through his forests so your units don’t crawl.
The civ list is balanced around quick speed, pangea, no ruins, but the real joy is discovering hidden synergies. Some civs look weak on paper (e.g., Kongo — no special early bonus) but become monsters with the right religion + reworked piety tree.
1) Civs (selection of prominent LekMod additions and reworks)
Note: this is a curated, coherent list highlighting civs that are distinctive in LekMod rather than every minor variant.
-
Austria — (Leader: Maria Theresa)
- Ability: Diplomatic marriage / Influence bonuses
- Uniques: Diplomatic building/bonus, unique unit emphasizing city-state control
- Playstyle: Diplomatic / city-state-focused, trade and alliances.
-
Byzantium — (Leader: Basil II / Constantine variants)
- Ability: Church/Religion & defensive bonuses
- Uniques: Faith/Combat hybrid units or building
- Playstyle: Religious dominance with defensive wars.
-
Carthage — (Leader: Dido)
- Ability: Maritime & trade bonuses
- Uniques: Unique naval unit, harbor improvements
- Playstyle: Naval trade, coastal expansion.
-
Celts — (Leader: Boudica)
- Ability: Culture from barbarian kills / faith synergy
- Uniques: Hill/forest combat bonuses, unit that leverages rough terrain
- Playstyle: Early aggression and faith/culture push.
-
Dutch — (Leader: Wilhelmina)
- Ability: Trade/harbor/culture bonuses
- Uniques: Polder-style tiles or economic building
- Playstyle: Tall, trade-focused, coastal economic play.
-
Egypt — (Leader: Ramesses)
- Ability: Wonder/worker speed and production bonuses
- Uniques: Sphinx-like improvement or unique chariot
- Playstyle: Wonder race, early expansion and infrastructure.
-
Ethiopia — (Leader: Haile Selassie)
- Ability: Combat bonuses when outnumbered, faith/culture synergy
- Uniques: Unique ranged or melee unit, religious building
- Playstyle: Defensive faith-led victories and guerrilla warfare.
-
Greece — (Leader: Alexander or Pericles variants)
- Ability: City-state influence / culture or conquest boosts
- Uniques: Hoplite/Companion cavalry variants
- Playstyle: Flexible: cultural or domination.
-
Huns — (Leader: Attila)
- Ability: Horse archer and mounted unit bonuses, pillage/razing benefits
- Uniques: Strong mounted early units
- Playstyle: Fast expansion, early warmongering.
-
Inca — (Leader: Pachacuti)
- Ability: Mountain agricultural bonuses (terraced farms)
- Uniques: Mountain-adjacent worker improvements
- Playstyle: Strong defensible highland empires, internal growth.
-
Japan — (Leader: Oda Nobunaga / Tokugawa variants)
- Ability: Combat bonuses for coastal or island maps, district bonuses
- Uniques: Samurai-type unit or unique building
- Playstyle: Aggressive island/archipelago dominance, high early military.
-
Maya — (Leader: Pacal)
- Ability: Long-count calendar / unique faith/culture bonuses based on time
- Uniques: Unique pyramid or long-count mechanic
- Playstyle: Timed cultural boosts, ritual/faith strategies.
-
Mongolia — (Leader: Genghis Khan)
- Ability: Mounted unit combat bonuses and great general accrual
- Uniques: Strong cavalry and horse-themed buildings
- Playstyle: Fast cavalry conquest.
-
Ottomans — (Leader: Suleiman)
- Ability: Conquest/railroad/armory bonuses, unit production
- Uniques: Janissary or unique cannon variants
- Playstyle: Mid-game conquest and siege power.
-
Persia — (Leader: Darius)
- Ability: Golden Ages and movement/combat buffs during turn cycles
- Uniques: Immortal-style unit or unique building
- Playstyle: Time-slice power spikes, balanced expansion.
-
Poland — (Leader: Casimir)
- Ability: Noble or liberty-based bonuses (free social policies)
- Uniques: Winged hussar or economic building
- Playstyle: Flexible, policy-driven builds.
-
Polynesia — (Leader: Kamehameha)
- Ability: Ocean movement/settler bonuses for island settling
- Uniques: Outrigger canoe replacements or navigator unit
- Playstyle: Exploration, naval expansion.
-
Russia — (Leader: Peter)
- Ability: Expansion/extra territory & bonus faith/culture per city
- Uniques: Cossack-like or grand palace replacements
- Playstyle: Wide empire with faith/culture accumulation.
-
Rome — (Leader: Augustus)
- Ability: Legion/Infrastructure bonuses for roads and roads-connected cities
- Uniques: Legion, Bath-like building
- Playstyle: Classical expansion and infrastructure.
-
Scotland — (Leader: Robert the Bruce)
- Ability: Happiness/culture from happiness, rough-terrain bonuses
- Uniques: Highland warrior variants
- Playstyle: Defensive, culture/happiness-focused.
-
Shoshone — (Leader: Pocatello)
- Ability: Territory expansion on founding and pathfinder bonuses
- Uniques: Unique scout/warrior unit
- Playstyle: Early expansion and exploration.
-
Spain — (Leader: Isabella)
- Ability: Exploration & conversion bonuses, naval/inquisition components
- Uniques: Conquistador-like unit
- Playstyle: Conquest and religion.
-
Zulu — (Leader: Shaka)
- Ability: Corps/Army formation and melee bonuses
- Uniques: Impi or iklwa unit
- Playstyle: Mid-game military domination.
(End of curated selection—LekMod typically includes many more civs, variants, and modder-created or rebalanced entries.)