News and Guides for Rise of Kingdoms: Lost Crusade

What is the Best Civilization in Rise of Kingdoms – 2025

Nipun Gimhan

|2025-09-24

What is the best civilization in Rise of Kingdoms? If you are specifically searching for answers for this, know that it depends. Some are better at starting out, while some of them are good for free-to-play progression. We also have civilizations prioritizing PvP combat or optimizing resource gathering. So, if you want to find the best that works in each of these areas, here is your guide for searching: What is the best civilization in Rise of Kingdoms? We have created this guide by considering the latest update of the game, too.

Complete List of Civilizations
Best Civilizations for Beginners and Early Game
Best Civilizations for Mid and Late Game
Best Civilizations for Free-to-Play and Pay-to-Win
Best Civilizations by Troop Type
Best Civilizations for Gathering and Farming
Best Civilizations for PvP and Rallies
People Also Ask
Conclusion

What is the Best Civilization in Rise of Kingdoms

Complete List of Civilizations

What is the best civilization in Rise of Kingdoms? Please note that there are a total of 15, each with different uses and situational benefits. So, here’s an overview of all those 15 civilizations available in Rise of Kingdoms. Each includes a starting commander and core benefits that define their strengths.

Civilization	Starting Commander and Units You Get	Why Choose This with Key Perks
Arabia	Baibars (Cavalry nuker with anti-infantry focus) Mamluk (Cavalry: Endurance in prolonged chases)	If you enjoy leading rallies and farming barbarians, Arabia is a strong pick. You will level up 10 to 15 percent faster thanks to the barbarian bonus, and your cavalry charges become a real threat in KvK. It is best suited for aggressive players in active alliances. Avoid it if your focus is archers since gathering speed is weak here. Bonuses: +5% cavalry attack, +10% damage to barbarians and neutrals, +5% rallied army damage.
Britain	Boudica (Infantry anti-garrison specialist) Longbowman (Archer: Long-range siege disruptor)	Choose Britain if you prefer defensive teamwork. The garrison boost makes your city defenses 20 percent stronger during invasions, letting you serve as a rally hub for allies. Faster troop training also helps build archer armies for mid-game battles. It is less ideal for solo farmers since the economy perks are weaker. Bonuses: +5% archer attack, +5% troop training speed, +20% ally garrison capacity.
Byzantium	Belisarius (Cavalry versatile raider) Cataphract (Cavalry: Armored tank with charge)	Go with Byzantium when you want to last longer in tough wars. A larger hospital reduces troop losses by up to 15 percent in long KvK fights, and stone gathering supports fortress upgrades. Builders will love it, but new players might find it too defensive early on. Bonuses: +5% cavalry health, +10% stone gathering speed, +15% hospital capacity.
China	Sun Tzu (Infantry AoE PvE farmer) Chu-Ko-Nu (Archer: Rapid-fire multi-target)	This is one of the best starting choices. Faster building helps you upgrade City Hall quickly, and improved AP recovery lets you farm 20 percent more barbarians each day. It is a balanced option for free-to-play players who want safe growth, though later on you might switch to a more combat-focused civilization. Bonuses: +3% troop defense, +5% action point recovery, +5% building speed
Egypt	Imhotep (Archer buffer with rally synergy) Maryannu (Archer: Mobile skirmisher)	Pick Egypt if you want a mix of farming and fighting. Building and research speed keep your progress ahead, while archers deal 5 percent more damage in rallies. It is flexible for moving from economy to PvP, though you may struggle if you lack strong gathering support. Bonuses: +1.5% building speed, +1.5% research speed, +5% archer attack, +5% rallied army damage.
France	Joan of Arc (Infantry healer/buffer) Throwing Axeman (Infantry: Area damage dealer)	France is all about low-cost survival. Healing is 20 percent faster, so you can keep sending troops back into battle without spending too many gems. Wood gathering adds steady upgrades, making it a free-to-play favorite. Aggressive players may find it less exciting since it does not increase direct damage. Bonuses: +3% troop health, +10% wood gathering speed, +20% hospital healing speed
Germany	Hermann (Archer rage generator) Teutonic Knight (Cavalry: Heavy assault)	Germany suits players who like fast action. Training speed helps you field cavalry quickly, while AP recovery keeps your farming nonstop. It is great for mid-game PvP and constant barbarian farming. Infantry-focused players may want to switch early for better synergy. Bonuses: +5% cavalry attack, +5% troop training speed, +10% action point recovery.
Greece	Pericles (Infantry rally leader) Argyraspide (Infantry: Phalanx defender)	If you coordinate rallies, Greece is a strong choice. Infantry here are tougher and hit harder, while stone gathering helps with defenses and wall upgrades. It shines in large group fights but loses value if you rely on solo farming. Bonuses: +5% infantry health, +5% rallied army damage, +10% stone gathering speed.
Japan	Kusunoki Masashige (Archer debuffer) Samurai (Infantry: Swift melee attacker)	Japan gives you an edge in early aggression. Troop attack is higher, scouts move 30 percent faster, and gathering speed stays solid for resource flow. It is great for explorers who want to uncover threats quickly. Just be ready to lean on your alliance during longer wars since hospitals are weaker. Bonuses: +3% troop attack, +30% scout march speed, +5% resource gathering speed.
Korea	Eulji Mundeok (Archer anti-infantry) Hwarang (Archer: Flanking specialist)	If you want to dominate in tech races, Korea is the way to go. Faster research unlocks Crystal Tech earlier, and the big hospital capacity helps keep T5 sieges safe. It shines in long wars but can feel slow at the start without extra training or building boosts. Bonuses: +5% archer defense, +15% hospital capacity, +3% research speed.
Maya	Wak Chanil Ajaw (Archer jungle ambusher) Spear-Thrower (Archer: Poison debuff)	Maya fits perfectly into the 2025 PvP meta. Extra gold fuels commander development, and the universal damage boost works across all troop types. Archers also gain defense, making them strong in ranged battles. Farmers may find it too combat-focused compared to economy-based choices. Bonuses: +5% archer defense, +10% gold gathering speed, +3% normal damage.
Ottoman	Osman I (Archer siege pusher) Janissary (Archer: Gunpowder volley)	Ottoman is designed for speed and active play. Faster marches let you reinforce allies quickly, and skill damage hits harder in fast fights. Archers also gain health, which helps in ranged battles. It is excellent for players who move constantly but less useful for static defenders. Bonuses: +5% archer health, +5% troop march speed, +5% active skill damage.
Rome	Scipio Africanus (Infantry anti-cavalry) Legionary (Infantry: Balanced cohort)	Rome provides infantry stability. Food gathering ensures endless training, and extra march speed helps close gaps in battle. It is reliable for defense and offense alike, but cavalry and archer specialists may want more specific perks. Bonuses: +5% infantry defense, +5% troop march speed, +10% food gathering speed.
Spain	Pelagius (Infantry gatherer/farmer) Conquistador (Cavalry: Explorer raider)	Spain is a free-to-play friendly economy option. Resource production boosts your passive income, and bonus XP speeds up commander leveling. Cavalry defense gives a small edge in raids, but damage falls short in late-game combat. Bonuses: +5% cavalry defense, +10% XP from barbarians and neutrals, +20% resource production.
Vikings	Björn Ironside (Infantry berserker) Berserker (Infantry: Fury mode tank)	Choose Vikings if you want aggressive infantry battles. Attack and counterattack damage hit hard in rallies, and the extra load means you bring home more loot per raid. Perfect for early wars, though healing costs may push some players toward France instead. Bonuses: +5% infantry attack, +3% counterattack damage, +10% troop load

These perks stack with commander talents and equipment, making synergies crucial. For instance, civilizations with rally damage bonuses excel in group attacks, while gathering speeds help in sustaining long-term growth.

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Best Civilizations for Beginners and Early Game

What is the best civilization in Rise of Kingdoms to use as a beginner? When you are starting out, your main goal is to grow your city fast, gather plenty of resources, and handle barbarians without too much struggle. Picking the Rise of Kingdoms best civilization to start that boosts building, research, or action points will help you progress quickly without needing to spend money.

Top Pick: China - China gives you everything you need in the early stages. The extra 5 percent building speed lets you finish upgrades faster, and the 5 percent action point recovery means you can farm more barbarians for experience and rewards. On top of that, Sun Tzu’s AoE damage clears out groups of enemies with ease.

Best Civilizations for Beginners and Early Game

Strong Alternatives: Britain or Egypt - Britain works well if you want a quicker army, thanks to its 5 percent troop training boost. Egypt gives you steady growth with 1.5 percent bonuses to both building and research, while also giving archers a useful damage increase for PvE content.
What to Avoid: Byzantium or Ottoman - Both of these shine later in the game with strong hospital and march perks, but they do not give you the early acceleration you need.

Best Civilizations for Mid and Late Game

Then what is the best civilization in Rise of Kingdoms for mid-game and later game? Once you reach KvK events and large-scale PvP, the focus shifts to rallies, healing, and troop power. With the Crystal Tech rework adding unit-specific experts, civilizations that strengthen combat performance are the ones to look for.

Top Pick: Vikings - Vikings are excellent for long fights. Their infantry hit harder with a 5 percent attack bonus, counterattack damage climbs by 3 percent, and their extra troop load means you loot more during rallies.

Best Civilizations for Mid and Late Game

Strong Alternatives: Arabia or Germany - Arabia works great if you lead rallies, with 5 percent extra rally damage and bonuses against barbarians that carry into PvP. Germany offers 10 percent faster action point recovery, making it easier to stay active through extended campaigns.
What to Avoid: Spain - Spain gives a huge boost to resource production, which is great in the middle stages, but it loses impact once the game becomes all about combat.

Best Civilizations for Free-to-Play and Pay-to-Win

Your budget affects finding the best civilization in Rise of Kingdoms. If you are free-to-play, you want solid resources and healing efficiency. If you spend, you can lean on speed-ups and gem boosts to push aggressive strategies.

F2P Top Pick: Japan - Japan is the safest pick for free players. The 5 percent gathering speed and 30 percent scout speed keep resources flowing and help you explore faster. Since the buffs apply to all troop types, you stay flexible.
F2P Alternatives: France or Korea - France keeps you in the fight longer by reducing hospital healing time by 20 percent, while Korea helps your tech progress faster with 3 percent extra research speed.

Best Civilizations for Free-to-Play and Pay-to-Win

P2W Top Pick: Maya - Maya gives you a steady flow of gold, which fuels commander growth and gem-related spending. The universal 3 percent damage boost also scales well with high-investment commanders.
P2W Alternatives: Ottoman or Egypt - Ottoman pushes your premium commanders further with 5 percent active skill damage, while Egypt provides strong rally bonuses that are perfect for big spenders leading massive assaults.

Best Civilizations by Troop Type

If you want to get the most out of your army, choose a civilization that matches your main troop type. This way, you can fully benefit from the unique perks.

Infantry Focus: Go with Vikings for strong attack and counterattack bonuses, or Greece if you prefer extra health and rally damage.
Cavalry Focus: Arabia works well for higher attack and damage against neutral units, while Germany helps you speed up troop training.

Best Civilizations by Troop Type

Archer Focus: Britain boosts archer attack and garrison defense, while Maya gives you extra defense along with gold gathering benefits.

Best Civilizations for Gathering and Farming

If your goal is to stockpile resources, you’ll want civilizations that make farming faster and more efficient.

Top Pick: Japan is the go-to choice, with +5% to all gathering speeds and quicker scouts that help you claim resource nodes before others.
Good Alternatives: Maya is great if you need more gold, while France is solid for wood. If you’re focused on construction, Byzantium gives extra stone gathering speed.

Best Civilizations for PvP and Rallies

For anyone who enjoys battles and leading rallies, they should focus on civilizations that give extra damage, speed, and healing power.

Top Pick: Egypt shines here, offering +5% rally damage and stronger archer attacks, making it deadly in group fights.

Best Civilizations for PvP and Rallies

Other Strong Options: Arabia is excellent for cavalry rallies, while Vikings are durable in infantry-heavy battles.
Extra Tip: The Double Line Formation introduced after the anniversary increases march speed against barbarians by 10%. This indirectly helps rally-focused civilizations by letting you move and reposition much faster.

Conclusion

So, what is the best civilization in Rise of Kingdoms 2025? Now you know the answers. This guide equips you to pick based on your goals, so it is better to start with China for a smooth entry, then switch to Vikings or Maya for endgame power. Make sure to claim your Rise of Kingdoms codes as well and make it to the top-tier performance today.

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Nipun Gimhan

Senior Content Writer

For the past 4 years, I’ve been writing guides for action, strategy, and adventure games. As I am a 24 year old student in the field of animation, I have a huge passion analyzing gameplay with computer animation and game design tools, finding clever ways to help players improve. Gaming fuels my creativity, and writing is my way of sharing tips, tricks, and enthusiasm with others

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