8 Ways to Get More Civilization 6 Envoys for City-States

Civilization 6 envoys are diplomatic agents that you can send to discovered city-states when they are earned. Sending envoys to selected city-states will generate more cultural, gold, science, production, or religious yields for your civilization. For example, six envoys in a city-state can generate five of a particular yield, one for the capital and four more for each city that includes a particular kind of district. Plus, you can also obtain city-state suzerainty bonuses with more envoys. These are some ways you earn more envoys for city-states in Civilization 6.

Unlock Civics

Numerous civics award you Civilization 6 envoys when unlocked. If you look at the civ tree, you’ll see civics with envoy numbers ranging from one to three. Select to research and unlock those civics to get more envoys. These are the civics that grant free envoys:

• Naval Tradition
• Theology
• Natural History
• Scorched Earth
• Capitalism
• Nuclear Program
• Cultural Heritage
• Military Training
• Mercenaries
• Colonialism
• Opera and Ballet
• Mysticism
• Conservation

Explore the Map to Find More City-States

Discovering (or meeting) a city-state before any other civilizations in a game will earn you a free envoy at it. Thus, it’s a good idea to try to explore the map with some available units as much as you can during the early game to find more city-states. Then, you might get some envoys for meeting city-states if other civilizations haven’t discovered them first.

Build the Acropolis District With Greece

The Acropolis is a unique cultural district you can build when playing with Greek civilizations. You’ll receive one free envoy for every Acropolis you build. For example, building several of those districts will give you seven envoys. So, try playing as Pericles or Gorgo to build the Acropolis the get more Civilization 6 envoys.

Select the Diplomatic League Policy Card

Diplomatic League is one of the diplomatic policy cards that will get you more envoys when selected. This policy card grants you one free envoy for the first envoy you send to a city-state. Thus, it effectively doubles up your first envoys sent to city-states. The best way to maximize this card would be to send a first envoy to all the discovered city-states you can. Then, you’ll receive an additional envoy for each of those first envoys.

Select the Gunboat Diplomacy and Charismatic Leader Policy Cards

Charismatic Leader and Gunboat Diplomacy are two policy cards that increase the influence points earned for acquiring more envoys when selected. The Charismatic Leader card gives your civilization +2 influence points per turn for earning city-state envoys. Gunboat Diplomacy is effectively an upgraded version of that card that gives you +4 influence points for envoys.

First, unlock the Political Philosophy Civic to select the Charismatic Leader card. Then, later in the game, unlock Totalitarianism and select the upgraded Gunboat Diplomacy. Selecting such cards will enable you to amass more influence points and, with that, earn more envoys throughout a game.

Select the Monarchy Government

Monarchy is a tier 2 government that’s worth selecting during the early to mid-game for getting more envoys before upgrading to a level three alternative. This is because the Monarchy has a legacy bonus that gives your civilization bonus influence points, amounting to 20% and an additional 1% every 10 turns. That bonus will enable you to earn envoys faster with influence points. Note, however, that this legacy bonus is not applicable in the Rise and Fall DLC.

Upgrade to a Level 3 Government ASAP

Fascism, Communism, and Democracy are the most advanced level 3 governments you can select in Civilization 6. All of these governments amass more influence points per turn and give you the most envoys for them than lower-tier alternatives. Fascism, Democracy, and Communism amass several influence points every turn and grant you three envoys for every 200 turns. So, it’s best to research and change to any of those governments sooner rather than later so your civilization can amass more influence points for envoys.

Build the Apadana Wonder

Apadana is a Renaissance wonder you build in your capital city. This wonder will grant your civilization two additional envoys when built. Plus, it also grants two envoys for each additional wonder built in the city that includes Apadana. For example, building Apadana and two further wonders in your capital after that will give your civilization six additional envoys. Plus, Apadana has two great work slots that can boost tourism when filled.

Civilization 6 envoys are certainly not something you should overlook during your Civ games. Increasing your city-state envoys in the ways discussed above can notably increase your cities’ science, culture, gold, production, and faith yields. They can be even more valuable when you have enough to obtain suzerainty bonuses for city-states. Thus, increasing envoys sent to city-states should be a part of your civilization strategy for all victory conditions.