In Civilization VI’s vast landscape of strategic possibilities, Seondeok of Korea stands out as a master of scientific supremacy. Her leader abilities are precision-engineered to accelerate research, making her an ideal pick for players who crave a swift and decisive science victory. This guide offers a detailed, tactical blueprint for outpacing your rivals in the space race, backed by expert insights and proven strategies from the Civ community.
Seondeok’s Strengths: The Hwarang and the Three Kingdoms
Understanding Seondeok’s unique abilities is the first step to mastering her. They are not just passive bonuses; they are a roadmap to victory.
- Hwarang (Leader Ability): Governors provide a +3% boost to both culture and science for each promotion they have. This ability is the cornerstone of Seondeok’s strategy, encouraging a “tall” governor approach rather than a “wide” one. Many professional gamers suggest focusing on promoting a few governors to their maximum level to extract the most value from this ability.
- Three Kingdoms (Civilization Ability): Mines built next to a Seowon district gain +1 science, and farms adjacent to a Seowon gain +1 food. This ability transforms the Seowon from a simple science district into a powerful engine for both scientific and population growth.
- Seowon (Unique District): This replacement for the Campus must be built on a hill. It has a lower production cost and provides a base of +4 science. However, it loses 1 science for each adjacent district, a crucial detail that many new players overlook.
- Hwacha (Unique Unit): A powerful ranged unit that replaces the Field Cannon and is available earlier in the game. The Hwacha is a key defensive tool, allowing you to protect your scientific pursuits without a massive investment in a standing army.
Early Game Strategy (Ancient to Classical Era): The Foundation of a Scientific Empire
The early game is a delicate dance of expansion, infrastructure, and scientific acceleration. A misstep here can be costly, but a strong start will make you nearly unstoppable.
The First 50 Turns: A Blueprint for Dominance
Your opening moves are critical. Analysis on forums shows that a specific build order can give you a significant advantage.
- Scout: Your first production should always be a scout. The information it gathers—tribal villages, natural wonders, other civilizations, and ideal city locations—is invaluable.
- Settler: Your second production should be a settler. Founding your second city as early as possible is crucial for expanding your empire and securing valuable territory.
- Builder: A builder will allow you to improve tiles, boosting your capital’s growth and production. Focus on improving luxury and bonus resources first.
- Monument: A monument will accelerate your culture, helping you unlock key early civics and governor titles faster.
Technology and Civics: The Path to the Seowon
Your research path should be a beeline to unlocking your unique district.
- Technology: Research Pottery, then Writing, and then Mining. This sequence unlocks Granaries for housing, the all-important Seowon, and the ability to improve hill tiles for production and science bonuses.
- Civics: Your first civic should be Code of Laws to unlock your initial government and policy cards. Then, aim for Craftsmanship to boost the production of builders and military units, followed by Foreign Trade for an extra trade route and economic policy slot.
City Placement: The Art of the Seowon
The placement of your cities is the most important decision you will make in the early game.
- Hills are Your Home: Seowons can only be built on hills. Prioritize settling locations with multiple hills to ensure every city can have a powerful Seowon.
- Isolate the Seowon: The Seowon loses science for each adjacent district. Plan your city layouts to keep your Seowons isolated from your other districts. A popular strategy is to place the Seowon on a hill on the outskirts of your city, surrounded by tiles that can be improved with mines or farms.
Turns 50-100: Expansion and Acceleration
With your foundation in place, it’s time to expand aggressively and leverage your unique abilities.
- Expansion Goals: Aim for at least four cities by turn 50 and seven by turn 100 on standard speed. In your new cities, a good build order is a builder followed by a monument.
- Governors: The Hwarang in Action: Appoint Pingala to your capital as your first governor. His initial promotion provides a 15% boost to science and culture, which is then amplified by Seondeok’s Hwarang ability. Focus on promoting him to maximize this bonus.
- Pantheon and Wonders: If you found a pantheon, Divine Spark is an excellent choice as it helps with Great Scientist generation. For wonders, The Oracle is a powerful early wonder that can significantly boost your Great Person generation.
Mid-Game Strategy (Medieval to Industrial Era): The Scientific Revolution
The mid-game is where you will truly begin to pull away from the competition. Your scientific lead will translate into a military and economic advantage.
Government and Governors: Shaping Your Empire
Your choice of government and governors will have a significant impact on your mid-game trajectory.
- Government: A typical government progression is Classical Republic -> Merchant Republic -> Communism. The production bonus from Communism is invaluable for late-game space race projects.
- Governors: Continue to focus on promoting Pingala. His “Grants” and “Researcher” promotions will turn his city into a scientific powerhouse. Amani is a good choice for your second governor, as she can be used to secure suzerainty over key city-states.
Wonders of the Scientific World
While you should not neglect your core infrastructure, a few key wonders can provide a massive boost to your science victory aspirations.
- Kilwa Kisiwani: This is a top-tier wonder. By becoming the suzerain of two scientific city-states, you can gain a massive +30% boost to your science output across your entire empire.
- Forbidden City, Potala Palace, and Big Ben: These wonders provide extra policy card slots and economic advantages that are crucial for a science victory.
- Ruhr Valley: This is an essential wonder for your primary spaceport city, as it provides a massive production bonus.
Military and Espionage: Defending Your Progress
Your scientific prowess will make you a target. A strong defense is not optional.
- The Hwacha: The Hwacha is a formidable defensive unit. Its early unlock and lower production cost mean you can field a powerful defensive force without crippling your economy.
- Espionage: As you approach the modern era, begin training spies. They are vital for stealing gold, sabotaging rival spaceports, and protecting your own.
Late Game Strategy (Modern to Future Era): The Final Frontier
The late game is a race to the stars. Your focus will shift from pure scientific output to production and project management.
The Space Race: A Step-by-Step Guide
The space race is a series of projects that must be completed in order.
- Launch Earth Satellite: This is the first project, and it requires a Spaceport.
- Launch Moon Landing: This project provides a massive culture boost upon completion.
- Launch Mars Colony: This is the final project that requires you to send a series of components to Mars.
Spaceport Cities: The Engines of Victory
You will need at least one, and preferably two or three, high-production cities to complete the space race projects in a timely manner.
- Primary Spaceport City: This city should have your highest production, ideally boosted by the Ruhr Valley and the governor Magnus with the Vertical Integration promotion. This city will build the initial space race projects.
- Secondary Spaceport Cities: These cities will build the laser stations required for the final step of the Exoplanet Expedition.
Advanced Strategies and Nuances
Mastering Seondeok requires an understanding of the finer points of her strategy.
- City-State Suzerainty: Prioritize becoming the suzerain of scientific and industrial city-states. The bonuses they provide are invaluable.
- Balancing Science, Culture, and Production: While science is your primary focus, do not neglect culture and production. Culture unlocks key policy cards and governor titles, while production is essential for building wonders and space race projects.
- Dealing with Aggression: If a neighbor declares war on you, do not be afraid to pivot your production to military units. The Hwacha is more than capable of repelling most attacks.
By following this guide, you will be well on your way to achieving a science victory with Seondeok of Korea. Her powerful abilities, combined with a strategic approach to expansion, infrastructure, and project management, make her one of the most rewarding leaders to play in Civilization 6.