In the grand tapestry of Civilization 6, the Pyramids stand as a testament to early-game ambition, a coveted prize for any ruler aiming to accelerate their empire’s development. For the investment of 220 Production on a desert tile, a civilization gains a free Builder and, more importantly, an extra charge for all subsequent Builders. This boost to infrastructure development is a cornerstone of many successful strategies. But what if this ancient wonder’s power was magnified, its influence spreading beyond the humble Builder to every civilian unit in the game? This is a question that has been debated in strategy forums and among dedicated players for years. If the Pyramids granted an additional charge to Settlers, Traders, Spies, Archaeologists, and even Rock Bands, how would the fundamental dynamics of Civilization 6 shift? The consensus among seasoned players is that such a change would not be a minor tweak; it would be a seismic event, reshaping the very foundations of strategy and catapulting the Pyramids from a top-tier wonder to an era-defining necessity.
The Immediate Impact: A Golden Age of Expansion
The most immediate and game-altering consequence of this hypothetical change would be its effect on Settlers. In the current game, a Settler is a single-use unit, consumed in the process of founding a new city. This makes early expansion a costly endeavor, a careful balancing act between producing Settlers and developing existing cities. According to the player community, a second charge on Settlers would fundamentally break this dynamic. A single Settler could found two cities, effectively halving the production cost of expansion. This would trigger a “Golden Age of Expansion” for the civilization that builds the Pyramids, allowing them to claim vast swathes of territory at an unprecedented rate.
Many professional gamers suggest that the early game would become a frantic race to the Pyramids. The civilization that secures this wonder would gain an almost insurmountable advantage in the land grab that defines the first 50 turns. A player could produce a single Settler, send it out to found two strategically important cities, and then use the production of their capital to focus on military or infrastructure, knowing that their expansion is already well underway. This would create a snowball effect of immense proportions. More cities mean more districts, more yields, and a higher population, all of which contribute to a stronger and more resilient empire.
Analysis on forums shows that this change would also have a profound impact on the early-game build order. The traditional debate between a Scout-Slinger-Settler opening and a Monument-Granary-Builder opening would be turned on its head. The optimal strategy would almost certainly revolve around rushing the Masonry technology, securing a source of stone if possible, and dedicating all available production to the Pyramids. The opportunity cost of building the Pyramids would be significantly reduced, as the immediate payoff of a two-charge Settler would far outweigh the short-term benefits of an extra military unit or a new district.
Economic Revolution: The Power of Two-Charge Traders
While the impact on Settlers is the most obvious game-changer, the effect on Traders would be equally profound, albeit in a more subtle and long-term manner. In the standard game, a Trader creates a trade route that lasts for a set number of turns, providing gold, food, and production to both the origin and destination cities. A second charge on Traders would, in essence, allow a single Trader unit to establish two concurrent trade routes. This would be an economic revolution.
A popular strategy is to use early trade routes to accelerate the growth of new cities, sending food from the capital to help them reach a higher population more quickly. With two-charge Traders, a player could establish a “food triangle,” with one Trader sending food to two different fledgling cities, or a “production loop,” with a single Trader providing production to two different industrial centers. This would allow for a level of micromanagement and optimization that is simply not possible in the current game.
Furthermore, the extra trade route capacity would have a significant impact on diplomatic relations. More trade routes mean more opportunities to establish alliances, earn diplomatic favor, and spread religious pressure. A civilization with a network of two-charge Traders would be a diplomatic powerhouse, able to build relationships and influence other civilizations with ease. The economic benefits would also be staggering. The ability to double the number of trade routes without doubling the production cost of Traders would lead to a massive influx of gold, allowing the player to purchase buildings, units, and even Great People with impunity.
Espionage and Antiquity: A New Era of Covert Operations and Cultural Dominance
The influence of the Pyramids’ hypothetical buff would extend even into the later stages of the game, impacting the shadowy world of espionage and the scholarly pursuit of archaeology. Spies in Civilization 6 are a valuable asset, capable of stealing gold, fabricating scandals, and even sabotaging enemy districts. A second charge on Spies would make them significantly more effective, allowing them to perform two missions before needing to return to friendly territory.
This would open up a new world of possibilities for covert operations. A single Spy could be sent to an enemy capital to perform a “double tap,” stealing a Great Work and then immediately fabricating a scandal to lower the city’s loyalty. Or, a Spy could be used to create a “listening post,” gaining sources in a city and then using the second charge to steal a valuable technology. The player community agrees that this would make espionage a much more viable and attractive option, particularly for civilizations that already have a bonus to Spy activities, such as Catherine de Medici’s France.
The impact on Archaeologists would be equally significant. An Archaeologist in the current game has three charges, allowing them to excavate three artifacts before being consumed. An extra charge would increase this to four, a 33% increase in their effectiveness. This would be a massive boon for any player pursuing a Culture Victory. More artifacts mean more tourism, and more tourism means a faster path to victory. A civilization with the Pyramids and a few Archaeologists could quickly fill their museums with priceless artifacts, leaving their rivals in the cultural dust.
The Rock and Roll Apocalypse: Double the Concerts, Double the Fun
Even the most unconventional unit in the game, the Rock Band, would be affected by this hypothetical change. Rock Bands are a late-game unit that can be used to generate massive amounts of tourism by performing concerts in other civilizations’ cities. They have a limited number of charges, and each concert carries the risk of the band breaking up. An extra charge on Rock Bands would be a game-changer for the Culture Victory.
A popular strategy is to use Rock Bands to target the civilization with the highest culture output, hoping to overwhelm them with a flood of tourism. With an extra charge, a Rock Band could perform two concerts in a single turn, potentially generating enough tourism to win the game in a single, glorious burst of rock and roll. This would make the late-game cultural struggle even more frantic and exciting, with players racing to get their Rock Bands to the most valuable concert venues before their rivals.
The New World Order: How the Meta Would Shift
The cumulative effect of all these changes would be a complete reshaping of the Civilization 6 metagame. The Pyramids would become the most important wonder in the game, a non-negotiable objective for any player with serious ambitions. The early game would be a mad dash to secure this wonder, with players willing to sacrifice almost anything to get it.
Civilizations with a natural advantage in desert terrain, such as Egypt or Mali, would become even more powerful. Their ability to build the Pyramids more easily would give them a significant head start on the road to victory. The choice of Pantheon would also be heavily influenced by the race for the Pyramids. A Pantheon that provides a bonus to wonder production, such as Divine Spark, would become a top-tier choice.
The game would become much more focused on expansion and development, with military conflict taking a backseat in the early stages. The player who builds the Pyramids would be able to expand so quickly and develop their cities so efficiently that they would be very difficult to stop. This would lead to a more “tall and wide” playstyle, with players aiming to build a large number of highly developed cities.
A Game of Wonders
The hypothetical scenario of the Pyramids granting an extra charge to all civilian units is a fascinating thought experiment. It highlights the delicate balance of the game’s mechanics and shows how a single change can have a ripple effect that touches every aspect of the game. While such a change would almost certainly be too powerful to ever be implemented, it is a testament to the enduring appeal of Civilization 6 that players are still dreaming up new ways to play and new strategies to master. The Pyramids, in this hypothetical world, would be more than just a wonder; they would be the key to unlocking a new and exciting way to play the game, a symbol of the limitless possibilities that lie within the world of Civilization.