Happiness is an essential resource inSid Meier’s Civilization 7that can be used in various ways and is increased through specific building types, civilization abilities, social policies & traditions, and more. Happiness is one of five main resources in the base game and functions very similarly to Gold in that it is both a global and local resource, meaning it can be gained from both individual Settlementsandempire-wide abilities or bonuses.Civ 7’s Natural Wondersand Wonders also provide Happiness, as well as Commanders, Settlement Resources such as Dates, and other unexpected sources.
Happiness yields are critical to maintaining a balanced empire. Happiness functions in a somewhat complicated system, and Settlements suffer yield penalties if they have negative Happiness. Happiness is also the core driver for Celebrations, a new mechanic that gives you a special buff for a limited time.Happiness is crucial for city developmentas well, as Specialists and buildings both require Happiness maintenance. Increasing Happiness inCiv 7can be done in many ways, but some are much more efficient.
How Happiness Works
Settlements Suffer Consequences From Unhappiness
Happiness works on two levels: globally and per Settlement. Global Happiness accumulates toward a Celebration, which typically gives you a buff from one of two options per Age, depending on your government. Progress toward Celebrations can be viewed from the Government Overview.Towns and Cities both add to global Happiness yields, and each individual Settlement can have either a positive or negative Happiness balance. Celebrations unlock Social Policy slots as well, and each subsequent Celebration costs more Happiness. Lump sums of Happiness fromNarrative Events or Discoveriesincrease progress toward a Celebration as well.
Spend Influence to increase War Support and mitigate Happiness penalties, especially when at war with multiple opponents.
On a local level, Settlements each have their own individual Happiness metrics, andCities will have increased Happiness costs for buildings and Specialists. When a City incurs negative Happiness, it suffers a -2% penalty to all other yields (e.g., Gold, Science, etc.) per point of negative Happiness. Negative Happiness in a City does not subtract from the total global Happiness yield. Settlements that have exceeded the cap suffer a -5 Happiness penalty per Settlement, maxing out at 35. War Weariness also inflicts unhappiness on Settlements, which gets increasingly worse for conquered Settlements.
How To Increase Happiness
Increase Happiness With Wonders, Commanders, Civics & More
Increasing Happiness can be done in various ways, but the most prominent methods are through Wonders, Civics, Commanders, Social Policies or Traditions, and Happiness buildings. Each Age hasspecific Happiness buildings available to all civilizations(see the chart below), and it’s important to keep things up to date byoverbuilding outdated structures.There are also Civ-specific buildings and Quarters that increase Happiness, such as Greece’s Odeon or Maya’s Jalaw. Civics are crucial because they unlock Happiness-boosting Policies, buildings, and Wonders, while certain civilizations will also have Happiness-focused Traditions or buffs.
Rites and Rituals
Trade Winds, Uposatha, Constitution, Divine Right, Religious Orders (Theology)
Modern
Dogo Onsen, Muzibu Azaala Mpanga, Palacio de Bellas Artes, Brandenburg Gate, Statue of Liberty, Eiffel Tower
Department Store, Radio Station, Tenement
Living Standards, Land Heritage, Free Speech, Laissez-Faire, Fireside Chats (Democracy), Welfare State (Liberalism), Avant Garde (Progressivism), Police State (Socialism)
The chart does not includeCiv-specific buildings or Civics.
Another efficient method for increasing Happiness is to utilize Commanders when not at war. Stationing a Commander in a given Settlement’s Town Centerincreases Happiness by 10% per promotion levelin that Settlement. This is an under-explained aspect of Commanders that you really should take advantage of if you’re struggling with Happiness yields, especially in conquered Settlements during the period of Unrest where Happiness penalties are at their highest. Further, you can increase Happiness by minding the Settlement cap, as each Settlement over the cap incurs a -5 Happiness penalty that applies to all Settlements, maxing out at 35.
When Happiness Matters Most
Crises Put Your Happiness To The Test
While Happiness penalties and balance are relevant throughout an entire campaign, Happiness is most important during a Crisis. Crises are a new feature ofCiv 7that introduces unique, catastrophic situations that every civilization must adapt to near the end of an Age. These Crises can involve heavy Happiness penalties/losses depending on which Crisis Policies are selected and which Crisis occurs. This is whenyour efforts to increase Happiness will pay offthe most, as it’s possible to lose entire Settlements. For example, the Antiquity Revolts Crisis spurs uprisings that can cause a Settlement to defect to another civilization.
Civ 7: Why You Might Want To Turn Off Crises At First
Civ 7 introduces a new mechanic called Crises, which can cause major trouble for new players unprepared for the sudden spike in difficulty.
Another interesting feature inCiv 7is Happiness surplus bonuses, which provide increased yields to particular resources based on every five excess Happiness.Happiness surpluses are a feature for leaders such as Ashokaor civilizations such as Maurya. These typically come as Social Policies or Civic bonuses, and they can be a strategy all on their own. Surplus Happiness can be used to balance yields across the entire empire or increase Combat Strength and ensure Military victories. This can be further benefited if you take advantage of Celebration-focused leaders or Civs, such as Jose Rizal.
Happiest Leaders & Attributes In Civ 7
Charlemagne & Jose Rizal Utilize Happiness
Happiness used to generate Celebrations can be a central strategy for certain leaders,such as Charlemagne, for example, who gains two free cavalry units each time he enters a Celebration. Jose Rizal is another great leader for a Happiness strategy, as he has unique Narrative Events and gains +50% Happiness toward Celebrations, making him among the top contenders for increasing Happiness in the game. Other leaders that have unique Happiness abilities include Himiko, Lafayette, and Pachacuti. Civilizations lean into Happiness: Maurya, Hawai’i, Majapahit, Norman, French Empire, and Mexico.
Allocate these Resources for maximum Happiness in each city: Dates, Dyes, Wool, Pearls, and Wine.
Attribute nodes that increase Happiness can be found primarily in the Diplomatic and Militaristic trees, with bonuses that can increase Happiness based on assigned Resources orincrease the efficacy of stationed Commanderson Happiness penalty reduction. Similarly, a Happiness bonus in the Scientific Tree increases Happiness by 20% towards maintaining buildings, cutting the cost in half. To increase Happiness inCivilization 7requires a good understanding of how the resource is generated and its various mechanics, but once mastered, it can be an incredibly fun (and happy) way to win.
