Civ 7 Mohandas Gandhi: Creating the “Great Soul”

Civilization 7 launched with many different leaders, and this time with separate civilizations. This has lead to the ability to create in Civ 7 like never before. One of the leaders that is suspiciously missing from Civ 7 is Gandhi. Here is a look at our take on creating the “Great Soul”.

Civ 7 Gandhi

Gandhi has been in every single Civilization game since the beginning, yet he hasn’t been added to Civ 7. He isn’t even rumored to be in the Right to Rule expansion either. That absence alone makes him a fitting next choice in this “create a leader” type series.

You can watch a more in-depth description of this below!

Civ 7 Leader Mohandas Gandhi! | The Great Soul | NOT the Nuke Version | Fan Concept

Starting with Gandhi’s Great Soul ability—he is also known as Mahatma, which means “Great Soul” in Sanskrit. The idea was to center him as a more peaceful figure, not the nuclear-armed Gandhi of Civ meme fame. Diplomatic and cultural play would define this version of him, echoing his real-life legacy.

The ability includes:

• Gain 50 influence for every civic completed

• Gain 50 culture for every completed endeavor

These abilities were inspired by other well-integrated leaders like Ada Lovelace and Machiavelli, where various bonuses interplay throughout the game. Completing civics fuels influence, which in turn unlocks more endeavors, each of which grants additional culture. This setup promotes a strong culture and diplomacy path, ideal for peaceful players.

In addition, Gandhi has a unique peace mechanic, he can propose peace in 5 turns instead of the usual 10. As a diplomatic peacekeeper, this ability would help de-escalate wars earlier than most leaders.

Reflecting Gandhi’s anti-colonial stance, there’s also +2 war support against civilizations from distant lands, no matter which continent is the starting point. While some maps like Pangaea and Archipelago handle this differently, the bonus can be adapted accordingly. Even though Gandhi is meant to be peaceful, this addition ensures he has the means to defend himself if necessary.

Upon reaching new ages, Gandhi unlocks additional civilizations:

• Chola in the Exploration Age

• Mughals in the Modern Age

The goal was to avoid inventing fictional civs, so the focus remained on those currently in the game. Some strong potential synergies were identified:

• Rome: Offers cultural bonuses that pair well with Gandhi’s peaceful strategy

• Greece: Provides influence in the Antiquity era and a stronger defensive army, making it arguably the best match

In the Exploration Age, the Chola civilization makes cultural expansion more viable. However, Hawaiʻi might be an even better option, supporting a religious path, which fits Gandhi’s historic emphasis on spirituality. Even without a coastal start bias (more likely grasslands or flatlands), Hawaiʻi remains a solid choice.

For the Modern Age, strong civilization partners could include:

• Siam

• French Empire

• Nepalese

Gandhi may be the ideal leader for Nepal, given the synergy between his playstyle and Nepal’s bonuses. The French Empire’s influence bonuses and Siam’s special endeavor also make them solid options.

There isn’t yet a perfect civ pairing for Gandhi, but multiple strong possibilities exist. Each leader in Civilization VII has had a civ added alongside them that fits their time and history. Gandhi would likely follow suit. While India already has representation, there’s room for more regional variety within the Indian subcontinent.

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