What is the difference between standard and navigable rivers in Civ 7?

In Civ 7, players will be able to reach the ocean in an all-new way, thanks to the addition of navigable rivers. But, what is the difference between these and standard rivers that you encounter throughout the map? Here is our full breakdown.

Here, you can see a Scout near a standard river in Civ 7 (Image courtesy of Firaxis)

Civ 7 Navigable Rivers explained

In Civ 7, players will interact with two different kinds of river tiles for the very first time – navigable rivers and standard rivers. Standard rivers work as they have previously, providing players with fresh water yields and their normal benefits. Navigable rivers, on the other hand, are different from standard ones in the following ways:

• Navigable rivers always lead to the ocean
• Navigable rivers can be occupied by naval units
• Navigable rivers cannot be settled on
• Navigable rivers provide different tile improvements and benefits

Typically, navigable rivers run from the ocean inland, then turn into standard river tiles which split off. You can see this in the image just above, both in the minimap in the bottom left and in the actual game board itself.

Read More: The top 5 biggest changes from Civ 6 to Civ 7 that you should know

Time will tell what strategies this will bring and how it will change Civ gameplay. Once the game is launched on February 11, stay tuned for more in-depth guides on how to navigate these new tiles and the best ways to shape your empire around them!

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