5 Lekmod Civ List: Civ
Lekmod (short for "Lek's Mod") is the dominant balance and content mod for Civilization V: Brave New World, primarily used in the multiplayer community (successor to the older NQmod). Its core goals are to: eliminate "unpickable" civilizations, introduce new unique and competitive designs, buff underused vanilla civs, and add depth without excessive complexity.
As of the latest stable version (v.34.x / v.35 beta), Lekmod features over 90 unique civilizations – including all 43 vanilla civs (heavily reworked), plus dozens of new, custom-coded civilizations.
Below is a structured breakdown of the Lekmod civilization list, categorized by type and gameplay role.
These look cool but will get you killed in multiplayer.
Lekmod transforms Civilization V into a deeply strategic, highly balanced multiplayer experience. The civ list is its crown jewel – offering meaningful choices for every victory type and terrain start. Whether you want to play as Tibet building mountain fortresses, Kilwa dominating trade routes, or Vietnam ambushing from the jungle, there’s a civ for every fantasy.
For the full up-to-date list (new civs added in v.35 beta like Berbers, Kiev, and Chimu), check the in-game Civilopedia after installing the mod.
is a massive community-driven expansion for Civilization V that significantly overhauls the game for multiplayer and single-player balance. One of its biggest draws is a vastly expanded roster, growing the original 43 civilizations to over 70 (reaching 77 or even 100+ in recent iterations). The Lekmod Civilization Roster
Lekmod doesn't just add new nations; it reworks many vanilla favorites to make different playstyles—like Wide play, Honor, or Piety—competitive with the standard "Tradition/Science" meta. 1. Base Game Reworks
Many classic civs receive tweaks to their Unique Abilities (UAs) or units to keep them relevant:
America: Now features a Pioneer (replaces Settler) that ignores terrain costs and has higher combat strength.
Arabia: The Camel Archer was slightly nerfed in melee strength but remains a formidable unique unit.
Spain: Retains its high-risk, high-reward nature with Natural Wonders but has been fine-tuned for better consistency. 2. Popular New Additions
The mod adds a diverse array of new civilizations, often with creative mechanics:
Civilization 5 Leader Mod: Civilization List Report
Introduction
The Civilization 5 Leader Mod, also known as "Lekmod," offers a comprehensive overhaul of the game's leaders, mechanics, and balance. This report provides an in-depth look at the civilizations included in the mod, highlighting their unique abilities, strengths, and changes.
Methodology
The data for this report was gathered from the latest version of Lekmod Civ (version 2023-02-20) and may not reflect future updates. The civilizations were evaluated based on their:
Civilization List
The Lekmod Civ list includes 46 civilizations, each with its own set of unique features. Here's a summary of the civilizations, grouped by their primary playstyle:
If you want a complete, version-accurate list (including all UU/UB/UA stats and tooltips), I can fetch the mod's current civ file and produce a full table — confirm and I will retrieve it.
Civilization V is a massive community overhaul that currently includes 77 civilizations as of recent versions. This total comprises the 43 base-game civilizations (many of which are heavily rebalanced) and 34 entirely new civilizations New Civilizations Highlights
Lekmod introduces civs with unique mechanics often tied to specific terrain or niche strategies. Civilization Key Focus / Ability Aggression
: Features a 3-move spearman (UU) for early tributes and war. Artaxias I Mountain Yields : +1 Food, +2 Production, +1 Gold from Mountains. Henry Parkes Coastal/Natural Wonders : High faith from wonders; unique worker with Medic I/II. Science/Culture : Writer slots provide +5 Science; early granary buffs. Tundra/Diplomacy : Designed to thrive in cold climates where others fail. Madagascar Ranavalona I
: Synergizes well with Holy Site spam for massive religious yields. Songtsen Gampo Snowballing civ 5 lekmod civ list
: Strong early yields (+1 Prod/Gold/Culture/Sci/Faith per city). Major Rebalances of Base Civs
Lekmod is primarily a balance mod, nerfing overpowered vanilla civs and buffing weak ones.
: UA now includes +1 sight for all land units and a 50% discount on tile purchases; features a new settler unit (+8 combat strength). Camel Archers are less effective; the
now provides happiness for worked luxuries instead of just double resources.
: Their vanilla technology-stealing ability is now a standard feature for all civilizations in Lekmod. Version & Installation Info
Lekmod is a comprehensive balance and content overhaul for Civilization V
, primarily designed for the multiplayer "No Quitters" (NQ) community
. It dramatically expands the roster, adding dozens of new civilizations while reworking vanilla ones to ensure competitive viability. Overview of Lekmod Civilizations As of recent versions (v34.x), the mod features over 100 civilizations
. This include the 43 original civilizations—many of which have received significant adjustments to their Unique Abilities (UA), Units (UU), or Buildings (UB)—and over 60 entirely new additions. Top Tier & Notable Civilizations
While balance is a core goal, certain civilizations are frequently cited by the community for their high competitive potential: S-Tier / Top Picks:
Still remain powerhouses due to their inherent science and policy advantages.
Highly rated for its unique worker replacement that can create fishing boats and move faster.
Strong coastal/naval focus with unique gold and food bonuses from water tiles.
Focused on aggressive melee combat, with units that heal after kills.
Often considered borderline "OP" depending on the version's specific tuning. Unique Gameplay Styles:
Gains food, production, and gold from mountain tiles, encouraging specific settling patterns.
A powerful "snowball" civilization that can leverage early faith and science leads.
Reworked to provide free Harbors, allowing for rapid science and production through early city connections. Major Reworks to Vanilla Civs
Lekmod doesn't just add new content; it fixes "clunky" vanilla designs: Now includes the
(Settler replacement) with combat strength and terrain-ignoring movement.
The Hanse and Panzer remain, but the UA often sees tweaks to barbarian conversion rates to make early-game aggression more reliable. (Charlemagne):
A popular new addition focusing on faith from farms and unique heavy infantry. How to Stay Updated
Because Lekmod is frequently updated for competitive balance (e.g., v34.12 released in March 2026), the "best" civilizations can shift quickly. Steam Community
is an expansive fan-made balance and content expansion for Civilization V Lekmod (short for "Lek's Mod") is the dominant
, primarily used by the "No Quitters" (NQ) competitive multiplayer community. It overhauls vanilla civilizations and introduces over 100 new civilizations, ensuring that nearly every choice has a distinct, viable niche. Overhauled Vanilla Civilizations
Lekmod rebalances original civilizations to ensure they remain competitive in a multiplayer environment where certain vanilla leaders were previously considered "weak" or "unplayable".
: Transformed from a "dollar-store Shoshone" into a versatile expansionist powerhouse. Its unique Settler can move like a Scout and travel unescorted, allowing for aggressive early land grabs.
: Maintains the Longbowman but sees adjustments to the Ship of the Line (reduced Ranged and Melee strength) to balance its naval dominance.
: The chance to convert Barbarians via Furor Teutonicus is increased to 100%, making early-game military buildup much more consistent.
: Shifted more toward cultural dominance in the capital, with doubled theming bonuses and significant culture boosts after discovering Acoustics. New Civilizations Highlights
The mod adds a massive roster of historical and fan-requested civilizations, each with unique mechanics that often change fundamental gameplay.
The Franks (Charlemagne): A heavy faith-based civ that gains +1 Faith from Farms. Their unique building, the Mead Hall, replaces the Colosseum to provide additional happiness and culture.
Golden Horde (Batu Khan): Focused on rapid expansion and conquest. They enter a Golden Age and receive a free Worker upon completing their unique Courthouse replacement, the Jarliq.
: Features a unique Worker replacement that has extra movement and the ability to construct fishing boats, making it an exceptional coastal expansion civ.
: Often cited as one of the strongest coastal civilizations, gaining +1 Food and Gold from water tiles and spawning with a unique work boat that isn't consumed when used.
Hittites: A solid early-game choice that starts with Mining unlocked and receives extra gold in the early turns. Competitive Standing (Tier List Insights)
While balance is a core goal, certain civilizations are frequently noted for their strength or unique difficulty in competitive play: Civ 5 Lekmod - 34.4 Tier List
Lekmod is a massive multiplayer-focused overhaul for Civilization V
that expands the roster to 77 civilizations (in versions like v31.4), adding 34 new ones while significantly reworking base game leaders. Key Features of the Lekmod Civ List
Vast New Roster: Includes entirely new civilizations such as , , Madagascar , and
, each with unique abilities (UAs), units (UUs), and buildings (UBs).
Balance Reworks: Every vanilla civilization has been tweaked for competitiveness. For example, India
's population growth mechanic was overhauled to be less of a penalty, and Mongolia received food and culture buffs from horses.
Specialized Roles: Many new civs are designed for specific strategies. are optimized for mid-game military pushes, while Madagascar is tailored for faith-heavy "Holy Site" playstyles.
Consistent Power Levels: Unlike vanilla, where civs like the Iroquois were notoriously weak, Lekmod aims for a tighter balance. Even lower-tier civs usually have a specific niche or "timing" where they are formidable. Notable Civilizations (Sample) Civilization Key Unique Feature Artaxias I +1 Food, +2 Production, and +1 Gold from Mountains. Henry Parkes Known for strong coastal starts and powerful early workers. Nebuchadnezzar
Remains top-tier for science but with balanced Great Scientist generation.
A religious "loot piñata" civ that grants bonuses to those who convert it.
Extremely flexible warring civ typically paired with the Honor policy tree. Competitive Rankings These look cool but will get you killed in multiplayer
Players often categorize these civilizations into tiers based on their consistency in multiplayer matches: S-Tier: , , , , , , . A-Tier: , China , , Russia , , , . Low Tier: , , and sometimes the , though they still have specific naval niches.
For the most up-to-date specific stats, players often refer to the Lekmod Civilization Document or the community Discord. Lekmod Civilizations Tier List (v31.4)
In the world of Civilization V , where the standard history books had been written and rewritten, a new era emerged with the arrival of Lekmod. This mod didn't just add a few new faces to the world stage; it more than doubled the number of civilizations, bringing over 100 choices to the map, each with a unique narrative of power and survival.
Here is a look at the "stories" and roles of some of the most influential civilizations that define the Lekmod experience: The Elite Powers (S-Tier)
These civilizations are often cited by the community on platforms like Reddit as the most dominant forces in the mod. : Often banned in competitive play,
is the undisputed master of the waves. Their ability to dominate any map with water is so overwhelming that many playgroups consider them "too easy" to win with.
: A powerhouse of growth and endurance. Their Sacred Grove unique improvement provides an insane advantage that only scales better as the eras pass, making them a favorite for players who love a strong "simming" game.
: While their unique ability is situational, they boast a legendary unique unit that replaces the worker. This unit moves faster and can create fishing boats, allowing
to set up their infrastructure at a pace other nations simply can't match.
: Even in Lekmod, these classic science giants remain at the top, though they now face stiff competition from newcomers like and the Goths. The Rising Contenders (A-Tier) : No longer just a "Dollar Store Shoshone,"
has been reimagined as a premier expansionist power. Their unique settler moves like a scout and can travel unescorted, allowing them to claim the best lands before anyone else even sees them.
: Frequently highlighted as overpowered choices, these civs offer explosive early-game potential.
, in particular, thrives on plantations, turning basic resources into a colonial empire of gold and production. The Franks
: A story of faith and farming. Their unique ability rewards players for building farms—something they’d do anyway—making them one of the most natural faith-generating civilizations in the mod. Specialized & Unique Roles
Axum: A civilization defined by immediate spiritual impact. Upon founding a religion, it is instantly granted to all their cities, making them a perfect pick for strategies involving the Piety social policy tree.
Ayyubids: The masters of the medieval push. They utilize a unique knight that breaks through melee defenses and maintains happiness even as they conquer city after city.
Hittites: They represent the dawn of the iron age, starting the game with Mining already researched and gaining extra gold in the early turns to jumpstart their economy.
Lekmod isn't just about winning; it's about the variety of ways you can play. From the coastal dominance of
to the stone-based economy of Axom, the mod ensures that almost every civilization has a niche strategy where they can truly shine. Civ 5 Lekmod - 34.4 Tier List
| Civilization | Leader | Unique Ability | |--------------|--------|----------------| | Gauls | Vercingetorix | Melee units gain +10% strength for every adjacent friendly unit; unique Oppidum (Fort replacement). | | Lithuania | Mindaugas | Killing a unit grants +10 Faith; unique Winged Hussar (different from Poland’s – extra flanking damage). | | Sami | Árbediehtu | Deer and Furs yield +1 Food and +1 Production; unique Lavvu (tile improvement – +Faith in tundra). | | Switzerland | Nikolaus von der Flüe | Cannot declare war unless allied; gains +5% Gold per era for each active declaration of friendship. | | Normans | William the Conqueror | Melee units gain +15% combat strength when embarked; unique Motte-and-Bailey (Castle with extra defense). | | Burgundy | Philip the Good | Great Merchant points from Markets; unique Cloth Hall (Bank replacement with culture). |
The Lekmod Civ list introduces various balance changes to ensure a more enjoyable and challenging gameplay experience. Some notable changes include:
Conclusion
The Lekmod Civ list offers a diverse range of civilizations, each with its unique strengths and playstyles. The balance changes and additions ensure a more engaging and immersive gameplay experience. This report provides a comprehensive overview of the civilizations included in the mod and serves as a starting point for further analysis and exploration.
Lekmod increases the total number of playable civilizations from 43 (vanilla + DLC) to over 100. This includes:
