Civilization VII arrived in February 2025 and cuts a game into three Ages: Antiquity, Exploration and Modern. Your leader stays with you from the first turn to the last, but the civilization under that leader is chosen again at every Age break, so Egypt can become the Abbasids and then Buganda. Each Age closes with a Crisis, and every settlement except your capital drops back to a town when the next Age opens.
Resource management and crafting determine how quickly your power scales. This guide covers what to prioritize, where to farm, and how to avoid wasting resources on the wrong upgrades.
Crafting Priority List
The order you should invest resources:
| Priority | Target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Primary equipment | Biggest damage increase per resource spent |
| 2 | Core build gear | Enables your build's key combinations |
| 3 | Defensive upgrades | Survivability for boss fights |
| 4 | Secondary equipment | Situational options for specific content |
| 5 | Consumables | Temporary boosts for hard content |
Resource Farming by Area
Pyramid of the Sun
Key resources: 3 Culture, 2 Culture on Quarters in this settlement Farming efficiency: Low value per run, but safe and consistent
Focus on gathering materials for Fleet Commander upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Colossus
Key resources: 3 Gold, 3 Resource Capacity, economic attribute point Farming efficiency: Good early-game farming spot
Focus on gathering materials for Fleet Commander upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Nalanda
Key resources: 3 Science, 2 Codex slots, scientific attribute point Farming efficiency: Best mid-game farming, worth revisiting
Focus on gathering materials for Fleet Commander upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Terracotta Army
Key resources: 2 Production, free Army Commander, 25 percent army experience Farming efficiency: High-value materials for late-game upgrades
This is where you farm materials for Army Commander max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Weiyang Palace
Key resources: 6 Influence per turn for diplomacy and Suzerain bids Farming efficiency: Best resources in the game, requires strong build
This is where you farm materials for Army Commander max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Upgrade Path
Early Game (Pyramid of the Sun to Colossus)
- Upgrade your starting equipment to functional level
- Craft basic defensive gear
- Save specialty materials, since you'll need them later
- Focus on Fleet Commander once accessible
Mid Game (Nalanda)
- Push Fleet Commander to mid-level upgrades
- Start collecting materials for Army Commander
- Craft situational consumables for boss fights
- Upgrade build-specific gear pieces
Late Game (Terracotta Army to Weiyang Palace)
- Max out Army Commander. This is your top priority
- Complete your build's core gear set
- Craft endgame consumables
- Optional: upgrade secondary equipment for variety
Crafting Mistakes to Avoid
- Spreading upgrades across multiple equipment: Focus one weapon to max before diversifying.
- Hoarding materials: Use them. The game provides enough if you farm efficiently.
- Upgrading the wrong gear: Check our builds guide before investing.
- Ignoring Nalanda farming: This area has the best resource-to-time ratio in mid-game.
- Crafting consumables too early: Save specialty materials for late-game recipes.
Resource Efficiency Tips
- Decide which Legacy Path you are chasing inside the first twenty turns of each Age. The paths are scored separately and a half committed empire finishes none of them, while a focused one banks Legacy Points and starts the next Age with a real advantage.
- Farm Nalanda during mid-game for the best return on time
- Check the walkthrough to know when each resource becomes available
- Match your farming route to your build. Some classes farm faster in certain areas
More Sid Meier's Civilization VII Guides
- Sid Meier's Civilization VII Sid Meier's Civilization VII Overview
- Sid Meier's Civilization VII Best Builds
- Sid Meier's Civilization VII Tier List
- Sid Meier's Civilization VII Walkthrough
- Sid Meier's Civilization VII Beginner's Guide
- Sid Meier's Civilization VII Tips & Tricks
- Sid Meier's Civilization VII Weapons Guide
- Sid Meier's Civilization VII Combat Guide
- Sid Meier's Civilization VII Boss Guide
- Sid Meier's Civilization VII Maps & Locations
- Sid Meier's Civilization VII Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Sid Meier's Civilization VII, check out these related guides:
- Sid Meier's Civilization V Crafting Guide: strategy game with similar mechanics
- Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord Crafting Guide: strategy game with similar mechanics
- RimWorld Crafting Guide: strategy game with similar mechanics
