Civilization 7 taps the very human nature of expanding control and influence by allowing you to take over any settlements on the map or find your own settlements through a settler unit. You can build an extensive empire in a short time through settler units or taking on cities.
Along with the large cities and towns, you will also find small Independent Villages, something that reminds you of the old times. Once you locate such areas, you have the option of becoming their Suzerain. If you don’t know what a Suzerain is, how to become one, and what the benefits of being one are, we will explain it all for you.
Civilization 7: What is a Suzerain?
In non-game terms, Suzerain is a feudal lord who overlooks all the matters of a particular area. In Civ 7, a Suzerain is a co-owner of a settlement.
You can become the Suzerain of an Independent Village, which is a one-tile settlement and has no affiliations or connections with other Villages on the map. These Independent Villages are randomly spread on the map, but if you are looking for one, it is usually located near your capital at the start of a playthrough.
When you locate an Independent Power or Village, you get a couple of options about how to proceed, and becoming Suzerain is one of them.
When you successfully become a Suzerain of an Independent Power, you get some control over it, but it doesn’t become part of your empire. It allows you to perform some extra actions for that particular Independent despite not being added to your settlement total.
However, there is an issue with becoming the Suzerain of an Independent Power. A leader can come and claim it; it can be troublesome, especially if the area falls at a strategic position in your empire, like a coastline or near your resource tiles. Hence, it is a good idea to not become the Suzerain of every Independent Village you encounter.
How to Become Suzerain of an Independent Village/Power?
Here is a quick guide on becoming Suzerain in Civilization 7.
- Locate an Independent Power on the map and click on its capacity tile.
- You will get a menu with two options: “Befriend the Independent” and “Independent – Incite Raid”. Click “Befriend the Independent” to become Suzerain; it costs around 170 Influence to start the Suzerainship process.
- Create a special unit that can travel to the specific town for which you want to become the Suzerain. We recommend using Scout as the best option because they can cover more distance and travel to the furthest in town.
- Send your unit to the next tile of the town without showing any hostility.
- Once your unit is next to the Independent Power, click it and build a relationship with them using your Influence.
- Keep using your Influence to buff the town until you become its Suzerain. Once you establish a connection with the town, it is not necessary to keep your unit next to it.
- Gradually, the whole town, its army, and all the other resources it has will come under your control and be available for you to use.
- Once you become the Suzerain, the Independent Village becomes a city-state.
Important Note: You cannot befriend an Independent if you are engaged in a fight with its troops.
In other words, you cannot become their Suzerain. Hence, calculate your moves carefully before attacking if you want to become a Suzerain of an Independent Power.
What are the Benefits of Being a Suzerain in Civ 7?
The biggest benefit of becoming a Suzerain of an Independent Power is that you get some control on the map. Once a settlement is under your control, other leaders can’t take it over. This gets more critical when you are traveling to a new continent, as it allows you to create your empire on new lands.
When you become a Suzerain, the Independent becomes your settlement, and it gives you some control over it.
You can get full control over by converting Independent Power into City-State, which can be done after you become its Suzerain. You can access this option by clicking the settlement’s capital tile. It takes several turns before a settlement is converted into a City-State and it costs over 1000 Influence. Once the process is complete, the Independent becomes a town instead of a City-State.
But before you incorporate the City-State, you have plenty of options, such as promoting the city’s growth, boosting its military power, and transferring its military resources to your empire.
These actions do cost some Influence but they are worth it. However, once a City-State becomes a part of your empire, its resources disappear and are not available for you.
But are there any downsides to becoming a Suzerain? The biggest is the Influence cost. Another one is that incorporating City-State takes time if you are over the settlement limit, and it will increase unhappiness in the game.
That being said, becoming a Suzerain is the best choice, as you can add a settlement and expand your empire.
One precautionary measure from our side: it is better to hold off on Suzerainship if you are hostile with another leader in the game. It provides your opponent a chance to take over the weaker settlement as you are focused on more established towns and cities.
Can you become Suzerain of all Independent Villages?
No. You cannot become Suzerain of all Independent Powers or Villages in Civilization 7. Some Independents, known as “Encampments” are always hostile towards others.
The only way you can deal with them is to be hostile towards them and attack them. Encampments show up at a new location, and their frequency increases when you increase the game’s difficulty level.
