Civilization VII Update 1.3.1 Adds Tides of Power

Update 1.3.1 for Civilization VII delivers the second half of the Tides of Power Collection, a new Shattered Seas map type, and further refinements to biome generation. The patch also includes a fresh strategic balance pass covering several civilizations, alongside the introduction of the Great Library Wonder and multiple gameplay, AI, and systems adjustments.

The update arrives with leader Sayyida al Hurra, the Ottomans, and Iceland as part of Tides of Power, plus a host of quality-of-life improvements, UI refinements, and bug fixes. It is a lighter patch in scope compared to some earlier updates, but it still pushes meaningful new content and tuning into the game ahead of the holiday period.

Patch Notes

New Content and Tides of Power

Update 1.3.1 rolls out on all platforms, delivering the second part of the Tides of Power Collection.
Civ VII players can claim the Tides of Power Collection for free on their platform of choice any time before January 5, 2026, and keep it permanently once claimed.
Part two of Tides of Power introduces leader Sayyida al Hurra.
Part two of Tides of Power adds the Ottomans civilization.
Part two of Tides of Power adds the Iceland civilization.
Players are advised that some new abilities or effects may only appear in new games or after advancing to the next Age in an existing campaign.
For the best experience, the update recommends starting a new game or playing an existing campaign into the next Age.
Players encountering new issues are encouraged to disable mods, as some may be incompatible with the latest update.
Steam players who want to finish a current save under a previous version can use the legacy Steam beta branch.

Shattered Seas Map

Introduced the Shattered Seas map type, combining elements of Pangaea and Archipelago.
Shattered Seas consists of large islands separated by shallow water.
Each large island is sized to support a couple of Settlements.
Players must expand across the seas early to grow their empires on Shattered Seas.
Similar to Pangaea maps, most of the map is available starting in Antiquity.
Shattered Seas includes Distant Lands islands to discover across deep ocean in the Exploration Age.
Coastal water visuals have been added to the minimap to assist with navigation on Shattered Seas and other map types.
The Shattered Seas naval focus pairs with the previous naval update and Tides of Power content, encouraging early sailing technology and Cog production.

Biomes and Map Generation

Biome generation has been updated across all map types.
Adjusted the impact of rainfall on biome placement.
Modified wind direction behavior to better influence biome patterns.
Mountains now cast more meaningful rain shadows, creating zones of low rainfall.
Water access from rivers now has a stronger impact on biome generation.
Latitude effects on biomes have been refined for more natural distribution.
These changes aim to create more organically shaped biomes overall.
The team continues to monitor feedback on procedural generation and plans more map improvements in future updates.
Future map changes are expected to expose additional settings such as sea level and world age.

Strategic Balance Pass

Update 1.3.1 applies a new round of balance adjustments to several civilizations, including Egypt, America, Russia, and others.
Some changes address reported issues, such as adjustments to the Shawnee Unique Improvement.
Other changes include a mixture of nerfs and buffs to civ abilities.
Egypt has been tuned back after being a standout since the last update, based on player feedback that it stacked too many advantages.
With this patch, the current civ balance focus is considered complete for now.
The team plans to shift attention toward other systems over the next few months, while still adjusting civs as needed.

Gameplay and AI

AI

AI now correctly uses unique Diplomatic actions gained from City-State bonuses.
AI playing as the Republic of Pirates will now move their Sloops after defeating a Naval Unit if they still have remaining Movement Points.
Fixed a reported issue where Independent Power Army Commanders would fail to move or act after the Independent Power became friendly while raiding a player Settlement.
Independent Powers AI no longer fails to pack Army Commanders after the player selects Incite Raid.
Uposatha, Charters, Enlightenment, Patronage, Indenture, and Colonial Surplus now properly apply their bonuses to Yield-type adjacency for Improvements when slotted.
Captured Settlements no longer fail to be returned to their original owner when the AI sends a Peace Deal.
Resolved an issue where AI would overcommit to Counter Spy actions in the Modern Age, even against friendly civilizations and allies.
AI now prioritizes Diplomatic Actions based on relationships with other leaders.

Diplomacy

The Diplomacy panel now automatically opens on the player’s civilization and leader uniques.
The Diplomacy panel now displays Traditions for easier reference.
Items with prerequisite technologies or civics now list the unlock requirement in the Diplomacy panel.
Denounce Military Presence now appears with correct condition text.
Fixed an issue where Denounce Military Presence showed incorrect “Peace Deal” text when playing as Tonga and meeting Distant Lands leaders.

Environment and Biomes

Water tiles now list their biome type as Marine.
Whales and Fish now spawn in the Ocean in the Modern Age.
Rainfall now has an increased impact on biome generation.
Mountains cast clearer rain shadows, creating drier zones.
Dry zones interact with Westerly and Easterly wind behavior, changing with latitude.
Crabs can now spawn on navigable rivers.
Excavating an Artifact no longer becomes unavailable when a Ruin is within the borders of a Settlement that is conquered.

Economy

Fixed an issue where the player could not create trade routes to certain Distant Land Settlements from the Homelands.
Salt and Truffles now correctly grant plus 20 percent Production toward training any Unit when slotted into a City.
Developer note states this adjustment is intended to resolve remaining issues from the last update so these Resources now work as intended.
Clay Pits now properly gain a Production bonus from Technology and Warehouses when the Improvement is built on a Clay Resource tile.
Great Stele Gold now properly scales per Age when building Wonders in Exploration and Modern.
The effect of Wiyehi Simekofi Mastery can no longer be stacked on Mawaskawe Skote when building multiple Mawaskawe Skote Improvements in one Settlement.
Unimproved tiles affected by Policies no longer retain their Yield preview after the relevant Policy card is removed.

Legends and Mementos

Brace of Pistols Memento has been rebalanced.
Brace of Pistols now provides plus 2 Combat Strength to Naval Units when attacking.
Naval Units no longer receive a Combat Strength bonus when defending from this Memento.

Miscellaneous Gameplay and Visuals

Coastal tiles are now visible on the minimap.
Fixed a reported issue where Shawnee was not correctly showing as unlockable or unlocked.
Navigation is now a prerequisite for Future Tech in the Antiquity Tech Tree.
Various visual and camera improvements have been made to the world wrap effect on maps.

Military

Army Commander Focus Fire can no longer be used with Naval Units when Naval Units are within an Army Commander’s Command Radius.
Military Academy now correctly grants a free level when training Fleet or Air Commanders in the Settlement.
Treasure Convoys origin and Treasure Fleet point information no longer disappear when the original Settlement is captured.
Naval Units no longer attack other Naval Units from range when the Shipsheds Mastery Unique Civic is unlocked during Antiquity.
Pirate Ability now properly appears in the Privateer description.
Captured City Center tiles with only an undamaged Palace or City Hall no longer appear as valid coastal raid targets.
Unique Units from the Tides of Power DLC now have consistent Unit Maintenance Costs when obtained.
Fixed a reported issue where Antiquity Army Commanders could incorrectly receive an additional Command Radius boost after transitioning to the Exploration Age when playing as Friedrich Oblique.
Army Commanders no longer fail to gain XP when a Unit deals damage to an enemy inside the upgraded Command Radius.
The Niter Resource description has been updated in Modern to clarify that it applies to Heavy Naval Units in addition to Siege Units.
Developer note explains that Niter already applied to Naval and Siege Units, and the new Heavy and Light Naval Unit identities prompted clearer wording and reinforced the ranged identity of Heavy Naval Units.
Naval melee Units such as the Privateer and Sloop now correctly advance onto the tile after defeating a non-capturable Unit.
Naval melee Units now correctly hold position when defeating a capturable Unit.
Fixed a reported issue where enemy Units located in a Town or City received through a peace deal could become stuck and unable to move until war was declared again.

Wonders

Added the Great Library Wonder to the game.
Great Library provides plus 4 base Science Yield.
Great Library grants plus 1 Science on Science Buildings across the Empire.
Great Library has 3 Codex Slots.
Great Library must be placed adjacent to a District.
Great Library is unlocked via the Mathematics Tech Mastery.
Developer note indicates this Wonder was held back while its purpose was refined, and it is intended to help players complete the Antiquity Cultural Legacy Path and support more focused Science empires.

Leaders and Civilizations

Leaders

Tides of Power adds new leader Sayyida al Hurra.
Sayyida al Hurra is introduced as a Diplomatic and Militaristic leader who rose in the wake of Granada’s fall.
Sayyida al Hurra ruled Tétouan, dealing directly with European powers and forming alliances with Barbary corsairs.

Sayyida al Hurra Ability – Hakima Tatwan

Receive a Naval Unit every time you complete an Espionage Action.
Naval Units stationed on a District provide increased Culture.
Naval Units stationed on a District provide increased Influence per Age.
No Influence penalty is applied when Sayyida al Hurra’s Espionage is revealed.
Opponents cannot use Counter Spy against Sayyida al Hurra.

Sayyida al Hurra Agenda – Wattasid Dynasty

Relationship decreases by a medium amount with leaders who have the most Naval Units on the map.
Relationship increases by a small amount with leaders who have the least Naval Units on the map.

Civilizations

Iceland (Exploration Age, Tides of Power DLC)

Added new Exploration Age civilization Iceland.
Iceland is characterized as Militaristic and Cultural.
Unique Ability Kringla Heimsins grants a set amount of Culture when discovering a Natural Wonder in Distant Lands, scaling with game speed.
Missionaries cost a set percentage more for Iceland.
Unique Civilian Unit Saga Hero is a Great Person trainable in Settlements with a Thingstadr.
Unique Military Unit Vikingr is a Unique Naval Unit whose Coastal Raiding grants Science equal to a set percentage of the Pillaging Yield and has increased Sight.
Associated Wonder Reykjaholt is a Culture base Wonder that increases Production toward Military Units in the City for each Great Work present.
Reykjaholt has a set number of Relic Slots and must be placed in Tundra.

Ottomans (Modern Age, Tides of Power DLC)

Added new Modern Age civilization Ottomans.
Ottomans are described as Militaristic and Cultural.
Unique Ability Devlet-i Aliye-i Osmaniye grants an additional Artifact when any leader Excavates an Artifact in Ottoman territory.
Infantry and Naval Units receive increased Combat Strength when attacking.
Unique Military Unit Barbary Corsair is a Unique Light Naval Unit for which Coastal Raid costs no Movement.
Unique Military Unit Janissary is a Unique Infantry Unit with increased Combat Strength against other Land Units.
Settlements suffer a Happiness penalty for each Janissary stationed in or occupying a District.
Associated Wonder Sultanahmet Camii is a Happiness base Wonder.
Sultanahmet Camii provides increased Culture and Gold on Wonders in the Settlement.
The Wonder bonuses increase further for Exploration Wonders and even more for Antiquity Wonders.
Sultanahmet Camii must be built adjacent to another Wonder.

Civilization Balance Changes

Egypt

Riches of the Duat now provides plus 10 percent Production towards Wonders, doubled for Wonders in Desert Terrain.
Riches of the Duat provides plus 2 Production on Wonders in Desert Terrain.
Previously, Riches of the Duat granted plus 15 percent Production towards Wonders, doubled for Desert Wonders, plus 2 Production on Desert Wonders.
Gifts of Osiris now provides plus 2 Production on Improvements and Districts on Navigable Rivers.
Previously, Gifts of Osiris also applied to Minor Rivers.
Developer note explains that removing Minor River bonuses keeps strong Egyptian river empires powerful while being less generous away from Navigable Rivers.
Akhet now provides plus 2 Food on Improvements and Districts on Navigable Rivers only.
Previously, Akhet also applied to Minor Rivers.
Kemet now provides plus 1 Culture on Improvements and Districts on Navigable Rivers only.
Previously, Kemet also applied to Minor Rivers.

America

Gold Rush now provides plus 3 Gold on Resource Tiles.
Previously, Gold Rush granted plus 5 Gold for every assigned Resource.
Developer note states that America had excessive Gold and Influence, prompting a broad reduction to align with Modern economic goals.
Lend Lease now grants plus 5 Gold and plus 1 Influence per Trade Route.
Previously, Lend Lease granted plus 25 Gold and plus 5 Influence per Trade Route.
Robber Baron now provides plus 1 Influence for every assigned Resource in Cities.
Previously, Robber Baron provided plus 2 Influence per assigned Resource.
Captains of Industry Tier 2 now grants plus 1 Production on Resources and plus 1 Settlement Limit.
Previously, Captains of Industry provided plus 2 Production on Resources and plus 1 Settlement Limit.
Yankee Ingenuity Tier 2 now grants an additional Prospector or Marine whenever you train one.
Previously, Yankee Ingenuity granted a 25 percent Gold discount for Prospectors.

Russia

Prosveshchenie now grants plus 1 Culture on Quarters and plus 1 Science on Quarters in Tundra.
Previously, Prosveshchenie granted plus 1 Culture and plus 1 Science on Districts, doubled in Tundra.
Developer note indicates Russia was deceptively strong with moderate setup, especially when transitioned into as a Modern civ with favorable terrain.
The new design still rewards strong Tundra setups but makes players work more for the payoff.
Serfdom Tier 1 now unlocks the Obshchina, grants plus 10 percent Production towards Wonders, and provides plus 1 Food on Farms in Towns.
Previously, Serfdom only unlocked the Obshchina and granted plus 1 Food on Farms in Towns.
Table of Ranks Tier 1 now grants plus 1 Gold and plus 1 Production on Urban Districts in Cities and provides the Hermitage Wonder.
Previously, Table of Ranks granted plus 1 Gold on Urban Districts and the Hermitage Wonder.
Obshchina now provides plus 1 Food on all Farms in the Settlement and plus 2 Culture if in Tundra.
Obshchina remains a Russian Empire Unique Improvement that is ageless, does not remove Warehouse bonuses, and cannot be built adjacent to another Obshchina.
Previously, Obshchina provided plus 2 Food on all Farms and plus 2 Culture in Tundra with the same placement rules.

Rome

Auxilia now grants plus 3 percent Production towards Military Units in the Capital for every Town.
Previously, Auxilia provided plus 5 percent Production per Town.
Cursus Honorum now grants plus 1 Culture on Diplomacy and Military Buildings.
Previously, Cursus Honorum granted Culture equal to 25 percent of Infantry Unit Production cost when training Infantry Units.
Latinitas now grants plus 1 Food, Gold, and Culture in Towns, or plus 2 of each in Fort Towns.
Previously, Latinitas granted plus 5 percent Food, Gold, and Culture in Towns without a Growing Town Focus.
Basilica is now a Roman Unique Diplomacy Building that grants plus 3 Influence and plus 1 Gold adjacency for Culture Buildings and Wonders, and is ageless.
Previously, Basilica was a Roman Unique Gold Building granting plus 3 Gold and plus 1 Influence, and was ageless.

Buganda

River Raids now grants additional Culture when pillaging Buildings or Improvements equal to the Yield or Healing gained.
Land Units retain the Amphibious keyword, maintaining combat strength while embarked and avoiding movement penalties for embarking and disembarking.
Civilian and Support Units now gain plus 3 Movement Speed while Embarked.
Previously, River Raids did not include the Embarked Movement Speed bonus for Civilian and Support Units.

Carthage

Shipsheds Tier 2 now grants plus 5 Combat Strength for Naval Units at full health.
Previously, Shipsheds granted plus 1 Range for Naval Units.
Developer note explains that Navy changes and distinct Light and Heavy Naval Unit identities required an update to this ability.

Songhai

Songhai Unique Ability now properly provides Production only to Cities on Navigable Rivers when assigning Resources to them.
The description for Songhai Tradition Timbuktu has been updated.

UI and UX

Alignment and Spacing

Improved UI layout for the Espionage Report Window.
Improved UI for Leader Level, fixing overlap on Leader Portraits in the Challenges Progress Menu.
The scroll bar in the Advanced Options Menu no longer moves beyond its intended area when dragged downward.
Leader portrait and support bar are no longer misaligned on super wide 3840 x 1600 resolution when supporting another leader’s war.

Controller Specific

When using the Handheld Viewing Experience option, the right node is no longer highlighted incorrectly when the player selects the left node in the Attribute Tree.

Civilopedia

Added a new Civilopedia entry for Pirating.
Marine Unique Unit and Terrain now appear as unique entries when searching for Marine.
Happiness accumulation during a Celebration is now clarified properly in the Civilopedia entry for Celebration.

General Systems and Quality of Life

Modders can now make additions to the Options Screen.
Selecting a Merchant now correctly displays possible Trade Routes.
Naval Attack action for Naval Units now correctly shows the red arrow preview when targeting hostile Units.
Settler Lens no longer remains active when opening the Settlement growth panel.
Added the Pirate Ability icon to Independent Powers Privateer Units.
Tutorial welcome messages now properly display when starting an Antiquity Age game with tutorials enabled.
District health bars now correctly disappear when a District reaches full health.
Replaced incorrect art for the unlocked Amina banner in the Foundation and Leader banner unlocks when viewed in the Your Progress screen.
Downloadable content now correctly appears when viewing the config file in the Save Config menu.
The unmet leader portrait is no longer empty when attempting to form an alliance with a leader who is at war with an unmet leader.
Game resolution now properly reverts to the default Auto setting when resetting the graphics tab in Options.
Addressed a reported hard crash that could occur when changing Intel XeSS Frame Generation and Intel Xe Low Latency settings in the Options menu.

Text and Tooltips

Buccaneer Coordinated Attack and Focus Fire now display text indicating that the player must be at war with a Unit in Command Radius if the action fails.
Antiquity and Exploration Age Social Policies that grant Yields to Buildings now correctly specify that they only apply to current Age Buildings, not to Buildings from previous Ages.
Names are no longer missing for Unique Units and Buildings when viewing a civilization description in a Multiplayer lobby.
Various text improvements and fixes have been made across the game.
Added tooltip information about Unit respawning after defeat for Aircraft Carrier Units.
Units are now consistently referred to as Units in the Fleet Commander Assemble Army tooltip.
In Progress information now appears correctly when hovering over a Wonder that is under construction.

Audio

The voice over for the Centralism Civic now matches the displayed quote.

Content Collection – Tides of Power Part Two

Tides of Power Part Two continues the sea themed Content Collection.
The Collection is free to claim for Civilization VII players until January 5, 2026, after which it will be available for purchase.
Part two introduces leader Sayyida al Hurra.
Part two adds the Ottomans civilization.
Part two adds the Iceland civilization.

Have you noticed these changes? Share your thoughts in the comments!

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