Civilization 6: All Secret Societies & Memberships

Fear not, seasoned Civ veterans and newcomers alike, this all-encompassing guide has you covered on the secrets of secret societies in Civ 6.

The new “Secret Societies game mode” in Civilization VI, introduced in a “Euthopia Pack,” is the most intriguing game mode among players. This exciting addition introduces four distinct secret societies, each providing unique bonuses and abilities that can dramatically impact your gameplay. Whether you’re a seasoned Civ veteran or a newcomer, don’t worry, as this guide entails everything about secret societies.

Key Takeaways
  • Secret Societies is a game mode in Civilization VI that allows players to join one of four unique secret organizations.
  • The four societies are the Owls of Minerva, the Hermetic Order, the Voidsingers, and the Sanguine Pact.
    1. The Owls of Minerva focus on trade, diplomacy, and espionage.
    2. The Hermetic Order is focused on science, Great People, and the unique resource called Ley Lines.
    3. The Voidsingers are centered around Faith and use the unique resource called “Cultists” to spread chaos.
    4. The Sanguine Pact involves military power and domination.
  • Each society provides unique bonuses and abilities that can help players achieve victory in different ways.
  • To join all four secret societies, players need to start a new game and choose a civilization that has access to the Heroes and Legends game mode.

What Are Secret Societies In Civ 6?

Secret Societies is a game mode in Civilization VI that allows players to join one of four unique secret organizations. These secret societies are groups with specialized abilities and bonuses that can help you achieve victory in different ways.

The four societies include the Owls of Minerva, which focused on trade and diplomacy; the Hermetic Order, which concentrated on science and Great People; the Voidsingers, that is focused on faith and chaos; and the Sanguine Pact, focusing on military power and domination.

Once you join a society, you will gain access to exclusive buildings, units, and abilities that can boost your empire’s strength in your chosen area of expertise. With these special abilities and bonuses, you can gain an advantage over other civilizations and become the dominant force in the game.

Secret Societies in Civ 6
Secret Societies game mode in Civ 6. [image by eXputer]

How To Discover The Secret Societies

Before joining a specific secret society, one must discover it first. Now the discovery of each society is different from others. We have explained below how to discover each society:

  • Owls of Minerva: you must send an Envoy to a city-state.
  • Hermetic Order: you will have to discover natural wonder first.
  • Voidsingers: pay a visit to Tribal Village.
  • Sanguine Pact: disperse a Barbarian Camp.

Steps To Join

To join all four secret societies in Civilization 6, you need to follow these steps:

  1. Start a new game and choose a civilization that has access to the Heroes and Legends game mode.
  2. Once you have found your first city, you will receive a notification that a Secret Society is interested in working with you.
  3. Click on the notification to learn more about society and the benefits it provides.
  4. Choose to accept the invitation to join the society, and you will gain access to its unique abilities and units.
  5. Continue playing the game and building your empire. As you progress, you will receive additional invitations to join other secret societies.
  6. To join all four societies, you need to make sure that you accept each invitation as it comes and complete the associated quests to gain favor with the society.
  7. Once you have joined all four societies, you will have access to a wide range of unique abilities and units that can give you a significant advantage over your opponents.

Now we will discuss each secret society in detail.

Owls of Minerva

Owls of Minerva
Owls of Minerva Society in Civ 6. [image by us]
The Owls of Minerva focus on trade, diplomacy, and espionage. They are a great choice for players who want to build a strong economy and maintain good relations with other civilizations. Their unique unit, the “Druzhina,” is a powerful melee unit that gains bonuses from nearby city-states.

Membership Levels

  • Initiation: Unlocks the Gilded Vault, a unique building that replaces the Bank and provides additional Great Work slots, as well as extra Gold and Culture for each Trade Route.
  • Ritual: Grants the ability to construct a Spy, and your Spies start with a free promotion.
  • Indoctrination: Provides a free Economic Policy slot, increasing your flexibility in managing your empire.
  • Master Plan: Your Spies can choose from any possible promotion, allowing you to tailor them to your needs.
  • Also, when you successfully complete an offensive Spy operation, you have a chance to gain a free Governor Title.

Hermetic Order

Hermetic Order
Hermetic Order Societ in Civ 6. [image by eXputer]
The Hermetic Order is focused on science, Great People, and the unique resource called Ley Lines. This secret society is ideal for players aiming for a Science or Culture victory. Their unique unit, the “Sphinx,” is a ranged unit that can provide bonuses to adjacent units.

Membership Levels

  • Initiation: Reveals Ley Lines on the map, which provide Science adjacency bonuses and Great People points when worked.
  • Ritual: Unlocks the Alchemical Society, a unique building that replaces the University.
  • It provides additional Great People points, Science, and Production.
  • Indoctrination: Ley Lines provide additional yields based on your current Age (Faith, Gold, Production, or Science).
  • Master Plan: Unlocks the Occult Research project, which grants a random free technology or civic when completed.

Voidsingers

secret society: Voidsingers
Voidsingers Secret Society in Civ 6. [image by us]
The Voidsingers focus on Faith and use the unique resource called “Cultists” to spread chaos. They are suitable for players seeking a Religious or Domination victory. Their unique unit, the “Shade,” is a stealthy unit that can see through the fog of war and gain combat bonuses against units that are also in the fog.

Membership Levels

  • Initiation: Unlocks the Old God Obelisk, a unique building replacing the Monument, provides additional Faith, Culture, and Great Writer points upon unlocking.
  •  Ritual: Unlocks the ability to purchase Cultists with Faith, which then enables the “Recruit Followers” action, which generates Relics and reduces Loyalty in foreign cities.
  • Indoctrination: Cities with your majority religion convert a percentage of Faith, Science, Culture, and Gold yields into additional yields of the same type.
  • Master Plan: The “Recruit Followers” action by Cultists now reduces Loyalty in all foreign cities within nine tiles.

Sanguine Pact

secret society: Sanguine Pact
Sanguine Pact society. [image by eXputer]
The Sanguine Pact focuses on military power and domination. This secret society is perfect for players who want to conquer the world. Their unique unit, the “Vampire,” is a powerful melee unit that can heal itself by attacking enemy units.

Membership Levels

  • Initiation: Unlocks the Vampire unit, a powerful melee unit that grows stronger with each defeated enemy unit.
  • Ritual: Unlocks the Vampire Castle improvement, which provides Housing, Amenities, and bonus yields based on the surrounding tiles. 
  • It also teleports Vampire units back to your territory when they are defeated.
  • Indoctrination: Gain an additional Vampire unit and increase the combat strength of all Vampires.
  • Master Plan: Vampire Castles now provide a percentage of the yields from their tiles to the nearest city, and you can build one additional Vampire Castle.

Tips On Civ 6 Secret Societies

The Secret Societies game mode in Civ 6 adds a new layer of depth and strategy to the game, allowing players to tailor their experience based on their preferred playstyle. Each secret society offers unique benefits and abilities, so be sure to choose the one that best aligns with your desired victory condition.

When playing with Secret Societies, remember to adjust your strategy based on the bonuses and abilities provided by your chosen society. Explore different combinations of societies and civilizations to find the most powerful and synergistic match-ups.

To make the most out of the Secret Societies mode, be sure to:

  1. Complete Society-specific tasks: Focus on tasks that align with your secret society’s strengths, like espionage for the Owls of Minerva or faith generation for the Voidsingers.
  2. Prioritize related technologies and civics: Choose technologies and civics that enhance your society’s abilities, such as those that improve trade, faith generation, or military power.
  3. Manage your Governors: Assign Governors strategically to take advantage of the bonuses provided by your secret society. For example, if you’re part of the Voidsingers, place a Governor in a city with a high-faith output to maximize your benefits.
  4. Adapt to your opponents: Keep an eye on the secret societies your opponents have joined and adjust your strategy accordingly. If multiple players have joined the same society, consider forming alliances or targeting their shared weaknesses.

It’s important to note that each secret society has its own strengths and weaknesses, and you should choose the society that best fits your playstyle and strategy. For instance, if you’re playing a peaceful game focused on economic growth, the Owls of Minerva may be the best choice. However, if you’re playing a game focused on military conquest, the Sanguine Pact may be the better choice.

Ultimately, the best society is the one that complements your strategy and playstyle the most. Additionally, some societies may be more difficult to join than others, so be prepared to invest time and resources into completing their quests and gaining their favor.

Expansion Of Secret Societies

This game mode in Civilization 6 is the most enjoyed game mode among players. However, the options are a bit too limited. There are many potential avenues for expanding and updating the societies in Civ 6. For example, new societies could be added that focus on different aspects of the game, such as culture, diplomacy, or exploration.

Alternatively, existing societies could be updated with new abilities, units, or quests to make them more appealing to players. It’s worth noting that expanding and updating the societies in Civ 6 would require careful balance and testing to ensure that no society becomes too overpowered or underpowered.

It’s also important to ensure that new societies or updates don’t disrupt the existing gameplay mechanics or strategies. Overall, expanding and updating the societies in Civ 6 could be a great way to keep the game fresh and engaging for players. Still, it would require careful planning and execution to ensure a balanced and enjoyable experience for all players.

Wrap Up

As stated in a subreddit post, the Secret Societies game mode in Civilization VI adds a new layer of complexity and excitement to the game, allowing players to join one of four unique secret organizations that provide specialized abilities and bonuses.

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Saqib


Saqib is a Gaming News writer at eXputer with one year of writing experience. His love for RPG Games and great stories knows no bounds. In his free time, Saqib is on yet another adventure with Geralt of Rivia or roaming around in Night City.

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