This document collects concepts and design ideas for the Dacian civilization mod in Civilization VII. The concepts here are not necessarily implemented in the mod, but they are a starting point for the modding team.
Civilization Abilities
Murus Dacicus
“Dacian Wall” fortifications encircle every settlement.- All cities gain +3 City Defense Strength from the start
- Walls and other defensive structures are built 30% faster
- Each completed wall level provides +2 🛠️ Production to that city
- Reflects Dacia’s famed layered stone-and-timber ramparts that made cities tough to crack
Carpathian Defenders
Units receive +5 🗡️ Combat Strength when fighting in Hills or Forest terrain. Gold Mines provide +1 🛠️ Production and +1 🎭 Culture.Leader Options
King Burebista (82-44 BCE)
First unifier of the Dacian tribes, who forged a powerful kingdom with common laws and religion
Leader Ability: Unifier of the Tribes
- Capturing a city immediately grants a lump sum of 🕊️ Influence
- Improves Dacia’s relations with City-States
- Diplomatic actions with City-States cost 50% less Influence
- Reflects Burebista’s talent for bringing allies or vassals into the fold
King Decebalus (c. 87-106 CE)
Last king of independent Dacia, celebrated for his fierce guerrilla resistance against Rome
Leader Ability: One with the Wolves
- All units gain +5 🗡️ Combat Strength when fighting on Hills or in Forest terrain
- Units ignore movement penalties in those terrains
- When a Dacian unit is killed in combat, Dacia gains a small amount of 🕊️ Influence
- Enemies earn 50% less XP from defeating Dacian units
- Reflects the Dacian ethos of “death before dishonor” and their wolf spirit
Units
Military Units
Falxman (Unique Military Unit)
Dacian heavy infantry wielding the deadly two-handed falx blade- Classical-era melee unit that replaces the standard swordsman
- +5 🗡️ Combat Strength when attacking
- Deals bonus damage vs. fortified units or district defenses
- Slightly lower defense against ranged attacks (no shield)
- Requires Iron; upgrades from Warriors and into later Gunpowder units
- Historical note: The falx could cleave through Roman helmets, forcing Romans to reinforce their armor
Civilian Units
Dacian Miner (Unique Civilian Unit)
Expert miners who extracted vast quantities of gold and silver from the Carpathian Mountains- Replaces the standard Builder unit in the Classical era
- Can create enhanced Gold and Silver mines that provide +1 🛠️ Production and +1 🎭 Culture
- Can build the River Cache improvement on river tiles, which stores gold (provides one-time gold when built and can be “harvested” later for emergency funds)
- Can create hidden resource stockpiles that cannot be pillaged by enemies
- Reflects how “Decebalus had ingeniously buried a huge hoard of gold and silver under the river Sargesia”
- Historical note: Dacian mining was so productive that controlling these resources was a prime motivator for Roman conquest
Murus Engineer (Unique Civilian Unit)
Master builders skilled in the distinctive Murus Dacicus fortification technique- Ancient era civilian unit with 3 specialized charges
- Can construct Ancient Walls on districts at an accelerated rate
- Walls built by Murus Engineers provide +2 City Defense Strength compared to standard walls
- Units defending on tiles with these walls receive +3 🗡️ Combat Strength
- Reflects the unique Dacian construction method of creating composite walls with stone faces and rubble-timber core
- Historical note: The Murus Dacicus technique created extraordinarily resilient fortifications that proved challenging even for Roman legions to breach
Zalmoxian Priest (Alternative Civilian Unit Concept)
White-robed “kapnobatai” or “smoke-walkers” who conducted ceremonies at mountain sanctuaries- Religious unit that can establish Mountain Sanctuaries in hill and mountain territories
- Can perform rituals that temporarily boost combat strength of nearby units
- Provides culture bombs when establishing religious sites
- Can conduct “Message to Zalmoxis” ceremony that provides a significant one-time Faith boost
Metallurgist (Alternative Civilian Unit Concept)
Dacian smiths who crafted everything from agricultural implements to finely ornamented jewelry and weaponry- Can enhance military units with special equipment, providing combat bonuses
- Creates artifacts when working at archaeological sites
- Improves resource yields from strategic resources
Infrastructure
Temple of Zalmoxis (Unique Building)
A high sanctuary devoted to the Dacians’ supreme deity- Unique Temple building in the Worship quarter
- Provides +6 😊 Happiness (higher than a regular Temple’s 4)
- Contains a Relic slot
- Units trained in or garrisoned in a city with this building heal at double rate within the city’s territory
- Unlocks at the Theology civic; replaces the default Temple
Mountain Sanctuary (Unique Building)
Sacred places where Dacians communed with their gods- Provides +1 🎭 Culture, +1 🛠️ Production, and +1 Influence when adjacent to a Mountain tile
- Grants bonus yields when built on hill tiles
- Acts as a defensive structure, providing combat bonuses to units fighting near it
Gameplay Strategies & Synergies
Military Strategies
Hit & Run
- Conquer settlements to acquire forward positions
- Units in captured settlements with Temple of Zalmoxis heal 100% faster
- Exploit hill and forest terrain for combat advantages
Terrain Mastery
- “The Dark Forest”: +1 combat strength, +1 movement, and +1 sight on forest tiles
- “The Hills Have Eyes”: +5 combat strength, +1 movement, and +1 sight on rough terrain
- Gain influence equal to 50% of unit’s HP after destroying an enemy unit
Diplomatic Advantages
- “The Rest of Us”: +100% influence toward becoming suzerain of a hostile city-state
- +100% influence toward rejecting diplomatic actions from civs with a larger military
- +5 combat strength against city-states
Economic Focus
- Leverage enhanced mining capabilities for strong gold and production economies
- Strategic placement of hidden caches for emergency resources
- Use mountain territories for both defensive and economic advantages
Other thoughts
Interactive Modifiers
Modifiers that are applied only after a specific in-game interaction, like creating a settlement, conquering a settlement, befriending a city-state, etc. CIV 7 already has some of these, but they are not prominently leveraged as part of the civ/leader mechanics. Usually, they’re providedDacian Civilization Pack (Civilization VII Compatibility)
Civilization Card: King Burebista of Dacia
- CIV Ability — Murus Dacicus: “Dacian Wall” fortifications encircle every settlement. All cities gain +3 City Defense Strength off the bat. Walls and other defensive structures are built 30% faster, and each completed wall level provides +2 🛠️ Production in that city (reflecting Dacia’s famed layered stone-and-timber ramparts). This makes Dacian cities tougher nuts to crack and economically rewarded for strong defenses.
- Leader Ability — Unifier of the Tribes: Burebista’s rule knit disparate tribes into one realm. Capturing a city immediately grants a lump sum of 🕊️ Influence (facilitating further diplomacy or expansion) and improves Dacia’s relations with City-States. Diplomatic actions with City-States cost 50% less Influence for Dacia under Burebista, reflecting his talent for bringing allies or vassals into the fold. (E.g. securing treaties, levying troops, or integrating independent cities is cheaper and easier.)
- Unique Unit — Falxman: Dacian heavy infantry wielding the deadly two-handed falx blade. This Classical-era melee unit replaces the standard swordsman. It boasts +5 🗡️ Combat Strength when attacking, and deals bonus damage vs. fortified units or district defenses (its curved blade was historically capable of cleaving through Roman helmets livius.org ). The Falxman forgoes a shield, so it has slightly lower defense when besieged by ranged attacks, but its aggressive power can overwhelm fortified enemies. (Requires Iron; upgrades from Warriors and into later Gunpowder units.)
- Unique Infrastructure — Temple of Zalmoxis: A high sanctuary devoted to the Dacians’ supreme deity, Zalmoxis. This unique Temple building (in the Worship quarter) spreads spiritual unity. It provides +6 😊 Happiness (higher than a regular Temple’s 4) and contains a Relic slot. Additionally, units trained in or garrisoned in a city with the Temple of Zalmoxis heal at double the normal rate within that city’s territory. Dacian cities with this temple become bastions of fervor where warriors recover quickly, mirroring Burebista’s use of religion to strengthen his people researchgate.net . (Unlocks at the Theology civic; replaces the default Temple.)
Civilization Card: King Decebalus of Dacia
- CIV Ability — Murus Dacicus: The same civilization ability as described above is shared by Decebalus’s Dacia. Dacian cities enjoy superior defenses and productivity from fortifications (increased city defense strength, faster wall construction, and bonus production from walls). These robust “Murus Dacicus” fortifications proved their worth during Decebalus’s campaigns, forcing the Romans to commit massive resources to breach Dacia’s hillforts.
- Leader Ability — One with the Wolves: Decebalus was a master of guerrilla tactics and drew on the “wolf” spirit of the Dacians (the very name “Dacian” likely meant “wolf”). All Dacian units under Decebalus gain +5 🗡️ Combat Strength when fighting on Hills or in Forest terrain. They also ignore movement penalties in those terrains, allowing for swift hit-and-run strikes. Additionally, when a Dacian unit is killed in combat, Dacia gains a small amount of 🕊️ Influence and the enemy earns 50% less XP from that loss. This reflects the Dacian ethos of “death before dishonor” — their warriors’ sacrifices inspire the nation rather than the foe. (These bonuses make Decebalus’s forces excel at home-turf defense and raiding tactics, leveraging Dacia’s rugged landscape.)
- Unique Unit — Falxman: Dacia’s signature falx-wielding infantry is available to Decebalus as well. The Falxman retains its high offensive strength and anti-fortification role, which perfectly suits Decebalus’s tactics of ambushing Roman columns and smashing through their shield walls. (See Burebista’s section above for full unit details.) Decebalus’s Falxmen were so formidable that Trajan had to reinforce his legionnaires’ armor livius.org — in game, they will similarly force enemies to think twice before engaging head-on.
- Unique Infrastructure — Temple of Zalmoxis: Decebalus’s Dacia also has access to the unique Temple of Zalmoxis. The spiritual unity it provides (extra Happiness and faster healing in its cities) bolsters Dacian morale in defense. This unique temple’s healing aura synergizes with Decebalus’s need to recover quickly between skirmishes, embodying the zealous faith that every fallen Dacian’s soul lives on. (See Burebista’s section for details on this unique building’s effects.)