One of the best victory options for fuel population growth with extensive Food resources. Pachacuti's pursuit of an Economic Victory will be most effective using Mississippi for the Antiquity Age, the Inca for Exploration, and America for Modern. The larger strategy will include completing the Silk Roads, Treasure Fleets, and Railroad Tycoon Legacy Paths in each respective Age, and maintaining strong alliances to ensure World Banks can be established quickly in the final stages of the game.

Pachacuti will need to lean into his strengths to achieve this goal, particularly the various Food adjacency bonuses available that complement his Earth Shaker ability. If possible, equip Pachacuti with Food-boosting Mementos, such as Poteskwate or, ideally, Topayauri (if available). Pachacuti is most successful in mountainous terrain, with his ability providing a +1 Food Adjacency to Mountains and negating the Happiness penalty for Specialists when they're placed next to Mountains. Each civilization choice synergizes with this ability and will allow Pachacuti to establish a vast trade network and eventually secure an Economic win.

Best Economic Strategy For Pachacuti In Civ 7's Antiquity Age: Mississippi

Pachacuti & Mississippi Can Develop Thriving Cities

Mississippi's unique features complement Pachacuti nicely and help drive population growth exponentially throughout the Age. The best strategy for Pachacuti in the Antiquity Age is to lean into Town and City growth while simultaneously establishing positive relationships with allies and Independent Powers. To establish strong alliances, be mindful of where Pachacuti settles and where he spends his Influence. Diplomatic Treaties and Endeavors should be used strategically, with the Farmers Market and Open Market Endeavors as relationship-improving options. Asg 20 Resources to Settlements for the Silk Roads Legacy Path is most easily accomplished through trade and expansion.

The Mississippian Watonathi trader unit provides a Gold bonus based on how many Resources are collected from the target Settlement, making it more lucrative to trade with Settlements containing multiple Resources. To ensure there are enough Resource slots available (after researching Code of Laws to unlock the Watonathi) the Mississippian Civic tree is one means of creating multiple Resource slots and will give Pachacuti access to the Potkop Improvement, as well as increased Settlement Resource limits. Monks Mound will be available early with this method and should be constructed in the Capital to maximize Resource capacity.

If it comes to war, Mississippian Burning Arrows are highly effective defensively and deal additional damage to Siege units.

Establishing Towns (and eventually cities) will be a driver for success, and doing so in mountainous regions with abundant Resources is highly recommended to take full advantage of the Goose Societies ability, which provides a +1 Food adjacency bonus to Resources. There are many Wonder and building options for boosting Food yields and population growth, such as the aforementioned Potkop and Monks Mound, as well as the Hanging Gardens and the Bath and Garden buildings. Social Policies and Traditions like Clan Networks (Mysticism Mastery) and Castes (Citizenship) can further enhance these effects.

Establish all desired cities before the Age transition as these will carry over with the Silk Roads Golden Age bonus, with at least one coastal city set up for venturing quickly into the Distant Lands. Further, develop as many trade routes as possible before the end of the Age to increase Gold from the Master Caravaneer Legacy Bonus.

Best Economic Strategy For Pachacuti In Civ 7's Exploration Age

Inca & Pachacuti Both Benefit From Mountainous Terrain

With the Silk Roads Golden Age, all cities from the Antiquity Age will remain cities, giving Pachacuti an Economic advantage in the Exploration Age by not requiring him to spend Gold on city upgrades on the first turn. The Treasure Fleets Legacy Path will be the focus for this Age and can be completed by settling in the Distant Lands, so researching Cartography (and Shipbuilding) is a priority. For Civics, Economics and all of the unique Incan Civics will be useful. Mit'a is especially effective, unlocking the Terrace Farm and the Tirakuna Tradition, which boosts Food yields by 15% for cities with the center next to a Mountain.

There are a few effective strategies for Pachacuti when settling in the Distant Lands, and one of the best is to send a Chasqui unit to scout for a location straight away. The best spots for Pachacuti are mountainous areas abundant with Strategic Resources that are near the coast and within range of as many Treasure Resources as possible.

One well-placed Settlement that isn't far from the homeland continent could be enough to complete the Treasure Fleets Legacy path by itself, though it's likely Pachacuti will need a few more locations. If territory is highly contested, consider City-State conversion, or if war becomes necessary, the Warak'aq are formidable combat units.

Food output should still be the priority, fueling population growth in towns and cities and taking full advantage of Mountains across the Distant Lands. Pachacuti will unlock a unique Narrative Event quest called Sweat of the Sun, which awards +2 Gold in every Settlement for reaching 50 population across all Settlements in the empire. Machu Pikchu, Terrace Farm improvements, the Qullqa and Tirakuna Traditions, the Indenture and Yeomanry Social Policies, Inns, Hospitals, and Banks will all be of massive benefit to Pachacuti while collecting Treasure Fleets throughout the Age. Be sure to maintain positive relationships throughout this Age to more easily establish World Bank offices.

Best Economic Strategy For Pachacuti In Civ 7's Modern Age

America's Industrial Park Drives Population Growth

Just as in the Exploration Age, Pachacuti will start the Modern Age with all cities intact by choosing the Treasure Fleets Golden Age bonus, and he can use America's focus on industry and production to secure the Economic Victory. The Modern Age focus is on producing Factory Resources and eventually spawning the World Banker in Pachacuti's Capital. America has many features that help complete the Railroad Tycoon milestones efficiently, including the Railyard and Steel Mill buildings that comprise the Industrial Park Unique Quarter. Prioritize this quarter wherever possible, as it will increase Food for every Resource assigned to that city.

The American unique ability, Frontier Expansion, awards 100 Gold when improving a Resource. The Prospector unit can be used to do just that, expanding borders beyond their limits and awarding Gold in the process. The Gold Rush and Robber Baron Traditions will also benefit from Resource assignments. The Statue of Liberty Wonder will reward 4 Migrants, which can be used to add to rural population. For Ideology, Communism includes some decent Food-increasing Social Policies, while Fascism will boost Gold. Trade routes in the Distant Lands can provide Factory Resources and increase advancement toward the Economic Victory.

Once the World Banker spawns, World Bank offices cost less Influence based on the number of Economic Legacy Points acquired as well as relationships with allies, so Pachacuti should be in good shape. Overall, Food and Population Growth are the key factors in achieving the Economic Victory with Pachacuti in Sid Meier's Civilization 7.