The Legends system is a feature in Sid Meier's Civilization 7 that rewards players with cosmetics or gameplay bonuses in the form of Mementos. The system incentivizes completion of campaigns in their entirety and tracks accomplishments across multiple games, and it comes in response to a key data point that highlights a big problem with previous Civilization games. Legends give clearer incentives for continuing or completing a campaign and are organized into Paths where players will gradually unlock rewards based on experience and completing Challenges, which are divided into two distinct categories: Leader and Foundation Challenges.

Rewards for completing these Challenges come in the form of Cosmetic awards and Mementos, items used during gameplay to boost specific abilities or award specific bonuses. Cosmetic Collectibles include Badges, Banners, Borders, and other customizable esthetics for the Player Card. Mementos range in their effects and are selected at the beginning of a campaign to provide unique bonuses for each player. Many of the Challenges in the Legends paths will be naturally unlocked as players spend time playing the game, while others require specific conditions to be met. Here's a look at how Legends and Mementos work.

See Related: Civ 7 Wiki

How Legends Work In Civilization 7

Legends Track Progress Over Multiple Campaigns

Legends are a "meta progression system" that tracks players' progress over multiple campaigns, according to Civ 7's Official Website. The Legends can be accessed from the main menu or by clicking the Player Card at any time. Legends consist of Challenges and Paths that are further divided into one of two categories: Leader and Foundation. The progress and requirements for each Legend are viewable from the designated tab on the Legends . The Progress page shows how much XP players have earned and their overall level in both Foundation, which tracks up to level 50, and Leaders, who each have a distinct 10-level path.

Legend Paths track cumulative XP, which is earned by completing Challenges in both categories. Challenges can be viewed under the designated tab, with specific quests and objectives delineated for both categories. Foundation Challenges are completed by playing as any leader in the game and are based on more general gameplay accomplishments, such as completing Tutorials, building specific Wonders as specific Civilizations, and reaching milestones in overall playtime (e.g., playing a given number of turns). On the other hand, leader challenges require achieving objectives as specific leaders and will take multiple playthroughs for those leaders to complete fully.

How Mementos & Cosmetic Rewards Work In Civilization 7

Mementos Enable Unique Abilities Or Bonuses During Gameplay

As a reward for completing these Challenges and progressing along each path, players are awarded either Cosmetic Collectible items or Mementos. Cosmetic Collectibles are customizable aesthetic options that players can adjust on their Player Cards. These include banners, badges, borders, background colors for badges, and titles, such as "Rebel Queen" or "Rightful Ruler." While these will not offer any in-game bonuses, they are a way for players to showcase their accomplishments during the many hours they've spent playing the game. Mementos, however, give players unique in-game bonuses and offer another layer of strategy when beginning a campaign.

At the beginning of the campaign, during setup, players can select up to two Mementos from the pool that they've unlocked so far. While certain Mementos can only be unlocked by playing through a given Leader's Legend Path, the Mementos themselves can be used by any leader once they've been unlocked. Mementos have unique abilities, typically categorized under one of the six Leader Attribute types (i.e., Scientific, Expansionist, etc.). For example, the False Beard Memento is unlocked by completing Level 5 of Hatshepsut's Legend Path but is a useful Memento for any Leader pursuing a Cultural Victory in Civ 7 as it provides +2 Culture on Wonders.

What Civ 7's Legends & Mementos Are Not

Players Cannot Pay To Win Civ 7

While Mementos give players gameplay bonuses and strategic advantages, they are only accessible by playing the game and will never be available to purchase, meaning all Mementos will be equally available to all players. Mementos can be used in regular and multiplayer matches, so players who want a competitive edge will need to play the game and pursue Challenges to unlock the best Mementos. It's likely that Cosmetic upgrades may become available for purchase to some extent, but developers have made it clear that gameplay-enhancing awards cannot be purchased in a pay-to-win format.

Overall, Civ 7's Legends system is designed to give players more incentive to continue and complete games and to play with Leaders multiple times in pursuit of completing as many challenges as possible. Mementos are gameplay-enhancing items slotted on the Leader screen at the beginning of each campaign, giving players unique bonuses or abilities. Mementos and Cosmetic Collectibles are awarded for completing Foundation and Leader Challenges and progressing down each Legend Path. Crucially, Legends and Mementos in Civilization 7 incentivize players to complete campaigns.

Source: Civilization 7 Official Website