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Specialists are alternative work assignments for 
Citizens in Civilization VII and its expansions. Their primary function is to enhance the adjacency bonuses of 
Buildings in the districts where they are assigned.
Mechanics[]
During a growth event, Citizens can be assigned to either a rural tile or an urban district to collect additional yields. Citizens assigned to urban districts are 
Specialists, producing the following baseline yields:
However, they also incur costs:
Specialist district with nearly 200 yields
Additionally, Specialists increase the adjacency bonuses of the Buildings in the district they are working by +50%. These yields can be further increased in various ways, such as 
Social Policies or unique abilities. This makes Specialists immensely powerful, as demonstrated in the image to the right, where Specialists in a well-placed district boost the yields to nearly 200! However, Specialists consume 2 
Food and 2 
Happiness each, whereas Citizens assigned to rural districts work their tiles and provide their yields without the Food and Happiness cost.
Specialist assignment and cap[]
Only 
Cities can assign Specialists, they can be slotted into any tile that contains at least one Building, but placing them in 
Quarters is highly recommended, as these locations grant adjacency bonuses to multiple Buildings at once.
Each 
City has a Specialist cap, determining the maximum number of Specialists that can be assigned per district. The first Specialist slot unlocks at the Currency 
Technology, with the cap increasing through Tech 
Masteries (primarily in the Exploration Age), 
Wonders, and other game elements.
Unlike rural Citizens, Specialists cannot be reassigned or removed once assigned. If a district's Buildings become outdated due to an Age transition, Specialists remain in place but only generate their base 
Science and 
Culture yields until new Buildings are constructed. This means players must overbuild quickly at the start of a new Age to maximize Specialist productivity, as they continue consuming Food and Happiness without contributing significantly.
In rare cases, the Specialist cap may decrease due to certain game events. Specialists exceeding the new cap will remain in their district but enter a dormant state, ceasing to consume Food and Happiness or provide other yields until the cap is increased again.
Legacy path[]
Finally, Specialists are a direct requirement for completing the Scientific Legacy path in the Exploration Age, as 40+ yields in districts can only be achieved through Specialist enhancement in well placed districts.
Strategy[]
Specialists offer powerful cultural and research benefits, but they come with trade-offs. Players should carefully plan when, where, and how many Specialists to assign to maximize their advantages.
When to assign Specialists[]
The main drawback of Specialists is their Food and Happiness cost, which can slow down population growth and overall City development. However, by the time the first Specialist slot is available, Food is no longer a major bottleneck, making the -2 Food cost negligible. The Happiness penalty is slightly more impactful, but manageable if the City's Happiness is not critically low.
A general rule of thumb for assigning Specialists:
- Improve tiles first to secure key
Production sources. - Ensure important Resources are worked and borders are expanded.
- Avoid assigning Specialists if Happiness is in critical condition.
If none of these factors are an issue, assigning Specialists is highly recommended, as they significantly boost empire development and long-term growth.
Additionally, just before the end of an Age, if an extra Citizen is gained, it is almost always best to assign them to a key district with strong adjacency bonuses — typically a high-value Culture or Science tile if no Specialist is present yet. In the Exploration Age, multiple Specialists will likely be in place, but in the Antiquity Age, it is highly recommended to plan ahead. The first unlockable Buildings in the Age are Science or Culture Buildings, and having a Specialist already assigned will immediately enhance their yield, accelerating both City and empire development from the start.
Where to assign Specialists[]
The best districts for Specialists depend on strategic needs, but some districts universally provide the most value:
- Unique Buildings & Quarters – These provide often the strongest adjacency bonuses when placed correctly, making them highly valuable for Specialist placement. Additionally, unique Buildings are Ageless, meaning Specialists in these districts remain effective even after an Age transition.
- Palace – The Palace in the Capital receives strong adjacency bonuses from Quarters, making it one of the most profitable districts for Specialist placement.
- Science & Culture Districts – These two yields are crucial for empire progression and can sometimes be difficult to obtain through other means, particularly in the early phase of an Age. Specialists in these districts ensure a strong start in the next Age, accelerating research and unlocking new Buildings, Wonders, and other projects.
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Specialist Stacking[]
Before reaching the Modern Age, it is generally advisable to stack Specialists in the same district rather than spreading them out, even when placing them on other district might directly provide more yields at the time. This is important because only one new Building is needed to reactivate all Specialists in a district after an Age transition. Spreading Specialists across multiple districts means multiple new Buildings must be constructed to make them effective again, slowing down their reactivation and diminishing their impact.
See also[]
- Specialists in other games
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