Strategy Scythe

Scythe Faction Tier List: Which Faction Is Best? (2026 Update)

Ranking all 5 base game factions by strength, ease of play, and optimal strategy — plus Constantinople, the brand-new faction from Duel of Meloch.

Scythe's 5 base factions play very differently. Some reward aggression, others reward engine building. And as of July 2026 there's a brand-new one: Constantinople, the faction introduced in Duel of Meloch, Stonemaier's head-to-head Scythe vs. Expeditions game. Here's how they all stack up — and what matters more than the faction itself.

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Quick Answer

Crimea and Rusviet are generally the strongest base factions. Nordic is the easiest for beginners. The new Constantinople faction from Duel of Meloch (2026) is fully compatible with regular Scythe but too new to rank definitively. And your player mat matters more than your faction — the faction/mat combination determines your game, not the faction alone.

S TIER
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Rusviet Union

Faction Ability: Relentless
Aggressive Flexible

Can repeat the same action space on consecutive turns — an enormous tempo advantage. While other factions zigzag between actions, Rusviet can hammer one strategy relentlessly. Central starting position gives easy access to the Factory.

S TIER
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Crimean Khanate

Faction Ability: Coercion
Versatile Combat Cards as Resources

Can use combat cards as any resource once per turn. This flexibility means you never get stuck without the right resource. Strong combat potential thanks to mech abilities and good starting position near the Factory.

A TIER
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Saxony Empire

Faction Ability: Dominate
Warlike Unlimited Combat Stars

No limit on combat victory stars (other factions cap at 2). Can also achieve unlimited objective stars. This means Saxony can rush to 6 stars through fighting — but it requires careful power and popularity management.

A TIER
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Polania Republic

Faction Ability: Meander
Encounter-Focused Flexible

Picks from 2 options (instead of 1) on encounter cards. This gives consistently better encounter rewards. Great at accumulating resources and popularity through encounters. Requires good movement planning to maximize encounters early.

B TIER
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Nordic Kingdoms

Faction Ability: Swim
Beginner-Friendly Water Movement

Workers can swim across rivers without mechs. Simple to play and great for learning the game, but the ability becomes less impactful as you get better at planning mech deployment. Isolated starting position limits early Factory access.

The New Faction: Constantinople (Duel of Meloch, 2026)

In July 2026 Stonemaier Games released Duel of Meloch, a standalone two-player game that pits Scythe against Expeditions — one player uses Scythe rules and components, the other plays the Expeditions side. Inside the box is something Scythe fans have waited years for: a brand-new faction, Constantinople.

NEW 2026
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Constantinople

Introduced in Duel of Meloch
Light Gray Stars as a Resource Scythe-Compatible

The first brand-new Scythe faction in years. Constantinople plays in light gray (distinct from Polania's white) and does something no other faction does: it uses stars as a resource. It ships with a new player mat, Adventurous — the 8th mat, and the last possible configuration of top and bottom actions not found on the other seven. Too new for a definitive tier placement, but it slots straight into regular games of Scythe.

Duel of Meloch itself is a ~45-minute two-player duel — one player commands a Scythe faction, the other an Expeditions crew, both racing to four stars on a shared Triumph Track. We cover it properly in what is Duel of Meloch, with a deeper look at the new faction in the Constantinople and Adventurous mat guide.

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