Growth planning

Building & Research Guide

Master the art of city planning. This guide is built to help you choose the highest-value building upgrades and research nodes instead of wasting time on low-impact detours.

Updated Apr 7, 2026 Castle Growth Research Priorities Event Planning
Quick take

Start with the upgrades that compound

Castle First

Your castle gates almost every important unlock, so it should stay at the center of your upgrade plan.

Speed Research Wins

Construction speed, research speed, march size, and event-focused tech give the fastest compounding returns.

Time Big Finishes

Try to land heavy upgrades on the right event day so your progress also generates ranking rewards.

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Growth rules

General Principles

The Castle is King

Your Castle level gates all progression. Always prioritize upgrading it as soon as prerequisites are met.

Events are Your Best Friend

Never finish a major upgrade outside of an event. Align completions with Construction Day or Research Day for massive rewards.

Do not Be a Threat

In early game, focus on growth-first resources and efficiency rather than raw power to avoid becoming a target.

Focus on Your Faction

Once committed to a main faction, ensure your research and statues align with it. Late-game bonuses are faction-specific.

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Upgrade order

Building Priorities

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Tier 1: The Core Progression Path

The backbone of your city. Never let these fall behind your Castle level.

  • Castle: Dictates max level of all buildings. Top priority.
  • Research Cottage: Unlocks powerful permanent bonuses. Keep maxed.
  • Barracks: Unlocks higher tier soldiers for exponential power.
  • Hospital: Vital for KvK recovery. Prevents massive troop loss.
  • Training Grounds: Increases max soldier capacity.
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Tier 2: High-Impact Power Boosts

  • Medal Hall: Massive percentage-based HP boost to all soldiers.
  • Faction Statues: Increases march size for specific factions. Prioritize your main.
  • Rally Hall: Unlocks rally slots and increases march size.
  • Brilliance Institute: Increases troop level and overall attack march size.
  • Pet Paradise (Lvl 40): Grants extra free daily pet searches.
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Tier 3: Resource & Economy

  • Resource Nodes: Get to Lvl 20 for villager boosts.
  • Warehouse: Protects resources. Vital if you get attacked often.
  • Tavern / Blacksmith: Passive buffs, upgrade when spare time allows.
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Research path

Research Priorities

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Early Game: The Foundation

Focus on compounding benefits. Making things faster now saves thousands of hours later.

  • Combat Expertise / Growth Tree: Unlock Construction Speed and Research Speed immediately. These are your top ROI investments.
  • Queue Boosts: Focus on nodes that unlock March Size and the Recall Feature. More troops means more power.
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Mid Game: The Game Changers

Once your economy is set, shift focus to military power spikes and event rewards.

  • Arms Race Prep: Target nodes that give soldiers a +1 Level Buff. This is essentially free power without resource cost.
  • Arms Race Commendation: Boosts rewards from Arms Race events with more premium chests and resources. This fuels your Lord's Hall upgrades.
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Late Game: Faction Focus

Specialization is key. Do not spread yourself thin.

  • Faction-Specific Trees: Unlocked at Castle Level 40 plus 100% Soldier Tree completion. Pick one faction, Horde, League, or Nature, and invest heavily to unlock synergy bonuses.
  • Ruby Management: Research costs skyrocket. Prioritize nodes requiring fewer rubies and save the rest for massive building upgrades.