Getting started

A starting framework for F2P players approaching the building tree. The advice below assumes a single builder and no speed-up packs, with focus on pacing.

TL;DR

• Always have a building upgrading — empty builder time is the F2P player’s biggest tax
• Upgrade buildings that unlock other progression first, then loop back for stat-only buildings
• Save speed-ups for the longest-blocking upgrades, not the convenient ones
• Don’t try to keep all buildings at the same level — let resource buildings fall behind

What to focus on first

Identify the buildings that gate other progress: the Town Center upgrade (which gates almost everything), the buildings that unlock new troop tiers, and the research buildings that gate tech advances. Upgrade these in priority order; the rest can run behind.

Resource buildings (farms, sawmills, mines) feel important but contribute less to Power and gate almost nothing. Let them fall a tier or two behind; you’ll catch up later when you have spare builder time.

What to skip

Skip cosmetic and convenience upgrades — anything that doesn’t either gate progression or contribute meaningfully to combat output.

Where F2P time pays off

Stack alliance helps and timer-reduction buffs before starting any 24-hour-plus upgrade. Done right, F2P pacing on building upgrades is only 20–30% slower than light-spender pacing.

A starting framework for Spenders working the building tree. The advice below assumes a permanent or near-permanent second builder and budget for weekly speed-up packs.

TL;DR

• The permanent second builder is the highest-ROI early purchase, by a wide margin
• Once you have two builders, time them so one is always running long, the other doing tier-up unlocks
• Pack-skip only the upgrades that gate further progression; let stat-only upgrades run
• Time your big TC upgrade for the start of a KvK prep window

First moves

Get the permanent second builder before any other big purchase. The compounding effect across months of building progress dwarfs any single speed-up pack. If the permanent slot isn’t available yet, the long-term builder rental is the next best thing — but the permanent slot is the goal.

Where the wallet pays off most

• Permanent second builder
• Speed-up packs for the longest-blocking upgrade in your queue (usually the TC upgrade)
• KvK-prep speed-up packs that pair with double-speed events

Common traps

Speed-skipping a 22-hour resource-building upgrade saves you 22 hours but doesn’t unlock anything new. The same dollars on a TC upgrade unlock new tiers, new troop levels, and downstream research — far higher ROI.