How to Get Speedups (F2P & Spenders)

Speedups (Building, Research, Training, Healing, and Universal) are the lifeblood of rapid progression in RoK. Hoarding them, especially Universals, for key moments (expensive Academy research, T5 pushes, KvK healing) is critical. Never waste Universals on minor building upgrades early-game.

Why Speedups Matter in 2026

• Rush City Hall to 22+ for 5th march queue.
• Accelerate to T4/T5 troops for KvK dominance.
• Heal efficiently during fights without bankrupting your hospital.
• Economic tech (Writing for research speed, Engineering for build speed) multiplies all future gains.

Core Principle (2026 Meta): Save Universals aggressively. Use alliance helps (max Alliance Center) to cut timers for free. Time big spends with events for "double-dip" rewards. The "80% Rule": Heal hospitals in small batches (e.g., 2 hours) so alliance helps finish the rest cheaply.

F2P & Low Spender Methods (Daily/Weekly Reliable Sources)

1. Daily Quests & Scholar - Consistent small speedups + other loot. Complete every day.
2. Alliance Chests & Activity - Most important F2P source. Join a super-active alliance (ideally with at least one whale). Participate in forts, rallies, gifts. Whales opening Crystal Treasure Chests daily dump massive bundles of speedups (players report 2k+ hours from active alliances). Alliance barbarian forts and activity chests add up fast.
3. Barbarian-Related Activities:
   • Barb Chaining: Most efficient AP use. Attack one barb, use AoE commanders (e.g., Emperor Qin for constant area damage, or early Eson) to chain multiple. Peacekeeping talents reduce AP cost + give resource bonuses. Bring healers (Richard I, Pelagius, Boudicca). Do not cap AP; reserve for Marauders/events.
   • Barbarian Forts/Keeps & Baulurs: Good rewards including speedups.
   • Marauders (pre-KvK special barbs): High-value AP investment over 1-2 days. Can yield tens of thousands of gems and significant speedups/RSS.
   • Lohar's Trial or similar barb events.
4. Events:
   • Ark of Osiris (AOO): Rewards speedups alongside gems/sculptures.
   • Lucerne Scrolls: Treasure rewards often include speedups.
   • Other seasonal/events (Karuak, Ceroli, etc.).
5. VIP Shop & Mysterious Merchant - Free or low-cost speedups (trade resources sometimes). Check daily.
6. Courier Station / Gold Chests - Occasional speedups.
7. Redeem Codes - Free speedups regularly from official channels (Twitter/X, Discord, streams, anniversary). Redeem in Profile > Settings > Other > Redeem. Never miss these.
8. Kingdom Achievements, Trophies, Expeditions - Milestone rewards.
9. Advanced F2P Trick: Troop Killing Recycle (Farm Node Method) - Kill specific troops on a farm/gathering node at the right time/method. Can refund speedups, resources, and return some troops. Test carefully; always on dedicated farm nodes so deaths count properly.
10. Off-Season Maximization: Daily activity, training/Courier shop tricks, barb chaining, alliance chests, Keeps. Prep speedups before KvK.

Daily/Weekly Target (Active F2P): Hundreds of hours from alliance + barbs + dailies. Scales massively with active alliance.

Mid/High Spender Additions

• Bundles & Packs: Many event/growth packs include large speedup bundles. Prioritize high-value ones (see Spending Guide).
• VIP Shop Bulk Buys: At higher VIP, discounted speedups or AP for more chaining.
• Merchant Deals: Resource-for-speedup trades when favorable.
• Crystal Chests via Personal Spending: If you spend, your own bundles + alliance ones compound.
• Growth Fund & Monthly Passes: Indirectly accelerate via gems/VIP points leading to more shop access.

Best Practices for Using Speedups

• Hoard Universals for Academy research (especially economic branches first: Writing -> research speed; Engineering -> build speed) and KvK hospital healing.
• Early Game: Only on City Hall/Academy prereqs (Wall, Tavern). Avoid on random resource buildings.
• Mid Game (Pre-KvK): Hoard; spend on marauder events or key research.
• Endgame (T5+): Reserve almost all Universals for healing during KvK (T5 healing is gold/RSS hungry).
• Runes & Buffs: Before long timers (>5 days), get 10-15% Architect/Scientist runes from temples or ask King for Duke/Scientist title.
• Never Split Universals across multiple projects if one is close to milestone.
• Alliance Helps: Always wait for helps before dumping speedups.
• Timing: Align big upgrades with events like Zenith of Power (building/research speedups for city skins/buffs) or MGE.

Pro Tip: Create 1-2+ Farm Accounts early (even as F2P or low spender). Main focuses on military tech; farms funnel extra RSS and help with gathering load. Transfer resources back to main (there is a transfer mechanic with tax; worth it for protection and main progression). See General Tips section.