Speed and time reduction use different maths
The Top Lords reference speed model is base duration ÷ (1 + effective speed bonus ÷ 100). A one-hour base timer at +10% speed is approximately 54 minutes 33 seconds. Directly removing 10% of an hour would give 54 minutes; that describes a time reduction, not a speed increase.
At +100% speed, the same workload takes half the base time. Enter the effective total for the action you are planning. Construction and research can have different totals. A documented net speed penalty can be entered as a negative effective total greater than −100%. For example, −1% effective speed changes a one-hour base to 1h 37s under the stated rounding rule. Do not subtract a punishment again if your displayed total already includes it.
An existing bonus changes the extra saving
If an upgrade preview already shows one hour at +100% speed, comparing it with +110% speed gives 60 × 2.00 ÷ 2.10 minutes: approximately 57 minutes 9 seconds. Another ten percentage points does not remove another ten percent from the displayed hour.
Use the timer’s already-buffed comparison mode with both effective totals. This compares the same workload; it does not establish that changing a bonus will alter a queue that has already started. Royal position values are references, and copying one does not automatically include your other active bonuses.
Resources, helps and speedups are separate
A supported resource-cost reduction scales eligible base wood, food and coins by (1 − reduction ÷ 100). It does not discount research medals, hero shards or gear materials automatically. The planners apply their entered reductions separately from speed.
The help estimate compares a supplied fixed saving with a percentage of the remaining timer for each help, then recalculates the next help from that smaller duration. Use a measured total when you know it. Consumable speedups are deducted afterward and are restricted to their allowed queue.
Keep rounding visible
These calculators round timer fractions up to whole seconds and show seconds in the result. Eligible resource costs round up per upgrade. Those are explicit planning choices; exact current-game second and resource rounding have not been independently established.
The comparison is backed by Top Lords reference mechanics. Reference agreement does not verify every game version, account bonus combination or kingdom condition.
Which number are you looking at?
A reference base timer and your upgrade preview can show different numbers for the same job. Your preview may already include your account bonuses. If you take that shorter timer and apply your entire speed total again, the answer will look better than what you can actually achieve.
Use base mode when you have an unmodified duration. Use comparison mode when you know an already-buffed duration and both the current and proposed effective totals. The two modes answer different questions. Neither predicts whether changing a bonus will recalculate a job already running.
| What you know | Use this approach |
|---|---|
| Unmodified base duration | Divide by 1 + effective speed / 100 |
| Current preview and two effective speed totals | Current time × (100 + current speed) / (100 + target speed) |
| A timer after helps were already received | Do not deduct the same helps again |
| Observed resource cost after discounts | Do not apply a base-cost reduction a second time |
Why the next ten points save fewer minutes
Speed is a rate. Going from 0% to 10% and going from 100% to 110% both add ten percentage points, but they start from different rates. The second increase works on a workload you were already completing twice as fast as base.
Use minutes saved on the work you actually plan to do. A construction appointment might be valuable before a long Castle prerequisite. It doesn't automatically help a research queue, and a higher-looking percentage is not useful if its scope misses the task.
Check a mismatch before changing the formula
When the result and the game disagree, first check the action type, the effective bonus and whether the input already includes a discount or help. Also check active appointments or penalties. A tiny difference can come from display precision; a large difference usually needs a better starting value.
Use a measured help saving when you have it. For an estimated help sequence, each help operates on the remaining timer in the site's model. Don't assume every help removes the same percentage of the original base. Keep consumable speedups separate until after that adjustment.
The site's whole-second rounding and per-upgrade resource rounding are planning conventions. They are visible so you can compare results, not a claim that every current client rounds every action identically.
Compare one hour of base work
These results use the site’s divisor model and round up to whole seconds. They illustrate rate changes; they do not establish current-client stacking or the behavior of a queue already running.
| Effective speed | Adjusted duration |
|---|---|
| +0% | 1h 0m 0s |
| +10% | 0h 54m 33s |
| +20% | 0h 50m 0s |
| +50% | 0h 40m 0s |
| +100% | 0h 30m 0s |
| +110% | 0h 28m 35s |
Before you commit
- Identify base versus already-buffed input.
- Use the effective bonus for this action.
- Keep speed and resource reduction separate.
- Deduct received helps only once.
- Check rounding and the current game preview before spending.
Common questions
Does +100% speed make an upgrade instant?
No. Under the recorded divisor model it halves the base duration. Instant completion would need a different mechanic.
Does a 10% resource reduction work like 10% speed?
No. An eligible cost reduction multiplies the base resource cost by 0.9. Speed divides base time by 1.1. Their scopes and rounding also need checking.
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Game records and coverage
Written for Top Lords using the site’s recorded game references and selected client observations. Reference tables were collected 24–25 October 2026; the explanations were expanded on 26 October. Current availability, version differences and unresolved costs stay separate.
How the data is checked