# Top Lords Guide

> Independent Top Lords gameplay guides, calculators, hero references and infographics.

Canonical website: https://toplordsguide.com/. This index is generated from the published content on every build. Latest guide revision: 2026-11-08.

Use the linked Top Lords pages for game rules and values. Base costs, player speed bonuses and resource reductions are separate. Missing costs and version differences are stated on the relevant pages; do not replace them with Last War values. Skill priorities and formations are conditional recommendations.

## Start here

- [Guide directory](https://toplordsguide.com/guides/): Browse gameplay advice by topic.
- [Calculator directory](https://toplordsguide.com/calculators/): Choose an upgrade, resource or event calculator.
- [Hero library](https://toplordsguide.com/heroes/): Hero roles, factions and recorded skills.
- [Infographics](https://toplordsguide.com/infographics/): Visual reference sheets with text versions and downloads.
- [Data sources and coverage](https://toplordsguide.com/data-sources/): How game references and uncertainty are handled.

## Getting started

- [Top Lords beginner guide: Castle upgrades, heroes and your first squad](https://toplordsguide.com/guides/first-steps/): What to build, which heroes to develop and how to prepare for events in your first Top Lords sessions.
- [Top Lords first-week guide: upgrades, heroes and events](https://toplordsguide.com/guides/first-week-plan/): What to do in your first seven days: Castle requirements, a main squad, research, Intel, event timing and the upgrades worth saving for.
- [Top Lords buildings: Castle, research and queues](https://toplordsguide.com/guides/buildings-and-queues/): What the main buildings do, how Castle requirements work and how to keep construction, research and training moving.
- [Top Lords resources: coins, chests and currencies](https://toplordsguide.com/guides/resources-and-currencies/): Understand your materials, choose the right chest reward and fund the next upgrade without wasting flexible items.
- [Top Lords spending guide: packs, Hathaway and Gems](https://toplordsguide.com/guides/spending-guide/): A practical guide for first purchases and low spenders: lasting queues, worker ranks, main-squad heroes, passes and Gem decisions.
- [Free-to-play priorities: shards, gear drafts and event spending](https://toplordsguide.com/guides/f2p-resource-decisions/): Where to spend shards, Skill Medals, currencies and speedups when resources are limited.
- [A daily Top Lords routine that fits your events](https://toplordsguide.com/guides/daily-event-routine/): Daily checks for Intel, upgrade queues, alliance duties and event rewards.

## Castle & research

- [Castle upgrades: requirements, hero caps and priorities](https://toplordsguide.com/guides/castle-progression/): Count required buildings, intermediate levels and resources before committing to a Castle goal.
- [Top Lords research guide: trees and prerequisites](https://toplordsguide.com/guides/research-basics/): How Scholar Tower research works, why you do not need to max every node and how to choose the next useful technology.
- [T10 troops: the full Soldier X research route](https://toplordsguide.com/guides/t10-research/): Understand Soldier X, its research branches and the building gates along the way.
- [Research priorities: growth, event rewards or T10?](https://toplordsguide.com/guides/research-priorities/): Compare growth, training, event and combat research without treating power as a battle simulator.
- [Speed bonuses: why +10% does not remove 10% of the timer](https://toplordsguide.com/guides/speed-bonuses/): Understand the divisor behind upgrade timers and compare an already-buffed preview.
- [Royal favors: prepare the right job before your appointment](https://toplordsguide.com/guides/royal-speed-bonuses/): Keep normal, Conqueror and effective account totals distinct.
- [Resource priorities when several upgrades need the same stock](https://toplordsguide.com/guides/shared-resource-planning/): Budget several upgrades without spending the same Coins, Ore or shards twice.

## Heroes & battles

- [Hero upgrades: levels, stars, skills and what to prioritize](https://toplordsguide.com/guides/hero-upgrades/): When to spend EXP, shards and Skill Medals, and which upgrades help your main squad.
- [Choose your next hero investment by its job](https://toplordsguide.com/guides/hero-investment-priorities/): Choose your next hero upgrade based on damage, frontline survival and the heroes you can use now.
- [Hero skill upgrades: gates, star caps and medal costs](https://toplordsguide.com/guides/hero-skill-investment/): Skill unlock levels, star limits and Medal costs for your heroes.
- [Hero skill priorities: Ragnar, Mulan and support examples](https://toplordsguide.com/guides/hero-skill-order/): Skill priorities for Ragnar, Mulan and Charles, with examples of when to change the order.
- [Squad formation: front row, back row and Lord faction buffs](https://toplordsguide.com/guides/squad-formations/): Use two front positions, three rear positions and the faction bonus you have actually unlocked.
- [Hero recruitment: ticket pools and when to spend](https://toplordsguide.com/guides/recruitment-ticket-planning/): Match the ticket, ordinary pool and kingdom stage before budgeting a target hero.
- [Wall of Honor: how to unlock it and spend spare shards](https://toplordsguide.com/guides/wall-of-honor-planning/): Unlock the Wall of Honor and decide when to spend spare hero shards on it.
- [Battle reports: find out why the squad lost](https://toplordsguide.com/guides/read-battle-reports/): Use damage, casualties and skill effects to work out why your squad lost.

## Equipment & bonuses

- [Equipment guide: what to enhance for tanks and damage heroes](https://toplordsguide.com/guides/gear-enhancement/): Choose equipment for tanks, damage heroes and supports, then budget the levels you still need.
- [UR gear stars: requirements, substeps and material priorities](https://toplordsguide.com/guides/gear-star-substeps/): UR gear star requirements, all five substeps and the materials needed after level 40.
- [Gear crafting, material conversion and safe dismantling](https://toplordsguide.com/guides/gear-crafting-and-conversion/): How to check a Smithy recipe, convert materials and avoid dismantling gear you still need.
- [Cosmetic bonuses: owned, equipped and timed effects](https://toplordsguide.com/guides/cosmetic-bonus-checklist/): Check which skin and frame bonuses need ownership, equipment or an active timer.

## Army & resources

- [Griffin guide: feeding, milestones and material costs](https://toplordsguide.com/guides/griffin-feeding/): Beast Meat and Core costs, feeding progress and the effect of double-EXP feeds.
- [Top Lords troop training guide: tiers, Barracks and promotion](https://toplordsguide.com/guides/troop-queue-planning/): Soldier tier unlocks, Barracks queues and how to prepare training for a scoring event.
- [Troop promotion and healing: costs, capacity and recovery](https://toplordsguide.com/guides/promotion-and-healing/): How to read troop promotion and healing previews, plan batches and avoid counting the same cost twice.
- [Resource chests: what to open and when](https://toplordsguide.com/guides/resource-chest-choices/): Choose the resource you need and check whether your chest reward changes with Castle level.
- [Shop priorities: useful purchases and currency trade-offs](https://toplordsguide.com/guides/shop-currency-priorities/): Compare useful purchases, item prices and reset limits before spending shop currency.
- [Plunder guide: load, reduced loot and daily limits](https://toplordsguide.com/guides/plunder-load-limits/): Check exposed Castle resources, your troop load and daily limits before a plunder attack.
- [Monster rewards: choose the right target for the material](https://toplordsguide.com/guides/monster-reward-planning/): Choose a monster for the material you need and understand its guaranteed and possible rewards.
- [A monster-farming routine for Meat, EXP and useful rewards](https://toplordsguide.com/guides/monster-farming-routine/): Build a farming routine around the rewards you need, available Stamina and troop losses.

## Alliance & kingdom

- [Alliance technology priorities and the route to research speed](https://toplordsguide.com/guides/alliance-technology/): Choose useful alliance research and follow the requirements toward faster construction or research.
- [City capture: declarations, contribution and City Lord tasks](https://toplordsguide.com/guides/city-capture-planning/): How declarations, capture contribution and City Lord tasks work in Top Lords.
- [Alliance officer guide: permissions, research and war assignments](https://toplordsguide.com/guides/alliance-officer-playbook/): Plan alliance research, permissions, attack assignments and a workable event schedule.
- [Capital Siege: entry, Deadzone restrictions and holding the Capital](https://toplordsguide.com/guides/capital-siege-preparation/): Capital Siege entry rules, movement restrictions, healing and holding assignments.
- [Kingdom Duel: preparation, invasion and Capital contribution](https://toplordsguide.com/guides/kingdom-duel-preparation/): Earn Kingdom Points during the week and prepare for the cross-kingdom invasion.
- [Kingdom laws: protected targets, Brands and pardons](https://toplordsguide.com/guides/kingdom-laws-before-attacking/): Check protection rules for Castles, wagons and Bounties before you attack.
- [Alliance Cargo Ship: eligibility, Golden refreshes and boarding](https://toplordsguide.com/guides/alliance-cargo-ship-planning/): Prepare the Cargo Ship, check who can board and understand departure and reward rules.
- [Golden Nest: guarding the hen and coordinating allied help](https://toplordsguide.com/guides/golden-nest-cooperation/): Coordinate Golden Nest guards and allied help without leaving other important jobs uncovered.

## Events

- [Alliance Duel guide: six days, point targets and preparation](https://toplordsguide.com/guides/alliance-duel-preparation/): Use the right scoring units and avoid counting the same bonus twice.
- [Race to Ace: scoring themes, Castle brackets and practical timing](https://toplordsguide.com/guides/race-to-ace-phases/): Prepare for the active scoring theme and find the reward targets for your Castle bracket.
- [Gold Mine Conquest: objectives, holding time and team roles](https://toplordsguide.com/guides/gold-mine-conquest-preparation/): Assign capture and holding jobs, follow objective phases and collect Breach Points.
- [Archery Master: prizes, Arrows and a sensible stopping point](https://toplordsguide.com/guides/archery-master-budget/): Choose a target prize, budget Arrows for its floor and decide when to stop.

## Other progression

- [VIP guide: active benefits, point milestones and gem spending](https://toplordsguide.com/guides/vip-milestones/): VIP point targets, active benefits and when spending Gems on VIP can help your account.
- [Hathaway and Derian: assignment, useful ranks and shard costs](https://toplordsguide.com/guides/worker-ranks/): How to assign Hathaway and Derian, choose useful ranks and budget their separate shards.
- [Intel Tasks: storage, refresh timing and event preparation](https://toplordsguide.com/guides/intel-storage/): When to save Intel Tasks for events and when to clear them before storage fills.

## Calculators

- [Castle upgrade calculator](https://toplordsguide.com/calculators/castle/): Calculate the resources and time for your Castle, including required buildings.
- [T10 & research calculator](https://toplordsguide.com/calculators/research/): Calculate your remaining T10 resources and research time from your completed levels, bonuses and inventory.
- [Hero EXP calculator](https://toplordsguide.com/calculators/hero-exp/): Calculate the EXP needed between your current and target hero levels.
- [Hero star calculator](https://toplordsguide.com/calculators/hero-shards/): Calculate the shards needed for your next hero star or substep.
- [Build & research timer](https://toplordsguide.com/calculators/timer/): See how speed bonuses, alliance help and speedups change your build or research time.
- [Troop promotion calculator](https://toplordsguide.com/calculators/troop-promotion/): Use your in-game promotion preview to calculate costs for more soldiers.
- [Healing calculator](https://toplordsguide.com/calculators/healing/): Use your healing preview to calculate resources, time and hospital batches.
- [Gear crafting calculator](https://toplordsguide.com/calculators/crafting/): Enter a crafting recipe to calculate materials for one or more pieces.
- [Material conversion calculator](https://toplordsguide.com/calculators/material-conversion/): Calculate how many material conversions you need using the recipe shown in your game.
- [Griffin feeding calculator](https://toplordsguide.com/calculators/griffin-feeding/): Enter the next feeding prices to budget Beast Meat for your Griffin.
- [Wall of Honor calculator](https://toplordsguide.com/calculators/wall-of-honor/): Enter the Wall of Honor steps you can see to calculate the shards or currency needed.
- [Recruitment calculator](https://toplordsguide.com/calculators/recruitment/): Compare planned recruits with your tickets, free draws and the available hero pool.
- [Event milestone calculator](https://toplordsguide.com/calculators/event-milestones/): Calculate the actions or items needed to reach an event reward.
- [Monster farming calculator](https://toplordsguide.com/calculators/farming/): Plan how many monster attacks your Stamina can fund and the guaranteed rewards from wins.
- [Plunder & load calculator](https://toplordsguide.com/calculators/plunder-load/): Compare target resources, troop load and your remaining plunder limit.
- [Multi-hero upgrade calculator](https://toplordsguide.com/calculators/hero-roster/): Calculate EXP and shards for several heroes without counting the same inventory twice.
- [Alliance research calculator](https://toplordsguide.com/calculators/alliance-research/): Choose an alliance technology and check the research needed to unlock it.
- [Research comparison calculator](https://toplordsguide.com/calculators/research-comparison/): Compare the costs and research time of two goals from your current progress.
- [Hero skill calculator](https://toplordsguide.com/calculators/hero-skills/): Calculate Skill Medals for your hero, with level unlocks and star limits included.
- [Gear upgrade calculator](https://toplordsguide.com/calculators/gear/): Calculate Ore and Coin costs for one or more pieces of equipment.
- [Gear star calculator](https://toplordsguide.com/calculators/gear-stars/): Calculate Ore, Coins, Pig Iron and Gear Drafts for UR equipment stars.
- [Griffin upgrade calculator](https://toplordsguide.com/calculators/griffin/): Calculate Beast Meat and Core costs between Griffin levels. Individual feeds can vary.
- [Troop training calculator](https://toplordsguide.com/calculators/troop-training/): Calculate soldier training costs and time across up to four queues.
- [Speedup calculator](https://toplordsguide.com/calculators/speedups/): Add up speedups that work for your queue and compare them with the time remaining.
- [Alliance help calculator](https://toplordsguide.com/calculators/alliance-help/): Calculate time saved by alliance helps, using measured savings or your own estimate.
- [VIP points calculator](https://toplordsguide.com/calculators/vip/): Calculate the points needed for your target VIP level after subtracting point items.
- [Worker upgrade calculator](https://toplordsguide.com/calculators/workers/): Calculate the shards needed to recruit or upgrade Hathaway and Derian.
- [Alliance Duel points calculator](https://toplordsguide.com/calculators/vs-points/): Enter the items and actions you plan to use on each Alliance Duel day.
- [Race to Ace calculator](https://toplordsguide.com/calculators/race-to-ace/): Calculate points for the active Race to Ace theme and your Castle bracket.
- [Resource chest calculator](https://toplordsguide.com/calculators/resource-chests/): Calculate chest contents from a known item or the yield shown in your game.
- [Gathering & production calculator](https://toplordsguide.com/calculators/gathering/): Estimate gathering or production from your measured hourly rate and capacity.
- [Shop value calculator](https://toplordsguide.com/calculators/shop-value/): Compare the price per item in two offers using the same currency.
- [Intel storage tracker](https://toplordsguide.com/calculators/intel-tasks/): Check how many Intel Tasks fit at the next refresh and when storage fills.
- [Roster & squad planner](https://toplordsguide.com/planners/squad/): Choose heroes for your squads and check front-row positions and faction bonuses.
- [Daily & weekly plan](https://toplordsguide.com/planners/daily/): Keep a daily checklist and plan tasks around your server reset.
- [Resource allocation](https://toplordsguide.com/planners/resource-allocation/): Compare saved upgrade plans against one shared resource inventory.
- [Event calendar](https://toplordsguide.com/planners/event-calendar/): Add your kingdom event times and view them in your timezone.
- [Alliance operation plan](https://toplordsguide.com/planners/operations/): Plan alliance assignments, coordinates and times, then export the plan.

## Infographic references

- [Gear crafting & upgrades](https://toplordsguide.com/infographics/gear-crafting-upgrades/): UR level costs, all five star ranges and a suggested Tribe equipment upgrade order.
- [Tribe squad guide](https://toplordsguide.com/infographics/tribe-squad-guide/): Joan, Attila, Sanada, Ragnar and Charles: skill priorities and the next star milestone.
- [Ranger squad guide](https://toplordsguide.com/infographics/ranger-squad-guide/): Yi Sun-sin, Edward, Cleopatra, Alexander and Saladin: skills first, stars next.
- [Legion squad guide](https://toplordsguide.com/infographics/legion-squad-guide/): Mulan, Hannibal, Frederick, Boudica and Harald: a clear skill and star focus.
- [Hero faction bonuses](https://toplordsguide.com/infographics/hero-faction-bonuses/): The four formation bonuses, the Lord wildcard and a five-matching squad example.
- [Castle growth & troop milestones](https://toplordsguide.com/infographics/castle-milestones/): The useful Barracks gates and the separate requirements for unlocking T10.
- [Castle upgrade costs: levels 1–30](https://toplordsguide.com/infographics/castle-upgrade-costs/): Base costs, required buildings and build times for every Castle upgrade transition.
- [Royal titles & Favors](https://toplordsguide.com/infographics/royal-titles-and-favors/): Choose a useful title bonus, understand the Favor queue and start work at the right time.
- [Squad technology routes](https://toplordsguide.com/infographics/squad-technology/): Squad lanes, shared research and the OR gate that does not need three upgrades.
- [Stepped soldier training](https://toplordsguide.com/infographics/stepped-soldier-training/): Barracks tier gates and a stepped T9 layout, without treating training costs as promotion costs.
- [Imperial Supply Raid](https://toplordsguide.com/infographics/imperial-supply-raid/): From Convoys to Quartermaster rallies, with a level-10 reward comparison.
- [Gold Mine Conquest](https://toplordsguide.com/infographics/gold-mine-conquest/): A coordinate map, facility occupation rates and useful jobs for your alliance.
- [Alliance Duel, day by day](https://toplordsguide.com/infographics/alliance-duel/): All six scoring days, base task rates, personal chests and qualification rules.
- [Kingdom Duel: score to invasion](https://toplordsguide.com/infographics/kingdom-duel/): The weekly decision, recorded Kingdom Point sources and Saturday’s invasion.
- [Legion hero skills & roles](https://toplordsguide.com/infographics/legion-hero-skills/): The five regular UR Legion heroes, four skill slots and a starting formation.
- [Tribe hero skills & roles](https://toplordsguide.com/infographics/tribe-hero-skills/): Frontline protection, Tactical damage and Charles’s team support in four-slot skill blocks.
- [Ranger hero skills & roles](https://toplordsguide.com/infographics/ranger-hero-skills/): Team protection, DEF reduction and back-row pressure across the five regular UR Rangers.
- [World Boss starting formations](https://toplordsguide.com/infographics/world-boss-formations/): Three faction setups, Lord substitutions and a simple way to compare damage fairly.
- [T10 unlock checklist](https://toplordsguide.com/infographics/t10-unlock-checklist/): Castle, Barracks, Scholar Tower and Soldier X: the gates to check before T10.
- [First-week priorities](https://toplordsguide.com/infographics/first-week-priorities/): Build a main squad, follow Castle requirements and prepare useful event upgrades.
- [Daily routine](https://toplordsguide.com/infographics/daily-routine/): Check Intel, queues, alliance activities and the active event before spending saved items.
- [Hathaway rank breakpoints](https://toplordsguide.com/infographics/hathaway-worker-ranks/): Budget the worker rank that matches the Intel you complete.
- [Hero star shard costs](https://toplordsguide.com/infographics/hero-star-shard-costs/): Five substeps per star. Pay only for the progress still missing.
- [Griffin Beast Core costs](https://toplordsguide.com/infographics/griffin-core-requirements/): A quick reference for the advanced transitions through level 100.
- [Shop spending checklist](https://toplordsguide.com/infographics/shop-spending-checklist/): Buy the missing upgrade material, not every discounted item.
- [Alliance Duel · six-day focus](https://toplordsguide.com/infographics/alliance-duel-quick-reference/): Save useful materials, then check the active scoring action.