As the game enters the SoC season, third-generation and later commanders become fully available, making Gold Head resources even more limited. For F2P and low-spending players, one wrong Gold Head investment can wipe out their battlefield competitiveness for the entire season.
This tier list is based on real combat data from top-tier accounts. It skips early-game transitional epic commanders and focuses on endgame core commanders, breaking down their battlefield roles, lineup pairings, and long-term investment value to help you spend every Gold Head where it matters most.
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Strength Ranking Breakdown
This tier list is based on five key factors: open-field strength, rally value, defensive capability, team compatibility, and return on Gold Head investment (ROI). S+ represents the best choices in the current version, while F-tier commanders offer almost no long-term value for Gold Head investment.
The rankings are mainly determined by each commander's overall battlefield performance, including open-field strength, rally value, defensive capability, team compatibility, and Gold Head investment return.
| Tier | Rating Description |
|---|---|
| S+ | Commanders are most worth prioritizing in the current version. No matter what strategy your alliance uses, commanders in this tier hold a main position. |
| S | Stable in strength and suitable for long-term use. They are the second choice after completing the S+ core commanders. Once maxed, they can lead an independent march and also work well as alliance support. |
| A | Strong performance, but they require more specific scenarios or team setups. Their individual strength is not weak, but they need a certain tactic or the right partner to reach their full potential. |
| B | Useful in specific situations, but Gold Heads should be saved for higher-tier commanders first. After entering Season 3, they clearly start to fall behind the current meta. If already maxed, they can still be used, but new accounts are not recommended to invest Gold Heads in them. |
| C | Only valuable in a very small number of scenarios, or mainly useful in the early development stage. They only make sense under very specific conditions, usually for old accounts that already have them built, or as short-term transition choices for new accounts. |
| F | Only valuable in a very small number of scenarios, or mainly useful in the early development stage. Their skill values and overall version strength are already clearly outdated. Even when maxed, they are not recommended as main battlefield commanders. |
Overall Cavalry Commander Power Ranking
Cavalry is the most mobile main troop type in the ROK, excelling at rapid support, pursuit, resource raiding, and open-field maneuvering.
Based on multiple factors, including open-field performance and Gold Head value, we have compiled a comprehensive cavalry commander power ranking.
Best Infantry Commander
Scipio Prime
Scipio Prime is a limited Legendary Commander who can be obtained through specific seasonal events or limited-time summon pools.
- Core Strengths: Scipio's main value lies in his ability to consistently boost infantry attack, defense, health, and march speed. The usual talent setup is to max out the Infantry tree first to secure all key stat bonuses, then invest the remaining points into Support to improve rage regeneration and make the skill cycle smoother.
- Limitations: He does not provide direct damage himself, so his strength as a primary commander is limited when used alone.
- Recommended Pairing: Guan Yu as the primary commander, with Scipio as the secondary commander.
Liu Che
Liu Che is a limited legendary commander who can be obtained through specific seasonal events or limited-time summon pools. Together with Scipio Prime, he forms one of the core infantry duos, so it is best to plan your resources around both commanders during the same season stage to avoid gaps in your future lineup.
- Core Strengths: Liu Che has a large active skill area and can hit up to 5 targets. At max level, his damage is around 2,250. For each additional target hit, the damage is reduced by 15%. His skill also applies up to a 40% slow, which is highly effective for locking down enemies trying to retreat.
- Limitations: His multi-target damage has diminishing returns, so his single-target burst is weaker than commanders specialized in focused damage. He also needs a secondary commander to improve sustain, and his availability is limited by version-specific release windows.
- Recommended Pairings: Scipio Prime, Guan Yu, and other strong secondary commanders.
In actual battles, it is recommended to focus mainly on the Infantry talent tree to steadily improve troop strength. Pairing Liu Che with Scipio Prime can make up for his survivability issues, making this infantry march more stable in both frontline fights and pursuit situations.
William Wallace
William Wallace is a regular Legendary commander and is permanently available in the Epic Summon pool.
- Core Strengths: Wallace has no obvious weaknesses and offers broad compatibility. His damage reduction while in a defensive state gives him extra value in city defense and defensive counterattacks. He is not overly dependent on specific pairings, making his lineup more forgiving. Once fully developed, he is also unlikely to become completely unused.
- Limitations: He lacks the battlefield dominance of top-tier core commanders and is better suited as a functional reinforcement.
- Recommended Pairings: Scipio Prime or Liu Che.
Infantry Investment Priority
Recommended investment order: Scipio Prime > Liu Che > William Wallace
For F2P and low-spending players, it is not recommended to spread resources across multiple legendary infantry commanders at the same time. Gold Heads should first be concentrated on Scipio Prime and Liu Che. Once these two commanders have formed a stable combat core, you can then consider investing in William Wallace to maximize the real battlefield value of your Gold Heads.
Overall Archer Commander Strength Ranking
Archers are one of the main troop types in ROK, known for strong skill damage and area control. They excel at dealing multi-target damage in team fights, stacking debuffs, and lowering enemy HP. The following ranking is based on the overall practical value of archer commanders in real combat:
Best Universal Commander
Vercingetorix
Vercingetorix is a high-rarity Legendary commander who can be obtained through specific seasonal events or advanced summon pools. He requires a large number of Gold Heads to build.
- Core Strengths: Vercingetorix has almost no restrictions when it comes to usage scenarios. He offers both strong skill damage and solid survivability, making him well-balanced in both offense and defense. He also has strong version resistance, meaning he is less likely to be replaced by future meta updates.
- Limitations: He requires a high number of Gold Heads to fully awaken, and he is difficult to obtain.
- Recommended Pairings: He can fit well with most mainstream deputy commanders across different troop types.
Philip
Philip is a Legendary Commander who can be obtained through seasonal events and limited-time summon pools.
- Core Strengths: Philip's active skill deals serious direct damage while applying both slow and defense-reduction debuffs. His passive skills provide attack bonuses for all troop types and have a chance to trigger a counter effect when he takes damage. His overall kit is highly practical, with no strict activation requirements, allowing him to deliver consistent value in most combat scenarios.
- Limitations: His overall strength is lower than Vercingetorix, and the gap becomes more noticeable in high-end matchups.
- Recommended Pairing: Using Vercingetorix as the primary commander with Philip as the secondary commander is currently one of the most stable mainstream pairings for universal dual-commander setups.
Trajan
Trajan is a regular Legendary commander and is permanently available in the Epic Summon pool.
- Skill Mechanics: Trajan's active skill deals area direct damage and provides a short-term attack boost to allied troops. His passive skills grant all-troop attack and defense bonuses, while also triggering additional buffs in team-based scenarios. Overall, he is not a single-target burst commander, but is better suited for team buffs and sustained damage.
- Core Strengths: Trajan provides broad teamwide buffs, making him suitable for mainstream multi-march coordination strategies. He does not rely on single-target burst damage, and his contribution remains relatively stable in extended battles.
- Limitations: Low open-field damage when used as a single march.
- Recommended Pairings: Trajan can be used as a secondary commander under a Vercingetorix or Philip-led setup, providing extra team buffs for the primary commander. He can also serve as a dedicated support commander in alliance-level multi-march coordination, complementing other core commander pairs.
General Investment Priority
Recommended investment order: Vercingetorix > Philip > Trajan
There is little debate about placing Vercingetorix first. He sits in the highest tier, offers the best overall value, and is the best choice to fully invest in as a core commander. Philip is a strong second investment target worth keeping for the long term. Trajan ranks third mainly because of his practicality and broad team compatibility. He can fit into existing lineups more easily and does not rely too heavily on a single playstyle.
Overall Engineering Commander Ranking
Engineering commanders are more function-oriented in the ROK. They are mainly used for gathering load capacity, attacking structures, and specific rally scenarios. Below is our overall ranking of engineering commanders based on battlefield practicality.
Best Engineering Commander
Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I is a high-rarity, limited Legendary commander. She can be obtained through specific seasonal events or advanced summon pools, and requires a large number of Gold Heads to upgrade.
- Skill Mechanics: Elizabeth I's active skill deals serious direct damage while applying both Defense reduction and Slow effects. Her passive skills provide three types of bonuses to troops: Attack, Defense, and skill damage reduction. Under certain battle conditions, she can also trigger an additional mobility bonus. Her skill set balances damage and survivability, making her suitable for both direct engagements and prolonged attrition fights.
- Limitations: She is difficult to obtain, requires a heavy Gold Head investment, and takes a long time to fully awaken.
- Recommended Pairing: Mary I is the best secondary commander for Elizabeth I. Together, they can form a dual-core Engineering setup.
Mary I
Mary I is a limited Legendary commander. Like Elizabeth I, she belongs to the S+ tier and can be obtained through specific seasonal events or limited-time summons.
- Core Strength: Mary I's active skill deals high area damage and applies a damage-over-time effect. The longer the battle lasts, the more noticeable her accumulated damage becomes.
- Limitations: Her offensive weaknesses are clear, and in short fights, her damage-over-time effect is difficult to fully capitalize on.
- Recommended Pairing: Elizabeth I as the primary commander
Archimedes
Archimedes's main strengths are stability, versatility, reliable field performance, and broad team compatibility. He is a legendary commander who can be obtained through seasonal events and summon pools.
- Core Strengths: Archimedes's active skill can deal serious direct damage to a single target or a small area, with a stable overall damage factor. His passive skills provide troop attack and skill damage bonuses, and can enhance skill cycle frequency under specific trigger conditions.
- Limitations: He lacks a unique mechanical advantage. He is better suited as a stable damage supplement rather than the core commander of an engineering-focused lineup.
- Recommended Pairing: Archimedes can serve as a secondary commander under a main commander setup led by Elizabeth I or Mary I, helping to provide additional damage.
Engineer Investment Priority
Recommended investment order: Elizabeth I > Mary I > Archimedes.
When resources are limited, prioritize Elizabeth I and Mary I first. They are less likely to fall out of the meta, and the return on Gold Head investment is more stable. Archimedes should be placed third. His overall performance remains solid, and his combat strength is reliable, making him a good reinforcement choice after your core commander pair has already been built.
Final Thoughts
This Rise of Kingdoms commander tier list is for reference only. It reflects the current version meta and should not be taken as an absolute or authoritative guide. Experienced governors can achieve strategic victories with any commander through strong teamwork and smart counterplay. However, top-tier commanders can indeed help you win battles more easily.
As the game meta continues to change, having enough gems is important for getting powerful new commanders. If you do not have enough resources to recruit the top-tier characters mentioned above, you can check out the Rise of Kingdoms top-up deals on GamsGo.
FAQ
Is Rise of Kingdoms worth playing?
Yes. If you enjoy deep, long-term MMO strategy games and highly active alliance communities, Rise of Kingdoms is definitely worth playing. However, you should also be fully aware that it requires a lot of time and money.
Which is better, Rise of Kingdoms or Call of Dragons?
Call of Dragons and Rise of Kingdoms are both very popular 4X strategy games developed by the same teams, Lilith Games and Farlight Games. Rise of Kingdoms is a classic historical strategy game, while Call of Dragons is its modern fantasy-style successor, featuring more polished game mechanics and a faster PvP pace.
Which nation is best to start with in Rise of Kingdoms?
In Rise of Kingdoms, China is the best starting civilization. It offers a strong mix of early-game bonuses and a powerful starting commander, helping you speed up city development.
What is the strongest civilization in Rise of Kingdoms?
In Rise of Kingdoms, there is no single “strongest” civilization. The best choice depends entirely on your current game stage, whether early or late game, and your main playstyle, such as free-to-play, rally leader, or open-field fighter.
What gives you the most power in Rise of Kingdoms?
In Rise of Kingdoms, your total power comes from buildings, technology, and troops. However, your real combat strength and influence mainly come from having well-developed commanders, strong tactics, and high-level equipment.
How long does it take to upgrade to City Hall Level 25 in Rise of Kingdoms?
In Rise of Kingdoms, upgrading your City Hall to Level 25 usually takes around 3 months to over a year for free-to-play players. The exact time depends on your playstyle, alliance activity, and how much money you are willing to spend.
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