The King Is Watching: Best Upgrades (Early & Late Game Tips)
The King Is Watching uses a roguelite progression system where you keep some upgrades between runs. Choosing the right upgrades early can speed up your progress and make future runs much smoother.
Best Early Upgrades
These upgrades give strong bonuses from the start or unlock powerful core mechanics for future runs.
Tile Seals
Tile Seals increase the production output of the tiles they are attached to. This means faster resource generation, letting you build and expand quicker. Tile Seals are found in both the Red and Yellow upgrade trees and should be unlocked as soon as possible.
Banish the Nobles
Some tiles at the edge of your kingdom are blocked by Nobles who contribute nothing to your growth. Unlocking Banish the Nobles removes these blockers, freeing up valuable build space. This upgrade is located in the Red upgrade tree and costs little compared to the benefits it provides.
Advisor Slot
Advisors provide passive bonuses to your kingdom, but by default, you can only field one. Unlocking additional Advisor Slots in the Blue upgrade tree allows stacking multiple advisors at once, enabling stronger synergies and flexible strategies.
Mid to Late Game Upgrades
Once you have the essentials, expand into these more advanced upgrades for additional power.
Troop Limit
Increasing your troop cap directly boosts your army strength. These upgrades are expensive but essential for handling tougher enemies and larger battles.
Magic School
Magic Schools passively generate spells over time. While individual spells may feel weak, consistently generating and using them adds up during long fights. After unlocking the school, consider investing in the Spell Damage upgrades in the Yellow tree.
New Buildings
Various new buildings across all trees offer unique benefits. Unlocking them increases strategic options, allowing more specialized kingdom builds.
New Kings
Found in the Green upgrade tree, these unlock new rulers with unique abilities. Each King brings different playstyles and synergies, adding variety and long-term depth to your runs.
Troop Upgrades
These upgrades increase troop health and damage by percentage, dramatically improving army performance. They are costly and placed deep in the Green tree, so prioritize them once you have a stable economy and base upgrades in place.
Final Blurb
Upgrades define your long-term progress in The King Is Watching. Focus early on resource growth and strategic flexibility through Tile Seals, Banish the Nobles, and Advisor Slots.
After establishing a strong foundation, branch into troop scaling, magic support, and specialized buildings to push deeper into harder runs.
FAQ
Do I need to win a run to unlock upgrades?
No, upgrades are unlocked even if your run fails, ensuring steady progression.
Are new Kings worth prioritizing early?
They are best unlocked mid-game. Early resources are better spent on foundational upgrades.
What’s the strongest single early upgrade?
Tile Seals give the fastest long-term value by speeding up resource production from the start.
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