Version 1.0 Global Release ActiveSteam • PC / Mac / Deck

OFFICIAL STRATEGY COMPENDIUM

NINE SOVEREIGNS.
ONE ETERNAL CROWN.

Every empire rises or collapses across a compact 3x3 territory grid. Master the sacred Rule of Two, radiate game-breaking orthogonal synergies, and construct unassailable kingdom engines to conquer King IX ascension.

Launch 3x3 War Table The Rule of Two Guide →⚡ Top Meta Builds

Playable Rulers

9 Monarchs

Battle Matrix

3x3 Grid

Ascension Tiers

King I ~ IX

Tactical War Table (Live Preview)

Infinite Storm Archetype

T1Shock

Static Spire

+25 Shock

T2Vanguard

Paladin Champ

580 HP • Armor

T3Guard

Arcane Barrier

Absorbs 400

T4Haste

Beacon

+35% Spd Aura

T5★ CORE

Arcane Library

4x Cross Buffs

T6Caster

Appr. Wizard

Mana +1/s

T7Carry

Archmage

110 DMG • Chain

T8Keep

Spire Citadel

Lightning Auto

T9Forge

Blacksmith

+15% Atk & Arm

Simulated DPS: 540 /sFull 3x3 Simulator →

Visual Intelligence

Gameplay Combat Showcase

Watch real in-game footage of massive armies, Citadel evolution, cross-monarch synergies, and asynchronous competitive clashes.

Official Sad Socket Footage

TCG Digital Hand Engine

Interactive Digital Card Deck & Hand Engine

Experience true TCG physics: Hover to draw and scale cards in 3D perspective, or flip to inspect orthogonal adjacency vectors.

The Crownlands

Paladin Champion

⚔️ Unit

Aura:

▲◀•▶▼

Melee Cleave (1.5 tiles)

The pinnacle of martial chivalry. Radiates an unyielding holy aura that cleaves enemy columns.

⚡Adjacency: Health permanently scales whenever Attack is increased. Grants +25% tenacity to neighbors.

"A wall of stone may crumble under siege engines, but righteous conviction is unbreakable."

⚔️68

Flip↻•War Table →

🛡️850

ROYAL COMPENDIUM

Paladin Champion

The Crownlands • Legendary

Pro Strategy: The cornerstone of the viral Paladin Wall meta! Placing a Blacksmith in the middle tile doubles Paladin HP and damage simultaneously.

Synergies: Blacksmith, Royal Farm, Combustion, Steel Coat

CLICK ANYWHERE ON CARD TO FLIP BACK ↻

The Primal Canopy

Wild Boar Charger

⚔️ Unit

Aura:

▲◀•▶▼

Melee Trample (2 tiles)

Fierce primeval beast that charges through enemy vanguard ranks with crushing mass.

⚡Adjacency: Gains +35% Health and +15% Size per adjacent Forest tile. Stacks multiplicatively.

"Tusks carved from ancient roots, running with the momentum of an avalanche."

⚔️48

Flip↻•War Table →

🛡️480

ROYAL COMPENDIUM

Wild Boar Charger

The Primal Canopy • Rare

Pro Strategy: The SSS-tier unit of King IX! Cluster 3-4 Forests around a Boar and its health reaches tens of thousands.

Synergies: Ancient Forest, Procreate, Feast Decree, Primal Stamina Perk

CLICK ANYWHERE ON CARD TO FLIP BACK ↻

The High Spire

Arcane Library

🏰 Building

Aura:

▲◀•▶▼

Global Deck

Ancient archives that study mystical secrets, automatically duplicating spell cards and enchantments every winter.

⚡Adjacency: Orthogonal spellcasters gain +40% Spell Power.

"Knowledge is not power. Applied knowledge is catastrophe."

SPELLS

Flip↻•War Table →

🛡️400

ROYAL COMPENDIUM

Arcane Library

The High Spire • Legendary

Pro Strategy: The single most powerful scaling engine in late-game 9 Kings. Beware: avoid placing on Year 2 before your frontline is stable!

Synergies: Spell Echo Decree, Static Charge, Combustion, Beacon

CLICK ANYWHERE ON CARD TO FLIP BACK ↻

The Guild of Coins

Gold Dispenser

🏰 Building

Aura:

▲◀•▶▼

Long (4.5 tiles)

A rapid-fire defensive turret whose attack speed permanently scales by +5% every time the player acquires 10 gold.

⚡Adjacency: Shoots coins at enemy units with rapid ballistic trajectory.

"Money talks. At twelve hundred rounds per minute, it screams."

⚔️45

Flip↻•War Table →

🛡️550

ROYAL COMPENDIUM

Gold Dispenser

The Guild of Coins • Rare

Pro Strategy: The highest single-target DPS card in 9 Kings! With Beacons, Amplifiers, and 500 gold in treasury, reaches 15+ attacks/sec.

Synergies: Amplifier, Beacon, Compound Interest Perk, Dispenser Overclock Perk

CLICK ANYWHERE ON CARD TO FLIP BACK ↻

Neutral / Universal

Beacon

🏰 Building

Aura:

▲◀•▶▼

Cardinal Adjacency

Radiant lighthouse emitting a rhythmic pulsing aura that accelerates all nearby combatants.

⚡Adjacency: All 4 orthogonally adjacent tiles gain +35% Attack Speed.

"A guiding spark that quickens the pulse of war."

NEUTRAL

Flip↻•War Table →

🛡️400

ROYAL COMPENDIUM

Beacon

Neutral / Universal • Rare

Pro Strategy: The foundational card of high-ascension attack speed engines. Position adjacent to Amplifiers or primary carries.

Synergies: Amplifier, Gold Dispenser, Archmage of the Veil, Blacksmith

CLICK ANYWHERE ON CARD TO FLIP BACK ↻

Hand Size: 5 / 54 Cards•Browse Full 54-Card Codex →

Playable Rulers

The Nine Sovereigns Archive

Choose your commander. Every king introduces a unique Citadel power, signature mechanic, and customized starting card pool.

View Full Sovereign Compendium →

The CrownlandsBeginner

King of Nothing

The Sovereign of the Humble Realm

The archetype monarch of 9 Kings. Devoid of flashy elemental powers or dark bargains, the King of Nothing turns fundamental discipline, physical armor, and stalwart archers into an unstoppable engine of conquest.

Citadel Signature Power:

Rallying Banner: Grants +15% Health and +10% Attack Speed to all orthogonally adjacent defensive units.

Starting Army:

Royal CitadelStalwart Footman (x2)Longbowman+2

Standard Medieval Warfare Inspect Dossier →

The Arcane OrderIntermediate

King of Spells

The Archmage of the Arcane Spires

Master of lightning, static arcs, and enchanted towers. The King of Spells transforms humble grid positions into channelers of apocalyptic magical destruction.

Citadel Signature Power:

Arcane Surge: Automatically strikes incoming enemy waves with bouncing Chain Lightning every 4 seconds during combat.

Starting Army:

Spire CitadelApprentice Wizard (x2)Arcane Barrier+2

Spell Stacking, Chain Lightning Inspect Dossier →

The Primal CanopyIntermediate

King of Nature

The Great Arboreal Patriarch

Harnesses the untamed fury of the forest. The King of Nature wins battles not through forged metal, but through overwhelming biomass, poisonous spores, and resilient beasts.

Citadel Signature Power:

Heart of the Forest: Pulses healing sap across all adjacent tiles, boosting maximum HP of living units by +5% every year.

Starting Army:

Living World Tree CitadelWild Boar Charger (x2)Elven Stalker+2

Continuous HP Growth, Spores Inspect Dossier →

The Gilded SyndicateIntermediate

King of Greed

The Merchant Emperor of the Golden Vaults

Why bleed for a crown when you can buy it? The King of Greed treats war as a balance sheet, accumulating vast treasuries to purchase overpowered troops and pay off rival kings.

Citadel Signature Power:

Vault of Midas: Generates +10 Gold at the end of each battle, plus 5% compound interest on unspent gold reserves.

Starting Army:

Gilded Palace CitadelHired Sellsword (x2)Crossbow Guild+2

Gold Accumulation, Mercenary Swarms Inspect Dossier →

The Steppe HordeAdvanced

King of Nomads

The Khan of the Whispering Steppes

Never trapped in one corner. The King of Nomads relies on fluid maneuvers, passing health and attack stats across orthogonal vectors while harassing enemies with relentless mobility.

Citadel Signature Power:

War Tent Citadel: Can be relocated to any empty grid tile once per turn without penalty, granting temporary charge buffs to neighboring units.

Starting Army:

Great War TentSteppe Raider (x2)Horse Archer+2

Mobility, Adjacency Stat Feeding Inspect Dossier →

The Chrono SanctuaryExpert

King of Time

The Chronomancer of the Eternal Hourglass

The master of past and future. The King of Time can bend the flow of years, setting up portals that replay previous seasons while retaining permanent infrastructure gains.

Citadel Signature Power:

Hourglass Citadel: Rewinds the final 3 seconds of a disastrous battle once per run, or accelerates production by 25%.

Starting Army:

Sundial CitadelChrono Sentinel (x2)Time Weaver+2

Time Loops, Pacing Distortion Inspect Dossier →

The Deep BastionBeginner

King of Stone

The Mountain Lord of the Granite Bastion

The ultimate turtle monarch. The King of Stone turns the 3x3 territory into an impenetrable mountain fortress where enemies break their teeth upon granite and iron.

Citadel Signature Power:

Granite Keep: Grants +30% Armor and 15% Damage Reflection to all units stationed in the forward row.

Starting Army:

Granite Keep CitadelStone Golem (x2)Rampart Ballista+2

Unbreakable Defense, Golems Inspect Dossier →

The Sanguine CovenAdvanced

King of Blood

The Sanguine Patriarch of the Crimson Crypt

A high-wire act of carnage and power. The King of Blood trades the vitality of lesser thralls for terrifying life-stealing commanders and necrotic resurrecting armies.

Citadel Signature Power:

Sanguine Altar: Sacrifices the lowest-health minion at battle start to grant all surviving allies +25% Lifesteal and +20% Attack Damage.

Starting Army:

Crimson Crypt CitadelBlood Cultist (x2)Vampiric Thrall+2

Sacrifice Engines, Vampirism Inspect Dossier →

The Steam & Steel DirectorateIntermediate

King of Progress

The Chief Engineer of the Clockwork Foundry

The industrial revolution comes to the Nine Realms. The King of Progress builds assembly lines across the 3x3 grid, mass-producing mechanical soldiers and explosive artillery.

Citadel Signature Power:

Foundry Core: Every adjacent building completes its construction or upgrade phase 1 year faster and produces +1 Clockwork Cog per turn.

Starting Army:

Foundry Core CitadelClockwork Soldier (x2)Steam Gatling Cannon+2

Industrial Synergy, Clockwork Automata Inspect Dossier →

In-Game Visuals

Realm Screenshot Vault

High-resolution captures from live 9 Kings Version 1.0 builds across PC and Steam Deck.

9 Kings Boss Encounter — Year 20 Boss ConfrontationHigh-tier enemy champions attempting to breach the 3x3 perimeter.

9 Kings Joker Mode Deckbuilding — Joker Mode Custom DeckbuilderMixing cards across all 9 monarchs from turn one with tailored rules.

9 Kings Asynchronous Multiplayer — Async Multiplayer LadderPitting kingdom builds against 8 player monarchs worldwide.

9 Kings Quest Mode World Map — Quest Mode World MapTraveling the continents to conquer specialized scenario puzzles.

Royal Council Decrees — Royal Council ChamberVoting on game-altering imperial decrees every 4 years.

King of Nature Biomass Swarm — Biomass & Spore MultiplicationOverwhelming enemy forces with explosive spores and boars.

Royal Council System

Royal Decrees Tier List

Triggered at Years 4, 8, 12, and 16. A single S-Tier decree can double your army's power overnight.

View All Decrees →

SUniversal

Overwork

All buildings trigger their passive production, buffs, and year-end effects an extra time.

Forces all kingdom infrastructure to labor twice as hard without resting.

💡 Always pick this if offered in Year 4 or Year 8. Combine with Beacon for exponential attack frequency.

SMilitary

Bunker

Increases all tower, bastion, and defensive structure attack speed by +50%.

Fortifies all battle stations with iron slats and reinforced firing slits.

💡 Synergizes heavily with the King of Nothing beginner build and King of Stone siege fortresses.

SEconomy

Development

Grants wildcards and flexible building slots for empty tiles on the 3x3 war board.

Directs crown engineers to cultivate unused lands into dynamic tactical zones.

💡 Enables placing high-tier buildings on plots that would otherwise be locked by terrain restrictions.

SEconomy

National Accord (Diplomatic Treaty)

Allows the player to make peace with selected rival kings, eliminating their hostile scaling and purifying the card draft pool.

Authorizes royal diplomats to negotiate non-aggression pacts with specific rival monarchs.

💡 Always make peace with King of Stone early so their siege catapults do not wipe your squishy backline in Year 12.

High-Ascension Blueprints

Proven Meta Builds

Battle-tested formations designed to overcome ruthless Year 16-20 boss onslaughts.

View All Meta Builds →

King VII-IXKing of Spells

Infinite Chain Lightning Storm

The premiere high-difficulty build in 9 Kings v1.0. Places an Arcane Library in the exact center (Tile 5) flanked by Archmages and Beacons to cast cascading thunderstorms every 2 seconds, melting entire 500-unit enemy waves before they can touch your lines.

Core Engines:

Arcane LibraryArchmage of the VeilBeacon

Read Build Blueprint →

All DifficultiesKing of Nature

Mycelium Biomass Swarm

Floods the screen with an unending wave of wild boars, elven hunters, and explosive fungal spores. Utilizing Feast decree to double maximum HP and Mycelium spore generation, this build creates a biological meatgrinder that cannot be exhausted.

Core Engines:

Mycelium Spore-PitWild Boar ChargerProcreate

Read Build Blueprint →

King IV-VIKing of Greed

The Golden Mercenary Juggernaut

Converts sheer financial wealth into martial annihilation. By taking The Royal Loan in Year 4 and stockpiling 150+ gold with Vault of Midas interest, your Hired Sellswords gain hundreds of bonus damage, while you can buy whatever victory demands.

Core Engines:

Hired SellswordMarketplaceCoin Mint

Read Build Blueprint →

Deep Meta Guides