As it's still early access, 9 Kings is actually at number seven, meaning we still don't have everything uncovered. But that doesn't mean the game doesn't have a lot to offer. This 9 Kings beginner's guide will help you pick the best cards for your deck, learn the most efficient build strategies, and choose the best ruler for your playstyle.
Best 9 Kings Cards List
In 9 Kings, you primarily use your faction cards, but very soon you'll mix and match cards from everyone. I'm not a big fan of this, but maybe that will change once each king gets more cards. You'll soon realize that some cards are more useful than others, especially at the start (Procreate card).
| Card | Description |
|---|---|
| Blacksmith (King of Nothing) | Adds +2% attack to adjacent units and contractions. |
| Wizard (King of Spells) | Powerful ranged attacks. |
| Offering (King of Spells) | Destroys the target plot in exchange for three random tome cards. |
| Beacon (King of Greed) | Adds +2% attack speed to adjacent units and towers. |
| Demon's Altar (King of Blood) | Summons demons which grow stronger with each ally's death. |
| Procreate (King of Nature) | Adds nine troops to the selected troops. One of the best early-game cards. |
| Mycelium (King of Nature) | Summons spores that act as additional shooters. |
| Earthworks (King of Stone) | Unlocks the target's adjacent plots and returns three copies of the target to your hand. |
| Concabulator (King of Progress) | When it reaches level 3, it levels up buildings on all plots. |
Most Efficient Building Placement Strategy (Build Order)
Your starting "town" initially has nine plots for units and buildings. The most important thing is to put the castle in the top left or right plot so it's as far away from enemies as possible. To maximize your units, you'll use support constructions (each faction has at least one).
Support cards most often work in a cross-like fashion, buffing adjacent units and towers. That's why you should plan your units around the support, which is in the center of your kingdom. Below is the build order for your kingdom in 9 Kings.
| Castle | Unit | Tower |
| Unit | Buff | Unit |
| Tower | Unit | Tower |
Related: Best Kings in 9 Kings - Tier List
What King is the Best for Beginners?
King of Spells is the best ruler to play with as a beginner. With a great combination of strong range and melee units, and chain lightning coming from your Citadel, you'll have an easy time getting used to the game mechanics. Focus on Warlocks and Wizards as your main force, and you'll be fine all the way to higher difficulties.
What King is the Most Challenging to Play?
With the caveat that the game is still in early access, the most challenging king to play with was King of Progress. This futuristic alien-like ruler has an interesting fortress mechanic (mothership is used on the battlefield), but has somewhat weak cards. By the time you build your forces, you'll probably die several times (on Lord+ difficulties).
9 Kings Frequently Asked Questions
The game is currently not available on mobile platforms.
9 Kings is a deck-building roguelike where you defend your city/kingdom against other kings (factions).
Each run consists of multiple years (turns). During a turn, there's a preparation period where you play at least one card (a building or a unit). After that, you're ready for a battle!
That's all you need to know, for now, about 9 Kings. For more roguelike experience, check out Top 10 Best Roguelites and Roguelikes on Pro Game Guides.
Nebojša Prijić is a Managing Editor at Pro Game Guides with over 25 years of experience in journalism, screenwriting, and copywriting. He previously worked as Editor-in-Chief of Maxim Serbia magazine and the IGN Adria website. Nebojša is an old-school gamer who loves real-time strategies, shooters, and RPGs, but most of all, he plays Roblox and mobile games with his son. He remembers the first Diablo, PC games on a single floppy disk, and playing Mortal Kombat on the keyboard.