The Kingshot Lion is a Generation 3 pet that periodically uncovers a valuable item through its Gift of the King skill. Possible rewards can include Forgehammers, Truegold, and materials connected to Governor Charms and Gear progression.
Lion generally becomes available around server Day 110 to 113. Its maximum level is 80, and Gift of the King has eight ranks that reduce the cooldown from 2 days and 3 hours to only 23 hours.
Unlike temporary combat pet skills, Gift of the King provides recurring account progression. This makes Lion one of the highest-value long-term pets for F2P players, low spenders, and established accounts.
This guide explains how to unlock Lion, how Gift of the King works, its complete cooldown progression, upgrade requirements, total material costs, refinement strategy, and whether Lion is worth prioritizing.
Prepare Moose Level 15 before Generation 3 pets arrive, then capture Lion as soon as the live Beast Cage allows it. Upgrade Gift of the King to shorten its cooldown, use the skill whenever it becomes available, and prioritize Lion over less important utility pets because its rewards continue supporting Gear, Truegold, and Charm progression.
What Is the Lion Pet in Kingshot?
Lion is a Generation 3 progression pet. Its main value comes from generating a random item from the Badlands rather than providing a temporary active battle buff.
| Lion Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Pet generation | Generation 3 |
| Typical availability | Around server Day 110 to 113 |
| Beast Cage requirement | Town Center Level 18 |
| Reported capture prerequisite | Moose Level 15 |
| Maximum level | Level 80 |
| Active skill | Gift of the King |
| Skill ranks | 8 |
| Minimum cooldown | 23 hours |
| Main purpose | Recurring progression materials |
Unlock warning: Server age alone may not unlock Lion. Prepare Moose Level 15 and confirm the requirement displayed inside your live Beast Cage.
When Does Lion Unlock in Kingshot?
Lion normally becomes available during Generation 3 pet progression, around server Day 110 to 113.
Pet unlock timing depends mainly on kingdom age. Reaching a high Town Center level early does not force Generation 3 pets to appear ahead of the server timeline.
You should prepare the following before Lion arrives:
- Reach Town Center Level 18 to unlock the Beast Cage.
- Capture Moose during Generation 2.
- Raise Moose to Level 15.
- Save Pet Food and Growth Manuals.
- Keep capture and feeding attempts available.
- Avoid spending every advancement material on low-priority pets.
The exact release day can vary slightly between kingdoms. Check the Beast Cage regularly when your server approaches Generation 3.
Gift of the King Skill
Gift of the King allows Lion to uncover an item lost in the Badlands.
The item is generated immediately when the skill is used. Afterward, the skill enters its cooldown period.
Possible reward categories can include:
- Forgehammers
- Truegold
- Governor Charm materials
- Artisan-related materials
- Other valuable progression items
The reward is random. Upgrading Lion reduces the skill cooldown, but it does not guarantee a particular item every time.
Gift of the King Cooldown by Rank
Gift of the King begins with a cooldown of 2 days and 3 hours. Each skill rank removes another four hours until the cooldown reaches 23 hours.
| Skill Rank | Cooldown | Hours Between Uses |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 days 3 hours | 51 hours |
| 2 | 1 day 23 hours | 47 hours |
| 3 | 1 day 19 hours | 43 hours |
| 4 | 1 day 15 hours | 39 hours |
| 5 | 1 day 11 hours | 35 hours |
| 6 | 1 day 7 hours | 31 hours |
| 7 | 1 day 3 hours | 27 hours |
| 8 | 23 hours | 23 hours |
Should You Use Gift of the King Immediately?
Yes. Use Gift of the King whenever its cooldown finishes.
Waiting does not improve the next reward. Delaying a completed cooldown only reduces the number of items Lion can generate over time.
At maximum rank, the 23-hour cooldown allows the skill to become ready slightly earlier each day. Set a reminder or check the Beast Cage during your daily reset routine.
Is Lion Worth Upgrading?
Yes. Lion is one of the strongest long-term pet investments because its main skill continues producing scarce progression materials.
Lion Is Worth Prioritizing When:
- You are a free-to-play or low-spending player.
- You need more Forgehammers.
- You are progressing through Truegold levels.
- Governor Charm materials are a bottleneck.
- You log in consistently enough to use the skill on cooldown.
- You have already prepared Moose Level 15.
- You want a pet that remains useful in later generations.
Limit Lion Investment When:
- You cannot yet capture it.
- Moose has not reached the required level.
- You need a small amount of Pet Food to unlock another mandatory pet.
- Your main competitive role requires an urgent later-generation combat pet.
- You rarely log in and allow the skill to remain unused for several days.
Lion Priority by Player Type
| Player Type | Priority | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Strict F2P | Very high | Prioritize cooldown reduction for recurring rare materials |
| Low spender | Very high | Develop Lion while reserving some materials for combat pets |
| Rally leader | High | Keep Lion progressing, then prioritize later rally pets when available |
| Garrison leader | High | Use its rewards to support Gear, Charm, and Truegold progression |
| Heavy spender | High | Useful passive value, but balance it with current-generation combat pets |
Lion Leveling and Advancement Requirements
Lion uses two connected upgrade systems:
- Pet Food raises its normal level.
- Growth Manuals, Nutrient Potions, and Promotion Medallions are used only at advancement gates.
The advancement materials are not consumed at every level. You use them after completing each ten-level section.
| Level Range | Pet Food per Level | Advancement Gate | Growth Manuals | Nutrient Potions | Promotion Medallions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-10 | 400-740 | 10 to 11 | 30 | 0 | 0 |
| 11-20 | 800-1,360 | 20 to 21 | 60 | 0 | 0 |
| 21-30 | 1,440-2,200 | 30 to 31 | 95 | 10 | 0 |
| 31-40 | 2,320-3,440 | 40 to 41 | 125 | 20 | 0 |
| 41-50 | 3,600-5,080 | 50 to 51 | 190 | 30 | 10 |
| 51-60 | 5,280-7,120 | 60 to 61 | 250 | 50 | 20 |
| 61-70 | 7,360-9,520 | 70 to 71 | 310 | 80 | 40 |
| 71-80 | 9,760-12,000 | 80 to maximum | 380 | 100 | 60 |
Total Lion Upgrade Cost
Fully leveling Lion and completing every advancement gate requires approximately:
- 360,420 Pet Food
- 1,440 Growth Manuals
- 290 Nutrient Potions
- 130 Promotion Medallions
The totals include the final advancement after Level 80.
Best Lion Upgrade Checkpoints
You do not need to wait for enough materials to maximize Lion before investing. Each advancement improves its usefulness by reducing the Gift of the King cooldown and increasing permanent pet statistics.
| Checkpoint | Main Benefit | Recommended For |
|---|---|---|
| Unlock | Access to Gift of the King | Every active account |
| Level 20 | Affordable early cooldown improvements | Resource-limited players |
| Level 40 | More frequent rewards without Promotion Medallions | Strong initial F2P target |
| Level 50-60 | Improved cooldown and permanent combat statistics | Active F2P and low spenders |
| Level 80 | Maximum 23-hour cooldown | Long-term progression accounts |
Best F2P Lion Strategy
- Unlock the Beast Cage at Town Center Level 18.
- Capture Moose when Generation 2 pets arrive.
- Raise Moose to Level 15.
- Save Pet Food before the Generation 3 window.
- Capture Lion as soon as the live requirement is met.
- Use Gift of the King immediately after every cooldown.
- Advance Lion through the early gates before spreading resources across every pet.
- Save Promotion Medallions for meaningful checkpoints.
- Use pet-upgrade materials during events that award pet-development points.
- Continue developing Lion even after later combat pets unlock.
Lion remains valuable because Forgehammers, Truegold, and Charm materials continue to matter after Generation 3.
Lion vs Other Kingshot Pets
Lion vs Grizzly Bear
Both pets arrive during Generation 3, but their roles are different.
| Category | Lion | Grizzly Bear |
|---|---|---|
| Main skill | Generates a progression item | Improves march speed and reduces enemy Lethality |
| Best use | Long-term account progression | Timed combat and movement |
| F2P priority | Usually higher | Useful after core Lion development |
Lion vs Mighty Bison
Lion creates long-term progression materials, while Mighty Bison increases Squad Capacity during a two-hour combat window.
For most F2P players:
- Develop Lion for recurring account value.
- Prepare Giant Rhino Level 30 before Generation 4.
- Unlock Mighty Bison for rally leadership and PvP.
- Balance later resources according to your alliance role.
Rally leaders may eventually prioritize Mighty Bison upgrades, but Lion remains useful every time Gift of the King becomes available.
Lion vs Regal White Lion
Lion and Regal White Lion are separate pets.
- Lion: Generation 3 progression pet with Gift of the King.
- Regal White Lion: Later-generation defensive combat pet that increases Squad Defense.
Do not use the two names interchangeably when checking guides or upgrade requirements.
Lion Refinement Strategy
Pet refinement is separate from normal Lion leveling.
- Pet Food raises Lion’s level.
- Advancement materials unlock higher tiers.
- Taming Marks reroll permanent pet combat statistics.
Lion’s refinement statistics can contribute to your account even though Gift of the King is not a combat skill.
Recommended Refinement Priorities
For a balanced account, useful priorities include:
- Infantry Health
- Archer Lethality
- Cavalry Lethality
- Infantry Lethality
- Archer Health
- Cavalry Health
The best order depends on your troop formation and weakest battle statistics.
Should You Use Advanced Taming Marks on Lion?
Use Advanced Taming Marks carefully.
Lion has useful permanent stats, but later-generation pets have higher refinement ceilings. F2P players should avoid spending every Advanced Taming Mark before seeing the requirements of their next pet generation.
Standard Taming Marks can still be used to improve poor Lion refinement rolls.
Best Time to Upgrade Lion
When possible, save large pet upgrades for events that reward pet development.
Pet-related tasks may appear during:
- Kingdom of Power preparation
- Strongest Governor
- Alliance Brawl
- Other pet-development rotations
Always check the live event tasks before spending. Scoring requirements can change by kingdom age and event rotation.
Do not delay Gift of the King while waiting for a scoring event. Use the skill on cooldown even when you are saving Pet Food and advancement materials.
Common Lion Pet Mistakes
Forgetting the Moose Requirement
Prepare Moose Level 15 before Generation 3 arrives. Otherwise, Lion may remain locked after appearing in the Beast Cage.
Calling Lion an Early-Game Pet
Lion arrives around server Day 110 to 113. It is a mid-progression pet, not an early beginner unlock.
Letting Gift of the King Sit Ready
The cooldown does not begin again until the skill is used. Delaying it reduces the number of rewards generated over time.
Expecting a Specific Reward
Gift of the King provides a random item. One activation may be more valuable than another.
Using an Incorrect Leveling Table
Growth Manuals, Nutrient Potions, and Promotion Medallions are used at advancement gates. They are not normal costs for every level.
Comparing Lion With Great Moose as a Resource Pet
Great Moose is a later combat pet that increases Rally Capacity. It does not provide normal resource-production bonuses.
Abandoning Lion When Combat Pets Unlock
Later pets provide stronger temporary combat effects, but Lion continues generating permanent progression materials.
Spending Every Promotion Medallion Immediately
Promotion Medallions are limited. Compare Lion’s next cooldown rank with mandatory future-pet requirements before advancing.
Players entering a mature kingdom may need developed pets, advanced refinements, high-level heroes, and established progression systems immediately. Those comparing established options can review a kingshot account for sale before developing every pet system from the beginning.
FAQ
When does Lion unlock in Kingshot?
Lion generally becomes available around server Day 110 to 113 as a Generation 3 pet. Exact timing can vary slightly between kingdoms.
What is required to capture Lion?
Recent progression references list Moose Level 15 as the capture prerequisite. Your Beast Cage must also be unlocked, which requires Town Center Level 18.
What does Gift of the King do?
Gift of the King uncovers a random progression item from the Badlands. Possible rewards include Forgehammers, Truegold, and Charm or Artisan materials.
What is Lion’s minimum cooldown?
At Skill Rank 8, Gift of the King has a 23-hour cooldown.
Is Lion worth upgrading for F2P players?
Yes. Lion is one of the highest-value long-term F2P pets because it repeatedly provides materials that support Gear, Truegold, and Charm progression.
How much does it cost to maximize Lion?
Full leveling and advancement require approximately 360,420 Pet Food, 1,440 Growth Manuals, 290 Nutrient Potions, and 130 Promotion Medallions.
Should I use Gift of the King immediately?
Yes. Use it whenever the cooldown ends so the next cooldown can begin. Waiting does not improve the random reward.
Are Lion and Regal White Lion the same pet?
No. Lion is a Generation 3 progression pet, while Regal White Lion is a later defensive combat pet.
Conclusion
The Kingshot Lion is one of the strongest long-term progression pets, especially for F2P and low-spending players.
Gift of the King can generate Forgehammers, Truegold, Charm materials, and other valuable items. Its cooldown begins at 2 days and 3 hours and falls to 23 hours at maximum rank.
Prepare Moose Level 15 before Generation 3 pets arrive, then capture Lion as soon as the Beast Cage permits it. Use Gift of the King immediately after every cooldown rather than waiting for a special event.
Leveling and advancement require Pet Food, Growth Manuals, Nutrient Potions, and Promotion Medallions. Fully maximizing Lion costs approximately 360,420 Pet Food, 1,440 Growth Manuals, 290 Nutrient Potions, and 130 Promotion Medallions.
Combat pets such as Mighty Bison may eventually become more important for rally leaders, but Lion remains useful because its rewards support permanent account development.
Upgrade Lion steadily, use every available skill cycle, and balance late advancement materials with the prerequisites for your next pet generation.
