Last War development research is one of the best places to invest early Tech Center time because many of its bonuses make every future building, research project, and troop-training cycle faster or cheaper. The Economy branch supports the same goal from another direction by increasing passive Food, Iron, and Coin production.
However, not every node deserves equal priority. Fast Builder and Research Enhancement have long-term compounding value, while several gathering and protection technologies can usually wait until the more important progression nodes are complete.
Development vs Economy Research in Last War
The two branches support base growth, but they solve different problems.
| Research Branch | Main Purpose | Highest-Priority Bonuses | When to Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Development | Construction, research, training, healing, and base capacity | Fast Builder, Research Enhancement, Master Craftsman | From early game onward |
| Economy | Resource production, gathering, protection, and extra resource buildings | Food Output, Iron Output, Coin Output, extra mines and Farmlands | Alongside Development |
If your immediate objective is faster Headquarters progression, Development generally deserves first priority. Economy then helps supply the increasingly expensive construction and research projects that follow.
Both branches are researched through the Last War Tech Center. The Tech Center guide covers building levels and broader research-system progression, while this page focuses specifically on how to spend research time inside Development and Economy.
Best Last War Development Research Priority
The Development tree contains several different types of upgrades, but three stand above the others for general progression:
- Fast Builder
- Research Enhancement
- Master Craftsman
Fast Builder reduces construction time. Research Enhancement speeds future Tech Center research. Master Craftsman reduces the resources required for construction.
Because construction and research continue throughout the life of an account, improving these bonuses early produces value repeatedly rather than only helping one activity.
1. Fast Builder
Fast Builder should normally be your highest Development priority whenever the next tier is accessible.
The tree contains:
- Fast Builder I
- Fast Builder II
- Fast Builder III
- Fast Builder IV
Every reduction in construction time applies repeatedly as you upgrade Headquarters prerequisites, the Tech Center, military buildings, resource buildings, and other infrastructure.
Therefore, players trying to progress their HQ efficiently should avoid leaving an available Fast Builder tier unfinished while investing heavily in low-priority Development nodes.
2. Research Enhancement
Research Enhancement follows the same principle, except its bonus applies to Tech Center research.
The normal Development tree contains Research Enhancement I through IV. Research times become significantly longer as advanced branches open, so an early research-speed investment continues saving time later.
This is especially useful once you begin longer trees such as Alliance Duel and Special Forces.
3. Master Craftsman
Master Craftsman reduces construction resource costs. This becomes more valuable as building prices increase because Headquarters progression eventually consumes very large quantities of Food, Iron, and Coin.
It is also worth distinguishing this from Economy research: the main construction cost-reduction technology belongs to Development, not Economy.
4. Focused Training and Barrack Expansion
Focused Training improves troop-training speed, while Barrack Expansion increases the number of trainees.
They are useful technologies, especially for players who frequently promote or replace large numbers of troops. However, troop-training mechanics themselves belong in the Last War Barracks Guide.
For pure HQ progression, Fast Builder and Research Enhancement usually provide more immediate value.
5. Healing and Capacity Research
Development also includes Infirmary Expansion, Rapid Field Dressing, Efficient Healing, Drill Ground Expansion, and Survival Skills.
These technologies become useful for accounts participating heavily in PvP. Nevertheless, they should not normally displace the core speed technologies when your main objective is base progression.
Complete Development Research Order
The current Development tree progresses through four major sets of technologies. You cannot jump directly from the beginning of the branch to a late Fast Builder or Research Enhancement tier, so connecting research must be completed as required.
| Stage | Development Nodes | Recommended Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Development I | Fast Builder I, Infirmary Expansion I, Barrack Expansion I, Research Enhancement I, Rapid Field Dressing I, Focused Training I, Master Craftsman | Fast Builder → Research Enhancement → Master Craftsman → required connecting nodes |
| Development II | Fast Builder II, Infirmary Expansion II, Barrack Expansion II, Research Enhancement II, Rapid Field Dressing II, Focused Training II, Extra Barracks | Fast Builder → Research Enhancement → Extra Barracks if troop throughput matters |
| Development III | Fast Builder III, Infirmary Expansion III, Barrack Expansion III, Research Enhancement III, Rapid Field Dressing III, Focused Training III, Efficient Healing | Fast Builder → Research Enhancement → supporting nodes |
| Development IV | Fast Builder IV, Infirmary Expansion IV, Barrack Expansion IV, Research Enhancement IV, Rapid Field Dressing IV, Focused Training IV, Drill Ground Expansion, Survival Skills | Fast Builder → Research Enhancement → complete according to account needs |
This is the progression sequence rather than a recommendation to max every displayed node before moving forward. When the tree allows you to advance with partial prerequisite levels, prioritize opening the next important Fast Builder or Research Enhancement node first.
Best Last War Economy Research Priority
Last War economy research is simpler. The branch improves Food, Iron, and Coin through three main systems:
- Base resource output
- World-map gathering speed
- Additional resource buildings
It also finishes with resource-protection technologies.
For most progression-focused players, the priority should be Output first, extra resource buildings second, gathering third, and protection last.
Prioritize Resource Output
Food Output, Iron Output, and Coin Output improve the production generated by your base resource buildings.
There are four tiers of each:
- Food Output I–IV
- Iron Output I–IV
- Coin Output I–IV
Passive production continues while you are building, researching, fighting, or completing daily activities, which makes these nodes reliable long-term investments.
Coin becomes particularly important as research and high-level construction become more expensive. Therefore, do not leave Coin Output far behind simply because Food and Iron costs look larger during the early game.
Take the Extra Resource Buildings
The Economy tree also unlocks:
- More Farmlands
- More Iron Mines
- More Gold Mines
These are one-time research nodes that allow additional resource-production buildings. Their long-term value is usually better than adding another small gathering bonus because the extra buildings continue producing resources every day.
For more detail on Food production specifically, see the Last War Farmland Guide.
Gathering Research Is Useful but Secondary
The Economy branch contains Gathering Food, Gathering Iron, and Gathering Coins I through IV.
These nodes increase the speed of gathering resource tiles on the world map. That is useful when you regularly keep gathering squads active, particularly overnight.
However, gathering bonuses require you to send and maintain gathering marches. Base Output works passively, which is why Output generally deserves the earlier investment.
Resource Protection Can Usually Wait
Food Protection, Iron Protection, and Coin Protection appear at the end of the Economy branch.
They increase the amount of resources protected from enemy attacks. That can matter during heavy PvP periods, but protection does not make construction or research complete faster and does not directly create additional resources.
As a result, these nodes are normally lower priority for an account still racing through HQ progression.
Complete Economy Research Order
| Stage | Economy Nodes | Recommended Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Economy I | Food Output I, Iron Output I, Coin Output I, Gathering Food I, Gathering Iron I, Gathering Coins I, More Farmlands | Outputs → More Farmlands → required Gathering nodes |
| Economy II | Food Output II, Iron Output II, Coin Output II, Gathering Food II, Gathering Iron II, Gathering Coins II, More Iron Mines | Outputs → More Iron Mines → Gathering |
| Economy III | Food Output III, Iron Output III, Coin Output III, Gathering Food III, Gathering Iron III, Gathering Coins III, More Gold Mines | Outputs → More Gold Mines → Gathering |
| Economy IV | Food Output IV, Iron Output IV, Coin Output IV, Gathering Food IV, Gathering Iron IV, Gathering Coins IV, Food Protection, Iron Protection, Coin Protection | Outputs → Gathering as needed → Protection last |
Development or Economy: Which Should You Research First?
If you must choose between the two, start with Development.
A practical order is:
- Advance Fast Builder.
- Advance Research Enhancement.
- Complete enough connecting Development research to reach the next tier.
- Invest in Economy Output nodes.
- Unlock additional Farmlands, Iron Mines, and Gold Mines.
- Return to Development when the next Fast Builder or Research Enhancement tier opens.
- Fill Gathering, training, healing, and capacity research when the higher-priority path is temporarily blocked.
The key is not to fully complete one tree while ignoring the other. Development improves the efficiency of your progression, while Economy helps pay for that progression.
Best Research Order for HQ Progression
For players concentrating on Headquarters growth, the following priorities provide a useful framework.
| Priority | Research | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fast Builder | Reduces time on future construction projects. |
| 2 | Research Enhancement | Reduces the time needed for later research. |
| 3 | Master Craftsman | Reduces construction resource consumption. |
| 4 | Food / Iron / Coin Output | Improves passive resource income. |
| 5 | More Farmlands / Iron Mines / Gold Mines | Adds more passive production buildings. |
| 6 | Focused Training / Barrack Expansion | Useful for maintaining troop production alongside HQ growth. |
| 7 | Gathering Speed | Useful but requires active gathering marches. |
| 8 | Healing / Capacity / Protection | Situational value that usually does not accelerate HQ growth directly. |
Does Development or Economy Research Gate HQ Upgrades?
This is an important distinction: individual Development and Economy technologies are not direct research requirements for normal HQ upgrades through level 30.
For example, you do not need to finish Fast Builder IV, Research Enhancement IV, or Economy IV simply because you want HQ 30.
Instead, Headquarters levels have building prerequisites. The Tech Center itself is one of the most frequent requirements, along with other buildings depending on the target level.
The complete prerequisite sequence belongs in the Last War Headquarters Upgrade Guide, so it is not duplicated here.
What Changes After HQ 30?
The research situation changes when progressing beyond HQ 30.
HQ 31–35 are tied to HQ Expansion research in The Age of Oil. That is a separate research tree and should not be confused with the normal Development or Economy branches covered on this page.
Therefore, Development and Economy are best understood as progression accelerators rather than HQ unlock buttons. They help you reach the requirements faster and afford them more easily, but they do not replace the actual HQ prerequisites.
Research Priority by Account Stage
Early Game
Start building the compounding bonuses immediately. Prioritize Fast Builder I, Research Enhancement I, and the first Food, Iron, and Coin Output technologies.
Progress far enough through the connecting technologies to unlock Master Craftsman and the next Development tier instead of attempting to completely max every minor node first.
Mid Game
Continue advancing Fast Builder II–III and Research Enhancement II–III while improving Economy Output II–III.
This is also a good period to unlock the additional resource buildings because your construction and research bills are becoming much larger.
If troop production struggles to keep pace, increase Focused Training and Barrack Expansion instead of ignoring the military-support portion of Development completely.
Approaching HQ 30
Fast Builder IV and Research Enhancement IV become particularly valuable as construction and research timers grow longer.
Economy Output IV is also useful, especially Coin Output, because advanced research can consume large quantities of Coin.
At this stage, check the next Headquarters prerequisites before spending all available resources on optional research.
After HQ 30
Development and Economy remain useful, but they are no longer the only progression concern. Your server eventually introduces the Age of Oil progression needed for Headquarters levels above 30.
Once that system becomes relevant, balance remaining Development and Economy research against the technologies that actually move the account toward HQ Expansion.
How to Make Development Research More Efficient
Keep Research Running
An idle Tech Center provides no progress. If the next important technology is too expensive, start a useful connecting node rather than leaving the research queue unused.
Prepare Resources Before Starting Long Research
Look ahead at both research and upcoming building costs. Spending everything on an optional technology can delay an important Headquarters prerequisite.
Use Research and Construction Bonuses Before Starting
Temporary bonuses can reduce long timers when used correctly. Government titles, alliance benefits, VIP bonuses, and other active effects may improve progression efficiency depending on what is currently available to your account.
The Presidential Titles Guide explains which government bonuses support construction and research.
Combine Major Upgrades with Events
If an event awards points for research power or construction progress, completing a planned project during that phase can generate additional rewards without changing your long-term research path.
Use the Last War Event Hub to plan larger upgrades around relevant activities instead of spending speedups randomly.
Common Development and Economy Research Mistakes
Maxing Every Node Before Moving Forward
Completing everything immediately can delay access to higher-value technologies. When possible, satisfy the prerequisite and continue toward the next Fast Builder, Research Enhancement, or resource Output tier.
Prioritizing Gathering Before Output
Gathering speed is useful, but it only works while squads are gathering. Passive resource Output continues without occupying a march, so it generally deserves priority.
Ignoring Coin Output
Early construction can make Food and Iron appear more important. However, expensive research increasingly depends on Coin, so keeping Coin production healthy prevents another progression bottleneck.
Assuming Development Research Is an HQ Requirement
Fast Builder and similar nodes help you reach higher HQ levels faster, but they are not substitutes for the actual prerequisite buildings. Check the dedicated HQ guide before beginning each push.
Saving Development Research for Later
Construction and research speed have more opportunities to create value when acquired early. Delaying these bonuses until most major upgrades are already finished reduces their lifetime benefit.
FAQ
What should I research first in Last War Development?
Prioritize Fast Builder and Research Enhancement, then progress through the prerequisite nodes toward their next tiers. Master Craftsman is also valuable because it reduces construction resource costs.
Is Development or Economy better in Last War?
Development is usually the better first priority because construction and research speed affect long-term progression. Economy should be developed alongside it to improve Food, Iron, and Coin income.
What Economy research should I prioritize?
Prioritize Food, Iron, and Coin Output plus More Farmlands, More Iron Mines, and More Gold Mines. Gathering speed and resource protection can normally follow later.
Does Fast Builder reduce construction costs?
No. Fast Builder reduces construction time. Master Craftsman is the Development technology associated with reducing construction resource costs.
Do Development or Economy technologies unlock HQ 31?
No. Progress beyond HQ 30 is associated with HQ Expansion in The Age of Oil research tree. Development and Economy still help prepare the account but are not the direct unlock.
Should I max the Development and Economy trees?
Eventually, completing useful permanent research is beneficial. However, progression-focused players should first prioritize the speed, construction-cost, resource-output, and extra-building nodes rather than delaying major unlocks to max every lower-value technology immediately.
Conclusion
Last War development research should start with the technologies that improve everything that follows. Prioritize Fast Builder and Research Enhancement, take Master Craftsman as the tree opens, and use Economy research to strengthen Food, Iron, and Coin production.
Do not mistake these branches for direct HQ unlock requirements. They make Headquarters progression faster and easier to fund, while the actual building prerequisites remain separate. For more research, building, hero, season, and progression strategies, browse the Heaven Guardian Last War Survival guides.
