Gems are one of the most important currencies in Rise of Kingdoms. You can use them to speed up progress, unlock stronger VIP rewards, buy rare items, and secure powerful commanders during limited events. However, spending gems without a plan is one of the easiest ways to slow down your account.
The best gem strategy is not about spending as fast as possible. It is about knowing when to spend, what to prioritize, and which purchases give long-term value. This is especially important for free-to-play and low-spender players because every gem must count.
In this Rise of Kingdoms gem spending guide, we will break down the best places to spend gems, what you should avoid, and how to build a smarter spending plan for early game, mid game, and late game progress.
Why Gems Are So Valuable in Rise of Kingdoms 💎
Gems are valuable because they can solve some of the biggest bottlenecks in your account. They can push your VIP level, help you unlock important building requirements, give access to commander events, and save you time when used correctly.
For most players, gems should not be treated as a simple speed-up currency. Using gems to instantly finish buildings or research might feel good in the moment, but it usually gives poor value compared to VIP points, Books of Covenant, and event rewards.
A good gem plan helps you progress faster without wasting resources. A bad gem plan leaves you short when important events arrive, especially More Than Gems, Wheel of Fortune, or commander unlock events.
Best Gem Spending Priority for Most Players 🎯
If you are unsure where your gems should go, follow this general priority order:
First, reach VIP 6 as early as possible. VIP 6 is a major account milestone because it unlocks the second builder permanently. This saves a lot of gems over time because you no longer need to rent an extra builder.
After that, focus on VIP 10. VIP 10 is one of the most important goals in Rise of Kingdoms because it starts your daily legendary commander sculpture income. This reward becomes more valuable every day you play.
Next, invest in Books of Covenant when your Castle becomes a serious bottleneck. You need Castle progress to push toward Academy 25 and Tier 5 troops, so ignoring Books of Covenant can delay your entire account.
Once VIP 10 and Castle progress are under control, continue pushing VIP 12 and VIP 14. These levels improve your daily legendary sculpture income and give stronger account-wide buffs.
After those core upgrades, you can spend gems on commander events like Wheel of Fortune or Card King, depending on your account stage and commander plan.
Courier Station, VIP Shop, shields, teleports, and speedups are situational. They can be useful, but they should not replace your main long-term goals.
Spend Gems on VIP Points First 👑
VIP points are one of the safest and most valuable gem investments in Rise of Kingdoms. The higher your VIP level, the more permanent benefits your account receives.
Your first major target should be VIP 6. This level is important because it gives access to the second builder. Early in the game, this is a massive quality-of-life upgrade because your city can grow faster without constantly spending gems to keep two building queues active.
After VIP 6, your next big goal is VIP 10. This is where your account starts getting daily legendary commander sculptures. Legendary sculptures are one of the hardest resources to collect, so earning them every day gives your account long-term value.
Once you reach VIP 10, do not stop thinking about VIP. VIP 12 and VIP 14 are also strong targets because they increase your daily legendary sculpture income even more. The earlier you reach these levels, the more value you gain over the life of your account.
The smartest time to spend gems on VIP points is during More Than Gems. That way, your gems push your VIP level while also giving event rewards.
Buy Books of Covenant for Castle Progress 🏰
Books of Covenant are another high-priority gem investment, especially if you are aiming for Tier 5 troops.
Your Castle needs Books of Covenant for upgrades. As your Castle gets higher, the book requirement becomes much more painful. Many players eventually reach a point where their research progress is ready to move forward, but their Castle and Academy are not high enough.
This is why you should not ignore Castle progress. If your Castle falls too far behind, your Tier 5 journey becomes much slower.
You can get Books of Covenant from barbarian forts and other sources, but farming enough books takes a long time. Spending gems on Books of Covenant is often necessary if you want to keep your Castle moving.
The best time to buy Books of Covenant is during More Than Gems. This turns a painful gem purchase into a more efficient investment because you also receive event rewards while progressing your Castle.
Use More Than Gems as Your Main Spending Window 🎁
More Than Gems is one of the best events for spending gems in Rise of Kingdoms. Instead of spending gems randomly every day, save them and use them during this event whenever possible.
The event usually runs for two days. Each day has spending milestones, and the best rewards include legendary commander sculptures, speedups, and other useful items.
For many players, the ideal More Than Gems spending targets are 7,000 gems or 25,000 gems per day. If you are free-to-play, reaching 7,000 gems is already a good result. If you are a low spender or have saved for a long time, 25,000 gems per day gives much better rewards.
During More Than Gems, spend on things you already need. The best options are usually VIP points and Books of Covenant. Do not spend gems on weak items just to reach a milestone. The event should make your planned spending better, not force bad spending.
There is one exception: if you are below VIP 6, do not wait too long. Getting VIP 6 early is too important because of the second builder. After VIP 6, you can be more patient and save for More Than Gems.
Should You Spend Gems on Wheel of Fortune? 🎡
Wheel of Fortune can be a good place to spend gems, but only when the commander is worth it for your account.
The event allows you to unlock and collect sculptures for specific legendary commanders. This can be useful when you are building a commander that fits your troop type, kingdom stage, and long-term plan.
However, Wheel of Fortune can also drain gems quickly. Do not spin every wheel just because it appears. Choose commanders carefully. If you are an infantry-focused player, do not waste gems chasing a cavalry commander you will not use. If you are early game, do not over-invest in commanders that will be replaced quickly.
For many players, the best approach is to spin enough to unlock the commander or reach efficient reward milestones, then stop. Heavy spinning should be reserved for commanders you truly plan to invest in.
Wheel of Fortune becomes more attractive once your basic account priorities are already handled, especially VIP 10 and important Castle progress.
Card King and Commander Events 🃏
Card King is another commander-focused event where gems can be used to unlock or collect sculptures for legendary commanders.
This event is useful when you need a specific commander and have a clear plan for how you will use them. It can help you complete missing sculptures or unlock a commander that fits your main march.
However, Card King is not always the best choice for early accounts. If you are still below VIP 10 or struggling with Castle progress, your gems are usually better spent elsewhere.
Before spending on Card King, ask yourself three questions:
Do I need this commander for my main march?
Will I invest legendary sculptures into this commander soon?
Would these gems be better spent on VIP or Books of Covenant?
If the answer is unclear, save your gems. Commander events are exciting, but long-term account upgrades usually give better value.
Courier Station and VIP Shop Deals 🛒
The Courier Station can offer useful items at discounted prices. This includes speedups, shields, teleports, and sometimes resources.
The best Courier Station purchases are usually heavily discounted speedups. A discount of 60% or more can be worth considering if you have extra gems and your main priorities are already covered.
Resources should only be purchased at very high discounts. In most cases, it is better to gather resources, use farm accounts, or get help from alliance activity instead of spending gems on basic resources.
Teleports and shields can be worth buying if you need them for war, migration, Ark of Osiris, or KvK activity. However, do not buy them just because they are available. These are situational purchases.
The VIP Shop can also be useful, especially for speedups and important utility items. But for free-to-play players, the VIP Shop should not become a weekly gem sink. Use it carefully and only buy items that support your current goals.
Gem Spending Mistakes to Avoid ⚠️
One of the biggest gem mistakes is using gems to instantly finish buildings or research. This gives fast progress, but it is usually inefficient. Speedups are easier to obtain than gems, so save gems for things that cannot be replaced easily.
Another mistake is buying full-price resources. Resources are important, but spending gems on them is usually poor value unless the discount is extremely high and you are in an urgent situation.
Do not spend gems on every event. Some events look attractive but provide weaker value than VIP points, More Than Gems, or Books of Covenant. Always compare the reward with your account needs.
Avoid chasing commanders without a plan. Unlocking many legendary commanders is not the same as building a strong account. It is better to focus on a few useful commanders than to waste gems on commanders you will never upgrade.
Finally, do not ignore VIP. Many players delay VIP progress because they want immediate rewards from events. This can hurt your account in the long run because VIP rewards stack every day.
Best Gem Spending Plan by Player Type 🧭
For free-to-play players, the best gem plan is simple: reach VIP 6, save for More Than Gems, push VIP 10, and buy Books of Covenant when Castle progress becomes a bottleneck. Spend very carefully on commander events.
For low spenders, the plan is similar, but you can be a little more flexible. VIP 10 should still be a major goal, but you may also spend on high-value Wheel of Fortune commanders if they fit your account. Try to save enough gems to hit strong More Than Gems milestones.
For rally leaders and high spenders, Books of Covenant and VIP 14 become even more important. Rally leaders need strong Castle progress, strong commanders, and steady legendary sculpture income. In this case, gem spending should support your role in war and KvK.
For casual players, avoid complex spending plans. Focus on permanent value. VIP points, Books of Covenant, and occasional event spending will give a better experience than random purchases.
How to Get More Gems Without Wasting Them ⛏️
Spending gems wisely is only half the strategy. You also need to build steady gem income.
Complete daily objectives, join active events, collect alliance gifts, participate in Peerless Scholar, and farm gem nodes when available. Being in an active alliance also helps because alliance gifts and event participation can increase your overall rewards.
You should also pay attention to redeem codes and official announcements. These can sometimes provide free gems, speedups, or other useful items.
Most importantly, create a saving habit. Do not spend gems just because you have them. If you save consistently, you will be ready when More Than Gems, Wheel of Fortune, or another valuable event appears.
A player who saves 7,000 gems for the right event usually gets more value than a player who spends 7,000 gems randomly across small purchases.
FAQs
What should I spend gems on first in Rise of Kingdoms?
Your first major gem goal should be VIP 6 because it unlocks the second builder. After that, push toward VIP 10 for daily legendary commander sculptures.
Is VIP 10 worth spending gems on?
Yes. VIP 10 is one of the best long-term gem investments because it gives daily legendary commander sculptures. The earlier you reach it, the more value you gain over time.
Should I spend gems on Books of Covenant?
Yes, especially when your Castle becomes a bottleneck. Books of Covenant are needed for Castle upgrades, and Castle progress is important for reaching Academy 25 and Tier 5 troops.
When is the best time to spend gems?
The best time to spend large amounts of gems is during More Than Gems. Spend on useful upgrades like VIP points or Books of Covenant while collecting event rewards.
Is Wheel of Fortune worth it?
Wheel of Fortune is worth it if the commander fits your account and you have enough gems after handling VIP and Castle priorities. Avoid spinning for commanders you do not plan to use.
Should free-to-play players spend gems in the VIP Shop?
Free-to-play players should be careful with the VIP Shop. Only buy high-value items when needed. VIP points, More Than Gems, and Books of Covenant usually matter more.
Are speedups worth buying with gems?
Discounted speedups can be worth buying from the Courier Station or VIP Shop, especially at strong discounts. However, they should not replace your main gem priorities.
Conclusion
Gems can shape your entire Rise of Kingdoms account, but only if you spend them with a clear plan. The safest strategy is to focus on permanent value first: VIP 6, VIP 10, Books of Covenant, and later VIP 12 or VIP 14.
After your core account upgrades are in place, you can start using gems more selectively on Wheel of Fortune, Card King, Courier Station deals, and VIP Shop items. The key is to avoid emotional spending and save your biggest gem usage for More Than Gems whenever possible.
If you want to keep improving your account, explore our other Rise of Kingdoms guides for more commander tips, event strategies, and progression advice.
