Books of Covenant are used to upgrade the Castle in Rise of Kingdoms. You need 20,095 Books to take the Castle from level 1 to level 25, including 5,000 Books for the final level 24-to-25 upgrade.
The main repeatable free source is Barbarian Fort rallies. You can also buy Books directly with Gems or obtain them through selected VIP chests, alliance rewards, and other limited sources.
Farm Barbarian Forts with an active alliance, use naturally regenerated Action Points efficiently, and save Gems for a planned Castle push. You need 20,095 Books in total, 14,300 from Castle 20 to 25, and 5,000 for the final Castle upgrade.
What Are Books of Covenant Used For?
Books of Covenant are a special building material used exclusively for Castle upgrades. As the Castle level increases, each upgrade requires progressively more Books.
The Castle affects rally capacity and is also an important part of late-game building progression. Castle level 25 is needed on the broader path toward Academy level 25 and Level V troop research.
The progression can be summarized as:
Books of Covenant → Castle upgrades → Castle level 25 → Academy level 25 progression → Required military research → Level V troops
Castle level 25 does not automatically give you T5 troops. It removes one major building bottleneck, but you must still upgrade the Academy and complete the required economic, shared military, and troop-specific technologies.
For the complete building and research path, read the complete ROK T5 requirements guide.
How Many Books of Covenant Do You Need?
| Requirement | Books Needed | Gem Equivalent |
| Castle levels 1-10 | 240 | 2,400 Gems |
| Castle levels 11-20 | 5,555 | 55,550 Gems |
| Castle levels 21-25 | 14,300 | 143,000 Gems |
| Castle levels 1-25 | 20,095 | 200,950 Gems |
The Gem equivalent assumes a direct price of 10 Gems per Book. It does not mean buying the entire requirement directly is the best choice for every account.
Important correction: The correct grouped totals are 240 Books for levels 1-10, 5,555 for levels 11-20, and 14,300 for levels 21-25. These figures add up to the correct overall total of 20,095.
Castle Book Requirements by Level
The table below shows the Books required for each individual Castle upgrade, the cumulative amount spent, and the Books still needed to reach level 25.
| Castle Level | Books for Upgrade | Gem Equivalent | Cumulative Books | Books Remaining |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20,095 |
| 2 | 2 | 20 Gems | 2 | 20,093 |
| 3 | 5 | 50 Gems | 7 | 20,088 |
| 4 | 8 | 80 Gems | 15 | 20,080 |
| 5 | 15 | 150 Gems | 30 | 20,065 |
| 6 | 20 | 200 Gems | 50 | 20,045 |
| 7 | 30 | 300 Gems | 80 | 20,015 |
| 8 | 40 | 400 Gems | 120 | 19,975 |
| 9 | 50 | 500 Gems | 170 | 19,925 |
| 10 | 70 | 700 Gems | 240 | 19,855 |
| 11 | 80 | 800 Gems | 320 | 19,775 |
| 12 | 100 | 1,000 Gems | 420 | 19,675 |
| 13 | 125 | 1,250 Gems | 545 | 19,550 |
| 14 | 150 | 1,500 Gems | 695 | 19,400 |
| 15 | 300 | 3,000 Gems | 995 | 19,100 |
| 16 | 500 | 5,000 Gems | 1,495 | 18,600 |
| 17 | 700 | 7,000 Gems | 2,195 | 17,900 |
| 18 | 900 | 9,000 Gems | 3,095 | 17,000 |
| 19 | 1,200 | 12,000 Gems | 4,295 | 15,800 |
| 20 | 1,500 | 15,000 Gems | 5,795 | 14,300 |
| 21 | 1,800 | 18,000 Gems | 7,595 | 12,500 |
| 22 | 2,000 | 20,000 Gems | 9,595 | 10,500 |
| 23 | 2,500 | 25,000 Gems | 12,095 | 8,000 |
| 24 | 3,000 | 30,000 Gems | 15,095 | 5,000 |
| 25 | 5,000 | 50,000 Gems | 20,095 | 0 |
Books Remaining From Common Castle Levels
| Current Castle Level | Books Still Needed for Level 25 | Direct Gem Equivalent |
| 10 | 19,855 | 198,550 Gems |
| 15 | 19,100 | 191,000 Gems |
| 20 | 14,300 | 143,000 Gems |
| 21 | 12,500 | 125,000 Gems |
| 22 | 10,500 | 105,000 Gems |
| 23 | 8,000 | 80,000 Gems |
| 24 | 5,000 | 50,000 Gems |
Subtract the Books currently in your inventory from the table value to calculate the actual amount you still need.
Example: A governor at Castle level 22 needs 10,500 Books for level 25. If the account already has 2,800 Books, the remaining requirement is 7,700.
How to Get Books of Covenant in ROK
1. Farm Barbarian Forts
Barbarian Fort rallies are the main repeatable free source of Books of Covenant. Consistent alliance activity is more important than relying on one complicated two-account routine.
Join an Active Alliance
An active alliance gives you:
- More frequent Fort rallies
- More reliable rally completion
- Shorter waiting times
- More alliance gifts
- More opportunities to use natural Action Points
- Access to higher Fort levels as the kingdom develops
Use a Peacekeeping Primary Commander
A Peacekeeping primary commander can reduce Action Point costs and improve performance against neutral units.
Common early options include:
- Boudica
- Lohar
- Æthelflæd
- Other commanders with suitable Peacekeeping talents
Choose commanders that can defeat the selected Fort reliably. A failed rally wastes time and can provide less value than completing a lower-level Fort consistently.
Choose Fort Levels Your Alliance Can Defeat
The best Fort level depends on:
- Kingdom age
- Available Fort levels
- Rally capacity
- Commander strength
- Troop technology
- Number of active participants
- Current reward table
Do not assume that level 2 or level 3 Forts are always the best option. Prioritize the highest useful level that your alliance can complete reliably and frequently.
Host and Join Rallies
Hosting rallies helps create more farming opportunities for the alliance, while joining other members’ rallies lets you use Action Points without waiting for your own rally every time.
Coordinate a rotation so several members launch rallies instead of leaving all hosting responsibility to one player.
Drop-rate warning: Do not assume that dealing the most damage guarantees more Books. Fort rewards can vary, and damage-share claims should not be treated as confirmed mechanics without current in-game testing.
For Fort commander pairings, rally requirements, and Action Point planning, read the Barbarian Fort farming guide.
2. Buy Books Directly With Gems
Books of Covenant are commonly available for 10 Gems each.
| Books Purchased | Gem Cost |
| 100 | 1,000 Gems |
| 500 | 5,000 Gems |
| 1,000 | 10,000 Gems |
| 2,500 | 25,000 Gems |
| 5,000 | 50,000 Gems |
Direct purchases are useful when the Castle is the account’s main bottleneck. However, compare them with other Gem priorities such as VIP progress, Wheel of Fortune, equipment events, and migration needs.
3. VIP Special Privilege Chests
Selected VIP Special Privilege Chests may include Books of Covenant alongside commander sculptures and other items.
Before buying a chest, check:
- The required VIP level
- The current price
- The exact number of Books
- The included commander sculptures
- Whether it is a one-time purchase
- Whether every included reward supports your account
VIP chests are a separate paid source. They should not be confused with purchasing individual Books directly with Gems.
4. Alliance Chests and Gifts
Some alliance chests and gifts may contain Books of Covenant. The number depends on the chest type and current reward table.
Treat these Books as passive supplementary income rather than a predictable farming strategy. Joining an active alliance can increase the number of available chests, but it does not guarantee a specific Book amount.
Should You Buy Books During More Than Gems?
If you already plan to buy Books with Gems, More Than Gems can improve the overall value because the Gem spending contributes toward event milestones.
The process works like this:
- Purchase Books with Gems.
- The Gem spending counts toward the active More Than Gems milestone.
- Claim the additional event rewards after reaching the required threshold.
More Than Gems does not directly generate Books. The event rewards you for the Gems spent while purchasing them.
Before committing Gems, compare:
- How many Books remain for the next Castle level
- Your current VIP level
- The next valuable VIP milestone
- Upcoming Wheel of Fortune plans
- Your current Gem reserve
- Whether Castle progression is already blocking the Academy
- The current event milestone rewards
Do not spend every Gem on Books simply because the event is active. The best choice depends on the account’s largest current bottleneck.
For milestone planning and Gem-spending priorities, read the More Than Gems event guide.
F2P Book of Covenant Farming Plan
Daily Routine
- Spend naturally regenerated Action Points before reaching the cap.
- Join available Barbarian Fort rallies.
- Launch rallies when the alliance needs more hosts.
- Use a Peacekeeping primary commander.
- Claim alliance gifts and activity rewards.
- Record Books received when tracking long-term progress.
- Keep the next Castle requirement visible in your building plan.
Weekly Routine
- Review your current Castle level.
- Check the Books required for the next upgrade.
- Calculate how many Books remain after inventory.
- Track your completed Forts and Books earned.
- Save Gems instead of making small unplanned purchases.
- Check upcoming Gem-spending events.
- Compare Castle spending with VIP and commander priorities.
Long-Term Rule
Start collecting Books early. Waiting until Academy progression is already blocked creates a much larger late-game bottleneck.
Even when the next Castle level feels distant, regular Fort participation gradually reduces the amount you may need to purchase later.
How to Estimate Forts and Action Points
Do not use one fixed estimate for every account. Book rewards and Action Point costs can vary between rallies.
Instead, track your own results over several dozen completed Forts.
Average Books per rally = Total Books earned ÷ Completed Fort rewards
Estimated rallies needed = Books remaining ÷ Average Books per rally
Estimated AP needed = Estimated rallies × Your actual AP cost
Example Calculation
Suppose you need 5,000 more Books and your tracked average is 3.5 Books for each completed reward:
- 5,000 ÷ 3.5 = approximately 1,429 completed rewards
- If your actual AP cost is 20 per rally, the estimate is approximately 28,580 AP
This remains an estimate, but it is more useful than assuming that every rally always gives five Books at the same Action Point cost.
Castle Upgrade Requirements Beyond Books
Books are the Castle’s main special material, but upgrades can also require:
- City Hall progression
- Other immediate building prerequisites
- Food
- Wood
- Stone
- Construction time
- Builder availability
Check the live Castle upgrade screen for the exact immediate prerequisites. Do not assume that every city building must already be level 25 specifically before the Castle upgrade can begin.
The broader Academy 25 and T5 path requires many additional level 25 buildings, but that complete progression chain belongs to the T5 guide rather than the Castle Book requirement itself.
How to Reduce Castle Construction Time
Before starting an expensive Castle upgrade:
- Collect a building-speed rune.
- Request the Architect kingdom title.
- Use a kingdom building buff when available.
- Join an alliance with strong building technology.
- Start the upgrade before requesting alliance help.
- Wait for available help actions before using speedups.
- Use building speedups before universal speedups where practical.
- Time the upgrade with a useful power event when it does not delay progression excessively.
The exact base timer depends on the Castle level. There is no single universal total timeline from Castle 1 to 25 because alliance help, runes, titles, VIP bonuses, technology, buffs, and speedups all affect completion.
Castle Level 25 and T5 Troops
Castle level 25 is one of the major requirements for late-game development, but it does not automatically unlock T5 troops.
After the Castle is complete, you still need:
- The broader level 25 building progression
- Academy level 25
- Required economic technology
- Required shared military technology
- The troop-specific research branch
- The final Level V troop technology
Infantry, Cavalry, Archer, and Siege T5 units are researched independently. An account can unlock one Level V troop type while the other branches remain at T4.
Comparing developed Castle 25 accounts? Castle level is only one part of account progression. Players comparing available ROK accounts should also review Academy and military research, unlocked T5 troop types, VIP level, commanders, equipment, armaments, Passport Pages, resources, speedups, and current kingdom status.
What to Do With Extra Books of Covenant
After Castle level 25, additional Books no longer support further Castle upgrades under the current level cap.
Where Alliance Reclaim is available, genuinely surplus Books may be exchanged for Individual Credits.
Before reclaiming Books:
- Confirm that the Castle is level 25.
- Check that no current system still requires the item.
- Review the Individual Credit return.
- Confirm that the credits support a useful purchase.
- Avoid reclaiming items only to buy low-priority shop stock.
For the complete reclaim process and Alliance Shop priorities, read the Alliance Reclaim and Individual Credits guide.
Common Book of Covenant Mistakes
- Waiting until Academy progress is blocked: Start farming Books early.
- Believing Castle 25 automatically unlocks T5: Academy and research requirements remain.
- Using the wrong grouped cost table: The correct total remains 20,095 Books.
- Assuming every Fort gives five Books: Rewards can vary.
- Using a fixed AP estimate: Track your actual AP cost and drop average.
- Assuming more damage guarantees more Books: Do not treat this as a confirmed mechanic.
- Buying without checking inventory: Subtract your current Books first.
- Spending all Gems without a plan: Compare Castle, VIP, Wheel, and migration priorities.
- Ignoring More Than Gems: Planned purchases may provide additional event value.
- Reclaiming Books before Castle 25: Preserve them until Castle progression is complete.
FAQ
How do you get Books of Covenant in ROK?
The main free method is completing Barbarian Fort rallies. Books can also be purchased with Gems or obtained through selected VIP chests, alliance rewards, and other limited sources.
What are Books of Covenant used for?
Books of Covenant are used to upgrade the Castle. Castle progression is an important part of the broader Academy 25 and T5 research path.
How many Books are needed for Castle level 25?
You need 20,095 Books to upgrade the Castle from level 1 to level 25.
How many Books are needed from Castle 24 to 25?
The final Castle upgrade requires 5,000 Books of Covenant.
How many Books are needed from Castle 20 to 25?
You need 14,300 Books to complete Castle levels 21 through 25.
How many Gems does one Book of Covenant cost?
One Book is commonly priced at 10 Gems, making the direct equivalent of 5,000 Books equal to 50,000 Gems.
Does Castle level 25 automatically unlock T5 troops?
No. Castle 25 removes a major building bottleneck, but Academy 25 and the required economic, military, and troop-specific research must still be completed.
What should I do with extra Books after Castle level 25?
Where Alliance Reclaim is available, confirmed surplus Books may be exchanged for Individual Credits after Castle progression is complete.
Conclusion
You need 20,095 Books of Covenant to upgrade the Castle from level 1 to level 25. The final level 24-to-25 upgrade requires 5,000 Books, while the complete Castle 20-to-25 path requires 14,300.
Farm Barbarian Forts consistently, join an active alliance, use Peacekeeping commanders, and track your personal reward average instead of relying on one fixed Fort or Action Point estimate.
When purchasing Books with Gems, compare the Castle bottleneck with VIP, commander, equipment, and migration priorities. More Than Gems can improve the value of a planned purchase, but it should not force an inefficient spending decision.
Looking for more Rise of Kingdoms tips and guides? Explore the Rise of Kingdoms category for Castle progression, Academy research, T5 requirements, commander guides, events, and migration advice.
