Rise of Kingdoms Speedups: The Ultimate Guide to Domination

Rise of Kingdoms speedups reduce the remaining time on building, research, troop-training, and healing queues. Specialized speedups work on one type of queue, while Universal Speedups can be used on any compatible queue.

The best strategy is not simply to collect as many speedups as possible. Use specialized items first, claim all available Alliance Help, activate the correct titles and runes, and save Universal Speedups for important bottlenecks, events, or KvK emergencies.

What Are Speedups in Rise of Kingdoms?

Speedups are inventory items that remove a fixed amount of time from an active queue.

For example, using one 60-minute speedup removes 60 minutes from the selected queue. If less than 60 minutes remain, any unused time from that individual item is normally wasted.

Universal Versus Specialized Speedups

Universal Speedups are more flexible than specialized items. That flexibility makes them more valuable, especially when an account reaches late-game research, troop training, or heavy KvK healing.

A practical usage order is:

1. Use the applicable specialized speedups.
2. Wait for all available Alliance Help.
3. Use Universal Speedups only for the remaining time.
4. Keep part of the Universal reserve untouched for emergencies.

Best Ways to Get Speedups in ROK

The most reliable strategy combines daily sources, rotating stores, events, alliance activity, and Lost Kingdom rewards.

Daily and Routine Speedup Sources

Daily Objectives

Daily objectives are one of the most consistent free sources of speedups and account resources.

Complete activities such as:

• Training troops
• Gathering resources
• Defeating Barbarians
• Using Action Points
• Helping alliance members
• Completing normal city tasks

Do not stop after collecting the first few activity chests. Completing the full daily track usually provides better total value.

Login Rewards and Routine Game Modes

Speedups may also appear through:

• Daily login rewards
• Lucerne Scrolls
• Sunset Canyon rewards
• Peerless Scholar
• Kingdom-progression rewards
• Seasonal activity tracks
• Special login calendars

Rewards can change between seasons and updates, so check the current reward screen before planning around one specific source.

Silver and Golden Chests

Tavern chests can provide selected Building, Training, Research, or other speedups. However, the reward is random.

Use available keys normally, but do not spend Gems on keys only because you need speedups.

Mysterious Merchant Speedups

The Mysterious Merchant appears through the Courier Station and offers a rotating selection of speedups, resources, boosts, and other items.

She can return after activities such as:

• Completing building upgrades
• Completing troop-training queues
• Defeating Barbarians
• Reaching the regular daily appearance time

What to Buy From the Merchant

Prioritize:

1. Speedups sold for normal resources
2. Strongly discounted speedups that support an immediate goal
3. Other high-value resource offers
4. Gem offers only after comparing them with VIP and event priorities

Resources can be gathered again. Gems have more valuable long-term uses, including VIP progression, Wheel of Fortune, and More Than Gems.

VIP Shop Speedups

The VIP Shop resets weekly and provides discounted items based on the account’s VIP level.

Commonly documented speedup unlocks include:

Check the live VIP Shop because inventory, quantity, discount, and unlock requirements may change.

Are VIP Shop Speedups Worth Gems?

They can be worthwhile when:

• The discount is substantial.
• The account has already planned its VIP spending.
• A major research, training, or KvK target is approaching.
• The purchase does not prevent a higher-value Gem milestone.

Avoid buying every speedup simply because it is discounted. A discounted purchase is still a cost.

Expedition and Rotating Event Shops

Check the Expedition Store and rotating event shops for available speedups, but do not assume they are always the best currency purchase.

Compare speedups against:

• Commander sculptures
• Equipment materials
• Blueprints
• Stars
• Teleport items
• Other limited progression resources

Buy speedups only when the alternative shop rewards provide less value for the current account.

Alliance Shop and Alliance Rewards

The Alliance Shop can offer speedups when alliance officers stock them. The purchase uses Individual Credits.

Before buying, compare speedups with other important Individual Credit items, including:

• Passport Pages
• Territorial Teleports
• Targeted Teleports
• Civilization Change
• Peace Shields
• Other alliance-specific necessities

Players planning migration should be particularly careful about spending credits that may later be needed for Passport Pages.

Alliance Gift Chests

An active alliance can provide speedups through gift chests, event rewards, technology donations, and alliance achievements.

The value depends on:

• Member activity
• Alliance spending
• Event performance
• Technology donations
• Alliance structure construction

Join an active alliance, claim gifts regularly, and contribute to alliance development rather than relying only on individual farming.

Action Points and Event Speedups

Barbarians and Barbarian Forts

Barbarians, Forts, and related events can provide speedups directly or through reward boxes and event milestones.

Improve efficiency by:

• Using Peacekeeping commanders
• Reducing AP costs through talents
• Joining Fort rallies instead of leading every rally
• Combining AP spending with Lohar’s Trial or other active events
• Using natural AP before bottled AP

Marauders and Eve of the Crusade

Marauders are one of the most valuable event-based sources of speedups, Gems, resources, and supply items before applicable KvK seasons.

Prepare by:

• Saving AP bottles
• Using efficient Peacekeeping marches
• Farming in groups where practical
• Opening reward chests according to the event plan
• Following kingdom instructions for preparation stages

Do not spend the entire AP reserve on routine Barbarians shortly before Marauders become available.

Ceroli and Other Event Shops

Some team events provide currencies that can be exchanged for speedups.

Before purchasing, compare the speedups with:

• Equipment materials
• Blueprint fragments
• Commander items
• Event-exclusive progression rewards

Speedups are not automatically the best item in every event shop.

Redeem Codes

Active redeem codes may occasionally provide speedups, Gems, resources, keys, or other rewards.

Use codes from:

• Official announcements
• Official social channels
• Verified community updates
• Current in-game promotions

Avoid websites that request your account password or verification code. Normal code redemption should not require another person to access your account.

Which Speedups Should You Save?

When Should You Use Universal Speedups?

Use Universal Speedups when their flexibility creates more value than saving them.

Good Uses

• Completing a critical City Hall requirement
• Finishing important T5 research
• Preparing troops before KvK
• Emergency healing during a scheduled war
• Reaching a guaranteed event milestone
• Completing a queue before a valuable kingdom buff expires

Weak Uses

• Finishing a queue only because you are impatient
• Completing low-priority buildings
• Using Universal Speedups while specialized items remain
• Chasing an event rank that the account cannot realistically secure
• Healing after unnecessary open-field trades
• Emptying the entire reserve without a follow-up plan

Use Alliance Help Before Speedups

Alliance Help can reduce building, research, and healing queues. It does not reduce troop-training queues.

Use this order:

1. Start the queue with the correct title, rune, and kingdom buff.
2. Request Alliance Help.
3. Wait until the help counter is complete.
4. Check the new remaining time.
5. Use specialized speedups.
6. Use Universal Speedups only if necessary.

Using speedups before Alliance Help finishes can waste free time reductions.

Combine Speedups With Titles and Runes

Titles and runes reduce the original queue duration when they are active before the queue starts.

Review the Rise of Kingdoms titles guide and the ROK runes guide before starting a long queue.

Best Speedup Strategy by Account Stage

Early Game

Early accounts should focus on unlocking core systems and maintaining active queues.

Prioritize:

• City Hall progression
• Additional march queues
• Academy development
• Alliance Center upgrades
• Economic technology
• Essential troop tiers

Do not save every speedup indefinitely while builders and research queues remain idle. Early progression unlocks permanent daily value.

New players can use the Rise of Kingdoms beginner’s guide to identify the most important early upgrades.

Mid Game

Mid-game accounts should begin saving around defined goals.

Examples include:

• City Hall 25
• Academy 25
• Castle and Watchtower requirements
• Key military technologies
• Large troop-training batches
• Upcoming KvK preparation

At this stage, avoid using Universal Speedups without knowing the next major bottleneck.

Late Game and Season of Conquest

Developed accounts often spend more time on:

• Long military research
• Large troop-training batches
• KvK healing
• Seasonal technology
• High-value ranking events
• Maintaining several combat marches

Healing and Training Speedups often become more important, while Building Speedups may lose value after permanent city development is complete.

F2P Speedup Routine

Daily Checklist

• Complete all daily objectives.
• Keep building and research queues active.
• Claim alliance gifts.
• Use natural AP efficiently.
• Check the Mysterious Merchant.
• Complete available event milestones.
• Collect free login and activity rewards.
• Request Alliance Help before using speedups.

Weekly Checklist

• Check the VIP Shop after reset.
• Review Building, Research, Training, Healing, and Universal reserves.
• Identify the next important account upgrade.
• Check the current event calendar.
• Save AP when a higher-value event is approaching.
• Review Alliance Shop priorities.
• Avoid spending Universal Speedups without a specific goal.

Saving Speedups for Events

Speedups create more value when they support both account progression and event rewards.

Do not complete an unnecessary upgrade only to score event points. Compare the reward with the resources and time being consumed.

Use the ROK event calendar and preparation guide to identify upcoming speedup opportunities.

Should You Buy Speedups?

Paid bundles can provide speedups immediately, but the total bundle value matters more than the raw number of days shown.

Before purchasing, compare:

• Total speedup time
• Specialized versus Universal Speedups
• Gems
• Commander sculptures
• Equipment materials
• VIP Points
• Resource tokens
• Recharge or spending-event milestones

A bundle containing fewer speedups may still offer better account value if its other rewards directly support the player’s current goal.

Alternatives That Reduce Speedup Requirements

The best speedup strategy also reduces the original queue time before any item is used.

Alliance Technology

Alliance technology can improve building, research, training, and healing efficiency. Join an active alliance and donate consistently.

Alliance Center

Upgrade the Alliance Center to increase the number of available helps. Remember that Alliance Help works for building, research, and healing, but not troop training.

Kingdom Titles

Use Architect, Scientist, or Duke before starting the corresponding queue.

Runes

Collect a Building, Research, Training, or Healing rune before starting the action.

Kingdom Buffs

Coordinate major upgrades with active kingdom buffs when possible.

VIP, Civilization and City Bonuses

Permanent account bonuses reduce the original timer of every applicable future queue, making them more valuable than repeatedly compensating with speedups.

Common Speedup Mistakes

• Using Universal Speedups first: Consume applicable specialized speedups before flexible items.
• Speeding up before Alliance Help finishes: Wait for all available free reductions.
• Starting without a title or rune: Reduce the original queue before spending items.
• Buying every discounted offer: A discount does not automatically make an item necessary.
• Spending everything outside an event: Combine progression with guaranteed milestones where practical.
• Using Healing Speedups in low-value fights: Avoid unnecessary hospital costs.
• Leaving queues idle: Saving speedups is not useful if account development stops.
• Saving indefinitely: Spend when a permanent unlock meaningfully improves daily progression.
• Ignoring account stage: Building Speedups become less valuable after permanent buildings are complete.
• Using large speedups on a short timer: Match item duration closely to the remaining queue.
• Spending Alliance Credits without checking migration needs: Passport Pages may have greater priority.
• Assuming every shop has permanent stock: Verify rotating inventory in-game.
• Using Gems in the regular Shop without comparison: Check discounted VIP and event alternatives first.
• Spending all AP before Marauders: Review the event calendar before emptying AP reserves.

FAQ

What is the best way to get speedups in Rise of Kingdoms?

Complete daily objectives, event milestones, alliance activities, Marauders, and routine rewards. Check the Mysterious Merchant and discounted VIP Shop offers regularly.

Should I save Universal Speedups?

Yes. Use applicable Building, Research, Training, or Healing Speedups first. Save Universal Speedups for important bottlenecks and emergencies.

Which speedups should F2P players prioritize?

Prioritize Research and Building Speedups during development, then Training and Healing Speedups as the account becomes more involved in KvK.

Are speedups worth buying with Gems?

Discounted VIP Shop offers can be worthwhile, but compare them with VIP progression, Wheel of Fortune, More Than Gems, and other long-term Gem priorities.

Can Universal Speedups be used for healing?

Yes. Universal Speedups can be used on compatible healing queues, but use Healing Speedups first when they are available.

Should I save speedups for KvK?

Yes. Keep Training and Healing Speedups, along with part of the Universal reserve, for troop preparation and sustained fighting.

Do Alliance Helps reduce speedup requirements?

Yes. Alliance Help reduces building, research, and healing queues. It does not reduce troop-training time.

Which civilizations help reduce progression time?

Some civilizations provide building, research, training, or healing-related bonuses. Choose based on the entire account rather than switching only for one queue.

Conclusion

Rise of Kingdoms speedups provide the most value when they support a clear account goal. Earn them consistently through daily objectives, events, alliance activity, the Mysterious Merchant, discounted shops, Marauders, and occasional redeem codes.

Use specialized speedups before Universal Speedups. Activate the correct title, rune, kingdom buff, and permanent bonuses before starting a queue, then wait for Alliance Help before completing the remaining timer.

Do not save every speedup forever, but do not spend them without a plan. Use them when they unlock permanent progression, secure a guaranteed event milestone, prepare the account for KvK, or recover troops during an important war.

Looking for more Rise of Kingdoms progression strategies? Explore more Rise of Kingdoms guides for beginners, events, titles, runes, commanders, alliances, and KvK preparation.