9 Kings Best Decrees: Royal Council Picks That Win Runs
The best 9 Kings decrees for the 1.0 build, ranked by build fit, with the exact effects, council timing, and the decrees that look strong but are not.
Quick answer: Sharp Blades, Bunker, Exploration, Feast, and Outsourcing are the best general-purpose 9 Kings decrees. Take Longtermism from the rainbow pool when you can, and skip decrees that only pay off in a build you are not playing.
Decrees are the closest thing 9 Kings has to a permanent build choice. The Royal Council appears at year 4 and offers a small set of options. You pick one, and it applies for the rest of the run. Some decrees are global stat boosts; others change how a mechanic works.
The mistake most players make is picking the decree with the biggest number instead of the one that fits their board. A 30% attack bonus on a board with no troops is worse than a free plot.
This page ranks the decrees by how often they improve a run, explains the council timing, and lists the build-specific picks that are excellent in the right deck.
When the Royal Council appears
The first council is at year 4. It offers one decree from a pool of universal and king-specific options. If you have the Longtermism rainbow decree, the next council offers three choices instead of one.
The council repeats on a fixed schedule. You do not get to shop for a specific decree, so the practical approach is to know which categories you want and take the best available option.
The best general decrees
1. Sharp Blades
All units and towers deal +30% attack for 20 years. That is a huge multiplier, and 20 years covers most of a standard run. It is the default pick when you have a mixed board.
Sharp Blades is strongest on a wide board with many attackers. On a single-carry board, the 30% still applies, but the opportunity cost of not taking a defensive decree is higher.
2. Bunker
Towers gain +50% attack speed for 20 years, up to 20 stacks. In a tower build, this is the single strongest decree in the game. In a troop build, it does nothing.
Take Bunker only if towers are a real part of your damage. A single Scout Tower is not enough to justify it.
3. Exploration
Unlock three random plots for 20 years. Space is the scarcest resource, and three plots is a large tempo swing. The random placement can be awkward, but the extra adjacency is usually worth it.
Exploration is best in the early game, when you still have room to shape your kingdom. Taking it at year 30 is much weaker.
4. Feast
Double maximum HP for 20 years. This is a defensive decree that buys time for scaling builds. It is excellent with Boar, Treant, and any carry that wants to survive the Final Battle.
Feast does not increase current HP, only maximum HP. Heal your units after taking it.
5. Outsourcing
Nine free rerolls for 20 years. Rerolls are the main way to fix a bad draft, and nine is a lot. This is a consistency decree, not a power decree, but consistency wins runs.
Outsourcing is strongest when you are hunting a specific card or trying to assemble a combo. It is weaker if your board is already complete.
The build-specific picks
Gunpowder
Area damage radius +30% for five years. It is short, but it can win a key battle. Take it when your damage comes from area attacks: Castle, Bomber, Trebuchet, or Flametower.
Iron Fist
Critical damage doubled for three years. It is a burst decree. Pair it with Eyeglass or a crit-based carry and use it to break a difficult year.
Eyeglass
Critical chance +20% for five years. It is the setup for Iron Fist. Alone, it is a modest damage increase; together, they are a burst window.
Overwork
Support buildings apply their effect one more time, twice. This is excellent with Farm, Blacksmith, and Beacon. It is a build-around decree, not a generic pick.
Poison Thorns
Enemies gain one poison stack when they attack for 20 years. It is a defensive attrition tool. It is strong against swarms and weak against bosses with high poison resistance.
War Horns
Summons gain +50% for 20 years. It is the Blood build's best friend. Pagoda, Cemetery, and Demon's Altar all benefit.
Weakspot
Frozen, stunned, or poisoned enemies take +50% damage. It is a combo enabler. Without a reliable way to apply those statuses, it does nothing.
Loan
Gain 99 gold immediately for 20 years. It is a tempo decree: the gold lets you buy a key card or plot now. It is weaker if you already have a strong economy.
Rebirth
Refill all lives once. It is an insurance policy, not a power spike. Take it when you are attempting a difficult king or a high-difficulty run.
Supplies
Copy every king card in your hand. The copies replace your hand, so timing matters. It is a high-skill decree with a huge ceiling.
Venom
Poison is applied twice for three years. It is a short burst window for poison builds. Pair it with Cauldron or Poison Vial.
Catharsis
All troops deal damage equal to your highest-damage troop, once. It is a one-battle equalizer. On a board with one huge carry and many weak bodies, it is a massive temporary buff.
Leatherworks
Troop movement speed doubled for 20 years. It is a positioning tool. It helps melee troops reach the fight and Boar close gaps, but it does not add damage.
The rainbow decrees
Rainbow decrees come from a separate pool and are generally stronger than universal decrees.
- Longtermism makes the next council offer three choices. It is the best rainbow decree because it compounds into a better permanent pick.
- Gambling gives two cards after each battle but you cannot choose between them. It is a high-variance pick for players who like wide boards.
- Payroll gives +10 gold on the first reroll of each battle. It is a small economy boost that adds up over 33 years.
- Refraction replaces your hand with random rainbow cards. It is chaotic and fun, but not reliable.
- Wishing Well copies your next discarded card three times. It is a combo enabler for decks that can discard a key card.
What to skip
Some decrees are traps in the wrong build.
Catharsis is mediocre if your board is evenly powered. Leatherworks is close to useless if you have no melee troops. Poison Thorns does nothing against a boss that kills your units in one hit. Rebirth is wasted if you are not dying.
The rule is simple: take the decree that improves the board you have, not the board you wish you had.
The best strategy→ page explains how to plan around the council, and the events guide→ lists the full timeline.
Save gold before year 4. A decree is free, but the card you buy with the gold you saved can define the run.
FAQ
What is the best decree in 9 Kings? Sharp Blades is the best general pick. Bunker is the best tower decree. Longtermism is the best rainbow decree.
Can I get more than one decree? Yes. The council repeats, and Longtermism gives you more options at the next council.
Do decrees stack? Different decrees stack. The same decree does not usually appear twice.
Are king-specific decrees better? They are narrower but often stronger in their build. Nothing's Armory and Greed's Bargain are good examples.
Sources
Official source: 9 Kings Steam store page ↗