9 Kings Best Perks: Universal, King, and Rainbow Picks
The best 9 Kings perks for the 1.0 build: which universal perks to take first, which king perks define a run, and how rainbow multipliers actually work.
Quick answer: Take the universal perks that match your win condition first, then the king perks that buff your carry. Ingenious, Expansionist, Persistent, Castellan, Fortifier, and Holy are the strongest universal picks; rainbow perks are multipliers, not standalone bonuses.
Perks are the meta-progression layer of 9 Kings. They are not cards you draft during a run; they are permanent upgrades you earn by leveling kings. That makes them easy to ignore and hard to evaluate. A perk that looks small can be a 40% multiplier by the end of a run.
This page explains the perk system, ranks the universal picks, names the king perks worth chasing, and explains the rainbow layouts without pretending the multiplier math is simple.
How perks are earned
There are 78 perks in three categories: Universal, King, and Rainbow.
You earn one perk each time a king levels up. Until you have all 11 universal perks, the game alternates between a universal perk and a king perk. After that, every level-up gives a king perk. That means a king you want to specialize takes 18 levels to get all nine of its perks if you have no universals, but only nine levels if you already have all 11.
Rainbow perks are extra. They arrive at levels 3, 6, 9, and 12 of your highest-level king, alongside the normal perk for that level. They do not replace the universal or king perk.
The 11 universal perks, ranked
1. Ingenious
Your base can level up five more times. Bases are the one plot you always have, and extra levels are pure stats. This is the strongest universal perk for any build that relies on its base.
2. Expansionist
Start with one extra random unlocked plot. Space is the scarcest resource in the game. One extra plot at the start is one more adjacency you can build around.
3. Persistent
Start with three free rerolls. Three rerolls are worth 30 gold at the start of a run, and they let you fix a bad opening without sacrificing a plot.
4. Castellan
Your base gains +10% to all stats. It stacks additively with Admiral. For base-carry builds like Mothership or Castle, this is a direct damage and survival upgrade.
5. Fortifier
Towers start with +10% damage. In a tower build, this applies to every tower you place for the whole run. It is boring and excellent.
6. Holy
Doubles blessing effects. The year-16 blessing is a free power spike, and Holy turns it into a bigger one. It is weaker if you never reach year 16, which is rare in a normal run.
7. Wrathful
All troops deal +5% damage. It stacks with Ranger and Hunter. It is a small, universal multiplier that fits any troop build.
8. Nurturer
All troops start with +10% health. It stacks with Armored. Health is the stat that keeps a carry alive through the Final Battle.
9. Swift
All troops have +5% attack speed. It stacks with Berserk. Attack speed is more valuable in Static and Greed builds than raw damage.
10. Lucky
Special cards are 20% more likely to appear in shops. It is a consistency perk, not a power perk. Take it when your build needs a specific rare card.
11. Politician
+1 royal decree option. More options are good, but the other universals usually give more direct value. Take it if you are hunting a specific decree.
The king perks that define runs
Each king has nine perks. You do not need all of them; you need the ones that match your build.
Nothing: Protector (+1 Steel Coat), Agricultural (+1 Farm), Valiant (+3 Paladin units), and Farsighted (+20% Archer range) are the standouts. Protector is the reason Knight Haven can stack defense so quickly.
Spells: Scrollmaster (+1 random tome), Mystic (+1 random enchantment), and Eldritch (+10% Shaman damage) are the useful ones. The first two add consistency to a draw-dependent king.
Greed: Peddler (+1 free shop purchase), Nepobaby (+30 starting gold), and Fixer (+10% Dispenser damage) are the best. Peddler is a free card every merchant visit.
Blood: Summoner (+10% summon strength), Diabolical (+3 imps from Pagoda), and Blighted (+20% HP for Cemetery summons) all support the sacrifice engine.
Nature: Elven (+10% Elf damage), Gardener (+1 Orchard root), and Toxic (+10% poison damage) are the picks. Nature's king perks are more specialized than its universal support.
Nomads: Aggressive, Leader, and Khan are the tempo picks. Nomads perks tend to reward movement and positioning, so they are better in a dedicated build than as generic picks.
Stone: Incendiary (+10% Flametower area), Hurler (+1 Trebuchet rock), and Tactician (+1 random tower card) are the tower picks.
Progress: Innovator (+1 Reinforce card), Ranger (+20% Executioner damage), and Admiral (+10% Mothership speed) are the standouts. Innovator accelerates the upgrade engine.
Time: Physicist, Destructive, and Wise are the names to look for. Time's perks are newer and less documented; treat them as build-specific rather than universal.
Rainbow perks and multipliers
Rainbow perks do not change a run directly. They change how other perks apply.
- Expander adds +2 perk slots to one row.
- Leftist applies the perk to its left one extra time.
- Verticalist applies vertically adjacent perks one extra time.
- Nationalist applies all adjacent king perks one extra time.
The multiplier depends on the layout. A Leftist pointing at a Verticalist can create a 3x multiplier; a Nationalist between two king perks can create multiple 2x or 3x effects. The optimal layouts are worth learning once you have a full perk board, but they are not worth optimizing before then.
The practical rule: place your strongest king perks next to Nationalist and Verticalist, and put your best universal perk where Leftist can reach it.
What to take first
If you are new, take Ingenious, Expansionist, and Persistent in whatever order they appear. They improve every run and never become obsolete.
If you are building a specific carry, take the universal that matches its damage type, then the king perk that adds a resource. A Paladin wants Protector and Nurturer. A Lab Rat wants Innovator and Ingenious. A Boar wants Nurturer and Holy.
Do not chase rainbow perks before you have a board worth multiplying. A 3x multiplier on a weak perk is still a weak perk.
The best decrees→ page covers the other permanent choice, and the unlock kings→ guide explains how to level each king.
The type of perk you get is predictable, but the specific perk is random per account. Plan around categories, not a perfect sequence.
FAQ
How many perks are in 9 Kings? The launch build lists 78 perks, split into universal, king-specific, and rainbow categories. The universal pool is 11 and the rainbow pool is four.
How do I get rainbow perks? Reach levels 3, 6, 9, and 12 on your highest-level king. They arrive alongside the normal perk.
Can I respec perks? No. Perk choices are permanent for the account, so prioritize the ones that fit multiple builds.
Are king perks better than universal perks? Not always. Universal perks apply to every run; king perks are stronger but narrower.
Sources
Official source: 9 Kings Steam store page ↗