9 Kings Best Units: Troop Rankings and When to Use Them
Every 9 Kings troop ranked for the 1.0 build, with the enchantments, adjacency support, and battle role that make each unit worth a plot.
Quick answer: Paladin, Boar, Lab Rat, Warlord, and Executioner are the five best troop payoffs in 9 Kings. Soldiers and Elves are the best cheap carriers, while Imp and Bomber are sacrifice fodder rather than win conditions.
Troops are the only card type that moves, takes enchantments, and can be buffed by both buildings and decrees. That makes them the natural home for a run's win condition. It also makes troop rankings messy: a unit's value depends on the engine behind it.
This list ranks troops by how well they convert support into wins. A unit that is strong alone but does not scale will rank below a weaker unit that turns Farms and Blacksmiths into a carry.
The ranking at a glance
| Tier | Units | Why |
|---|---|---|
| S | Paladin, Boar, Lab Rat | Best scaling with common support |
| A | Warlord, Executioner, Elf, Soldier | Strong role players with clear upgrades |
| B | Wizard, Shaman, Defender, Thief, Raptor | Good in the right build, average otherwise |
| C | Imp, Bomber, Orbiter | Fodder or setup pieces, not carries |
S tier
Paladin
Paladin is the best beginner carry because it has high base stats, benefits from Farms and Blacksmiths, and can hold multiple Steel Coats. It is not the fastest unit, but it is the easiest to keep alive.
The Paladin plan is simple: one Paladin, two Farms, one Blacksmith, and every defensive enchantment you can find. It wins by outlasting the enemy, not by clearing the board.
Boar
Boar is the best Nature payoff. It can be ridden, and every point of HP gives the rider +1% stats. Forest, Feast, and Procreate all add HP, which means the Boar's damage grows without any direct damage investment.
Boar is slow to come online. It needs HP support and a way to reach the enemy. Orchard roots help. Without support, it is just a big body.
Lab Rat
Lab Rat has no cap on its level growth. Every adjacent plot upgrade gives it a level. In a Progress build with Reinforce and Concabulator, it can become the strongest unit in the game.
The catch is that it starts weak and needs the upgrade engine next to it. A Lab Rat on an isolated plot is a waste of a card.
A tier
Warlord
Warlord is both a base and a troop, and its banner buffs nearby units. In a Nomads build, it is the center of a moving formation. It is strong, but it asks you to keep repositioning, which is not for every player.
Executioner
Executioner targets the lowest-health enemy and deals high damage at levels 1, 2, and 3. It is a clean finisher in Progress builds, especially with Ranger. It is less useful against a single boss with no adds.
Elf
Elf snipes the farthest enemy and scales with Elven. It is the best ranged troop for picking off backline threats, but it needs a front line to buy time. Put it behind a Paladin or a wall, not on the edge of the grid.
Soldier
Soldier is the best cheap carrier in Nothing's deck. Recruiter gives it +10% to all stats, and it benefits from Farms and Blacksmiths like any other troop. It is not a late-game carry, but it is a reliable bridge unit.
B tier
Wizard
Wizard is the natural Static host because it attacks fast enough to trigger chains. Without Static, it is a fragile ranged unit. With Static, it becomes a wave-clear engine.
Shaman
Shaman is the safer Spells troop. It deals less damage than Wizard but supports the board. In a Static build, Wizard is better; in a survivability build, Shaman is.
Defender
Defender does not attack. It reflects all damage, which makes it a strong stall tool in Progress builds. It is not a win condition, but it can hold a lane while your Lab Rats grow.
Thief
Thief jumps to the backline and deals critical damage. In Greed builds, Scimitars makes Thief always crit. It is a good disruption unit, but it is fragile and does not scale with Farms.
Raptor
Raptor can be ridden and ignores some positioning rules. In Nomads builds, it is a mobile threat. Outside that build, it is average.
C tier
Imp
Imp is summoned by Pagoda and Cemetery. It exists to die, feed Demon's Altar, and trigger death effects. Do not enchant it unless you have a specific plan.
Bomber
Bomber deals area damage at levels 1, 2, and 3. It is useful in Blood builds as a disposable body, but it is not a carry. Its damage falls off against high-HP targets.
Orbiter
Orbiter is a Time troop with strong adjacency gains. It is powerful in a dedicated Time build, but it is awkward to position and does not fit most other decks. It ranks low here because it is not a generic pick.
How to choose a troop
Ask three questions.
- What supports it? Farms, Blacksmiths, enchantments, and decrees. If the answer is "nothing", the troop is a temporary body.
- What does it do that your base cannot? A troop that only deals damage is competing with your towers. A troop that tanks, scales, or disrupts is adding a new capability.
- Can it survive the Final Battle? The boss hits hard. A troop with no defensive support will not.
The best troop in the game is the one your kingdom is built to support. That is why Paladin, Boar, and Lab Rat top this list: they have the clearest support paths.
The best cards→ page covers the support cards, and the kingdom layout→ page shows where to put them.
Every enchantment on an Imp or Bomber is an enchantment not on your carry. Fodder units are supposed to die.
FAQ
What is the best troop in 9 Kings? Paladin is the most reliable, Boar has the highest Nature ceiling, and Lab Rat has the highest overall ceiling.
Are ranged troops better than melee? Not automatically. Ranged troops need a front line; melee troops need support. The best armies use both.
Should I use more than one carry? Usually no. One carry with focused support beats two carries with split support. A secondary damage source is fine if it shares the same buffs.
Is Warlord a troop or a base? Both. It occupies the base plot but fights like a troop and buffs nearby units.
Sources
Official source: 9 Kings Steam store page ↗