This Rise of Kingdoms tier list ranks the commanders worth your sculptures in October 2026, on game version 1.1.12. Commanders are the most expensive thing you upgrade in Lilith Games’ strategy MMO, and the right pick changes as your kingdom moves from its first KvK to the Season of Conquest. I’ve built these rankings by cross-checking three recent community lists (LDShop’s stage-based KvK list from July, Mobi.gg’s September update and RiseofKingdomsGuides’ October list) against the official patch notes.
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Key Takeaways
- Alexander Nevsky, Zhuge Liang and Liu Che are top-tier Season of Conquest picks on all three lists
- Scipio Africanus (Prime) and Hermann (Prime) round out the strongest late-game group
- Early KvK favors durable area-damage commanders like Sun Tzu, Richard I and Charles Martel
- Yi Seong-Gye is one of the few commanders that stays useful at every stage
- Five commanders just joined the Season of Conquest tavern, so expect these lists to shift
How This Tier List Works
Rise of Kingdoms doesn’t have one meta. It has several, and they change as your kingdom ages. LDShop explains why: early KvK has no crystal technology and fights drag on, so tanky commanders with area damage shine. In the Season of Conquest, crystal tech boosts skill and burst damage, so active-skill commanders and the reworked Prime versions take over.
So I split the list by stage. Rankings assume open-field fighting, which is where most KvK battles happen. Garrison and rally picks follow at the end. Names follow the in-game spelling most lists use.
S Tier: Season of Conquest (KvK 4+)
- Alexander Nevsky: S+ on LDShop and RiseofKingdomsGuides, S on Mobi.gg. A cavalry commander and the top rally pick on RiseofKingdomsGuides’ list.
- Zhuge Liang: S+ archer on LDShop and RiseofKingdomsGuides, S on Mobi.gg.
- Liu Che: S+ infantry on LDShop and RiseofKingdomsGuides, S on Mobi.gg.
- Scipio Africanus (Prime): S+ infantry on LDShop and RiseofKingdomsGuides. Mobi.gg lists Scipio Africanus in S as well.
- Hermann (Prime): S+ archer on LDShop and RiseofKingdomsGuides, A on Mobi.gg.
Just below them, LDShop’s S tier adds Xiang Yu, Guan Yu, Boudica (Prime), Joan of Arc (Prime) and Yi Seong-Gye. Mobi.gg also puts Arthur Pendragon and Ragnar Lodbrok in its top tier.
A Tier: Strong Late-Game Picks
- Huo Qubing, Belisarius (Prime) and Joan of Arc (Prime): strong cavalry options on both Mobi.gg and RiseofKingdomsGuides.
- William Wallace and Gorgo: solid infantry picks that appear on both lists.
- Shajar al-Durr and Ashurbanipal: archer options rated well by both. Shajar al-Durr was also one of the five commanders added to the Season of Conquest tavern in version 1.1.12.20.
- Philip II: a flexible pick that RiseofKingdomsGuides lists for any troop type. He joined the Season of Conquest tavern in the same patch.
- Ramesses II, Artemisia, Attila and Saladin: LDShop’s A tier for the Season of Conquest.
Early KvK Picks (KvK 1 to 3)
If your kingdom is still in its first seasons, LDShop’s stage list is the most useful guide:
- KvK 1, S tier: Sun Tzu, Richard I, Charles Martel and Yi Seong-Gye. Sun Tzu stands out for area damage and fast rage regeneration, and he’s China’s starting commander.
- KvK 1, A tier: Aethelflaed, Joan of Arc, Cao Cao and Minamoto no Yoshitsune.
- KvK 2, S tier: Alexander the Great, Yi Seong-Gye, Saladin and Charles Martel.
- KvK 3, S tier: Alexander the Great, Yi Seong-Gye, Saladin and Edward of Woodstock, who rises as a burst-damage archer.
Richard I and Charles Martel drop to B tier once you reach the Season of Conquest, so don’t pour everything into them if your kingdom is close to that stage.
Garrison, Rally and Free-to-Play Picks
For defending a city or a flag, RiseofKingdomsGuides names Zenobia as its first-choice garrison leader, with Wu Zetian as an alternative, and Saladin or Artemisia as primary commanders. For rallies, its top picks are Alexander Nevsky, Xiang Yu, Justinian, Scipio Aemilianus and Ashurbanipal.
Free-to-play players should focus. The same guide points to Guan Yu, who can be unlocked depending on your kingdom, and Ramesses II, who comes from the Wheel of Fortune event. Mobi.gg warns that legendary upgrades are expensive for free players, so pick one main troop type and stick with it.
What Could Change Next
Version 1.1.12.20 (September 22, 2026) added Choe Yeong, Shajar al-Durr, John Hunyadi, Philip II and Stephen III to the Season of Conquest tavern. Choe Yeong already shows up in RiseofKingdomsGuides’ A tier, but John Hunyadi and Stephen III haven’t been fully ranked yet. Recheck before spending sculptures on them.
FAQ
Who is the best commander in Rise of Kingdoms?
For the Season of Conquest, Alexander Nevsky is S tier or higher on all three lists I checked. For early KvK, Sun Tzu and Yi Seong-Gye are safer picks.
Who is the best free-to-play commander?
Guan Yu and Ramesses II are the most commonly recommended free options.
Do tier lists change often?
Yes. New commanders and Prime reworks arrive regularly, so check the date on any list.
If you’re new, start with my Rise of Kingdoms beginner guide, and read the Rise of Kingdoms review for the bigger picture. More strategy coverage is in the MMO Strategy section, and patch news is on the official Rise of Kingdoms website.
