Builds are the part of a wiki that goes stale fastest, so this page leads with its date: everything below was checked against Patch 0.9.5, the big deck rework of July 29, 2026. When a newer patch lands, the stamp changes. What survives patch-to-patch is the method, so each build here also explains why it works, not just what to click.
The two halves of every build
The card half is your opening decade: which of your nine cards you place, where, and in what order. The rules that transfer across kings:
- Place your base first, always; it is mandatory and it defines your win condition.
- Early buildings that tick yearly (farms, quarries, forges) beat early troops, because their value compounds.
- One tower is usually enough before year 10; two is a commitment that costs you tempo.
- Winning battles lets you pick from the defeated king's deck, so aggressive openings can steal cards that patch up their own weaknesses.
The perk half is the slower game. Each king levels up over a run and earns perks: 78 exist across the game, split into universal ones every king can take, king-specific ones, and rainbow perks unlocked at run milestones. You have nine slots by default, expandable to eleven and beyond with the right perks, and since Patch 0.9.3 you can save three full perk layouts per king. The layout system has its own puzzle: directional perks boost the perks they point at, and chaining them multiplies the effect. It is a rabbit hole, and the deck lists in the nine kings guide are the best map of it.
Three starting patterns that survive 0.9.5
| Build | King | Opening | Why it works |
|---|---|---|---|
| The slow start | King of Nothing | Farm and Blacksmith adjacent, one Archer | Yearly growth plus a cheap damage buff covers the weak early fights |
| The wall | King of Stone | Stronghold, Quarry, one Trebuchet | Every later building makes the Trebuchet stronger; walls buy the time |
| The altar | King of Blood | Pagoda, Imp, Cemetery | Cheap deaths feed the Cemetery and the Altar's permanent growth |
None of these are secrets; they are the patterns the community keeps re-deriving because they follow from the card text. What changes per patch is the tuning. The cards guide explains each card's type rules, and the nine kings overview links the full deck tables if you want to build your own.
How to read the meta without drowning
Three habits keep build knowledge current: read the patch notes before reading any guide (Sad Socket posts them on Steam), check that the guide names its patch, and treat any guide without a date as fiction. Our tier list applies the same discipline to king rankings.
FAQ
What is the best starting build in 9 Kings?
For a first run, the slow-start pattern on the King of Nothing: economy buildings first, one ranged unit, and perks that extend your base. It survives the early years while you learn the loop.
How many perks can you equip in 9 Kings?
Nine slots by default. The Expander perk and related layouts push that to eleven, and rainbow perks can extend it further. Three full layouts can be saved per king since the Patch 0.9.3-era update.
Do builds change with patches?
Yes. The July 2026 deck rework changed five kings' decks at once. Any build guide that does not name its patch should be assumed out of date.