Upgrades

What to upgrade first in Clash of Clans

There’s no official upgrade order, and Clash Ninja puts it plainly: there isn’t a right or wrong answer. But guides agree on a pattern: offense first, keep every builder and the lab busy, and leave walls for spare resources. Here’s that pattern, why it works, and what changed recently.

··3 min read
Official Hammer Jam artwork showing builders with hammers
Official Supercell artwork. Image source

The order most players follow

  1. Laboratory and heroes. Research and hero levels make every future attack stronger.
  2. Offense buildings. Army camps, Clan Castle, barracks and spell factories.
  3. New defenses from your Town Hall, then the high-damage defenses.
  4. Traps, the rest of the defenses, and walls with whatever is left.

The reasoning is simple: you use your army in every attack, war and raid, while a defense only matters on the spot an attacker hits. A strong army also earns the loot that pays for everything else.

At a glance

An upgrade queue you can adapt to the army

  1. Lab + heroesImprove the troops, spells and heroes used in attacks.
  2. Offense buildingsArmy camps, Clan Castle, barracks and spell factories.
  3. New + key defensesPlace new defenses, then strengthen the important ones.
  4. Remaining defenses + wallsUse remaining resources while keeping builders busy.
A starting order, not a fixed rule for every account. Keep lab research and builder work running in parallel.

Keep every builder and the lab busy

An idle builder or an empty lab is time you never get back. Start the longest upgrades before you sleep and the short ones while you play.

  • B.O.B, unlocked through the Builder Base at Builder Hall 9, works as an extra Home Village builder.
  • Lab Assistant (Town Hall 9, in the Helper Hut, level 1 free) speeds up research.
  • Builder’s Apprentice (Town Hall 10, 500 Gems once) speeds up a Home Village upgrade. Each level takes one hour off the timer per session.
  • Helpers work one session per 23-hour work day, which starts when you assign any of them.
  • Alchemist (Town Hall 11) converts Gold, Elixir and Dark Elixir, which helps when one resource blocks the queue.

When to upgrade your Town Hall

Move up when the upgrades left at your level can’t keep your builders busy, and your heroes are near their caps. You don’t need every wall maxed first.

Moving up too early is how accounts get rushed: the new Town Hall raises your war weight and puts stronger bases in front of an army that hasn’t caught up. If you’re unsure, check the rushed guide first.

What changed in 2025 and 2026

  • October 2025: Town Hall weapon levels were removed for TH12 to TH15, and 15 hero levels moved from TH15 to TH14.
  • 2025: army training time and hero healing time were removed, and obstacles no longer need a free builder.
  • February 2026: the Prospector (Gold Pass, Town Hall 10+) converts Ore once a day.
  • August 2026: Wall Rings no longer need a free builder.

All of this pushes the same way: fewer reasons to stop the queue, so the order above matters more than ever.

Quick questions

Should I max walls before upgrading my Town Hall?

Not usually. Walls use spare resources. Heroes, lab research and offense buildings matter more before you move up.

Do Builder Potions speed up the Builder’s Apprentice?

No. Supercell says the Builder’s Apprentice isn’t affected by Builder Potions.

Is heroes-first always right?

For most accounts, yes, because heroes are the longest grind. If a key defense or army camp is far behind, it can jump the queue.

Sources and game versions

Rules checked against the sources below on October 5, 2026. For sign-up windows, current league formats and account eligibility, follow the information shown in your game.

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