Guides

Want a tool added? Let us know

· Privacy

Unlock T5 troops icon

How to unlock T5 (level 5) troops in Rise of Kingdoms

Reach City Hall 25 and Academy 25, finish the military research chain (Medical Corps 10 plus your troop's armour tech at 10), then research that troop type's T5 node. Each node costs 10M Food, 10M Wood, 7.5M Stone and 10M Gold, with 108 days of base research.

Last updated

T5 at a glance

City Hall
25
Academy
25
Node cost
10M food, 10M wood, 7.5M stone, 10M gold
Base research
108 days (siege ~162)
Per troop type
Separate node each

The research path to T5, in order

  1. City Hall 25. Needed before Academy 25.
  2. Academy 25. Needs City Hall 25, Watchtower 25, Trading Post 25 and a Master's Blueprint, plus 26.8M Food, 36M Wood and 10.2M Stone.
  3. Early military tech. Combat Tactics, Defensive Formation and Herbal Medicine to level 10, plus Cartography.
  4. Carriage 10 and Cutting & Polishing 10. Opens Combined Arms.
  5. Combined Arms 10 and Encampment 10. Opens Medical Corps.
  6. Medical Corps 10. Shared prerequisite for every T5 node.
  7. Your troop's armour tech at 10. Scutum (infantry), Pavise (archers), Plate Armor (cavalry) or Heavy Frame (siege).
  8. The T5 node. 10M Food, 10M Wood, 7.5M Stone and 10M Gold. 108 days of base research (about 162 for siege).

From RokHub's research FAQ and the Rise of Kingdoms Wiki's Academy page. Research speed buffs (VIP, alliance technology, buffs and some commander skills) cut the base times.

Video: when should you unlock T5?

When Should You Unlock T5 Troops? | Rise of Kingdoms by Maffu. The video loads from YouTube only when you press play.

T5 units by troop type

TypeStandard T5Civilization elites (examples)
InfantryRoyal GuardElite Legionary, Elite Throwing Axeman, Elite Samurai
ArcherRoyal CrossbowmanElite Longbowman, Elite Chu-Ko-Nu, Elite Hwarang, Elite Janissary
CavalryRoyal KnightElite Teutonic Knight, Elite Conquistador, Elite Mamluk, Elite Cataphract
SiegeTrebuchetNo civ version

Your civilization's special unit has an elite T5 version that replaces the standard one for its troop type. See the civilization guide.

How to plan the speedups

108 days is base research time. Your real time depends on your research speed bonus. Enter your bonus and the time left into our speedup calculator to see how many research speedups you need, and save them for the "research" stages of events such as Mightiest Governor so they also earn rewards.

  • Pick one troop type first. Each T5 node has its own cost and time, so finish your main type before anything else.
  • Stock resources before you start. 37.5M resources per node, and the tech along the way costs plenty more.
  • Think about the timing. T5 troops cost more to train and heal than T4. Many players aim to finish T5 before a KvK, when the extra power pays off most.

Common mistakes

  • Researching every armour tech at once. You only need the one for your main troop type.
  • Spending speedups outside events. The same speedups give event points during research stages.
  • Unlocking T5 with no resources to train them. T5 troops are expensive to make and heal.

Sources

Checked 3 November 2026. Supercell, Century Games and Lilith change these games often. If something in game disagrees with this page, trust the game and let us know through the contact page.

FAQ

What City Hall level do you need for T5?

City Hall 25, plus Academy 25. Academy 25 itself needs City Hall 25, Watchtower 25, Trading Post 25 and a Master's Blueprint.

How long does T5 research take?

108 days of base research for infantry, cavalry or archers, and about 162 days for siege, before research speed bonuses. That's on top of the prerequisite research.

Does unlocking T5 infantry unlock all T5 troops?

No. Each troop type has its own T5 research node and costs.