Kingshot KvK guide: Kingdom of Power and Castle Battle
Matchmaking you cannot game, a Preparation Phase that decides the whole week, and the Castle formations that hold the throne. The full server-vs-server playbook.
Quick answer
Win the Preparation Phase. It is the only route to invading the enemy kingdom and taking High King, and it is decided by hoarded items, not battle skill. Save everything, then apply for Chief Minister or Noble Advisor before you spend on the matching themed day.
On Battle Saturday: activate all 12-hour battle bonuses at exactly 10:00 UTC, turn on Counter-Recon, and keep your army home until Castle Battle opens at 12:00.
Structure
The three stages of Kingdom of Power
Matchmaking · 2 days
Paired by hero generation and the combined power of the top 100 active players. Resetting heroes or disbanding troops does not lower it.
Preparation · 5 days
A double-reward Hall of Governors with alliance milestones. This phase decides who invades whom — it matters more than the fighting.
Battle Phase · Saturday
10:00 to 22:00 UTC. Score by injuring or killing enemy troops from players within three Town Center levels of you.
Scout as soon as matchmaking lands. Send one player to make a small account in the opposing kingdom and push it to Town Center 8 — that unlocks viewing Arena heroes. Check their top players through Mystic Trials for a realistic read on who you actually need to worry about.
The phase that decides it
Preparation Phase: day-by-day plan
Each day scores a different category. Apply for the castle role that boosts that category before you spend items, and have the King activate the matching skill.
Day 1 · Monday
Construction
Role to apply for: Chief Minister · King Skill: Groundworks
Day 2 · Tuesday
Research
Role to apply for: Chief Minister · King Skill: Fresh Ideas
Day 3 · Wednesday
Pet Training
Role to apply for: — · King Skill: —
Day 4 · Thursday
Troop Training
Role to apply for: Noble Advisor · King Skill: Mobilize
Day 5–6 · Fri–Sat
Give it all
Role to apply for: — · King Skill: Community Healing (Day 6)
Start roles at 23:50 the day before
Opening appointments ten minutes early fits one extra person in. You can appoint a maximum of 49 players per day, so prioritise the players holding the most items — they convert the buff into the most points.
Schedule King Skills 48 hours ahead
Tap the skill, choose Use, toggle the arrows from 'use now' to 'Apply', pick the day, and always set 00:00 as the start time. King Skills have cooldowns — do not burn them right before Preparation week or they will not be ready.
Community Healing on Day 6
Scheduling it for Day 6 means players heal faster through the opening of the Battle Phase, so they arrive at Castle Battle with a full army rather than a full Infirmary.
Battle Saturday
Battle Phase timing and troop recovery
10:00 UTC is bonus activation time
Activate every 12-hour battle bonus at exactly 10:00 — tap the arrow at the top left below your profile picture. These multiply your stats through both the Battle Phase and Castle Battle. Turn on Counter-Recon so the enemy cannot see what is in your city.
Points come from matched-level targets
You only score against opposing-kingdom players whose Town Center is within three levels of yours. Eligible targets show a marker on their town, so you do not have to guess.
Stay home until 12:00
Battle Phase points keep accruing until 22:00, but Castle Battle is the prize. Crossing the border early spends troops you will want for the Castle.
Recover 90% — if your Infirmary fits them
After the phase, a recovery window restores 90% of troops lost during it. Overflow goes to the Enlistment Office and does not count. Heal continuously all day so there is room.
Castle Battle
How Castle Battle is won
The first Castle Battle in a new kingdom falls within the first 54 days; after that it runs biweekly on Saturday. There are two formats: standard, within one server, and the Kingdom of Power version tied to KvK.
Two win conditions
Hold the Castle for a cumulative 2.5 hours, or finish the five-hour event with the highest total occupation time.
The prize is the crown
The winning alliance appoints the Kingdom's King, unlocking kingdom-wide buffs and rewards for every member.
Losing still pays
Castle Battle is a reliable source of Charm materials and other progression resources, so participation is worth it either way.
Three point categories
Carnage points for killing defenders, Occupation points from the power of troops stationed inside, and Casualty points from your own losses.
Troop ratios
Castle Battle formations
Unlike Bear Trap, Castle Battle fights back — so infantry earn their place. Cavalry counter Archers and lose to Infantry, which is what drives the adjustments below.
Standard attack — 50/20/30
Safe default against a mixed garrison
vs infantry-heavy castle — 50/0/50
Only when the garrison has few or no archers
Garrison / holding — 60/40/0
Durability over damage while occupying
Heroes
Castle Battle rally heroes by generation
Attack rallies maximise damage to break the Castle. Garrison rallies switch to survivability and sustain once you hold it.
Gen 3
Attack: Amadeus · Petra · Marlin
Garrison: Eric · Jaeger · Hilde
Gen 4
Attack: Amadeus · Petra · Rosa
Garrison: Alcar · Jaeger · Margot
Gen 5
Attack: Amadeus · Petra/Thrudd · Rosa
Garrison: Long Fei · Jaeger · Margot
Gen 6
Attack: Amadeus/Triton · Petra/Thrudd · Yang
Garrison: Triton · Jaeger · Sophia
Gen 7
Attack: Amadeus/Triton/Charles · Ava · Wee & Woo
Garrison: Charles · Jaeger · Sophia
Joining an attack rally
Put Chenko, Yeonwoo, Amane or Amadeus in your first slot. Up to Gen 7, Vivian, Margot and Wee & Woo also work, with Hilde filling stat gaps. This works exactly like Bear Trap: the first-slot hero is the only one contributing to the rally.
Joining a garrison rally
Priority flips from damage to survivability. Bring Howard, Gordon, Saul or Hilde in the first slot. Rally leaders should remind members to check their first slot before joining — the wrong hero quietly costs the whole rally.
Questions
Kingshot KvK and Castle Battle FAQ
›What is KvK in Kingshot?
KvK is Kingdom of Power — Kingdom vs Kingdom. It is the biggest event in the game because it is the only one where winning lets you invade another kingdom and claim the High King title. It runs in three stages: a two-day Matchmaking phase, a five-day Preparation phase, and a Battle Phase on Saturday.
›How does KvK matchmaking work?
Kingdoms are paired by hero generation and by the combined strength of their top 100 active players. Resetting heroes, unequipping gear or disbanding troops does not lower your matchmaking power, so sandbagging does not work. Inactive players are not counted. Occasionally no match is found and the kingdom receives a small consolation reward.
›Why does winning the Preparation Phase matter?
Winning Preparation is the only way to earn the right to invade the other kingdom and become High King. It also protects you from being invaded. High King status grants stronger castle appointment bonuses that boost your whole kingdom's growth for two weeks.
›How do you score points in the KvK Battle Phase?
You earn points by injuring or killing troops belonging to players in the opposing kingdom whose Town Center is within three levels of yours, above or below. Eligible targets carry a marker on their town. The phase starts Saturday at 10:00 UTC and ends at 22:00 UTC.
›Is Castle Battle the same as KvK?
No — they are related but separate. Castle Battle has its own point system and ranking. In a KvK week the Battle Phase starts at 10:00 UTC while Castle Battle itself starts at 12:00 and can run until 17:00. Outside KvK weeks, Castle Battle runs biweekly on Saturday within a single server.
›How do you win Castle Battle?
Two ways: hold the Castle for a cumulative 2.5 hours, or have the highest total occupation time when the five-hour event ends. The winning alliance appoints the Kingdom's King, which unlocks kingdom-wide buffs and rewards for every member.
›What is the best Castle Battle formation?
Attacking, a safe default is 50% Infantry / 20% Cavalry / 30% Archers. Against an infantry-heavy garrison with few or no archers, shift to 50/0/50. Holding the Castle, go infantry-heavy at roughly 60% Infantry / 40% Cavalry / 0% Archers, because durability beats damage when you are occupying.
›Should I attack the enemy kingdom before Castle Battle starts?
Generally no. Crossing the border before 12:00 UTC costs troops you want intact for Castle Battle itself. Activate your 12-hour battle bonuses at exactly 10:00 UTC, turn on Counter-Recon so the enemy cannot scout your city, and save your army for the Castle.
›How do I recover troops lost in KvK?
After the Battle Phase ends, a recovery window lets you restore 90% of the soldiers that died during the phase. Do not let your Infirmary overflow — anything that spills into the Enlistment Office does not count toward the 90%. Heal continuously throughout the phase.
Mechanics cross-checked against the Kingshot Wiki Kingdom of Power and Castle Battle pages on September 29, 2026. Timings are UTC and can vary slightly by kingdom age.
Next step
KvK is a logistics problem
Role rotations, King Skill schedules and lane assignments all fail the same way: nobody could find the plan when it mattered. Put the schedule somewhere your alliance reads before Saturday.