TH9 Upgrade Order 2026 -- What to Upgrade First at Town Hall 9

TH9 is the first major progression checkpoint in Clash of Clans. Two heroes to max, two X-Bows unlocked, and a fully upgraded laboratory full of war troops -- getting the upgrade order right here determines whether you contribute in wars or get three-starred by TH8 attackers. Follow this priority order and you will be fully competitive within four to six months of reaching TH9.

Priority 1: Archer Queen and Barbarian King

Heroes are the single highest-priority upgrade at TH9. Target Barbarian King level 30 and Archer Queen level 30 before focusing on any other major upgrade. The Archer Queen at TH9 enables Queen Walk -- the setup attack that powers GoHo, LaLoon, and hybrid strategies. A level 25 to 30 Archer Queen with four Healers can strip an entire side of most TH9 bases, creating a clean deployment lane for your main army. Heroes regenerate between attacks and never die permanently -- they are the best investment per Dark Elixir spent at this level. Farm DE raids daily and funnel DE into hero levels exclusively until both heroes hit 30.

Priority 2: X-Bows and Air Defenses

After heroes, X-Bows (both to max level 4) and Air Defenses (both to max level 7) are the next priority. X-Bows on ground mode stop GoWiPe and GoHo attacks that otherwise three-star underdeveloped TH9 bases in war. Air Defenses at max level counter Mass Dragon attacks -- without max ADs, Dragon attacks will three-star your base regardless of layout. Upgrade both X-Bows and both Air Defenses in parallel with hero upgrades whenever you have builder availability.

Priority 3: Laboratory -- Hog Riders, Dragons, and Lava Hounds

Lab upgrades run continuously alongside hero and defense upgrades. Priority lab order at TH9: Hog Riders (enables GoHo attacks), Dragons (enables Mass Dragon and LaLoon), Lava Hound (enables LaLoon), Balloons (directly improves LaLoon), Witches (improves GoWitch). Barbarian King ability upgrades (Iron Fist) come from the Dark Elixir lab -- prioritize these alongside wall upgrades. Walls: upgrade to level 9 (pink) as a secondary filler project using Gold when heroes and other upgrades are running.

Find the right base for your TH9 progress at our TH9 base collection.