The best epic commanders in Rise of Kingdoms (2026): tier list and leveling priorities
Information is current as of August 2026.
Epic (“purple”) commanders are the foundation of any account inRise of Kingdoms. They swing with experience and tomes, rather than precious universal sculptures, close the first two KvK, PvE and Sunset Canyon, and some remain working even in the Season of Conquest. But even among epics there are stars and ballast. Let's look at the latest 2026 tier list: who to upgrade first and who to leave on the bench.
Tier list of epic commanders 2026
| Shooting Range | Commander | Troop type | What is it valued for? |
|---|---|---|---|
| S | Sun Tzu | Infantry | Best epic commander in the game: AoE damage, rage, survivability, farming barbarians in chains |
| S | Joan of Arc | Universal | Best epic support: buffs the entire army, a must in any support team |
| S | Imhotep | Universal | Underrated new feature: multi-target debuff, strong in Canyon and early KvK |
| A | Baibars | Cavalry | AoE + slow: the best epic for hunting farmers |
| A | Belisarius | Cavalry | Mobility, finishing targets and quick escape |
| A | Herman | Archers | Silence is an eternal tool for controlling active skills |
| A | Bjorn Ironside | Infantry | Solid number two to Sun Tzu in the early game |
| A | Keira | Archers | PvE and early PvP, good area damage |
| A | Catherine de' Medici | Support | Decent debuffs, a working replacement for Zhanna |
| B | Pelagius, Kusunoki, Eilji, Narses, Ajau, Osman | Various | Situational: download according to the residual principle after S- and A-tiers |
| C | Boudica, Scipio, Diaochan | Various | PvE only or very early game |
| D/F | Lohar, Matilda, Pericles, Tamara | Various | Lohar - only hunting for barbarians, Matilda - only collecting, do not download the rest |
Sun Tzu - King of Epic
The consensus of all guides and the community has not changed for years:Sun Tzu is the best epic commander by a huge margin. His active skill hits the area and returns rage, which turns him into an AoE machine: with the right talent tree, he competes in damage with the legendary Lee Seong Gye and Mehmed II, while simultaneously tanking due to infantry bonuses. It is also the best tool for farming barbarians in chains (aggro several packs in a row for one AP expenditure). Upgrade it to examination as soon as you receive it - it will go through KvK 1 and 2 with you and will remain useful in the Canyon.
