Last Z Research Costs Atlas — Branch Comparison, Badge Totals, and Unlock Paths
Quick Answer
Best way to use the research costs atlas: compare branch badge totals and unlock paths here, then open the exact cost page for node totals. For most players, start with Hero Training to Cockpit, Military Strategies, and Peace Shield/Urgent Rescue. After that, choose between the shortest practical UST/T10 path or the Siege to Seize into Field Research path for late-game Recharge Shield planning.
- Best early stop · Hero Training to Cockpit
- Best mid-game value · Military Strategies and Peace Shield
- Largest branch · Unit Special Training at 1,488,100 badges
- Late-game follow-up · Field Research and Army Building
Key note: not every expensive branch is a priority branch. Some trees are foundational, while others are late-game badge pressure that only makes sense once the earlier route is already secure.
Recommended Research Route
For most players, the cleanest badge route is to secure efficient early and mid-game value first. After Peace Shield/Urgent Rescue, do not treat Field Research as mandatory before UST/T10; choose the next branch by account goal.
- Hero Training to Cockpit
- Military Strategies
- Peace Shield / Urgent Rescue
- Shortest practical UST/T10 path for tier progression, or Siege to Seize for deep combat scaling
- Field Research only after 100% Siege to Seize for late Recharge Shield planning
Later pressure branches: Alliance Recognition, Army Building, Fully Armed Alliance, and Unit Special Training are not “do this immediately” pages. They are the branches where badge planning starts becoming a major account commitment.
Want a shareable plan instead of a static table? Open the Research Planner to mark completed and planned nodes, compare remaining badges, and copy a URL for your current plan.
All Research Trees
Open any branch below to see its exact node costs, grouped tree view, and the main checkpoint that matters before you commit badges to it.
Hero Training
37,270Military Strategies
79,816Peace Shield
267,613Siege to Seize
267,375Field Research
594,430Alliance Recognition
356,770Army Building
627,130Fully Armed Alliance
492,920Unit Special Training
1,488,100How to Use This Atlas
Step 1: Compare total cost before you commit
Use the totals here to see whether a branch is a quick checkpoint or a multi-month badge sink. This prevents expensive branches from looking deceptively close just because the first few nodes are cheap.
Step 2: Open the branch tree page
Every card leads to a full branch page with the exact node tree, grouped costs, and the real checkpoint that matters before you finish the whole branch.
Step 3: Compare branch order with your account goal
If your account still needs efficient mid-game value, open Hero Training, Military Strategies, and Peace Shield first. If your goal is tier progression, compare the shortest practical UST/T10 path before committing to badge-heavy late branches. If your goal is deep combat scaling, move into Siege to Seize and Field Research only when the earlier route is secure.
Research Costs Atlas FAQ
Which research branch costs the most badges in Last Z?
Unit Special Training is the largest branch in the current cluster at 1,488,100 badges total.
Which research branch should I do first?
For most players, Hero Training is the first important branch and the efficient stop is Cockpit before shifting into Military Strategies.
What unlocks Field Research?
Field Research unlocks after you complete 100% Siege to Seize.
What comes after Peace Shield?
For the main account path, Peace Shield usually leads into Siege to Seize. Army Building is a separate later follow-up that requires Peace Shield to be fully complete.
About These Research Totals
- The branch totals are based on research values checked in game before publication.
- Use the atlas to compare branches, then open the exact branch page before spending badges.
- After research updates, confirm the live in-game requirement screen before committing rare badges.