Last Z Research Tree Guide - Best Research Order and T10 Path
Quick Answer
For combat research, start with these three checkpoints, then choose between troop-tier progression and late combat scaling:
- Hero Training · stop at Cockpit instead of clearing the branch early
- Military Strategies · take the efficient troop stats, including Troop HP
- Peace Shield · reach Urgent Rescue for up to 20% fewer unit deaths
- Choose by goal · use the shortest practical UST/T10 path for tier progression, or Siege to Seize into Field Research for late Recharge Shield and deep combat scaling
Field Research is not a required stop before UST/T10. For the separate F2P reward route, see Alliance Recognition Costs and the Alliance Duel Guide.
Need exact badge totals before you commit? Use the Research Planner to mark completed and planned nodes, then use the Research Costs Atlas when you need the static branch pages.
Research Priority Order
The order below is for combat badge spending. For construction and economy research, use the Tech Deep Dive; for buildings, troops, heroes, and vehicle priorities together, use the Power Guide. The separate reward route is covered in Alliance Recognition Costs.
Step 1: Hero Training → Cockpit Only
Stop at Cockpit for the early combat route: reaching it costs 21,930 cumulative badges within Hero Training. Finishing the branch costs 40,040, so stopping leaves 18,110 badges for Military Strategies or your next unlock.
For the full branch structure, node totals, and the exact cumulative badge cost to reach Cockpit, use the Hero Training Costs page.
Step 2: Military Strategies → Troop HP
Why: This tree is cheap and provides crucial Troop HP buffs. Focus on the bottom nodes that match your main faction's troop type (Assaulter for Blood Rose, etc.).
Prioritize troop HP for the troop type you use before adding more levels to Move Out. Compare its next badge cost with the remaining path to your HP node.
For the full branch structure, node totals, and exact badge path after Hero Training, use the Military Strategies Costs page.
Step 3: How to Unlock Peace Shield Research
Peace Shield requires 50% Shelter Building and 45% Military Strategies. You do not need to finish Military Strategies to open it.
Then aim for Urgent Rescue: its 10 ranks reduce unit deaths by up to 20%, countering enemy Annihilation in PvP. The cumulative path costs 39,913 badges within Peace Shield, excluding the prerequisite branches.
For the exact badge cost to reach Urgent Rescue and the full node structure behind Recharge Shield, use the Peace Shield Costs page.
Step 4: Choose UST/T10 or Siege to Seize by Goal
Main decision: after Peace Shield and Urgent Rescue, do not treat Field Research as mandatory. If your goal is tier progression, stay on the shortest practical path toward UST and T10. If your goal is late PvP scaling and Recharge Shield, then push Siege to Seize and later Field Research.
When to delay Siege to Seize: If you prefer defensive play, are in a NAP alliance, or need badges for UST/T10 gates, delay this tree.
If you choose the offensive / Recharge Shield route, use the Siege to Seize Costs page and then the Field Research Costs page.
Step 5: UST (Unit Special Training)
Goal: unlock Tier 10 units. Keep HQ progression aligned with your troop-tier path; the Steel Guide covers the later Steel Age gate.
Cost: 1,500,300 badges for the full UST branch, excluding earlier branches. For F2P players, finishing T10 is a very long-term goal. We recommend gradual tech development: take useful checkpoints across other research trees before committing most of your badges to UST. Farm badges through Lucky Discounter.
For the exact branch totals before you commit to the long T10 path, use the Unit Special Training Costs page.
Plan spending before buying packs: set the branch and badge target first. If you still decide to pay for Gold Bars or packs, use the Last Z Top-Up Guide to compare the purchase route before checkout.
Research Timing and the Second Laboratory
Capital position — Secretary of Research provides +15% Research Speed and adds 1 hour to your free research-completion window, stacking with other early-completion bonuses. See the position bonuses and how to apply.
Prioritize the Research License and second Laboratory early. The extra research queue makes this one of the best-value purchases in Last Z: you can develop another research branch alongside your main path.
Use saved research speedups during Alliance Duel Day 3 when they earn event points. Keep Fully Armed Alliance (FAA) behind the defensive research route unless that branch is your next specific goal.
Research Trees Unlock Order
How Trees Unlock
New Home → HQ Management. The combat-branch requirements are listed below.
- 100% Elite Troops → unlocks Military Strategies
- 50% Shelter + 45% Military Strategies → unlocks Peace Shield
- 40% Military Strategies → unlocks Siege to Seize
- 100% Siege to Seize -> unlocks Field Research (600,190 badges within Field Research to finish Recharge Shield; Siege to Seize costs are additional)
Glossary
Research Abbreviations
- UST — Unit Special Training (for T10 units)
- PS — Peace Shield
- STS — Siege to Seize
- FAA — Fully Armed Alliance
- T10 — Tier 10 units
- Badges — Currency for research
- Cockpit — Key research in Hero Training tree