HOW DOES KVK MATCHMAKING WORK?

⚖️ K2149 — THE KVK ACADEMY

GUIDE 03 — HOW DOES KVK MATCHMAKING WORK?

This guide explains:

⚖️ how Kingshot chooses our opponent 📈 which types of progression may influence matchmaking 👥 which players may be counted 🪖 the actual impact of troops 🎒 why stockpiling is useful 🚫 why trying to hide your power does not work

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MESSAGE 1/10 — ⚠️ BEFORE WE BEGIN

Kingshot does not publish the complete KvK matchmaking formula.

We must therefore distinguish between four levels of information.

📘 OFFICIAL

Information published directly by Kingshot or Century Games.

🔎 REPORTED BY THE CONCIERGE

Information from a public response attributed to the Kingshot Concierge, but whose detailed formula does not appear in the official Help Center.

🎯 K2149 STRATEGY

A collective decision made by our kingdom to limit risks.

⚠️ UNKNOWN

Information that Kingshot does not communicate publicly.

NO ONE KNOWS THE EXACT COEFFICIENTS.

Anyone claiming to know a precise formula such as:

Charms = 30%

Hero Gear = 20%

Buildings = 15%

is presenting an estimate as a certainty.

These percentages are not public.

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⚠️ SOURCE OF THE MODULE DETAILS

The detailed list of modules presented in this guide comes mainly from a public response attributed to the Kingshot Concierge.

It is the best detailed explanation currently available, but Century Games has not published:

• the complete formula; • the coefficients; • the exact number of players selected; • their individual weighting; • the exact snapshot time.

In this guide:

“CITED BY THE CONCIERGE”

DOES NOT MEAN

“OFFICIALLY PUBLISHED COEFFICIENT.”

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MESSAGE 2/10 — 📘 WHAT KINGSHOT OFFICIALLY CONFIRMS

1️⃣ POWER IS NOT THE ONLY FACTOR

Kingshot states that the current algorithm does not simply add up all the displayed Power in a kingdom.

Several criteria are therefore involved in the selection.

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2️⃣ TROOP POWER HAS VERY LITTLE IMPACT

The current official wording is:

TROOP POWER HAS A VERY LOW IMPACT ON THE MATCHMAKING RATING.

This does not necessarily mean that it is already completely excluded.

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3️⃣ A NEW ALGORITHM IS BEING DESIGNED

Kingshot has announced that it is working on a future system that must:

✅ stop taking Troop Power into account entirely; ✅ improve how genuinely active players are identified; ✅ use activity from recent KvKs to better select relevant players.

⚠️ The 24/08/2026 update did not announce the deployment of this new algorithm.

We must therefore continue to reason based on the current system until there is official confirmation.

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4️⃣ MATCHMAKING ENDS BEFORE PREP

Matchmaking normally begins on Saturday, and the result is normally published on Sunday.

Prep begins afterward.

This makes it possible to:

📦 stockpile before matchmaking; ⚖️ let Kingshot choose the opponent; 🔥 then convert the stockpile during Prep.

THIS IS THE CENTRAL PRINCIPLE OF THE FREEZE.

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MESSAGE 3/10 — 🧭 THE MOST CREDIBLE MODEL

The most cautious model probably involves several stages.

1️⃣ COMPATIBLE PROGRESSION

🔎 A response attributed to the Concierge notably cites three preliminary criteria:

• Truegold Tier; • Hero Generation; • Troop Level.

This suggests that Kingshot first looks for kingdoms that have reached comparable content milestones.

Example

A kingdom with access to a much more advanced Hero Generation or Truegold Tier should not normally belong to exactly the same pool.

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📘 GROWTH PROGRESS

Century Games separately confirms the existence of the official Growth Progress system.

This system notably aligns:

📅 the event schedule; 🦸 Hero Generations; 🐾 unlocked systems; ⚔️ certain cross-kingdom content.

Kingdoms placed at the same Growth Progress level therefore unlock events and features at a comparable pace.

⚠️ This does not prove that KvK matchmaking uses exactly the same formula or coefficients.

Growth Progress helps us identify an environment of comparable kingdoms, but it does not reveal the complete KvK calculation.

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2️⃣ PLAYER SELECTION

🔎 The response attributed to the Concierge refers to:

ACTIVE PLAYERS IN THE KINGDOM

It does not publicly confirm an exact cutoff of 100 or 150 players.

Kingshot does not currently publish:

⚠️ the exact number of players selected; ⚠️ the exact definition of an active player in the current system; ⚠️ their weighting; ⚠️ the special method applied to the first KvK.

The announced future algorithm is expected to change this selection by taking activity during recent KvKs more heavily into account.

However, this new system has not yet been confirmed as active.

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3️⃣ COMPARISON OF OVERALL STRENGTH

🔎 The response attributed to the Concierge then describes a comparison of:

COMPREHENSIVE STRENGTH

This overall strength is reportedly calculated using several permanent account modules.

These modules are detailed below.

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4️⃣ SELECTION OF AN AVAILABLE OPPONENT

Finally, the game must select an opponent from the available pool.

This explains why two matched kingdoms can differ in their structure.

Kingdom A

🐋 one enormous whale ➕ many small accounts

Kingdom B

🐋 several less powerful whales ➕ more mid-level players

Their overall strength may be considered comparable, even if its distribution is very different.

COMPARABLE MATCHMAKING

≠

PERFECTLY IDENTICAL KINGDOMS.

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MESSAGE 4/10 — 👥 TOP 100, TOP 150, OR ACTIVE PLAYERS?

⚠️ NO EXACT CUTOFF IS PUBLISHED

Many community guides refer to the:

ACTIVE TOP 100

But more recent information refers simply to active players.

Kingshot does not publicly confirm that:

• only ranks 1 to 100 count; • player #101 never counts; • every player has the same weight; • the Power ranking directly determines the selection.

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🆕 WHAT ABOUT THE TOP 150 FROM DUEL OF THE ELITES?

Duel of the Elites selects the 150 most powerful Governors from each kingdom during Prep.

But:

DUEL TOP 150

≠

MATCHMAKING TOP 150

These are two different mechanisms.

The number 150 does not reveal the matchmaking cutoff.

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🎯 K2149 RULE

As a precaution:

🔴 TOP 100: strict protocol 🟠 TOP 101–200: Soft Freeze strongly recommended 🟢 rest of the kingdom: stockpiling encouraged

This rule is a K2149 safety strategy.

It is not an official Kingshot formula.

RANK #101 IS NOT AUTOMATICALLY “FREE.”

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MESSAGE 5/10 — 🔴 MODULES CITED BY THE CONCIERGE

The following categories are cited as components of comprehensive strength.

The coefficient of each remains unknown.

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👑 GOVERNOR GEAR

🔎 Cited as a component of overall strength.

Materials can be collected and stockpiled:

• Satin; • Gilded Threads; • Artisan’s Vision.

Once used, they create a permanent upgrade.

STOCKPILED MATERIALS ≠ UPGRADED GEAR.

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💎 GOVERNOR CHARMS / TALISMANS

🔎 Cited as components of overall strength.

Charm Guides and Charm Designs can remain in the Bag without costing any progression time.

Upgrading a Charm immediately creates permanent progression.

CHARMS ARE A STOCKPILING PRIORITY.

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⚒️ HERO GEAR

🔎 Cited as a component of overall strength.

This notably includes:

• Forge Hammers; • Mithril; • Hero Gear levels and Mastery; • Widgets and Exclusive Gear when they increase the Hero’s power.

These resources can be stockpiled and used to score during Prep.

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🦸 HERO POWER

🔎 Cited as a component of overall strength.

This may notably include:

• ascension and stars; • levels; • skills; • Hero stats; • Gear; • Exclusive Gear.

⚠️ Kingshot does not publish the individual coefficient of each subcomponent.

Important

⭐ Hero Shards used for ascension score during Prep.

❌ Hero EXP and skills currently have no identified scoring day.

It may therefore be useful to defer a major Power Spike until matchmaking, but there is no reason to wait artificially for a nonexistent scoring day after the opponent has been chosen.

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🏗️ BUILDING LEVELS / TRUEGOLD

🔎 Building levels are cited as a component of overall strength.

This may include:

• Town Center; • military buildings; • Academy; • development buildings; • levels upgraded with Truegold.

Truegold kept in the Bag is not yet a building level.

STOCKPILED TRUEGOLD ≠ SPENT TRUEGOLD.

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🔬 ACADEMY AND WAR ACADEMY

🔎 Academy Technology and War Academy Technology are cited.

The response does not limit this category to military research alone.

We must therefore not assume that economic research is automatically invisible.

K2149 Rule

✅ keep the Academy naturally active; ❌ do not use large stocks of Research Speedups; ➡️ start a long research project before the Hard Freeze.

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🐾 PET STRENGTH

🔎 Cited as a component of overall strength.

This may include:

• levels; • Advancement; • Refinement; • potential; • promotion; • other permanent Pet progression.

However, daily actions are limited and cannot be stockpiled.

K2149 Rule

✅ continue daily actions; ❌ do not exhaust stockpiled materials; ❌ do not make a major push solely for a ranking.

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MESSAGE 6/10 — 🪖 TROOPS: THE PRECISE ANSWER

Three elements must be distinguished.

1️⃣ THE AVAILABLE TROOP TIER

🔎 Troop Level is cited among the possible compatibility criteria.

Unlocking a new major tier is therefore not equivalent to producing more troops from tiers that are already available.

K2149 Rule

During the Hard Freeze:

➡️ if possible, avoid unlocking a new major tier just before matchmaking.

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2️⃣ THE NUMBER OF TROOPS

🔎 The response attributed to the Concierge states that the number of troops does not directly determine matchmaking.

It also specifies that dismissing or losing troops cannot manipulate the outcome.

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3️⃣ TROOP POWER

📘 Kingshot officially states that Troop Power currently has:

A VERY LOW IMPACT

This is not the same wording as “strictly no impact.”

The future algorithm is intended to exclude it completely, but its deployment has not yet been confirmed.

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🎯 K2149 DECISION

✅ natural training 24/7; ✅ useful natural promotions; ❌ no major push using Training Speedups; ❌ do not deliberately kill your troops; ❌ do not dismiss your troops; ❌ do not deliberately fill your Infirmary.

Stopping every camp for a month would sacrifice an enormous amount of progression for a benefit that is probably very small.

NATURAL TRAINING = YES

TRAINING SPEEDUPS = STOCKPILE

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MESSAGE 7/10 — 🎒 STOCKPILE, PACKS, AND AUTOMATIC BONUSES

🎒 UNUSED ITEMS

🔎 The response attributed to the Concierge states that unused items in the Bag are not included as power already acquired.

Examples:

✅ unspent Truegold; ✅ unused Hero Shards; ✅ stockpiled Charm Designs; ✅ stockpiled Mithril; ✅ stockpiled Hammers; ✅ stockpiled Widgets; ✅ stockpiled Pet materials; ✅ stockpiled Speedups.

ACQUIRING ≠ USING.

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⚠️ UNUSED ITEM ≠ HIDDEN POWER

Hero Gear that has already been upgraded and then unequipped remains developed Hero Gear.

A Hero who has already been leveled up and then removed from a march remains a developed Hero.

A permanent bonus that has already been acquired does not disappear because it is no longer equipped.

THE FREEZE DELAYS THE CREATION OF POWER.

IT DOES NOT HIDE EXISTING POWER.

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💳 PURCHASES AND PACKS

No public formula directly cites the amount of real money spent as a KvK coefficient.

However, a pack can provide:

📦 stockpiled materials; 👑 automatic VIP points; 🎨 a permanent bonus; 📈 resources immediately converted into power.

Simple rule

✅ buy and then stockpile: generally compatible with the Freeze; ❌ buy and then upgrade everything: immediately creates progression.

⚠️ The direct role of VIP level in matchmaking has not been published.

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🎨 SKINS AND CUSTOMIZATIONS

Some customization items have permanent bonuses.

They can therefore increase stats or Troop Power.

However, it would generally be a mistake to permanently miss an important limited item for an uncertain micro-optimization.

K2149 Rule

✅ rare and genuinely useful reward: evaluate it; ❌ optional accumulation of bonuses just before the snapshot; ⚠️ ask if in doubt.

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MESSAGE 8/10 — ⚠️ WHAT KINGSHOT DOES NOT REVEAL

We do not know:

❓ the Governor Gear coefficient; ❓ the Charms coefficient; ❓ the Heroes coefficient; ❓ the buildings coefficient; ❓ the Pets coefficient; ❓ the research coefficient; ❓ the exact weighting of Troop Power; ❓ the precise number of players selected; ❓ their individual weighting; ❓ the activity threshold of the current system; ❓ the special formula for the first KvK; ❓ the exact snapshot time; ❓ the size of the pool of available kingdoms.

A WEAKER OPPONENT IS NEVER GUARANTEED.

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❓ SYSTEMS NOT DIRECTLY CONFIRMED

The following elements are not publicly identified as separate direct modules in KvK matchmaking:

• VIP level; • Alliance Technology; • Alliance Power; • Arena rank; • Mystic Trial floor; • kill count; • stockpiled Gems; • stockpiled standard resources; • HOG score; • Island Prosperity considered in isolation; • amount spent.

⚠️ Some may nevertheless indirectly increase a stat that is already taken into account.

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📊 DISPLAYED POWER ≠ MATCHMAKING SCORE

The Power visible on a profile notably includes a large amount of Troop Power.

Two players may display:

👤 Player A: 150M 👤 Player B: 130M

but Player B may have:

• better Charms; • better Heroes; • better research; • better Gear; • better Pets.

THE LARGEST NUMBER IS NOT ALWAYS THE MOST DANGEROUS ACCOUNT.

Adding up the Power of the Top 100 remains useful for tracking a trend.

But that total is not the official matchmaking score.

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🏟️ ARENA ≠ KVK

Seeing 180M players in Arena shows that our cross-kingdom environment contains large accounts.

But it does not prove that their kingdom can become our KvK opponent.

Arena and Kingdom of Power use different systems.

IT IS A REASON FOR CAUTION, NOT A PREDICTION.

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MESSAGE 9/10 — 🚫 CAN YOU LOWER YOUR SCORE?

🔎 A second response attributed to the Concierge states that the system may retain the:

HIGHEST HISTORICAL VALUE REACHED BY EACH MODULE

This mechanism would prevent temporary manipulation.

However, the exact formula has not been published.

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USELESS OR UNRELIABLE METHODS

❌ remove your Governor Gear; ❌ unequip your Hero Gear; ❌ reset a Hero; ❌ remove your Heroes from marches; ❌ kill your troops; ❌ dismiss your troops; ❌ fill your Infirmary; ❌ leave your alliance; ❌ change your name.

These actions do not recreate a historically weaker account.

Some may even:

📦 waste resources; ⚔️ weaken the kingdom; ❤️ complicate the battle; ⏱️ destroy progression time.

POWER THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN CREATED CANNOT BE LOWERED AGAIN.

WE PREVENT FUTURE POWER FROM BEING CREATED TOO EARLY.

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📉 WHAT THE FREEZE ACTUALLY DOES

The Freeze does not do this:

100 → 80

It seeks to produce:

K2149

100 → 102

while some comparable kingdoms do this:

OTHER KINGDOMS

100 → 115 → 125

We do not become weaker.

We simply progress more slowly before matchmaking.

Then, after the opponent is locked in:

K2149: 102 → POWER SPIKE DURING PREP

This mechanism can improve our relative position.

But:

⚠️ other kingdoms may also stockpile; ⚠️ the available pool may be limited; ⚠️ the formula remains secret; ⚠️ the outcome is never guaranteed.

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MESSAGE 10/10 — ✅ HOW SHOULD YOU DECIDE BEFORE TAKING AN ACTION?

Ask yourself these four questions.

1️⃣ DOES THIS ACTION CREATE PERMANENT POWER?

❌ No ➡️ do it as usual.

✅ Yes ➡️ move on to the next question.

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2️⃣ CAN THE RESOURCE REMAIN IN MY BAG WITHOUT ANY LOSS?

✅ Yes ➡️ stockpile it until the right day of Prep.

❌ No ➡️ move on to the next question.

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3️⃣ IS IT TIME THAT CANNOT BE STOCKPILED?

Examples:

🏗️ construction queue; 🔬 Academy; 🪖 training camp; 🐾 daily attempt.

✅ Yes ➡️ continue naturally, without major speedups.

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4️⃣ CAN THIS ACTION WAIT UNTIL MATCHMAKING?

✅ Yes ➡️ wait.

❌ No ➡️ ask before creating a major Power Spike.

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🔴 PRIORITY 1 — CAN BE STOCKPILED WITHOUT LOSING TIME

• Charms; • Governor Gear; • Hero Gear; • Hero Shards before use; • Mithril; • Hammers; • Widgets; • Truegold; • stockpiled Pet materials; • Speedups.

➡️ STOCKPILE.

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🟠 PRIORITY 2 — TIME-BASED PROGRESSION

• natural construction; • natural research; • daily Pet actions.

➡️ CONTINUE INTELLIGENTLY.

Then start long queues before the Hard Freeze.

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🟢 PRIORITY 3 — GAMEPLAY WITHOUT A POWER SPIKE

• natural training; • Gathering; • Intel; • Bear Trap; • Vikings; • Arena; • Mystic Trial using current power; • Beasts / Terrors; • alliance activities.

➡️ CONTINUE.

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🧠 KEY POINTS

The most cautious model is:

COMPATIBLE PROGRESSION

⬇️

SELECTED PLAYERS

⬇️

PERMANENT ACCOUNT STRENGTH

⬇️

AVAILABLE OPPONENT

We are not trying to hide our power.

We are trying to:

DELAY STOCKPILABLE UPGRADES UNTIL AFTER MATCHMAKING.