9 Kings Guide | How to Beat King IX as King of Stone

King of Stone operates through defensive positioning and poison mechanics. This strategy builds around creating impenetrable defensive lines while using poison damage to eliminate enemies over time. Success depends on proper positioning and upgrade prioritization.

Required Perks

You need Impervious x3, Sturdy x2, Brewer x2, and Warden x2. These perks provide the defensive foundation necessary for this strategy to function on King IX difficulty.

Strategy Execution

Roll for Nature while avoiding Greed or Blood as opponents. Build your base at the edge of the top row when possible. Lose one life deliberately to access Walls and Cauldron cards, but do not waste rerolls before selecting perks.

Acquire Towerdome as your first perk. Restart if this perk does not appear, as it is essential for success. Subsequent perks can focus on Crit chance or poison-related enhancements.

Create a defensive pattern in the bottom 2 rows using Walls and Forests in a Forest-Wall-Forest, Wall-Forest-Wall arrangement. Place your Base and Cauldron anywhere in the back row. You only need 3 upgraded Walls and Forests to maintain this defense.

Upgrade Priorities

Prioritize Wall upgrades first, followed by Base and Cauldron improvements. During rainbow rounds, select Patronage or Cross for additional enhancement options.

Loot Priorities

Target Stone armies for Cauldron, Wall, Base, and occasional Earthworks cards. Nature provides Forest and Clone cards for forest replication. Progress offers Overhaul opportunities. Greed provides Over-invest and Bank options. Rainbow rounds should focus on Patronage and Cross acquisition.

Alliance Management

Nature serves as a mandatory ally for this strategy. Progress functions as a beneficial friend. Avoid Blood due to poor early game matchups. Never ally with Greed unless you can exploit HP blessing mechanics to survive thief encounters.

Tips for Success

The defensive Wall-Forest pattern creates an impenetrable barrier when properly upgraded. Poison damage from your defensive structures eliminates enemies over time without requiring direct combat. Manual positioning becomes crucial for maximizing defensive coverage.

Also, check our other guides below:

• 9 Kings Guide | How to Beat King IX as King of Blood
• 9 Kings Guide | How to Beat King IX as King of Spell