th12upgrade-guide
TH12 Upgrade Order 2026 -- What to Upgrade First at Town Hall 12
Complete TH12 upgrade priority guide for 2026. Royal Champion first, Scattershots immediately, heroes to 65. The optimal TH12 upgrade sequence for competitive war performance.
TH12 adds three game-changing upgrades: the Royal Champion (fourth hero), Scattershots (the two highest-DPS defenses in the game at this level), and the Giga Tesla (replaces your Town Hall cannon upgrade). Getting all three operational fast determines whether your war base is competitive within the first month of TH12 or spends three months as an underdeveloped target. Royal Champion first, Scattershots immediately, everything else after.
Priority 1: Royal Champion and Heroes to 65
Build the Royal Champion on Day 1 at TH12. She is DE-based and begins at level 1 -- start upgrading immediately. The Royal Champion enables Queen Charge Super Witch attacks by allowing two simultaneous hero abilities during the main push. She also defends by targeting walls and defenses, adding a fourth hero to your defensive roster. While building and leveling the Champion, continue BK, AQ, and Warden upgrades toward the TH12 caps (65, 65, 40). Four heroes at 50+ is the minimum threshold for competitive war performance at TH12.
Priority 2: Scattershots -- Build Both Immediately
Build both Scattershots the day you reach TH12. At level 1 they are already among the strongest defenses in the game -- splash that fires on air and ground, covering a wide radius from their placement positions. Higher levels increase damage and range significantly. Upgrade Scattershots to max level (level 5) before any other new defense. The Giga Tesla on your Town Hall upgrades automatically with TH level -- activate it and let the TH level upgrades trigger Giga Tesla progression naturally alongside your other work.
Priority 3: Lab -- Super Witch, Root Rider Prep, and Infernos
TH12 unlocks Super Troop upgrades and Root Rider prerequisites. Lab priorities: Super Witch (base troop Witch must be level 5 to unlock Super Witch boost), Skeleton Spell (improves Super Witch Blizzard), Miner (enables hybrid miners). Three Infernos upgrade to max level (level 7 at TH12) -- all three on single mode for war. Four Air Defenses upgrade to level 9. Walls: upgrade to level 12 as filler. Target full level 12 walls before TH13.
Find TH12 base layouts at our TH12 base collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the first thing to upgrade at TH12?
Build the Royal Champion on Day 1 and start leveling her. Then build both Scattershots immediately. These three additions transform your war base and attack capability more than any other TH12 upgrade.
How high should the Royal Champion be before she contributes in war?
Level 15 minimum. At level 15 her Iron Fist ability and HP pool are strong enough to clear enough defenses during a Queen Charge to set up a viable main push. Higher is always better.
Should I upgrade Scattershots or Infernos first at TH12?
Scattershots first. They are new defenses with higher impact per level at TH12. Infernos are already partially upgraded from TH11 -- Scattershots need to start from level 1 and benefit more from early investment.
What lab upgrades matter most at TH12?
Get Witch to level 5 to unlock Super Witch boost, then prioritize Skeleton Spell upgrades (critical for Super Witch Blizzard), and Miner for hybrid attacks.
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