Upgrades drive your army’s power. This guide covers how they work, which to prioritize, spending gems wisely and how to earn gems.
Upgrades make your Stick War units stronger and are one of the biggest differences between a win and a loss. The exact system — what you upgrade, the cost and the currency named gems — varies by game title and update, so this guide gives you durable principles and marks what needs verification.
In most titles you spend resources to strengthen units, sometimes with a premium currency called gems on top. Because they are permanent or long-lasting investments, the order you take upgrades shapes how your army performs. The smarter your priorities, the more value you get from every point spent.
There is no universal best order — it depends on your playstyle and the current meta (community opinion). A good default is to upgrade the units you field most frequently first, and to favor versatile upgrades that help in many situations over narrow ones. Damage and survivability for your core frontline usually pay off more than flashy but situational upgrades.
Gems are scarce, so spend them where they have the biggest long-term impact. Prefer permanent upgrades to your core army over one-off conveniences, and avoid spending on things you rarely use. Because earning rates and prices vary by version, compare value against the current game before spending.
Gems usually come from main story rewards, daily and event activities, and similar sources — but exact methods and rates need verification, because they change between titles and updates. As a general rule, prioritize main rewards and events that give the best value per effort (the campaign guide helps you clear the missions that pay out).
Common questions about this topic.