Dark War Survival Research Guide: What to Prioritize for Faster Progress

In Dark War Survival, research is one of the most powerful systems for long-term growth, if you know what to focus on…

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From unlocking new formations to training faster, healing quicker, and boosting your resource income, the right research paths can completely transform your progress.

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But with so many trees and nodes, it’s easy to get distracted or waste Wisdom Medals on low-impact upgrades.

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This guide breaks down what to prioritize, how to use your VIP perks for faster research, and where to get the biggest returns on your time, badges, and speed-ups. Let’s dive in…

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Why Smart Research Order Matters in Dark War Survival

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Not all tech trees are created equal.

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Some give you fast, badge-free bonuses like formation slots and training speed while others eat up days of timers and rare materials for minor returns.

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That’s why smart players in Dark War Survival follow one key rule early on: Max the high-impact, no-Wisdom Medal research first.

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Why? Because you get faster construction and training for free, more formations unlocked for events and less pressure on badges and speed-ups later.

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If you're running dual research queues (via VIP 6), you’ll also want to divide your queues efficiently.

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Let’s break down exactly which trees to focus on.

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1. Start Here: Formations, Troop Training & Hospital Efficiency

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In the early game, your biggest power jumps come from unlocking Formation 2 and 3. These let you run multiple trucks, dominate radar events, and gather more efficiently.

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They’re found in the Develop category, under research nodes like: Formation Unlock I & II, Military Expansion, and Efficient Training.

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Once you’ve got your trucks, shift focus to Hospital Management and Masterful Healers. These upgrades let you heal more troops and reduce downtime after battles. This matters a lot once Alliance Duels and PvP ramp up.

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If you don’t upgrade hospitals early, your wounded troops spill into the Emergency Center, where you’ll need rubies to heal. That’s not sustainable.

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2. Use VIP to Queue Smarter (and For Free)

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At VIP 6, you unlock a second research queue but it only stays active while your VIP Pass is running.

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The trick here is to activate your free 1-day VIP Pass, start a long research (5–6+ days), and let it continue even after VIP expires.

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Rinse and repeat this method every time you have a long upgrade ready. You’ll squeeze way more value from your second queue without paying for constant VIP.

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3. Passive Growth: Focus on Resource & Radar Tech (If Needed)

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If you prefer peaceful play (i.e. not raiding other players), the Economy tree is where you want to spend time.

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Unlock the Heavy Lifting research and level it up to access Level 8 Gathering Nodes, these give over 20M wood, iron, or electricity per gather.

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Combine this with strong food and power production from your base, and you’ll rarely run dry.

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You can also upgrade radar-focused tech and use heroes like Catherine, Rex, and Guy (with radar or adventure gathering bonuses) to get even more free resources.

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That said… if you’re swimming in materials and struggling with speed-ups, feel free to pause Economy research until your stockpiles shrink.

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4. Mid-to-Late Game Focus: Battle Research

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The Battle tree in Dark War Survival is massive, over 400 levels deep.

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This is your endgame progression path, unlocking:

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• Increased troop capacity
  
  
• Buffs to HP, ATK, DEF
  
  
• Damage multipliers
  
  
• March size improvements

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There’s no quick win here. But if you start with Troop Expansion, you’ll see the best returns first. More units = more power, especially in events and PvP.

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The rest can come gradually. Unless you’re spending, battle research is a marathon, not a sprint…

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Smarter Queue Splits for Faster Gains

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Once you’ve unlocked dual research queues at VIP 6, the key is not just using them… it’s using them well.

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Your first lab should stay focused on lightweight, no-Wisdom Medal research like formations, hospital capacity, and economy upgrades. These techs move quickly, don’t need premium items, and give real power boosts, especially in early to mid-game.

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And your second lab iswhere you let the long hauls run. Drop your slowest upgrades here, like battle research or high-level troop boosts, and leave them baking in the background. You won’t notice the wait, but you will notice the gains once they finish.

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If you time these right before events (like Alliance Duel), you’ll pick up bonus points just for progressing. No extra effort needed.

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Don’t Burn Speed-Ups Unless It’s Worth It

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Let’s face it… some research takes forever, and speed-ups feel tempting.

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But here’s the truth: unless you’re chasing event points or unlocking something game-changing, most speed-ups are better saved.

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If you want to push research without wasting diamonds, here’s what top players do:

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• Stack research upgrades during event windows like Alliance Duel (Bednest Day)
  
  
• Join an active Alliance for tech support bonuses
  
  
• Only use speed-ups when the time saved = real event points or combat power

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And if you’re spending…

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Save on Research Packs with Packsify...

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Whether you’re trying to finish key research nodes, unlock your next formation, or just keep up with top players, Packsify can help you do it smarter.

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