Upgrading your Town Hall in Clash of Clans might seem like an exciting step, but doing it without a well-defined strategy is one of the most costly mistakes a player can make. Each new Town Hall level unlocks around a hundred possible upgrades across buildings, troops, spells, and heroes. Without a clear plan, it's easy to prioritize the wrong upgrades ones that offer little immediate value slowing down your village’s progress and putting you at a disadvantage compared to players with a more optimized development path.

That’s why clearly understanding which elements provide immediate benefits and which ones can wait is not a luxury it's a necessity. Having the upgrade order firmly in mind before tapping the upgrade button can make the difference between smooth progress and months of stagnation. In this blog, we’ll show you how to avoid the most common mistakes when moving up to a new TH level and what strategies to follow to maximize your village’s performance from the very first moment.

Town Hall 2-6

The early Clash of Clans levels, from Town Hall 2 to 6, are a fast-paced but crucial transition stage where you lay the foundation for a strong village. At this point, your priority should be clear: focus on upgrading offensive buildings. This includes the laboratory, clan castle, army camps, and barracks. The reason is simple: these levels require very little time to progress, so the most important thing is to launch effective attacks with a large number of well-upgraded troops.

That doesn’t mean you should completely ignore defenses or support structures, but you must understand that your progress depends largely on your offensive capabilities. Attacking efficiently means earning more resources, which in turn allows you to upgrade everything else faster. As you level up, make sure to max out your barracks and army camps to unlock more troop types and expand your army capacity.

When it comes to defenses, prioritize those that deal splash damage, like wizard towers and mortars. These are extremely useful in the early TH levels since many players still rely on spam tactics (sending large groups of basic troops at once), and splash damage defenses are excellent at wiping out clusters of units.

A key milestone at Town Hall 5 is upgrading the spell factory, as this unlocks the lightning spell. This spell is particularly effective for destroying air defenses, making it easier to carry out balloon or dragon attacks in the upcoming levels.

Town Hall 7

Upon reaching Town Hall 7, the upgrade priorities are very clear if you want to progress efficiently. The first thing you should do is build the Dark Elixir Storage and start upgrading the Barbarian King as soon as possible your first hero. He plays a crucial role in both offense and defense, so every level you gain will make a noticeable difference.

On the defensive side, the most urgent upgrade is your Air Defenses. At TH7, most players attack using Dragons or Balloons, so strengthening your air defenses is essential for your base to withstand these common threats. Solid air defense at this level can even shut down well-planned attacks.

Additionally, don't forget to upgrade the new Army Camp you unlock, as it will allow you to bring more troops into battle. It's also key to level up the Spell Factory to increase your spell capacity and upgrade the Barracks to unlock the powerful Dragons, one of the strongest troops available at this stage.

Town Hall 8

Upon reaching Town Hall 8 in Clash of Clans, one of the first upgrades highly recommended is the Dark Spell Factory. This allows you to use up to four Earthquake Spells, a perfect combination for ground-based attack strategies. With these spells, you can break through any wall section regardless of its level, making it much easier to reach the core of the enemy base.

Another key priority at this level is to start upgrading the Archer Queen as soon as possible a fundamental hero in the game. To unlock and level her up, you’ll need to upgrade the Hero Altar. Investing early in your magic offense and hero development at TH8 will make your overall progression much more efficient.

Town Hall 9

At Town Hall 9, upgrade options multiply quickly, and having a clear roadmap is essential to avoid wasting time or resources. A few months ago, a new hero joined the ranks: the Minion Prince, which you should unlock as soon as possible. However, it’s crucial to always prioritize upgrading the Archer Queen before the Barbarian King or the Minion Prince.

Why? Because the Archer Queen is incredibly versatile she works perfectly in both ground and air strategies, while the other heroes are more situational, especially at this level. Make sure to level her up consistently to strengthen both your offensive and defensive capabilities.

To unlock the Minion Prince, you’ll need to upgrade the Dark Barracks, so don’t overlook that in your upgrade plans.

Additionally, the Witch becomes one of the most powerful troops available at TH9, and remains relevant all the way up to TH14. Investing in unlocking and upgrading her will open the door to highly effective strategies that are very difficult for your opponents to counter.

Town Hall 10

Upon reaching Town Hall 10, one of the most important upgrades you should make without hesitation is the Clan Castle. Why? Because starting at this level, you can bring a Siege Machine into battle and trust me, having a Siege Machine at TH10 makes a huge difference. This tool allows you to break through enemy bases more easily and significantly increases your chances of achieving three-star attacks.

Another key priority at this level is upgrading your Inferno Towers. It's essential to get them to level 3 as soon as possible, as they represent a major leap in defensive power. When properly set up, they can halt high-level heroes and powerful troops, making your base much harder to take down.

Town Hall 11

Town Hall 11 marks a major turning point in Clash of Clans, introducing two key features that significantly impact both offense and defense: the Grand Warden and the Eagle Artillery. That’s why your top priority at this level should be to unlock and upgrade both as soon as possible.

Personally, I always save a Book of Building to speed up the construction of the Eagle Artillery, and then use a Hammer of Building to quickly take it to level 2. This defense is extremely powerful it activates during high-strength attacks and can wipe out entire groups of troops if not dealt with properly.

As for the Grand Warden, in my experience, he is the best hero in the game. His ability to grant invulnerability, both on ground and air troops, can completely change the outcome of a well-planned attack. That’s why my advice is clear: max him out as soon as possible and invest all your Books of Heroes in him. His continuous upgrades will make a huge difference in your attacks starting at TH11 and beyond. Without a doubt, he is the cornerstone of any competitive army.

Town Hall 12

Upon reaching Town Hall 12 in Clash of Clans, it’s essential to follow a structured upgrade strategy to take full advantage of new unlocks and ensure efficient progression. Below are the most recommended upgrades to prioritize at this level:

1. Unlock the Siege Workshop: This should be the first upgrade you complete. By building the Siege Workshop, players gain the ability to craft their own siege machines, removing the need for clan donations. This grants greater autonomy and flexibility when planning attacks, both in war and farming.

2. Upgrade the Barracks to unlock the Yeti: After the Workshop is built, the next step is to upgrade the Barracks to unlock the Yeti, a durable ground troop highly effective in various offensive strategies. Its ability to absorb damage and support the push toward the core makes it a key unit from this point forward.

3. Upgrade the Town Hall itself: Assigning a builder to upgrade the Town Hall is also a high priority. Starting at TH12, the Town Hall gains defensive capabilities (such as the Giga Tesla), and each level boosts its hit points and attack power making it a central element in defending your base.

Town Hall 13-14

The biggest highlight of reaching Town Hall 13 is undoubtedly the Royal Champion, a new hero who shines especially in the current game meta. Her high mobility, damage output, and ability to target defenses make her a key element in nearly any strategy. For this reason, your top priority should be to upgrade the Hero Altar to unlock her as soon as possible and begin leveling her up consistently.

Another essential upgrade at this level is the Scattershot, a powerful defense that combines splash damage with long range. The sooner you build and upgrade them, the better your core will be protected.

Looking ahead to the next level, keep in mind that in Town Hall 14 you’ll need to construct the Pet House, so start saving resources and planning early in order to upgrade it and unlock all pets.

As with previous levels, it’s also crucial to upgrade the Town Hall itself to enhance its defensive capabilities (Town Hall), and focus on your strongest defenses: the Eagle Artillery, Scattershots, and Inferno Towers. These structures will make a significant difference in both wars and base defense.

Town Hall 15

Town Hall 15 is one of the most exciting and challenging levels in Clash of Clans. This is where advanced strategy meets precise resource management. The number one priority upon reaching this level should be the Monolith, an extremely powerful defense that deals bonus damage to high-health troops. It’s recommended to build it as soon as possible and upgrade it straight to level 2, ideally using a Book of Building followed by a Hammer of Building to speed up the process.

Another key upgrade at this level is the Spell Towers. Often underestimated, these defenses can cast powerful spells like Lightning, Freeze, or Rage, which can completely shift the outcome of a defense. Building and upgrading them early on can make a big difference.

Don’t forget to upgrade the Barracks to unlock the Druids, currently one of the strongest ground troops in the game. Their versatility and durability make them a great choice for advanced attack strategies.

Lastly, make sure to build and upgrade the Pet House to gain access to the new TH15 pets, which provide unique and valuable abilities to each hero, enhancing both offense and defense.

Town Hall 16

In Town Hall 16, there aren't many major new additions, but it's still important to reinforce key defenses. The main focus should be on upgrading the Monolith, the Eagle Artillery, and the strongest defenses, such as the Inferno Towers and Scattershots. These structures remain essential for stopping high-level attacks.

A special mention (though not exactly a positive one) goes to the Clan Castle at TH16. Unfortunately, its new level doesn’t offer any significant improvements, which has led to criticism from many players. As of now, it feels quite useless, a real disappointment considering the expectations for an upgrade at such a high level.

Town Hall 17

We’ve reached Town Hall 17, the latest level and one of the most well-rounded in terms of both defensive and offensive options. The upgrade priorities at this stage are quite clear and follow a logic familiar to more experienced players.

One of the most notable upgrades at this level is undoubtedly the Clan Castle, as its new level increases the capacity for donated troops, significantly enhancing both defense and attack. From there, your next priorities should focus on the most powerful defensive structures, in the following order: Monolith, Inferno Towers, Merged Defenses, Scattershots, Builder’s Huts, X-Bows, and Air Defenses.

While defenses are essential, there’s one golden rule that applies to every level of the game: offense should always come first. This means keeping your Clan Castle and Laboratory continuously upgrading, ensuring your heroes are always being leveled up, and making sure your builders are never idle.

Following this upgrade path will ensure your village progresses efficiently, maintaining a strong balance between offense and defense while getting the most out of every resource available.