S3 Studio and Thermite Games put you in charge of a fallen clan in an ancient China setting, starting from a crumbling estate on 14 May 2025 in Early Access. You marry family members off, push them through imperial exams, build income properties and outlast roughly 30 rival noble houses across generations. Characters are defined by eight attributes and die of old age, so the clan matters more than any single person in it.
Picking the right build determines how your experience plays out. These builds are ranked by overall effectiveness, factoring in damage, survivability, gear requirements, and how well they scale into endgame. New to the game? Start with our beginner's guide first.
Quick Rankings
| Build | Tier | Playstyle | Core Gear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Writing | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Might | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Business | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Arts | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Cunning | A | Balanced | Best available |
For detailed meta rankings, see our House of Legacy tier list.
A-Tier: Writing
Writing is a top-performing option in House of Legacy.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Smithy | The workhorse income building. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Eight character attributes | Writing, Might, Business, Arts, Cunning, Charisma, Luck and Renown decide what a family member is good for. |
How to Play Writing
Writing focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Smithy does the damage and Eight character attributes keeps it running, which is why this sits at the top of the list. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Highest overall performance
- Straightforward gearing path
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Popular pick, resources may be contested
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Might
Might is a strong option in House of Legacy.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Exchange | A costly mid to late game building that opens buying and selling of every resource type at local prices. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Generational family succession | Family members marry from age 18, produce children who grow into the next generation, and eventually die. |
How to Play Might
Might focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Pair Exchange with Generational family succession and the build stops depending on a good start, so it holds up across most content. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Most versatile option
- Straightforward gearing path
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Lower peak damage than S-tier
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Business
Business is a strong option in House of Legacy.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | General Store | The cheap early option that keeps the lights on before Smithies are affordable. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Imperial exams and officialdom | High Writing lets a character sit the civil examinations, with roughly 20 Writing needed to clear the first one. |
How to Play Business
Business focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Imperial exams and officialdom covers the gap General Store leaves open, so the build stays usable even when a fight goes badly. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Best survivability
- Straightforward gearing path
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Slower clear speeds
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Arts
Arts is a specialized option in House of Legacy.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Military Camp | Built inside a fief to recruit and hold your personal army. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Coins and gold ingots | Coins handle everyday spending while gold ingots are the royal currency and the form official salaries arrive in. |
How to Play Arts
Arts focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: This one leans on Coins and gold ingots rather than raw numbers, and Military Camp is what makes that trade pay off. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Strong in group/team content
- Straightforward gearing path
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- Weaker solo performance
- Requires deep game knowledge
A-Tier: Cunning
Cunning is a specialized option in House of Legacy.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Farm | A land asset that feeds the clan and contributes to the estate's basic upkeep. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Fief taxes and discontent | Fiefs generate tax income shaped by the laws you enact, and military camps inside them recruit your personal army. |
How to Play Cunning
Cunning focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Farm and Fief taxes and discontent pull in the same direction here, which separates this from the safer picks above. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Unique, rewarding playstyle
- Straightforward gearing path
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- High skill floor, punishing when misplayed
- Requires deep game knowledge
Build Progression Path
- Start with Might: the most forgiving option for learning the game
- Transition to Writing once you understand core mechanics and have access to Smithy
- Keep a Business setup for content that keeps killing you
- Try Cunning for a fresh experience once you've mastered the basics
Follow our walkthrough for the optimal progression path through each area.
Gearing Tips
- Invest in your primary equipment first, since it gives the biggest power spike. See our weapons guide for rankings.
- Build General Stores first and switch to Smithies the moment the treasury allows. Housing looks appealing because it is cheap, but its returns are the worst of the major building types.
- Drop employee wages to around 400 coins per worker. The hiring roll is random rather than wage-gated in a strict sense, so keep retrying after a failed attempt instead of raising the offer permanently.
- Don't spread upgrade resources across multiple builds until endgame
More House of Legacy Guides
- House of Legacy House of Legacy Overview
- House of Legacy Tier List
- House of Legacy Walkthrough
- House of Legacy Beginner's Guide
- House of Legacy Tips & Tricks
- House of Legacy Weapons Guide
- House of Legacy Combat Guide
- House of Legacy Boss Guide
- House of Legacy Maps & Locations
- House of Legacy Crafting Guide
- House of Legacy Classes & Characters
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- RimWorld Builds: strategy game with similar mechanics
