Idling to Rule the Gods is a free to play incremental game from the German studio Shugasu, on Steam since 27 May 2016. The hook is Shadow Clones: you spend time creating copies of yourself, assign them to training, fighting and creating, and absorb their accumulated stats even while the game is closed. Progression runs through killing gods, starting with Hyperion, who each teach you a new Creation and hand over an achievement stack that multiplies your stats. Rebirths wipe your numbers and hand back multipliers, and past Tyrant Overlord Baal the game switches to Baal Power, Ultimate Beings and Challenges. It is text menus and spreadsheets rather than graphics, and it expects years rather than weekends.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physical Training clones | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Mystic Training clones | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Fighting clones | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Creating clones | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Powersurge clones | A | Balanced | Best available |
For detailed meta rankings, see our Idling to Rule the Gods tier list.
A-Tier: Physical Training clones
Physical Training clones is a top-performing option in Idling to Rule the Gods.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Physical stat | Trained by assigning clones to the Fist menu. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Shadow Clone creation | Clones are the currency of every other system. |
How to Play Physical Training clones
Physical Training clones focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Physical stat does the damage and Shadow Clone creation 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: Mystic Training clones
Mystic Training clones is a strong option in Idling to Rule the Gods.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Mystic stat | Trained by assigning clones to the Shield menu. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Physical and Mystic training | Physical is trained through the Fist menu and Mystic through the Shield menu, both by parking clones there. |
How to Play Mystic Training clones
Mystic Training clones focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Pair Mystic stat with Physical and Mystic training 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: Fighting clones
Fighting clones is a strong option in Idling to Rule the Gods.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Battle stat | Earned by fighting monsters rather than by parking clones in a training menu. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Rebirth multipliers | A rebirth resets your progress and returns a multiplier based on what you achieved. |
How to Play Fighting clones
Fighting clones focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Rebirth multipliers covers the gap Battle stat 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: Creating clones
Creating clones is a specialized option in Idling to Rule the Gods.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | God Power | The currency unlocked by killing Hyperion. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | God fights and Creations | Each god through Tyrant Overlord Baal teaches a Creation when killed. |
How to Play Creating clones
Creating clones focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: This one leans on God fights and Creations rather than raw numbers, and God Power 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: Powersurge clones
Powersurge clones is a specialized option in Idling to Rule the Gods.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Baal Power | The post Baal currency, earned from P. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Divinity and Monuments | Divinity is the resource that feeds Monuments, which are permanent structures granting stat multipliers, including the Mighty Statue, the Mystic Garden and the Tomb of Gods. |
How to Play Powersurge clones
Powersurge clones focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Baal Power and Divinity and Monuments 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 Mystic Training clones: the most forgiving option for learning the game
- Transition to Physical Training clones once you understand core mechanics and have access to Physical stat
- Keep a Fighting clones setup for content that keeps killing you
- Try Powersurge clones 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.
- Your clone cap is 1,000 during the first rebirth, so early optimisation is entirely about how you split those 1,000 rather than how many you can make.
- Rebirth when the number in parentheses exceeds 100. Holding out for a bigger number usually costs more time than the extra multiplier returns.
- Don't spread upgrade resources across multiple builds until endgame
More Idling to Rule the Gods Guides
- Idling to Rule the Gods Idling to Rule the Gods Overview
- Idling to Rule the Gods Tier List
- Idling to Rule the Gods Walkthrough
- Idling to Rule the Gods Beginner's Guide
- Idling to Rule the Gods Tips & Tricks
- Idling to Rule the Gods Weapons Guide
- Idling to Rule the Gods Combat Guide
- Idling to Rule the Gods Boss Guide
- Idling to Rule the Gods Maps & Locations
- Idling to Rule the Gods Crafting Guide
- Idling to Rule the Gods Classes & Characters
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