SMG Studio's official digital Risk arrived on Steam on 19 February 2020 as a free to play release with cross platform matches against phone and console players. The Classic Map is the familiar 42 territory, six continent board, and more than 120 further maps ship in paid packs ranging from under 20 territories to well past 90. Rule toggles such as Capital Conquest, Blizzards and Fog of War change the maths of a match far more than swapping maps does.
Your choice of equipment defines your damage output and playstyle. This guide ranks every major option, explains what makes each one strong, and tells you which builds they pair best with.
Equipment Rankings
| Equipment | Tier | Best For | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infantry, cavalry and artillery cards | S | Guaranteeing a card every single turn with one cheap capture | You earn one card per turn in which you capture at least one territory, regardless of how many you take. |
| Wild cards | A | Turning a mismatched hand into the highest paying fixed set | Wild cards substitute for any symbol, which in fixed games lets you complete the 10 troop one of each set instead of settling for a 4 troop infantry set. |
| Fixed trade-in table | A | Longer, more positional matches where holding ground pays | The fixed table runs 4 for three infantry, 6 for three cavalry, 8 for three artillery and 10 for one of each, and never grows. |
| Progressive trade-in ladder | B | Explosive comebacks and games decided by one enormous turn | Progressive starts at 4 and rises with every trade anyone makes, through 6, 8, 10, 12, 15, 20 and 25. |
| Blitz attack roll | B | Clearing single troop territories quickly during a long turn | Blitz resolves every roll of an attack automatically until one side is finished, which is fast but removes the chance to stop after a bad exchange. |
S-Tier: Infantry, cavalry and artillery cards
You earn one card per turn in which you capture at least one territory, regardless of how many you take. In fixed games the symbols matter, since three artillery pays 8 and three infantry pays only 4.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | S |
| Best For | Guaranteeing a card every single turn with one cheap capture |
| Key Mechanic | Fixed and progressive card trade-ins |
| Recommended Build | Australia turtle |
How to get it: Available from mid-game onward. See our walkthrough for the exact progression point.
Best builds using Infantry, cavalry and artillery cards: Pairs naturally with Australia turtle thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: Wild cards
Wild cards substitute for any symbol, which in fixed games lets you complete the 10 troop one of each set instead of settling for a 4 troop infantry set. They are also the reason a hand of four cards can already be a set.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Turning a mismatched hand into the highest paying fixed set |
| Key Mechanic | Territory and continent reinforcement |
| Recommended Build | Progressive card farmer |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Wild cards: Pairs naturally with Progressive card farmer thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: Fixed trade-in table
The fixed table runs 4 for three infantry, 6 for three cavalry, 8 for three artillery and 10 for one of each, and never grows. Fixed games therefore stay slower and reward continent bonuses rather than card hoarding.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Longer, more positional matches where holding ground pays |
| Key Mechanic | Three attack dice against two defence dice |
| Recommended Build | South America pivot |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Fixed trade-in table: Pairs naturally with South America pivot thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: Progressive trade-in ladder
Progressive starts at 4 and rises with every trade anyone makes, through 6, 8, 10, 12, 15, 20 and 25. Every set another player cashes raises the value of the set sitting in your hand, so passive play is actively rewarded.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Explosive comebacks and games decided by one enormous turn |
| Key Mechanic | Capital Conquest and Blizzards |
| Recommended Build | Border trimmer |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Progressive trade-in ladder: Pairs naturally with Border trimmer thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: Blitz attack roll
Blitz resolves every roll of an attack automatically until one side is finished, which is fast but removes the chance to stop after a bad exchange. Roll manually whenever losing the stack would cost you a continent bonus.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Clearing single troop territories quickly during a long turn |
| Key Mechanic | Fog of War and Secret Missions |
| Recommended Build | Endgame blitzer |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Blitz attack roll: Pairs naturally with Endgame blitzer thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
Equipment Progression Path
The order you should acquire equipment as you progress:
- Starting gear → Enough to clear Classic Map
- Wild cards → Your first real upgrade, available early
- Fixed trade-in table → Mid-game upgrade with good scaling
- Infantry, cavalry and artillery cards → Best-in-slot, aim for this by late game
- Upgrade to max → The power spike from max upgrades is enormous
Equipment Tips
- Always upgrade your primary equipment before diversifying. One strong option beats three mediocre ones.
- Match your equipment to your build's stat priorities for maximum scaling.
- Before you attack, count how many cards each opponent is holding. A player sitting on four cards in a progressive game will cash a set on their next turn, and in the late ladder that is 20 or 25 extra troops appearing where you cannot see them.
- Check our tier list for how equipment rankings affect overall build effectiveness.
More RISK: Global Domination Guides
- RISK: Global Domination RISK: Global Domination Overview
- RISK: Global Domination Best Builds
- RISK: Global Domination Tier List
- RISK: Global Domination Walkthrough
- RISK: Global Domination Beginner's Guide
- RISK: Global Domination Tips & Tricks
- RISK: Global Domination Combat Guide
- RISK: Global Domination Boss Guide
- RISK: Global Domination Maps & Locations
- RISK: Global Domination Crafting Guide
- RISK: Global Domination Classes & Characters
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