Last Z Hero Training Guide: Costs, Bonuses, Upgrade Order

Stop Wasting Badges on the Wrong Research~~！

Let’s be real for a second. Most players mess up Hero Training. Here’s the kicker: almost 50% of the total cost of the Hero Training tree is concentrated in the last few nodes.If you don’t plan your upgrades properly, you’re literally throwing thousands of badges into a black hole and delaying your biggest power spike.

The good news? This guide is going to fix that. No fluff, no guessing—just the exact costs, the upgrade order that actually makes sense, and the timing strategy that separates efficient players from the ones who stay stuck.

Let’s get into it.

What Is Hero Training?

Hero Training is one of the first research trees you unlock in Last Z. Once you hit Headquarters Level 8 and upgrade your Lab to Level 8, it’s right there waiting for you. And unlike some other trees that give you nice-to-have bonuses, this one is essential.

Here’s what Hero Training does:

• Increases Hero Attack and Hero Defense
• Adds Extra Units Per Hero
• Boosts Idle Exploration Experience

The extra units alone are a game-changer. We’re talking about +100 extra troops to a full five-hero formation once you unlock the right node. That’s not a small bump—that’s a massive power spike that affects everything from looting to reinforcement to arena performance.

 

Hero Training Full Cost Breakdown

Let’s talk numbers. If you want to max out the entire Hero Training tree, you’re looking at a total of 39,590 badges. That might sound like a lot, and early game? It is. But here’s the thing—it’s actually one of the cheaper research trees compared to late-game monsters like T10 units or Military Strategies.

Here’s the full breakdown, node by node:

Research Node	Levels	Total Badge Cost
Attack Special Training (first)	5	1,280
Strength Training (first)	5	1,280
Rose Bloom (Blood Rose Attack)	5	1,900
Morning Star (Wings of Dawn Attack)	5	1,900
Light of Order (Guard of Order Attack)	5	1,900
Resource Gathering (first)	3	1,910
Rose Barrier (Blood Rose Defense)	5	3,150
Dawn‘s Light (Wings of Dawn Defense)	5	3,150
Shield of Order (Guard of Order Defense)	5	3,150
Cockpit (Extra Units)	1	2,200
Resource Gathering (second)	3	2,850
Attack Special Training (final)	10	7,460
Strength Training (final)	10	7,460
TOTAL		39,590

See that pattern? The first nine nodes cost about the same as the last four nodes combined. That’s the trap. The tree starts cheap, lures you in, and then suddenly the costs explode.

 

The Most Important Node: Cockpit

If you take away only one thing from this guide, let it be this: unlock Cockpit as early as possible.

Cockpit is a single-level node that costs 2,200 badges. What does it give you? +20 extra units per hero in your formation. With a full five-hero lineup, that’s+100 extra troops.

Why does this matter so much?

• More loot– When you raid enemy headquarters, bigger armies carry more resources per attack.
• Stronger defense– Reinforcing alliance members or capital buildings? More troops = harder to break.
• Higher arena power– Your formation power jumps significantly, which translates to better rankings and rewards.
• Better event performance– Champion Duel, State Ruler, Capital Clash—everything gets easier when you have more bodies on the field.

Cockpit is your biggest early-game power boost from this tree. Prioritize it.

 

Hero Attack and Defense

Let’s step back for a second. Why does Hero Attack and Hero Defense matter so much? Aren’t troops the main thing?

Here’s the truth: heroes are the engine of your account. Almost every system in the game ties back to hero stats. The Hall of Honor, equipment, skins, research—it all funnels into making your heroes stronger.

Hero Attack directly affects the damage you deal. Hero Defense directly affects the damage you can take. When you combine these with the extra troops from Cockpit, you don't get linear growth—you get exponential growth.

And here’s something most players don’t realize: stars matter more than levels early on. A 5-star blue hero with a maxed third skill often delivers more long-term value than a 1-star orange hero sitting pretty in your roster but doing nothing for your progression.

So yeah, don’t sleep on those attack and defense nodes. They add up.

Best Upgrade Order: A Step-by-Step Strategy

Not all nodes are created equal. Here’s the exact order you should follow to maximize your power without wasting badges.

Phase I: The Early Game (First 2-3 Weeks)

Your goal here is simple: unlock Cockpit as fast as possible.

• Attack Special Training (first)– Get the first few levels. Cheap and gives immediate value.
• Strength Training (first)– Same deal. Balance your offense and defense.
• Faction Attack Nodes (Rose Bloom, Morning Star, Light of Order)– Pick the faction you’re actually using. Don’t spread yourself thin.
• Cockpit– This is your priority. Rush it.

Once you have Cockpit, take a breath. You’ve secured your biggest early power spike.

Phase II: The Mid Game (Fill Out the Basics)

Now it’s time to round out the tree before the costs get crazy.

• Faction Defense Nodes (Rose Barrier, Dawn’s Light, Shield of Order)– These are more expensive than the attack nodes, but worth it.
• Resource Gathering Nodes– The idle experience bonus is nice, but not urgent. Do these when you have spare badges.

Phase III: The Late Game (Save for the Final Push)

Here’s where most players mess up. The final two nodes—Attack Special Training (10 levels) and Strength Training (10 levels)—cost a combined 14,920 badges. That’s nearly 40% of the entire tree.

Do not start these until you’re ready to finish them. And definitely don’t start them outside of an event window.

 

When to Upgrade: Event Timing Is Everything

This is the part that separates smart players from the ones who stay stuck.Never upgrade Hero Training outside of events.

Full Preparedness (Daily Event)

Early game, before Alliance Duel is available, you should be upgrading your lab nodes during Full Preparedness. This daily event gives you extra rewards for completing research, and those rewards add up fast.

Check your Age of Science calendar to see which days align with research tasks. Double-dip whenever possible.

Alliance Duel – Age of Science Day (Wednesday)

Once your alliance unlocks Alliance Duel (usually a few weeks in), your strategy changes. Wednesday is Age of Science day, and that’s when research upgrades give you points for the duel.

Here’s the pro move: save your final, expensive Hero Training nodes for Wednesday. Pop them during Age of Science to maximize your alliance points and climb the personal leaderboard at the same time.

Why does this matter? Because Alliance Duel rewards includebadges, diamonds, skill books, and hero fragments—all of which help you keep progressing. You’re not just upgrading; you’re getting paid to upgrade.

 

Hero Training vs. Elite Troops: Which First?

This is one of the most common questions, and the answer isn’t a simple “this one is better.”

Here’s the breakdown:

• Hero Training– Focuses on heroes directly. Boosts attack, defense, and troop count through heroes. Affects arena, looting, reinforcement, and PvP.
• Elite Troops– Focuses on your troops. Boosts troop attack, defense, training speed, and unlocks Military Strategies (another critical tree).

You need both. They serve different purposes.

The smart play: Progress both trees in parallel. Focus on the cheaper nodes first in each tree. Get Cockpit in Hero Training, then alternate between the two trees based on what’s cheapest at the moment.

Don’t neglect Elite Troops completely—it unlocks Military Strategies, which is essential for late-game power. But don’t sleep on Hero Training either, especially early.

 

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Let me save you some pain. Here’s what not to do:

1. Upgrading Outside Event Windows

I said it before, but it bears repeating:do not spend badges on research when there’s no event running.You’re leaving free rewards on the table.

2. Spreading Badges Too Thin

Focus on unlocking Cockpit first. Don’t try to level every faction node evenly—pick your main faction and stick with it until Cockpit is done.

3. Ignoring the Final Node Cost Curve

Those last two nodes (10-level Attack and Strength Training) are expensive. Plan for them. Save your badges. Don’t start them unless you can finish them during an Age of Science day.

4. Comparing Hero Training to Elite Troops Incorrectly

They’re not the same. They don’t serve the same purpose. Stop asking which one is “better” and start asking which one gives you the most value for your next badge spend.

5. Forgetting About the Hall of Honor

Hero Training boosts your heroes directly, but the Hall of Honor boosts them even further once they reach five stars. Don’t ignore those faction-specific buildings—they stack with everything else.

 

Final Thoughts

Hero Training is one of the most important research trees in Last Z, and doing it right will accelerate your entire account.

The players who dominate this game aren’t the ones who spend the most money—they’re the ones who spend their resources efficiently. Hero Training is one of the first places where that efficiency (or lack of it) shows up.

Don’t be the player who wastes thousands of badges and wonders why their power is stuck. Use this guide, plan your upgrades, and start pulling ahead.