Upgrade estimate
Grand Warden: Level 75 → 76
1 upgrade levels within the selected TH18 cap.
Builder Base heroes: base cost and time, no boosts.
Upgrade estimate
Grand Warden: Level 75 → 76
1 upgrade levels within the selected TH18 cap.
Builder Base heroes: base cost and time, no boosts.

The Dark Elixir heroes compete with each other. The Warden competes with your Laboratory, because troop and spell research also costs Elixir. Here is what maxing each one takes from level 1, before boosts:
| Upgrade | Elixir | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Warden, level 1 to 85 | 986,200,000 | about 302 days (builder) |
| All 19 Elixir troops | 1,532,595,000 | Laboratory |
| All 10 Elixir spells | 586,975,000 | Laboratory |
The Warden uses a builder, not the Laboratory, so both can run at the same time. The limit is your Elixir storage, so keep one Warden level and one research level going and use the rest of your Elixir on walls.
The Warden arrives later than the other early heroes, at Town Hall 11, and then gains between 5 and 20 levels with every Town Hall. A higher cap only opens once your Hero Hall matches it.
Cap by Town Hall: TH11 20 · TH12 40 · TH13 50 · TH14 60 · TH15 65 · TH16 70 · TH17 75 · TH18 85. The table adds up the Elixir and time for each jump.
| Town Hall | Hero Hall | Max level | Upgrades added | Step cost | Step time | Cumulative cost | Cumulative time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TH11 | Hero Hall 5 | 20 | 19 | 56,700,000 | 14d 8h | 56,700,000 | 14d 8h |
| TH12 | Hero Hall 6 | 40 | 20 | 141,000,000 | 32d 12h | 197,700,000 | 46d 20h |
| TH13 | Hero Hall 7 | 50 | 10 | 96,500,000 | 30d | 294,200,000 | 76d 20h |
| TH14 | Hero Hall 8 | 60 | 10 | 132,000,000 | 40d | 426,200,000 | 116d 20h |
| TH15 | Hero Hall 9 | 65 | 5 | 82,500,000 | 30d | 508,700,000 | 146d 20h |
| TH16 | Hero Hall 10 | 70 | 5 | 95,000,000 | 35d 12h | 603,700,000 | 182d 8h |
| TH17 | Hero Hall 11 | 75 | 5 | 107,500,000 | 40d | 711,200,000 | 222d 8h |
| TH18 | Hero Hall 12 | 85 | 10 | 275,000,000 | 80d | 986,200,000 | 302d 8h |
Taking the Warden to level 20 at TH11 costs 56,700,000 Elixir and about 14 days. After that, each Town Hall asks for more Elixir per level: the last ten levels cost 275 million, almost as much as levels 2 to 50 together (294 million).
Levels 21 to 40 cost 141,000,000 Elixir and 32 days 12 hours. It is the only Town Hall that adds twenty Warden levels at once, so start early if you want him ready for TH12 wars.
Levels 51 to 60 cost 132,000,000 Elixir and 40 days, nearly as much Elixir as the twenty TH12 levels, packed into half as many upgrades.
Levels 76 to 85 cost from 23,500,000 to 30,500,000 Elixir each, and every one takes 8 days. Ten levels in a row means at least 80 days of one builder before boosts.
Warden levels get much more expensive, about nine times more per level from TH11 to TH18. But upgrade times grow too, so the Elixir you need per day of builder time stays in a narrow band. At most Town Halls that works out to between about 2.7 and 4.3 million Elixir per builder-day, peaking at 4.34 million at TH12, before boosts. You still need the full cost of a level in storage before you can start it.
| Town Hall | Levels | Average per level | Elixir per builder-day |
|---|---|---|---|
| TH11 | 2 to 20 | 2.98M | 3.96M |
| TH12 | 21 to 40 | 7.05M | 4.34M |
| TH13 | 41 to 50 | 9.65M | 3.22M |
| TH14 | 51 to 60 | 13.2M | 3.30M |
| TH15 | 61 to 65 | 16.5M | 2.75M |
| TH16 | 66 to 70 | 19.0M | 2.68M |
| TH17 | 71 to 75 | 21.5M | 2.69M |
| TH18 | 76 to 85 | 27.5M | 3.44M |
Elixir per builder-day is each step's Elixir divided by its upgrade days, before boosts.
Because he unlocks late and costs Elixir that research also wants, the Warden is often the hero left behind after a Town Hall jump. Here is what it takes to reach level 85 at TH18 from common starting points:
| From level | Elixir to 85 | Time, no boosts | Time with 20% Gold Pass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60 (TH14 max) | 560,000,000 | 185d 12h | about 148 days |
| 65 (TH15 max) | 477,500,000 | 155d 12h | about 124 days |
| 70 (TH16 max) | 382,500,000 | 120d | 96 days |
| 75 (TH17 max) | 275,000,000 | 80d | 64 days |
| 80 | 147,500,000 | 40d | 32 days |
A Warden at the TH14 cap still needs more than half of his total Elixir. Enter your own level in the calculator above to see your exact gap.
Gold Pass cuts the Warden's Elixir and time by 10% or 20% (Supercell: Gold Pass). Builder Potions cut time only. Here is the TH18 step, level 75 to 85, which costs 275,000,000 Elixir before boosts:
| Boosts | Elixir | Time |
|---|---|---|
| None | 275,000,000 | 80 days |
| Gold Pass 10% | 247,500,000 | 72 days |
| Gold Pass 20% | 220,000,000 | 64 days |
| Gold Pass 20% + 10 Builder Potions | 220,000,000 | about 60 days 6 hours |
Each Builder Potion saves 9 hours on a running upgrade. Hammer Jam halves both Elixir and time on top of these. Set your own levels in the calculator above.
On my TH18 account, MoonLight ID #9280QPL8G, my Warden is at level 84, so only level 85 is left: 30,500,000 Elixir and 8 days. I plan to start it during Hammer Jam to save Elixir and, more importantly, time, because it's hard to imagine Clan War without him, let alone CWL.
Use this list to check one level quickly, for example what your next upgrade will cost before you collect the Elixir.
| Level | Elixir cost | Upgrade time | Town Hall required | Hero Hall required |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | 1,000,000 | N/A | TH11 | Hero Hall 5 |
| Level 2 | 1,000,000 | 2h | TH11 | Hero Hall 5 |
| Level 3 | 1,100,000 | 4h | TH11 | Hero Hall 5 |
| Level 4 | 1,200,000 | 8h | TH11 | Hero Hall 5 |
| Level 5 | 1,400,000 | 10h | TH11 | Hero Hall 5 |
| Level 6 | 1,500,000 | 12h | TH11 | Hero Hall 5 |
| Level 7 | 1,700,000 | 14h | TH11 | Hero Hall 5 |
| Level 8 | 1,800,000 | 16h | TH11 | Hero Hall 5 |
| Level 9 | 2,000,000 | 18h | TH11 | Hero Hall 5 |
| Level 10 | 2,300,000 | 20h | TH11 | Hero Hall 5 |
| Level 11 | 2,700,000 | 1d | TH11 | Hero Hall 5 |
| Level 12 | 3,000,000 | 1d | TH11 | Hero Hall 5 |
| Level 13 | 3,400,000 | 1d | TH11 | Hero Hall 5 |
| Level 14 | 3,700,000 | 1d | TH11 | Hero Hall 5 |
| Level 15 | 4,100,000 | 1d | TH11 | Hero Hall 5 |
| Level 16 | 4,400,000 | 1d | TH11 | Hero Hall 5 |
| Level 17 | 4,800,000 | 1d | TH11 | Hero Hall 5 |
| Level 18 | 5,100,000 | 1d | TH11 | Hero Hall 5 |
| Level 19 | 5,500,000 | 1d | TH11 | Hero Hall 5 |
| Level 20 | 6,000,000 | 1d | TH11 | Hero Hall 5 |
| Level 21 | 6,100,000 | 1d | TH12 | Hero Hall 6 |
| Level 22 | 6,200,000 | 1d | TH12 | Hero Hall 6 |
| Level 23 | 6,300,000 | 1d | TH12 | Hero Hall 6 |
| Level 24 | 6,400,000 | 1d | TH12 | Hero Hall 6 |
| Level 25 | 6,500,000 | 1d | TH12 | Hero Hall 6 |
| Level 26 | 6,600,000 | 1d 12h | TH12 | Hero Hall 6 |
| Level 27 | 6,700,000 | 1d 12h | TH12 | Hero Hall 6 |
| Level 28 | 6,800,000 | 1d 12h | TH12 | Hero Hall 6 |
| Level 29 | 6,900,000 | 1d 12h | TH12 | Hero Hall 6 |
| Level 30 | 7,000,000 | 1d 12h | TH12 | Hero Hall 6 |
| Level 31 | 7,100,000 | 2d | TH12 | Hero Hall 6 |
| Level 32 | 7,200,000 | 2d | TH12 | Hero Hall 6 |
| Level 33 | 7,300,000 | 2d | TH12 | Hero Hall 6 |
| Level 34 | 7,400,000 | 2d | TH12 | Hero Hall 6 |
| Level 35 | 7,500,000 | 2d | TH12 | Hero Hall 6 |
| Level 36 | 7,600,000 | 2d | TH12 | Hero Hall 6 |
| Level 37 | 7,700,000 | 2d | TH12 | Hero Hall 6 |
| Level 38 | 7,800,000 | 2d | TH12 | Hero Hall 6 |
| Level 39 | 7,900,000 | 2d | TH12 | Hero Hall 6 |
| Level 40 | 8,000,000 | 2d | TH12 | Hero Hall 6 |
| Level 41 | 8,300,000 | 3d | TH13 | Hero Hall 7 |
| Level 42 | 8,600,000 | 3d | TH13 | Hero Hall 7 |
| Level 43 | 8,900,000 | 3d | TH13 | Hero Hall 7 |
| Level 44 | 9,200,000 | 3d | TH13 | Hero Hall 7 |
| Level 45 | 9,500,000 | 3d | TH13 | Hero Hall 7 |
| Level 46 | 9,800,000 | 3d | TH13 | Hero Hall 7 |
| Level 47 | 10,100,000 | 3d | TH13 | Hero Hall 7 |
| Level 48 | 10,400,000 | 3d | TH13 | Hero Hall 7 |
| Level 49 | 10,700,000 | 3d | TH13 | Hero Hall 7 |
| Level 50 | 11,000,000 | 3d | TH13 | Hero Hall 7 |
| Level 51 | 11,400,000 | 4d | TH14 | Hero Hall 8 |
| Level 52 | 11,800,000 | 4d | TH14 | Hero Hall 8 |
| Level 53 | 12,200,000 | 4d | TH14 | Hero Hall 8 |
| Level 54 | 12,600,000 | 4d | TH14 | Hero Hall 8 |
| Level 55 | 13,000,000 | 4d | TH14 | Hero Hall 8 |
| Level 56 | 13,400,000 | 4d | TH14 | Hero Hall 8 |
| Level 57 | 13,800,000 | 4d | TH14 | Hero Hall 8 |
| Level 58 | 14,200,000 | 4d | TH14 | Hero Hall 8 |
| Level 59 | 14,600,000 | 4d | TH14 | Hero Hall 8 |
| Level 60 | 15,000,000 | 4d | TH14 | Hero Hall 8 |
| Level 61 | 15,500,000 | 6d | TH15 | Hero Hall 9 |
| Level 62 | 16,000,000 | 6d | TH15 | Hero Hall 9 |
| Level 63 | 16,500,000 | 6d | TH15 | Hero Hall 9 |
| Level 64 | 17,000,000 | 6d | TH15 | Hero Hall 9 |
| Level 65 | 17,500,000 | 6d | TH15 | Hero Hall 9 |
| Level 66 | 18,000,000 | 7d | TH16 | Hero Hall 10 |
| Level 67 | 18,500,000 | 7d | TH16 | Hero Hall 10 |
| Level 68 | 19,000,000 | 7d | TH16 | Hero Hall 10 |
| Level 69 | 19,500,000 | 7d | TH16 | Hero Hall 10 |
| Level 70 | 20,000,000 | 7d 12h | TH16 | Hero Hall 10 |
| Level 71 | 20,500,000 | 8d | TH17 | Hero Hall 11 |
| Level 72 | 21,000,000 | 8d | TH17 | Hero Hall 11 |
| Level 73 | 21,500,000 | 8d | TH17 | Hero Hall 11 |
| Level 74 | 22,000,000 | 8d | TH17 | Hero Hall 11 |
| Level 75 | 22,500,000 | 8d | TH17 | Hero Hall 11 |
| Level 76 | 23,500,000 | 8d | TH18 | Hero Hall 12 |
| Level 77 | 24,500,000 | 8d | TH18 | Hero Hall 12 |
| Level 78 | 25,500,000 | 8d | TH18 | Hero Hall 12 |
| Level 79 | 26,500,000 | 8d | TH18 | Hero Hall 12 |
| Level 80 | 27,500,000 | 8d | TH18 | Hero Hall 12 |
| Level 81 | 28,500,000 | 8d | TH18 | Hero Hall 12 |
| Level 82 | 29,000,000 | 8d | TH18 | Hero Hall 12 |
| Level 83 | 29,500,000 | 8d | TH18 | Hero Hall 12 |
| Level 84 | 30,000,000 | 8d | TH18 | Hero Hall 12 |
| Level 85 | 30,500,000 | 8d | TH18 | Hero Hall 12 |
Level 85, at Town Hall 18 with Hero Hall level 12.
TH11 20, TH12 40, TH13 50, TH14 60, TH15 65, TH16 70, TH17 75 and TH18 85.
Town Hall 11, with Hero Hall level 5.
Yes. The Warden uses a builder and research uses the Laboratory, so both run together. They only compete for Elixir.
He is the only Elixir hero, so he never competes with the other five heroes for Dark Elixir.
About 302 days of builder time from level 1 to 85 without boosts. A 20% Gold Pass brings it to about 242 days.
275,000,000 Elixir and 80 days, from 23,500,000 Elixir at level 76 to 30,500,000 at level 85.
Level 85: 30,500,000 Elixir and 8 days.
Data last updated: October 26, 2026