Alchemy Lab and Hero Academy conversions

For those building the hero academy, what building are you converting? I was planning on converting the hunters lodge, but there’s no option for that.

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Hunter lodge convert back to normal building and then convert that building to hero academy .

I converted 2 forges to AL and HA.

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Why not code hero academy and alchemy lab into the stronghold so we arent as jammed up with the little space for buildings.

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With the update to the Alchemy Lab, I’m going to start working on expanding it past level 1, so I need to figure out my conversion plans. I have a level 24 Stronghold, and would likely prefer to work on the Alchemy Lab instead of SH 25 and the Hero Academy.

I’m going to have a huge surplus of food coming up once I finish leveling up the heroes I can actually level, due to lack of materials.

I don’t have a second builder, but will likely get one when Presents from rudolph or something similar comes around.

My current situation is:
Forge Level 20 - staying a Forge
Forge Level 10 - staying a Forge for now
Forge Level 9 → Alchemy Lab
Forge Level 5 → Barracks

In reserve - Level 4 Hunter’s Lodge. If i really need something from there, I can flex a building out, but I need to plan it well, as I don’t have a spare builder.

It seems like using 2 forges for the 3 buildings makes sense, but I’m wondering if others without a second builder have found this too onerous to deal with.

Here’s my thought — how often is your forge actually busy? If it’s not 24/7, then why do you need two?

I’ve ditched HL for AL. I have 2 builders for now, but none are free, nor will they be before I lose the second one. And I still don’t care about the lodge.

Depends

I have moved Barracks around depending on my current needs ( see notes ).

Barracks has unlimited storage for troops, and leveling troops is instantaneous. So it is never has a wait timer.

Unlike Lodge ( harpoons to use excess iron ), Lab ( shards → emblems )and Academy ( mysterious Hero formations ), all buildings that have wait timers.

So I will likely continue to treat Barracks that way and build Lodge, Lab and Academy on 3x forges.

Lodge

I love harpoons ( see notes ).

But my favorite part of crafting harpoons is 7x 1* ingredients ( 5x Common Herb, 1x Large bone, 1x Clean cloth ) which is very easy to farm, and stockpile, but gives me a 5* battle item.

My second favorite part of crafting harpoons is crafting them to use excess iron. Especially since Stronghold 21- 25 were added, the build times are so long, even when I still had a second builder, iron was often wasted.

Notes

Click for notes

Barracks

Currently a level 20 Farm.

Harpoons

([Warning!, Tip, Danger!] 🎶 Drunken Santa ( apologies to the Irish Rovers ) or Battle item targeting and harpoons in Santa's Challenge)

([Warning!, Tip, Danger!] The Old Moderator and the Sea (apologies to Ernest Hemingway and @Kerridoc ) or Wilbur and harpoons in Trials of Piety)

(The Great Yellow Whale ( apologies to Herman Melville ) or Harpooning Vivica in Trials of Fortitude and Friar Tuck in Trials of Piety)

([Tip] One trick titans absolutely hate or Harpoon vs. titan vs. STUNNED titan or Hidden information about harpoons)

VIP pass

If you are only getting the VIP Pass for the second builder, I recommend buying the 30 day option.

Before my most recent uninstall of Empires, my favorite part of VIP Pass was 90x monthly loot tickets that I used for Atlantis Rising and 900x monthly gems for buying more hero roster slots. With merciless RNG, I hoard many 4* / all 5* heroes.

FIN

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For me, sometimes I need two, oftentimes I need none.

I’ve had a need to craft a certain item crop up along with a PoV task to craft another different item. I don’t want to miss the PoV task by forgetting on failing to play if I get busy, so I just get that done ASAP.

I’m trying to stay ahead of my crafting needs a bit, so that pressure is lessening,

With the Troop Leveling PoV task and only having 1 builder, I’m convinced I need one building to stay Barracks.

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What did you all convert to get the HA?
I already converted a forge of which I had 2, so now at 1. But now I’m wondering if that is a mistake and I should back it out and convert a training camp (of which I have 4). I hate to spend all that iron again, but I feel like that may be the right way to do it.

What do you all think. I feel like the Hero Academy is essentially the “advanced” training camp and it would be better to convert one of those.

Personally, I only have 1 forge. I can’t imagine that I’d need another one. That being said, I also have the Alchemy Lab and Hunter’s Lodge, so I’m going to use one of my 4 training camps for the hero academy.

I’m keeping all of my TCs running, and only converting forges. My last forge will simply convert back and forth between forge and Hunter’s Lodge, as needed.

It’ll take a little bit of planning:

  • Mostly it’ll just be a forge.
  • Each time one of my builders finishes an upgrade, I’ll check to see if I need to craft any poons in the Lodge. If so, I’ll convert, craft the poons, convert back to forge, and then proceeed with my next building upgrade.

Seems like a no-brainer to me…

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Hmmm… I do still have a forge. I run 8 farms so I have room for all 3 new buildings and still have a forge.
I’ll leave it for now and see what happens. I do use all of my training camps. Two running tc20, 1 running tc11 and one alternating from tc2 and tc19.

I’ll just focus on getting the HA upgraded as quickly as possible. I have 10 unleveled Basic 5* dupes to convert! :wink:

I get so much food now that I’m gonna use one of my farms for HA. Have no use for Alchemy or Hunters Lodge so I have plenty of room. :relaxed:

This is only viable if you have a spare builder. If you have all your buildings maxed (except one), that’s fine, but that’s not the majority of the community.

That was my original reason for getting them too, but I’ve since discovered the wonders of tornadoes, and even though they use 4 star materials, I get those faster than I use them.

Near term I’ve been low on iron between building AL, upgrading advanced mines, and actually having emblems for my 5 star heroes. And making tornadoes, which I may have a slight addiction problem with. :laughing:

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Which building should we convert into heroes academy?
I’ve saved one forje (I have 2 of them now) and converted a farm into alchemical lab. now my question is: to use my second forje (keeping just 1) or use any other building.

Use a forge, you really only need one.

Check out the following thread:

I’ll probably keep 1 forge, Alchemy Lab, Hero Academy, and switch between Hunter’s Lodge/Barracks over the last forge on an as-needed basis when a builder is available.

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I’m going to switch between a forge and the hunters lodge as needed (mostly will be a forge since hunters lodge is kind of a joke).

I actually like 2 forges so I converted my HL, and stockpiled harpoons. Not much use for HL crafted items.

It would be nice if they just gave you 2 more building slots to your base.

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I’d take one.

20 unfilled wishes