Rankings
Best Nuke in Merge a Nuke
The best nuke ranked by income and raid value — overall, for raiding, and for the early game. Updated July 2026.
Quick answer
Best Nuke by Use Case
Best overall: the S band (your deepest merges)
Highest passive income and the only nukes worth committing to a declared war, where 100% war score steals about half the target's cash. Every progression path ends here — but since July 18, held nukes take damage when your base is attacked, so lock up before you log off.
Full details →Best for raiding now: the A band
Enough damage to matter and cheap enough that losing one is not a disaster. Raid with the A band while your grid keeps merging upward — waiting for the S band before raiding at all just wastes income.
Full details →Best early game: the B band
The first band where raids succeed and income becomes self-sustaining. It is also the level where Town Square (150,000 HP) starts becoming realistic. Rush it by merging every duplicate on sight.
Full details →Every Nuke Ranked
| Rank | Band | Tier 1 equivalents | Cash/sec (est.) | Raid value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 · S | Top-Tier Band | 4,096 | $2,500 | Maximum steal potential |
| #2 · A | Advanced Band | 512 | $450 | High raid damage |
| #3 · B | Mid Band | 64 | $90 | Moderate raid success |
| #4 · C | Basic Band | 8 | $22 | Limited raid payoff |
| #5 · D | Starter Band | 1 | $4 | Negligible |
Tier 1 equivalents are exact merge arithmetic. Cash/sec is a relative estimate only — the game publishes no official income table. Rankings can shift with Friday balance patches; see the update log.
How to Reach the Best Nuke Faster
- Redeem every active code — free cash and nukes are pure merge fodder.
- Merge every duplicate on sight; unmerged duplicates are lost income.
- Buy Spawn Tier upgrades so new spawns start closer to high tiers.
- Rebirth once income plateaus — the permanent cash bonus makes each climb faster, and the payback calculator there tells you whether resetting now is worth it.
- Check your projected income on the calculator to see what each tier jump is worth.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best nuke in Merge a Nuke?
The best nuke is whatever sits at the top of your own merge chain — the game has no single hidden best item. Every merge doubles you up a tier, so an S-band nuke represents roughly 4,096 starter bombs of material. That is also why raising your spawn tier beats collecting more low-tier bombs.
What is the best nuke for raiding?
The A band is the practical raid workhorse — enough damage to matter, cheap enough that losing one is not a disaster. Save your S-band nukes for declared wars, where reaching 100% war score steals about 50% of the target's cash.
How do I reach the top band fast?
Redeem all active codes for free cash and nukes, merge every duplicate on sight, buy Spawn Tier upgrades so new spawns start higher, and rebirth once your income plateaus — the permanent cash bonus speeds up each subsequent climb.
How much cash does a top-tier nuke earn per second?
Nuke The Game has never published an income table, so no site can honestly quote an exact figure. What is verifiable is the relative scale: each merge tier roughly doubles value, so compare bands against each other rather than trusting an absolute cash/sec number.
Should I keep low-tier nukes on my grid?
No. Merge D-tier and C-tier duplicates immediately — every unmerged duplicate is lost income. Grid slots filled with your highest available tier always out-earn hoarded low tiers.