Custom Keyboards Keyboard Tiers
When the next board is S-tier for Kick Power, and when slots or train speed are the better buy.
Keyboards in Custom Keyboards are Kick Power engines. The official loop says to buy better keyboards to earn more Kick Power so rolls improve. This page ranks purchase timing, not fictional model names. If a shop row shows a new board, judge it by Kick Power gained per cash, whether it changes how you kick, and whether it indirectly unlocks slots or station upgrades. Do not copy a named ladder from Build a Keyboard or any other clone.
Related pages: Tier List Hub, keycap tiers, mutation tiers, upgrade priority, and how to kick.
S through F for boards
S — The next Kick Power jump you can actually afford that changes rolls. If the HUD preview shows a clearly larger kick and you have been rolling filler for ten minutes, this purchase is S. After you buy it, it becomes the new baseline, not a trophy. Skin-only boards are never S.
A — Strong Kick Power with a fair cost. Buy these on the planned path. Skip only if train speed or the upgrade station would let you afford the S jump faster.
B — Sidegrades. A board that looks nicer or sits on a skin plot but barely moves Kick Power. Buy with leftover cash, never before slots you need.
C — Starter and early rungs. Necessary, then obsolete. Do not park on C because you like the sound. The tycoon wants you to move.
D — Cosmetic keyboards and plot skins. They belong on skin plots. They do not print money. Rank them D for progression even if they are S for your screenshot.
F — Purchases that bankrupt the rebirth plan. If buying this board delays rebirth or empties the cash you need for keycap slots, it is F this session even if it is A in a vacuum.
Kick Power versus everything else
Kick Power is why the shop exists. Train keyboard and upgrade speed make kicks more comfortable. The upgrade station and keycap slots make the rolls you already have pay. A keyboard that is S for Kick Power can still be the wrong click if your slots are empty and your placed caps are C-tier. Run this checklist:
- Are slots empty? Buy slots before a B keyboard.
- Are you failing to step because movement is slow? Train / speed before a cosmetic board.
- Is every roll still filler after a long session? Buy the Kick Power jump.
- Is rebirth unlocked and clearly profitable? Do not blow the pile on a D skin.
- Is a trader offering you S caps for cash you were about to spend on a B board? Trade, then kick.
Shop packs and the spin wheel can contain boards. Still apply the same ranks after you see the Kick Power number. A pack is not S because it cost Robux.
Early, mid, late boards
Early. Your first upgrades after codes and group rewards should be the cheapest Kick Power rungs plus enough slots to hold Getting Started rolls. C and B boards live here.
Mid. You start skipping rungs if the shop allows, or you buy every A rung if prices are linear. Watch money per step on the keycap list. If step money rose because of caps, not kicks, delay the next board and fill slots.
Late. Keyboards are fuel for trading. You want Kick Power high enough that you can roll mutants worth listing in the safe zone. If a board does not help rolls or slots, it is a skin plot. Best setups shows how boards, slots, and stepping routes sit together on a 4-player plot.
Rebirth and keyboards
The public listing does not spell out every rebirth reset. Read the in-game prompt. If keyboards or Kick Power reset, an S board you cannot recoup in the next hour is a trap. If they persist, buying S before rebirth is correct. Confirm, then act. Do not assume the rules from Paint My Keyboard or +1 Speed Keyboard Escape.
Offline earnings care about placed keycaps, not about how expensive the unused shop row is. After a purchase, kick, place, step, and leave if you need to. The new Kick Power only matters when you are actually rolling.
Treat the shop as a Kick Power ladder with cosmetic noise. Buy the rung that changes rolls, ignore names people invented in comments, and send leftover cash to slots, station, and train speed. When Kick a Keyboard adds a new top board, rank it with the same five-point checklist instead of sliding it into S because the thumbnail glows.
Frequently Asked Questions
Codes, Kick Power, trading, and Boba answers in one place.
What is the best keyboard?
The next affordable Kick Power jump that improves rolls. This wiki does not invent model names or a fake endgame SKU.
Should I buy every keyboard in order?
Buy rungs that raise Kick Power. Skip cosmetics. If a mid board is a sidegrade, spend on slots instead. See upgrade priority.
Do skin plots change Kick Power?
No. Skin plots are display. Rank those purchases D for progression.
Does rebirth delete my keyboard?
Read the in-game rebirth prompt. Public copy does not fully itemize resets. Details on rebirth.
Are pack keyboards always worth it?
Only if the Kick Power number beats the next shop rung. Robux spent does not confer an S rank.