On this page
- Level and rank first. They set a champion's size - and rank is the only step that eats other champions.
- Ascension (the purple stars) raises base stats and, for most champions, adds or upgrades a skill.
- Gear and masteries are where most of a build's power comes from; skill books and empowerment are the finishing touches.
- Do not spread resources thin. Finish one champion before starting the next.
The ladder at a glance
| Step | What it does | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Level | More HP, ATK and DEF, up to the cap for the champion's rank | XP, XP brews, fodder |
| Rank up (yellow stars) | A much bigger base-stat jump, and a higher level cap | Silver and other champions |
| Ascension (purple stars) | Higher base stats; a skill unlock or upgrade for most champions | Potions |
| Awakening and blessing | Adds one extra effect called a blessing | Souls |
| Empowerment | A fixed set of stat bonuses (Epic and above) | Duplicate copies of the champion |
| Skill books | Upgrades skills (more damage, better chances, shorter cooldown) | Skill tomes |
| Masteries | Permanent bonuses and combat effects from a choice of trees | Mastery scrolls or gems |
| Gear | The largest source of stats, with set bonuses | Silver and farming time |
Level and rank
A champion has between one and six yellow stars, called the rank. Each rank has a maximum level:
| Rank | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max level | 10 | 20 | 30 | 40 | 50 | 60 |
To rank up, a champion must be at the maximum level for its current rank. Then you sacrifice champions of the same rank as the one you are upgrading: a rank-N champion needs N of them to reach rank N+1. A "chicken" (a special item) counts as one of those sacrificed champions. The upgraded champion starts again at level 1, but with stronger base stats, and you level it up to the new cap.
The sacrificed champions do not have to be high level, so many players use cheap fodder (see your first weeks in RAID). Mystery Shards are the usual supply.
Ascension
Once a champion is ranked up, it can be ascended: each level turns one of its yellow stars purple, from 0 up to 6. You need a yellow star free to turn purple, so a 5-star champion can ascend at most five times until it is ranked up. Common champions cannot be ascended.
Ascension costs potions: Arcane potions plus the potion of the champion's affinity. They come mostly from the Keep dungeons and come in three sizes (Lesser, Greater, Superior) that can be mixed upwards in the Tavern. The cost depends on the champion's rarity. For example, taking a Legendary champion all the way costs 21 Superior potions of its affinity, plus Arcane potions.
What you get
- Higher base stats. A full ascension raises HP, ATK and DEF by a typical 6 to 9 percent for Rare to Legendary champions. Some champions also gain a few points of SPD, RES, ACC or critical damage. Arbiter, for example, has a base SPD of 100 with no ascension and 110 fully ascended, and about 9 percent more HP.
- A skill unlock or upgrade. For most Rare, Epic and Legendary champions (roughly 8 in 10 Rare and Epic, 9 in 10 Legendary), ascension adds a skill or changes one at ascension level 3. The champion pages on this site show the skill list of a fully ascended champion.
- Extra gear slots. The amulet and banner slots are reported to open at ascension levels 5 and 6; see accessories, glyphs and ascension.
Awakening and blessings
Awakening is a newer track that sits beside ascension. You apply Souls to a champion at the Altar of Souls to raise its awakening level, and an awakened champion can carry one blessing: an extra effect whose strength grows with the awakening level.
- A champion cannot be awakened higher than its ascension level, so ascend first.
- There are two kinds of souls. A "perfect" soul takes the champion straight to the level shown on it; a "split" soul raises it one level at a time.
Empowerment
Empowerment is the last big stat step. It is available to Epic and Legendary champions (a Mythical is reported to follow the Legendary rules), up to four times. You sacrifice duplicate copies of the same champion - four in all, one for each level - and the champion gains fixed bonuses. A few one-of-a-kind champions use a named stand-in instead of their own duplicates; the Empower screen in the game tells you which.
| Level | Epic | Legendary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | +10% HP, ATK, DEF; +10 RES, ACC | +10% HP, ATK, DEF; +15 RES, ACC |
| 2 | +10% HP, ATK, DEF; +10 RES, ACC; +5 SPD; +5 C.DMG | +10% HP, ATK, DEF; +10 RES, ACC; +10 SPD |
| 3 | +10% HP, ATK, DEF; +10 RES, ACC | +10% HP, ATK, DEF; +5 RES, ACC |
| 4 | +10% HP, ATK, DEF; +10 RES, ACC; +5 SPD; +5 C.RATE; +10 C.DMG | +10% HP, ATK, DEF; +10 RES, ACC; +5 SPD; +10 C.RATE; +30 C.DMG |
| Total at level 4 | +40% HP, ATK, DEF; +40 RES, ACC; +10 SPD; +5 C.RATE; +15 C.DMG | +40% HP, ATK, DEF; +40 RES, ACC; +15 SPD; +10 C.RATE; +30 C.DMG |
The percentages apply to base stats. Each level's bonuses are added to the previous levels'.
Skill books
Each skill can be upgraded a few times with skill tomes. An upgrade may add damage, raise the chance of a buff or debuff, or - on the best books - shorten the cooldown. Each champion page lists what each skill gains. Tomes have a rarity: an Epic tome can be used on an Epic champion or a lower rarity. Because high-rarity tomes are scarce, the usual advice is to spend them only on champions you plan to use for a long time, and to prioritise the skills that gain a shorter cooldown.
Masteries
Masteries are permanent upgrades in three trees: Offense, Defense and Support. Some give flat stats and some change how a skill or status behaves. You open them with mastery scrolls (mostly from the Minotaur's Labyrinth dungeon), or you can pay gems to unlock all of a champion's masteries at once - the price reported by several guides is 800 gems. The full list and what to pick are in Masteries.
Gear
Gear is the biggest single source of stats, and it is where you will spend most of your time. Start with the basics in Gear basics, then see what to aim for.
A sensible order
- Level and rank the champion to 6 stars. Everything else depends on it. This is the step that needs the most fodder.
- Put on a complete set of gear. A matching set beats perfect stats on mismatched pieces.
- Ascend to at least level 3, so you get the unlocked skill, then the rest as potions allow.
- Open masteries once you know the champion will stay in your team.
- Book the skills that matter - the ones that shorten a cooldown first.
- Awaken and add a blessing, and empower if you have the duplicates, when the basics are done.
Next: Building your first team.