Upgrading Your Gear
How to keep your hero geared as you climb, and why Ashenvale has no item sets.
No sets, no dead ends
Ashenvale has no item sets. No piece is worth more because you happen to own its three siblings, and no build is locked behind collecting a matched outfit. Every item stands on its own: its base, its level and its rolls.
That means:
- Any drop can be an upgrade for any slot, at any time.
- You're never stuck hunting one specific piece to finish a set.
- Mix and match freely. A melee hero can wear a unique helm, a crafted ring, a rare pair of boots and a market-bought chest, and every piece pulls its full weight.
- The market stays deep. Because every item is judged on its own rolls, there's always a buyer for a good one.
Ways to upgrade
Keep fighting
The simplest upgrade path is the one you're already on. Move to tougher monsters as you level: higher-level monsters drop higher item levels, which roll better numbers. See The World for which region suits which level.
Visit the merchants
Town merchants sell magic weapons and armour for gold, and each town's gear is tuned to its region. It's a reliable way to fill an empty slot or replace a poor one.
| Merchant | Town | Sells |
|---|---|---|
| Old Harl | Emberfall | Bronze starter weapons and gathering tools |
| Brynja | Emberfall | Iron-tier weapons and armour |
| Yusra | Qadir Oasis | Longbows, leather gloves and boots |
| Grub | Stiltwater | Rings, amulets and mithril gauntlets |
| Vulkar | Hearthguard | Emberforged weapons and armour |
| Ashka | Hearthguard | Mithril body armour and supplies |
| Old Rannoch | Kindlehold | Onyx amulets and supplies |
| Kaelda | Kindlehold | Emberforged weapons, gauntlets, boots and shields |
| Rook | Hollowmere | Emberforged weapons, amulets and boots |
Make it yourself
A good smith or crafter can make most weapons and armour. Higher skill means a higher item level on what you make, and a chance of magic. See Smithing and Crafting.
Buy it from players
The Grand Market is full of gear other players found and didn't need. Search by slot, and Price Check to know what's fair.
Improve what you have
Once you have a piece you like, crafting orbs let you re-roll it, gamble on it, or push it past its limits. A plain base with sockets can become a rune word instead: see Runes and Sockets.
A rough path
- Early: starter weapon, then whatever drops. Merchants in Emberfall fill gaps.
- Around your first regions: chase rares and the world uniques. Clear lairs for lair uniques.
- Mid game: mithril and emberforged tiers, well-rolled rares from the market, and your first orb gambles.
- Endgame: Nightmare drops with high item levels, Ember Throne uniques, and Emberstone to push your best pieces to +5.