Handbook: Beginner roadmap · Commanders · Resources
Quick Answer
Build one coherent set for the primary commander of your main march. Improve the weakest useful slots, then compare permanent legendary replacements. The right blue or purple item can be a better immediate choice than a gold piece that consumes the whole material bank or buffs the wrong troops.
There is no universal weapon-first, helmet-second rule. Compare the item you are replacing, its stats, set interactions and the rest of the march.
Named Early Paths to Compare
| Troop/job | Affordable starting pieces | Next comparison |
|---|---|---|
| Infantry field | Gatekeeper's Shield; suitable Windswept pieces while developing | Infantry epics such as Seth's Brutality, Karuak's Humility and Frost Treads where they improve the slot |
| Cavalry field | Vanguard Halberd and Vanguard Greaves; suitable Windswept pieces | Cavalry epics such as Abyssal Visage, Dark Lord's Blessing, Iset's Sufferance and Heart of the Saint |
| Archer field | Staff of the Lost and suitable early archer pieces | Revival pieces and other archer epics where the complete stat/set comparison improves the march |
| Gathering | Gathering equipment on the actual gathering primary | Compare extra output with materials needed by the main fighting march |
These are progression candidates rather than a single mandatory six-piece prescription. The equipment reference provides item/set examples; inspect the actual current stats, special talent and crafting cost before replacing a piece.
Why a Cheap Piece Can Stay
Suppose one slot already provides useful troop stats with a matching special talent, while another slot is effectively empty. Replacing the good cheap item with an expensive legendary may add less immediate value than fixing the empty slot. Rarity alone does not tell you the incremental improvement.
Set bonuses can change that comparison. Count the bonus gained or lost when swapping a piece, and do not compare the new item's tooltip against the old item while forgetting the set it breaks.
Materials and Blueprints Are Separate Bottlenecks
A blueprint is permission to craft, not the entire cost. Check materials, gold and whether the item belongs in the intended permanent set. Continue routine material production and useful event rewards without buying every event merely because it contains equipment.
When deciding what to forge, list the complete cost of the next two or three realistic pieces. That makes it easier to see when one premium item delays several useful improvements. Do not count the same stored materials against every plan simultaneously.
Legendary Progression
Move toward a planned permanent set rather than buying disconnected gold pieces. An infantry player can compare an Eternal Empire route and suitable individual pieces; cavalry and archer players should make their own troop-specific comparisons. The right route depends on the blueprints available, existing special talents and whether the account fights in the field or leads specialised attacks.
Accessories come after understanding the pair. A skill-damage effect, normal-damage effect and rage effect are different purchases. Smite infantry should not automatically inherit the accessory/inscription plan from an older skill-damage pair.
Refinement, Iconic and Armaments
Refinement and iconic progression compete with different resources and improve different parts of the item. Read the iconic/refinement guide before investing in a temporary piece. Dismantling should not be assumed to refund every premium resource.
Formations and armaments sit alongside equipment. Start with useful base stats for the march and then compare inscription conditions. A perfect-looking inscription does not make an otherwise unsuitable set automatically better.
Check the Equipped March
Equipment on a secondary does not add another full set of bonuses to the pair. Equip the primary and inspect saved presets after changing commander order. Keep gathering and travel presets separate from the field army so a quick utility task does not send the next fighting march out wearing the wrong gear.
What should I forge next?
The piece with the most useful incremental improvement for the resources it consumes, considering set bonuses and how long you will keep it. Start with the main march's weak slots and compare actual alternatives instead of following a universal slot order.
Sources and Review
Source review: 9 September 2026. Game mechanics are drawn from the references below; spending priorities and play examples are editorial recommendations. This is source-reviewed guidance, not a claim of independent in-game testing.