Kingdom Saga Hero Ascension & Skill Materials Guide
This guide explains how hero ascension and skill upgrades work in Kingdom Saga, what materials each process requires, and how to farm them efficiently. You’ll learn the exact material types, where to get them, and how to prioritize your upgrades for maximum impact.
How Hero Ascension Works
In Kingdom Saga, hero ascension is the process of increasing a hero’s star rating (e.g., from 3★ to 4★). Each ascension raises the hero’s base stats, unlocks new skill levels, and increases the maximum level cap. To ascend a hero, you need a combination of duplicate hero shards, ascension stones, and gold. The exact requirements scale with the hero’s current star level and rarity.
For example, a 3★ hero typically needs 30 hero shards, 10 ascension stones, and a set amount of gold. A 4★ hero needs 50 shards, 20 stones, and more gold. The shards are specific to that hero, while ascension stones are a generic resource used across all heroes.
Skill Materials Overview
Skill materials are separate from ascension materials. They are used to level up a hero’s active and passive skills. Each skill has its own level (usually 1-10), and each level requires a certain number of skill tomes and gold. Higher-level skills require rarer tomes and significantly more gold.
There are three tiers of skill tomes: Common, Rare, and Epic. Common tomes are used for skill levels 1-3, Rare for levels 4-6, and Epic for levels 7-10. You also need a specific number of hero shards to unlock higher skill levels, which is why you should not spend all your shards on ascension alone.
Where to Farm Materials
Materials come from several sources, and the best source depends on your progression stage. Here are the main farming locations:
- Campaign stages – Normal and Hard stages drop common and rare tomes, ascension stones, and hero shards for specific heroes. Later stages drop more.
- Daily dungeons – Rotating dungeons (e.g., Monday for tomes, Wednesday for stones) provide a focused farm for one material type. Always check the schedule.
- Arena shop – Spend arena tokens on ascension stones and rare tomes. This is a reliable source if you participate regularly.
- Guild shop – Guild coins can buy epic tomes and universal hero shards, which are especially valuable.
- Events and login rewards – Limited-time events often give large bundles of materials, including epic tomes and universal shards.
How to Choose Which Hero to Upgrade First
Because materials are scarce, you should not upgrade every hero equally. Focus on your main team of five heroes. Prioritize heroes that fill multiple roles (e.g., a tank that also buffs) and those that are strong in both PvE and PvP. A good rule is to ascend your primary damage dealer first, then your tank, then your healer/support.
Also, check the hero’s skill scaling. Some heroes have skills that gain massive bonuses per level, making them better candidates for skill tomes. If a hero’s skill only adds a small flat amount per level, you can delay their skill upgrades.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
One common mistake is using universal hero shards on a hero you will soon replace. Universal shards are rare and should be saved for heroes you plan to use for a long time. Another mistake is ascending a hero before leveling their skills, because ascension increases the gold cost of skill upgrades. It is usually better to max out skills at the current star level before ascending.
Also, do not ignore the daily dungeons. Even if you do not need the material right now, the dungeons have a limited number of attempts per day, and you will need those materials later. Always use all your daily attempts.
Costs and Resource Management
Gold is often the bottleneck. A single hero’s full ascension and skill upgrade path can cost millions of gold. To manage this, focus on one hero at a time and do not spread your gold thin. Use gold only for upgrades, not for refreshing stamina or buying random items in the shop.
In terms of real money, you can buy materials with gems, but it is rarely efficient. Free-to-play players can progress just fine by farming daily and participating in events. The game gives enough free gems to buy stamina refills during double-drop events, which is the best use of gems.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fastest way to get hero shards?
The fastest way is to farm the hero’s specific campaign stage on Hard difficulty, as it gives a guaranteed drop of 1-2 shards per run. You can also refresh those stages with gems, but only do so during double-drop events. The Arena and Guild shops are slower but provide a steady trickle.
Should I ascend or level skills first?
Generally, level skills first up to the current cap, then ascend. This is because ascension increases the gold cost for skill upgrades, so you save gold by upgrading skills before ascending. However, if you are stuck on a boss that requires higher base stats, ascending first may be better.
Can I get epic skill tomes without paying?
Yes. Epic tomes drop from the highest difficulty of the daily tome dungeon, and they are also available in the Guild shop and from event rewards. It takes time, but you can get them consistently without spending money.
Is there a way to reset a hero’s upgrades and get materials back?
No, there is no reset function in Kingdom Saga. Once you spend materials, they are gone. This is why it is important to plan your upgrades carefully and not upgrade heroes you will not use long-term.
How many hero shards do I need to fully ascend a 5-star hero?
To go from 5★ to 6★, you need 100 shards of that hero. To go from 6★ to 7★, you need 150 shards. So for a full path from 5★ to 7★, you need 250 shards. This is a long-term goal, so save your universal shards for this.
What is the best use of universal hero shards?
Use them only on heroes you are sure you will keep in your main team for months. The best candidates are heroes that are hard to farm from campaign stages, such as event-exclusive or arena-only heroes. Do not use them on easily farmable heroes.
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