V Rising Gear Level Guide: Raise Your Gear Score
This guide explains how the gear level system works in V Rising and the most reliable ways to raise your gear score from the early game to the endgame. You raise your gear score by crafting better weapons and armor at the appropriate workbenches, then equipping them; the score is the average of your equipped weapon and armor item levels.
How Gear Score Is Calculated
Your gear score is the average of the item levels of your equipped weapon and all armor pieces (head, chest, gloves, legs, boots). Each item has a fixed item level determined by its tier and quality. For example, a full set of Bone armor and a Copper weapon at item level 9 gives a gear score of 9. When you craft a higher-tier item, its item level jumps, and equipping it raises your average.
The game displays your gear score as a single number in the character panel. It is not a weighted average, so upgrading any single piece helps, but upgrading all pieces evenly is the most efficient path. The maximum gear score in the current version is 81, achievable with Sanguine gear and a legendary weapon at item level 81.
Early Game: From 0 to 20
You start with no gear and a gear score of 0. Your first goal is to gather basic materials and craft your first weapon and armor set.
- Copper tier (level 9): Use the Simple Workbench to craft Copper weapons and Bone armor. You need Copper Ore, Bones, and Animal Hide.
- Iron tier (level 16): Unlock the Grinder and Forge. Craft Iron weapons and Reinforced Bone armor. You need Iron Ore, Sulfur, and Leather.
- Dark Silver tier (level 23): Use the Dark Silver weapons and armor from the Forge. You need Dark Silver Ingots, Spectral Dust, and Grave Dust.
Each tier raises your item level by 7, so a full set of the next tier gives a +7 gear score boost. Always prioritize crafting the weapon first, as it gives the same score boost as one armor piece but costs less material.
Mid Game: From 20 to 40
Around level 20, you will encounter the first major gear score gate: the boss Quincey the Bandit King at level 27. To defeat him, you need gear score around 25 or higher.
- Ghost Crystal tier (level 30): Unlock the Reaper and use Ghost Crystals to craft Ghost weapons and armor. These require Ghost Crystals from the Cursed Forest and Grave Dust.
- Merciless tier (level 37): Craft Merciless weapons and armor from the Forge. You need Merciless materials dropped by certain bosses and rare resources like Gold Ingots.
At this stage, you should also start upgrading your gear with gems and oils. Gems add stats but do not change item level. Oils, however, are used to upgrade gear at the Ancestral Forge, raising the item level by +1 per upgrade, up to +2 per piece at this tier.
End Game: From 40 to 81
After level 40, the grind becomes more demanding. You will need to defeat high-level bosses and collect rare materials.
- Blood Key tier (level 44): Unlock Blood Key weapons and armor. Requires Blood Essence and materials from the Cursed Forest and the Silverlight Hills.
- Shadow tier (level 51): Craft Shadow weapons and armor. Requires Shadow Essence and materials from the endgame zones.
- Sanguine tier (level 58): The final armor set, crafted from Sanguine materials dropped by the final bosses.
- Legendary weapons (level 81): The highest tier weapons, obtained from the final boss or from high-level loot chests. They have a base item level of 81.
To reach the maximum gear score, you must also upgrade every piece with oils. Each upgrade adds +1 item level, and you can upgrade each piece multiple times, but the number of upgrades is limited by the item’s tier. For example, Sanguine armor can be upgraded to +4, giving it a final item level of 62, while legendary weapons can be upgraded to +4, reaching 85, but the cap is 81.
How to Upgrade Gear with Oils
Oils are the primary way to increase the item level of your existing gear beyond its base. You can craft three types of oil at the Alchemy Table:
- Minor Oil: +1 upgrade, requires 20 Plant Fiber, 10 Blood Essence, and 5 Grave Dust.
- Major Oil: +2 upgrade, requires 30 Plant Fiber, 20 Blood Essence, and 10 Grave Dust.
- Superior Oil: +3 upgrade, requires 40 Plant Fiber, 30 Blood Essence, and 15 Grave Dust.
To apply an oil, place your gear in the Ancestral Forge (unlocked after defeating Leah the Shadow Priestess). Each piece can be upgraded a limited number of times based on its tier. For example, Copper gear can only be upgraded once, while Sanguine gear can be upgraded four times. Upgrading does not change the gear’s appearance or stats, only its item level.
Common Mistakes and Misconceptions
One common mistake is ignoring the weapon. Since your weapon is one of the six gear slots, a low-level weapon drags down your average just as much as a low-level chest piece. Always craft the highest-tier weapon you can.
Another misconception is that gems affect gear score. They do not. Gems only add secondary stats like crit chance or health, not item level. Only oils and crafting higher-tier items raise your gear score.
Some players also think that gear score is the only factor in combat. While it is important, your spell loadout and blood type also matter. A player with a lower gear score but a strong blood type (like Scholar or Brute) can outperform a higher-gear player with weak blood.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I increase my gear score fast? The fastest way is to focus on crafting the next tier of weapon and armor, then use oils to upgrade your best pieces. Prioritize the weapon, then the chest, legs, and head, as those give the biggest stat bonuses.
What is the max gear score in V Rising? The maximum gear score is 81. You achieve this by equipping a full set of Sanguine armor upgraded to +4 (item level 62 each) and a legendary weapon upgraded to +4 (item level 81).
Do gems increase gear score? No. Gems only add secondary stats. Only oils and crafting higher-tier items increase your gear score.
Can I upgrade gear more than once? Yes, but the number of upgrades depends on the item tier. Copper and Bone gear can be upgraded once, Iron and Reinforced Bone twice, Dark Silver and Ghost Crystal three times, and Sanguine and Legendary four times.
Why is my gear score not going up after crafting a new piece? Make sure you actually equip the new piece. Also, if you craft a piece of the same tier as your current gear, it will not raise your average. You need a higher tier or an upgraded piece.
Is gear score shared between PvE and PvP servers? No. Gear score is tied to your character on a specific server. Starting on a new server resets your gear and score.
Related
Method: the standard formula for this calculation, rounded as each result states. See how the calculators work or report an error.