Gear Guide: Hero Equipment & Upgrade Priorities
Key Insight: A fully geared hero can be the difference between winning and losing a major battle, especially in rallies. Focus your gear investment strategically.
Hero gear is one of the most powerful ways to boost your army's strength in Kingshot. This guide covers everything from gear basics to end-game optimization.
Gear Rarity Progression
Kingshot has six gear rarity tiers:
| Rarity | Color | Max Level | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Common | Grey | 20 | Starting gear |
| Uncommon | Green | 40 | Early game |
| Rare | Blue | 60 | Mid game |
| Epic | Purple | 80 | Late game transition |
| Mythic | Gold | 100 | End game |
| Legendary | Red | 200 | Post-Imbuement |
Imbuement: Once Mythic (Gold) gear reaches level 100, you can transform it into Red gear through Imbuement. Red gear can then be upgraded to level 200.
The Main March Rule
Before anything else: Identify your main march—the top 3 heroes you use in fights.
Only your main march matters in most big events:
- Bear Hunt
- Castle Battle
- Alliance Championship
- Sanctuaries
- All Out War
Don't spread gear across many heroes. Focus everything on your main 3.
Troop Type Gear Priority
Each gear set benefits a specific troop type. Build complete sets rather than half-built sets across multiple heroes.
Infantry Gear — Upgrade First
Infantry form the backbone of your defense. With high health, they soak damage and protect your damage-dealers.
Priority Stats: Health > Defense > Attack
Key Pieces to Prioritize:
- Infantry Gloves
- Infantry Shroud
Why First? Infantry take the most damage on the front line. Keeping them alive longer means your archers deal more damage overall.
Upgrade Level Targets
Core Gear (Main March):
- XP Level: 80-100
- Forgehammer Level: 7-10
Secondary Gear:
- XP Level: 40-60
- Forgehammer Level: 4-5
Tertiary Gear:
- Upgrade only when core gear is maxed
Gear Enhancement vs Mastery Reforge
Understanding the difference between Enhancement and Mastery Reforge saves you thousands of materials and hours of farming.
Enhancement: The Smart Way to Upgrade
Enhancement lets you transfer ALL upgrades from one piece of gear to another with 100% material recovery.
How Enhancement Works:
- Upgrade your current gear fully (XP + Forgehammers)
- When you get better gear, use Enhancement to transfer
- Old gear downgrades to level 1, new gear gets all levels
- You receive 100% of invested materials back
What Gets Transferred:
- All XP levels
- All Forgehammer upgrades
- All invested materials returned
Enhancement Cost:
- 200 gems per enhancement
- No material loss
Strategy: Enhancement makes it safe to fully upgrade gear you might replace. Always use Enhancement when upgrading to better gear.
Example:
- You have Epic boots at Level 80 with 5 Forgehammer upgrades
- You get Legendary boots
- Use Enhancement: Pay 200 gems
- Result: Legendary boots instantly become Level 80 + 5 Forgehammers
- Bonus: You get back all the XP items and Forgehammers you used on Epic boots
When to Use Enhancement:
- Upgrading from Epic to Legendary gear
- Upgrading from Legendary to Mythic gear
- Switching between gear sets (Infantry to Archer, etc.)
- Moving levels from one hero's gear to another
How to Enhance Gear (Step-by-Step)
Step 1: Open your hero's equipment screen
Step 2: Select the gear piece you want to upgrade to (new, better gear)
Step 3: Tap "Enhancement" button
Step 4: Select the old gear piece to transfer FROM
Step 5: Confirm transfer (costs 200 gems)
Step 6: New gear instantly receives all levels and upgrades
Step 7: Collect returned materials from your mailbox
Enhancement Tips
- Plan Your Upgrades: Enhance when you get Legendary or Mythic gear, not for minor upgrades
- Don't Hoard: It's safe to upgrade current gear fully, knowing you can transfer later
- Save Gems: Keep 1,000+ gems reserved for Enhancement costs
- Event Timing: Avoid Enhancement during Strongest Governor event (Hall of Governors) unless it counts for points
The Rally Leader Rule
Hero Gear only counts when YOU start a rally.
When you join someone else's rally, your hero gear provides zero benefit. Only the rally leader's gear affects the battle.
Implication: If you're primarily a rally joiner, gear investment matters less. If you lead rallies, gear is essential.
Stat Priority Explained
In most battles, two stats determine victory: Health and Lethality.
Health
- Keeps troops alive longer
- Most important for Infantry (front line)
- Allows your damage dealers more time to work
Lethality
- Directly increases kill count
- Most important for Archers and Cavalry
- The primary offensive stat
Attack vs Lethality
- Attack increases damage dealt
- Lethality increases kills scored
- Lethality is generally superior for competitive play
Defense
- Reduces incoming damage
- Secondary to Health in most cases
- More valuable in drawn-out battles
Gear Set Completion Strategy
Goal: Complete three full gear sets—one for each troop type
- Infantry Set — Complete first
- Archer Set — Complete second
- Cavalry Set — Complete third
Why? Half-built sets across 6 heroes is far less effective than 3 complete sets on your main march.
Completion Order
- Finish all Infantry gear to level 80+
- Move to Archer gear, level to 80+
- Complete Cavalry gear to 80+
- Then push all sets toward 100 and Imbuement
Path to Red Gear
Phase 1: Build to Mythic
- Acquire Mythic (Gold) gear through events and progression
- Focus on main march heroes only
- Use Enhancement to safely upgrade
- Target: All 6 slots at Mythic rarity
Event Optimization
Governor Gear Day (Hall of Governors)
During HoG's Governor Gear stage:
- Upgrading gives 500 points per "max score" point
- Enhancement refunds 100%—plan upgrades around this
- Mastery Reforge returns only ~50%—avoid during events
Event Tip: Save gear upgrade materials for Governor Gear Day in Hall of Governors to double-dip on rewards and progress.
Common Mistakes
Avoid These Errors:
- ❌ Spreading gear across too many heroes
- ❌ Prioritizing Cavalry before Infantry
- ❌ Ignoring the rally leader rule
- ❌ Using Mastery Reforge instead of Enhancement
- ❌ Upgrading secondary heroes before main march is complete
Quick Reference
| Gear Type | Priority | Key Stat | Core Pieces |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infantry | 1st | Health | Gloves, Shroud |
| Archer | 2nd | Lethality | Faceplate, Riders |
| Cavalry | 3rd | Lethality | Armet, Boots |
Summary
Gear optimization in Kingshot requires focus and discipline. Build complete sets for your main march before expanding. Remember that gear only matters when you lead rallies—joiners get no gear benefits. Prioritize Infantry gear first for survivability, then Archers for damage output. Save upgrade materials for events when possible.
Bottom Line: Three complete sets on your main march beats six incomplete sets across random heroes.