To avoid wasting resources in RAID: Shadow Legends, decide what you are upgrading before spending: Rank raises a Champion’s level ceiling but consumes same-Rank Champions or Chickens; Ascension uses Affinity-matched Potions; Masteries require Scrolls; and Skill Tome upgrades are random. Check the target, materials, and next requirement in the relevant interface before confirming.
Know what each upgrade changes
Rank, level, Ascension, Skills, and Masteries use different resources and serve different purposes. Don’t spend one type of material expecting it to perform another upgrade.
| Upgrade | What it does or requires | Key safeguard |
|---|---|---|
| Level | Raises a Champion’s level within the cap for its current Rank. | Consider whether to use battle XP, Tavern items, or Sparring Pit time before spending eligible Champions as materials. |
| Rank | Raises the level cap. Promotion consumes same-Rank Champions or Chickens equal in number to the target’s current Rank. | The promoted Champion returns to Level 1, so plan for the leveling needed afterward. |
| Ascension | Uses Arcane Potions and Potions matching the Champion’s Affinity. | Check the next requirement shown in the Ascension interface before farming or mixing Potions. |
| Skills | Skill Tomes or duplicate copies of the same Champion can upgrade Skills. | Tome upgrades go to an eligible Skill at random; you cannot direct a Tome to a particular Skill. |
| Masteries | Use Mastery Scrolls from Minotaur’s Labyrinth, or Gems for instant upgrades in the Mastery interface. | Mastery tiers are gated by Rank. |
These mechanics are described in Plarium Support’s Tavern guide and Masteries guide.
Level a Champion with the right materials
Choose between battles and Tavern resources
The Tavern supports gaining XP through battles, XP Brews, XP Barrels, and sacrificing eligible Champions. Each option has a different opportunity cost: XP items are consumed, while using a Champion as material removes that Champion from your roster. The official guides do not establish a universal XP-per-energy comparison or best campaign stage, so choose based on your immediate goals and available resources rather than assuming one method is always most efficient.
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Before using Instant Upgrade, inspect its material selection. The Tavern interface includes filters for Rare Champions and Champions in vaults, and protected or tagged Champions are excluded. Confirm the proposed materials are expendable before proceeding.
Use the Sparring Pit for passive XP
The Sparring Pit generates XP without battles, but it does not promote Rank. A Champion can only level up there to the cap for its current Rank. It is therefore a way to make progress on leveling, not a substitute for Rank Up.
Rank Up only when you can afford the full progression
Rank determines a Champion’s level ceiling. Plarium lists these caps in its Tavern guide:
| Current Rank | Maximum level at that Rank | Same-Rank materials needed to promote |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | 1 |
| 2 | 20 | 2 |
| 3 | 30 | 3 |
| 4 | 40 | 4 |
| 5 | 50 | 5 |
| 6 | 60 | Not applicable; Rank 6 is the listed maximum |
The material count equals the target Champion’s current Rank. After promotion, that Champion returns to Level 1. Before committing, account for both the material cost and the XP needed to level it again toward its new cap.
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Do not treat every same-Rank Champion as food. A Champion may have roster, fusion, or Faction Guardian value; whether a duplicate or other Champion is expendable depends on your account. Protect candidates you may need, and inspect the selected materials before confirming a Rank Up.
Review batch Rank Ups before execution
Plarium’s Instant Rank Up guide describes filters that configure which rarities and Affinities the system spends first. The guide lists exclusions such as locked, Faction Guardian, vaulted, empowered, Arena Defense, and maximum-level Champions. Review the proposed materials and remove any target you do not want promoted before executing the batch.
Spend Skill Tomes only when random upgrades are acceptable
A Tome can improve damage, reduce a cooldown, or raise a buff or debuff chance, depending on which eligible Skill receives the upgrade. The game chooses that Skill randomly, so using a Tome does not guarantee improvement to the ability you value most. Duplicate copies of the same Champion can also upgrade Skills through the Tavern.
Plarium notes that Skill Tomes are hard to obtain and advises saving them for Champions you intend to invest in. Decide that the Champion merits the investment before using a Tome, and account for the random outcome.
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Rank #3
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- You share the love for anime, manga and shinobi folklore with a striking warrior surrounded by kanji, stars and ancient temple scenery, ideal when you dive into late night gaming raids, martial arts training sessions or moody horror and action marathons.
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Check Ascension requirements before farming Potions
Ascension requires Arcane Potions plus Potions matching the Champion’s Affinity. The Ascension interface shows the next requirement for that Champion and level; use it as the check before spending or farming.
Potions can be farmed in the appropriate Potion Dungeon, and the Potion Mixer can combine lower Potions when needed. Plarium’s Tavern guide also names the Shop as a source, but does not recommend spending there. Check the in-game requirement first so you do not farm or combine the wrong materials.
Plan Masteries around Rank gates
Mastery Scrolls come from Minotaur’s Labyrinth. Mastery tiers are gated by Rank, so a Champion cannot unlock tiers above its current Rank. Check the Masteries guide and the in-game Mastery interface to understand the available upgrades before committing Scrolls. Gems can be used for instant upgrades within that interface; weigh that option against earning Scrolls in the Labyrinth.
Quick Recap
A short pre-upgrade checklist
- Level: Is battle XP, a Tavern XP item, a Champion as material, or passive Sparring Pit XP the best fit for this target?
- Rank: Do you have the required number of same-Rank materials, and have you budgeted for leveling again from Level 1?
- Materials: Have you checked that selected Champions are not useful for your roster, a fusion, or Faction Guardians?
- Skills: Are you comfortable with a Tome upgrading an eligible Skill at random?
- Ascension: Have you checked the required Arcane and Affinity Potions for the next step?
- Masteries: Is the desired tier available at the Champion’s current Rank, and will you use Scrolls or Gems?
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