Gear in Season 4

By Season 4, your primary squad should have a complete gold gear set at Level 40 with multiple pieces at 2-star or higher. Many competitive players are pushing toward 4-star and Mythic gear. The gear system itself does not change — what changes is how gear interacts with two new systems: the Armament Institute and Tactics Cards.

For full gear mechanics, see the Pre-Season 1 Gear Guide.

Season 4 Gear Focus

Season 4 gear strategy has two priorities: continue star promotion toward Mythic, and start Armament Institute research. The Armament Institute adds a new layer of stat progression that complements your existing gear. Tactics Cards interact with gear by providing additive stat bonuses that compound with your gear's base stats. Together, these systems make every gear upgrade more valuable than before.

What Changed from Season 3

Armament Institute

The Armament Institute is a new building introduced in Season 4 that provides additional stat boosts through 4 sequential research paths:

Research PathDetails

1. HelmetDefensive stat bonuses. Must be completed first. Fastest to finish

2. Body ArmorDefensive bonuses plus HP. Unlocks after Helmet completion

3. AccessoriesMixed offensive and utility stats. Unlocks after Body Armor

4. WeaponOffensive stat bonuses. Longest path but biggest damage payoff. Unlocks after Accessories

The Institute cannot be upgraded — it functions from the moment you unlock it. The progression is entirely through research, which requires two new resources: Armament Materials (common, steady supply) and Armament Core (rare, the bottleneck).

Start Research Immediately

The Armament Institute research paths are long. Start Helmet research on Day 1 and keep the queue running constantly. Every day you delay is a day further from the Weapon path's offensive bonuses. The sequential order is non-negotiable — you cannot skip to Weapon research.

Tactics Card Interaction with Gear

Tactics Cards provide additive stat bonuses that stack with your gear:

A Tactics Card that gives +ATK adds directly to your gear's ATK bonuses
This means higher-starred gear benefits more from Tactics Cards — the same percentage bonus on a larger base number equals more raw stats
Gear star promotion becomes even more valuable because Tactics Cards amplify the promoted stats
Exclusive Weapons scale from base stats that include both gear and Tactics Card bonuses

Resource Scarcity

Season 4's darkness mechanic reduces resource generation by 30% when outside Lighthouse range:

Material farming is harder — keep your base in the light to maintain full production
Ceramic production from the Material Workshop is affected — ensure your base stays powered
Plan gear upgrades carefully — resource waste in Season 4 is more punishing than any previous season
The absence of stone and quartz from alliance tiles means planning material sources in advance

Star Promotion Priority (Season 4)

If you are still working on star promotion, priorities remain carry-first:

All Squad Types

Carry's GunMaximum damage output. Push to 4-star, then Mythic (5-star). Tactics Cards amplify promoted stats

4★ → 5★

Main Tank's RadarSurvivability for your front line. Push to 4-star. Critical for Copper War garrison duty

4★

Carry's ChipCrit multipliers compound with Tactics Card crit bonuses. Push to 4-star

4★

Main Tank's ArmorPhysical defence for garrison durability. Push to 2-star or higher

2★+

Remaining piecesContinue promoting carry's defensive gear, then secondary DPS, then support heroes

2★+

Mythic Gear Progression

By Season 4, Mythic (5-star, red) gear should be achievable for your carry's Gun at minimum:

Mythic Blueprint Sources

SourceSeason 4 Notes

Ammo Bonanza EventsStill the primary source. Exchange 600+ bullets for up to 10 Mythic Blueprints per cycle

Season StoreCheck each refresh. Season 4 currency can buy blueprints

Copper War RewardsHigher copper accumulation provides gear-related rewards

Special EventsAnniversary and seasonal events remain the best Mythic Blueprint sources

Realistic Season 4 Mythic Timeline

Most competitive players should have 1-2 Mythic pieces by early Season 4
Target: Carry's Gun at Mythic, working toward carry's Chip at Mythic
Do not rush Mythic at the expense of balanced star promotion — three 4-star pieces outperform one Mythic and two 2-stars
Armament Institute research provides separate stat gains — do not neglect it for Mythic chasing

Armament Institute Strategy

Resource Management

ResourceStrategy

Armament MaterialsCommon resource. Flows from normal gameplay. Spend freely on research — you will not run out before Core becomes the bottleneck

Armament CoreRare bottleneck. Spend carefully. Required for higher-tier research nodes. Do not waste on anything except research

Research Priority

The research order is fixed (Helmet, Body Armor, Accessories, Weapon), but within each path:

Complete each path fully before the next unlocks — no shortcuts
Prioritise the highest-tier nodes within each path — they provide the largest stat increases
Keep the research queue running constantly — downtime wastes the season
Stockpile Armament Core for the later paths (Accessories and Weapon) where the requirements increase

Gear Loadout Considerations for Copper War

Copper War introduces specific gear considerations:

Garrison defenders should maximise defensive gear star levels — Murphy's Radar and Armor are the highest priority
Rally attackers should maximise carry's Gun and Chip — burst damage breaks garrisons
If you play both roles, note that gear does not swap with T11 troop type — your gear stays the same regardless of Armored or Assault mode

Common Season 4 Gear Mistakes

Not starting Armament Institute research — the research is long and the building requires no upgrades. Start on Day 1
Ignoring Tactics Card synergy with gear — cards and gear are additive. Both matter. Investing in one without the other leaves power on the table
Operating in darkness — the -30% resource generation penalty slows your gear progression. Stay in Lighthouse range
Hoarding Armament Materials — spend them on research. They are the common resource, not the bottleneck
Neglecting star promotion for Armament Institute — both provide stats, but star promotion on existing gear is usually more impactful point for point. Balance your investment
Not planning around missing stone and quartz tiles — Season 4 removes alliance stone and quartz tiles. Source these materials elsewhere
Rushing Mythic on second squad before primary is complete — your primary squad's star promotion always comes first

Related Guides

Season 3 Gear Guide — previous season reference
Pre-Season 1 Gear Guide — full gear mechanics and crafting
Tactics Cards Guide — how card stats interact with gear
T11 Troops Guide — Armament Institute details
Lighthouse & Electricity Guide — resource generation in the light

Gear Guide (Season 4)

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