No more "new hero every month."
The game now has 18 final heroes. Three unit types. Six combo trios. Hero Swap lets you trade in any old hero you've leveled and move all that progress onto one of the 18.
How a swap works in 4 steps
The rules to know before you swap
Allowed
- Army hero to Army target
- Air hero to Air target
- Navy hero to Navy target
- Hero must be in Base, not on a march
Not allowed
- Mixing unit types
- Swapping to a target someone already swapped to
- Undoing a swap. It's permanent.
What moves to the target
Both equipped and in your bag
Everything spent to 5-star the source hero
All the XP you spent leveling the source
Resets to 1 star, Lv. 1 with 10 Shards
Watch out: Talents (Perks) swap too
The source hero and target hero swap their perks. The perks are not actually lost, just hidden on the hero that is reset. There will be light blue arrow icons on the hero portrait when exchanging perks in the future, to identify these heroes.
Tip: Use Exchange Talent in-game to move perks back to the hero you want them on.
Who can I swap to? The 18 targets.
Each army type has 6 targets grouped into 2 trios of 3. When all 3 trio heroes are in the same march, a trio bonus kicks in.
What is awakening?
A new way to level up your best heroes. Each awakened hero gets up to +240,000 Combat Power. Right now only 6 Phase I heroes can be awakened.
To awaken a hero, you need:
Plus 1 Awakening Card for that specific hero.
How you get Awakening Cards
Each card awakens one hero. That's why awakening is the slow part. You can't rush it without buying cards.
You'll spend two different things
Awakening uses two separate currencies. Don't mix them up.
What it does: Levels up the 4 awakening skills (Tier 1 to 10).
Where to get it: Path of Awakening event, Grand Slam vouchers, mail.
Key milestones:
2,700 per hero to reach the Tier 6 target.
9,000 per hero to max to Tier 10.
What it does: Raises that hero's Awakening Level from 1 to 40 (which unlocks the 4 skills).
Where to get it: Same Hero Shards and Lv. 1 Hero Exclusive Skills you already use for that hero. Hero Shards alone take you all the way to Lv. 10. Chips first kick in on the Lv. 10 to Lv. 11 upgrade and every upgrade after that (each Lv. 1 skill is crafted from 25 Exclusive Skill Shards, so 700 chips = 17,500 shards if you have to craft them).
Key milestone: Awakening Lv. 30 unlocks Skill 4 (all 4 open).
Beyond Tier 10? There's more progression past Tier 10 on each skill (more sub-levels using the same Awakening Stones, around 39,900 stones per hero for the full extension). Most players will be far from Tier 10 for a long time. Worry about this later.
The 4 awakening skills unlock as you level up
You don't get all 4 skills at once. Your Awakening Level unlocks them one at a time.
Each skill levels up by Tier
Once a skill unlocks at Tier 1, you spend Awakening Stones to push it up. Max is Tier 10. The big payoff sits at Tier 6.
The 18 awakening heroes
Phase I is live on all servers. Phase II and III heroes show as muted cards until their phase opens, but they're already valid Hero Swap targets right now.
For whales / tubby folks: Path of Awakening at max gives 369 Awakening Stones per event. Hero Grand Slam caps at 6,000 Awakening Stones. It costs 2,700 stones to take a hero's awakening skills all the way to Tier 6.
That means you can finish 2 heroes to Tier 6 in 1 month, or 4 heroes in 2 months, with 969 stones leftover each month. I do not expect Phase 2 Indestructible heroes to land for at least 60 to 90 more days, so there's a real runway here.
Not a whale? Check the Awakening Stone Costs tab for non-whale pacing notes.
Pick your main unit type hero. Awaken up to Lv. 30. Push Skills 2 and 3 to Tier 6 first, then Skill 4, then Skill 1. Whales finish with ES7 and Awakening Lv. 40.
- Pick the attacker hero in your strongest unit type. (Attacker = damage dealer, not the ATK-enhancement support.)
- Awaken that hero and push to Awakening Lv. 30. If you can't reach Lv. 30, aim for Lv. 10 or Lv. 20 to unlock as many skills as possible.
- Take Skill 2 and Skill 3 to Tier 6 first, then Skill 4, then Skill 1. If you don't have Skill 4 yet, work on what you can.
- Only after all that, worry about Lv. 40 or ES7.
The pacing I actually use
A deeper read once you've internalized the simple plan. Built for two-unit-type players (main + base defender), tuned for sustainable shard spend.
Awakening order
First the damage hero on your main unit type (Sara, Jett, or Shen Suyu).
Then the damage hero on your secondary unit type, the one that handles the type your main is weak against. Most players run a main + a base defender, so pair them like this:
Exclusive Skills + Awakening Level
ES5 first, then Awakening Lv. 30. ES7 and Lv. 40 are finishing moves.
Take the main attacker to ES5 then Awakening Lv. 30. Check whether you can also get the secondary attacker to Awakening 10 or 20. If you still have Exclusive Skill shards left over after that, then go for ES7.
Awakening Lv. 40 is one of the last two finishing steps for the march. It costs 50 Hero Shards + 40 Hero Exclusive Skills per level for +2,000 CP, which is worse value than almost everything else early on.
Small + mid-size players
If you don't get 5,000 to 6,000 skill shards every few months, climb Awakening Levels in sets of 10.
Don't sink everything into one hero's Lv. 30 push and leave your secondary stuck at Lv. 1. Alternate so both heroes pick up skill unlocks.
Example sequence (Sara as main, Jett as secondary):
- Sara to Awakening Lv. 10 (unlocks Skill 2)
- Jett to Lv. 10 (unlocks Skill 2 on her)
- Sara to Lv. 20 (unlocks Skill 3)
- Then either Jett to Lv. 20 or Sara to Lv. 30, depending on appetite
ES7 is genuinely useful, but before you deplete the Exclusive Skill shards in your backpack, ask yourself: do I have enough left to handle the Awakening Levels on my other heroes over the next 3 months?
All of this shifts based on your spending appetite and how many unit types you actually use. One-trick (one unit type) vs. two-types vs. three-types changes the math completely. I recommend unlocking all 18 awakening heroes over time, but for the majority of players I'd only focus resources on two unit types: your main and the one that defends your base when your counter type attacks.
Three unit types will consume a LOT of resources. I myself only use two unit types, because fk boats.
Quick currency reminder
The big questions
Stones and Hero Exclusive Skills are expensive. Here's how to spend them wisely.
When should I stop pushing Awakening Level?
Stop at Awakening Lv. 30.
Why? Lv. 30 unlocks all 4 skills. After that, every level costs 50 Hero Shards plus 40 Hero Exclusive Skills for only +2,000 Combat Power. Those Exclusive Skills are better spent elsewhere.
ES5 or ES7?
Start with ES5. Save ES7 for later.
ES5 needs 81 Hero Exclusive Skills. ES7 needs 729. That's 9 times more.
Those same Hero Exclusive Skills also fuel Awakening Lv. 10 to 40. The extra 648 you'd spend on ES7 could pay for 20+ Awakening Levels instead. ES7 boosts every awakening skill's buff, but only after those skills exist.
One strong march or many small ones?
One focused march wins.
Awakening skills appear to be complementary. You can either concentrate resources into one strong march, or run one strong main plus a secondary. A 3rd or 4th awakened march should only come into focus when your 2nd march is close to completion, not at stage 1.
The combo trio buff only activates when all 3 matching heroes are in the same march together. Spread them out and the bonus disappears.
What order should I do this in?
For each hero you pick, follow these steps in order:
- Get them to 5 stars, Lv. 120, ES5
- Use 1 Awakening Card to awaken
- Push Awakening Level to 30 (all 4 skills unlock). If you can't hit 30, stop at 10 or 20 to unlock as many skills as possible.
- Skill 2 to Tier 6, 675 stones
- Skill 3 to Tier 6, 675 stones
- Skill 4 to Tier 6, 675 stones
- Skill 1 to Tier 6, 675 stones
- Later: ES7, Tier 10s, Lv. 40, sub-track grind
Calculators
Plug in your numbers and see exactly how many stones, shards, or months you need. Pick a calculator below.
Build a hero and see the total stat boost
Pick one of the 6 Phase I heroes, set their Awakening Level, ES Level, and each of the 4 skill tiers. The total Combat Power gain and applied buffs update live.
Awakening Stones for all 4 skills across the chosen heroes.
Set the current level of each of the 4 skills, choose a uniform target level, and the multiplier across heroes. Skill unlock gates: Skill 1 = Awakening Lv. 1 · Skill 2 = Lv. 10 · Skill 3 = Lv. 20 · Skill 4 = Lv. 30.
Per-tier reference
All 4 awakening skills share the same cost ladder. Each upgrade is 5 pulls; the per-pull cost is in the first column. Tier 1 is free — it unlocks automatically when the skill's Awakening Level gate is hit.
| Upgrade | Per pull | Per tier (x5) | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 unlock | — | 0 | 0 |
| Tier 1 to 2 | 15 | 75 | 75 |
| Tier 2 to 3 | 15 | 75 | 150 |
| Tier 3 to 4 | 30 | 150 | 300 |
| Tier 4 to 5 | 30 | 150 | 450 |
| Tier 5 to 6 (bonus effect) | 45 | 225 | 675 |
| Tier 6 to 7 | 45 | 225 | 900 |
| Tier 7 to 8 | 60 | 300 | 1,200 |
| Tier 8 to 9 | 80 | 400 | 1,600 |
| Tier 9 to 10 (max) | 130 | 650 | 2,250 |
Maxing one skill from unlock to Tier 10 costs 2,250 Awakening Stones. All 4 skills on one hero = 9,000. The big payoff is at Tier 6 (675 stones) because each skill unlocks its bonus effect there.
Awakening Skills: Tier Upgrade Costs
One ladder, shared by all 4 awakening skills. Each tier upgrade is 5 pulls; per-pull cost is in the first column, per-tier total in the second. Tier 1 is free — it unlocks automatically when the skill's Awakening Level gate is reached.
Full breakdown
| Upgrade | Per pull | Per tier (x5) | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 unlock | — | 0 | 0 |
| Tier 1 to 2 | 15 | 75 | 75 |
| Tier 2 to 3 | 15 | 75 | 150 |
| Tier 3 to 4 | 30 | 150 | 300 |
| Tier 4 to 5 | 30 | 150 | 450 |
| Tier 5 to 6 (bonus effect) | 45 | 225 | 675 |
| Tier 6 to 7 | 45 | 225 | 900 |
| Tier 7 to 8 | 60 | 300 | 1,200 |
| Tier 8 to 9 | 80 | 400 | 1,600 |
| Tier 9 to 10 (max) | 130 | 650 | 2,250 |
Awakening Level 0 to 40
The 40-level meter is fueled by 2 per-hero items.
- Hero Shards — the same shards you used to summon and 5-star this hero. Spent on every level 1 to 40.
- Lv. 1 Hero Exclusive Skills — the same Lv. 1 skill chips you use to level this hero's Exclusive Skill. Chips only kick in on the Lv. 10 to Lv. 11 upgrade and every upgrade after that (the Lv. 1 to Lv. 10 climb is shards only). Each Lv. 1 chip is crafted from 25 Exclusive Skill Shards, so the table below also shows what that would cost in shards if you have to craft them.
Per-band reference
5 pulls per level. Hero Shards alone take you all the way to Lv. 10. Chips first kick in on the Lv. 10 to Lv. 11 upgrade, then every upgrade after that.
| Level band | Hero Shards / lvl | Lv. 1 Skills / lvl | Band totals | Skills as Shards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 9 | 10 | 0 | 90 sh + 0 sk | 0 |
| 10 to 19 | 20 | 10 | 200 sh + 100 sk | 2,500 |
| 20 to 29 | 30 | 20 | 300 sh + 200 sk | 5,000 |
| 30 to 40 (10 lvls) | 50 | 40 | 500 sh + 400 sk | 10,000 |
| 0 to 40 total | — | — | 1,090 sh + 700 sk | 17,500 |
"Skills as Shards" = Lv. 1 Hero Exclusive Skills priced at the 25 shard craft rate. If you already have the Lv. 1 chips sitting in your bag from prior events, you spend those directly and the shard column does not apply.
Side-by-side hero compare
Pick any two Phase I heroes and a skill level; see all 4 awakening skills next to each other plus the total Combat Power and Team Combat Power at that level.
Phase budget planner
All numbers per-hero or per-phase totals, ready to copy into a planning sheet.
| Goal | Skill stones | Sub-track stones | Total stones | CP gain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 hero, 4 skills to Lv. 10 | 9,000 | 0 | 9,000 | +120,000 |
| 1 hero, full sub-tracks (after Tier 10) | 0 | 39,900 | 39,900 | +40,000 |
| 1 hero, everything | 9,000 | 39,900 | 48,900 | +160,000 |
| 6 Phase I heroes, skills only | 54,000 | 0 | 54,000 | +720,000 |
| 6 Phase I heroes, everything | 54,000 | 239,400 | 293,400 | +960,000 |
| All 18 awakening heroes, skills only | 162,000 | 0 | 162,000 | +2,160,000 |
| All 18 heroes, everything (with sub-tracks) | 162,000 | 718,200 | 880,200 | +2,880,000 |
Plus a separate 1,090 Hero Shards + 700 Hero Exclusive Skills per hero for the Awakening Level 0 to 40 climb (+80,000 CP each). Those are per-hero items, not shared between heroes.
Honor Wall. Beyond Tier 10.
Past Tier 10, each hero's first two awakening skills get a 200-level Honor Wall upgrade track. The "Advance" button on the hero detail awakening tab opens it. Each sub-level adds two buffs: a Global Bonus (the +ATK or +HP curve) and a Deployment Bonus (the +DMG Increase or +DMG Reduction curve, only active when the hero is in your march). Same Awakening Stones currency as Tier 1 to 10. Buffs are scoped to the hero's unit type (Army, Navy, or Air Force).
Upgrades are one sub-level at a time. Unlike the Tier 1 to 10 system which lets you batch 10 upgrades at once, the Honor Wall's Advance button only buys one sub-level per tap — so the cost-per-level numbers below are exactly what you pay each click.
Heroes share buff IDs by unit type. All Army heroes feed the Army bucket, Navy feed Navy, Air Force feed Air Force.
| Unit Type | Heroes (6 each) | Sub-track 1 | Sub-track 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Army | Marvingt, Sara, Rohr, Nova, Tannis, Ella | Army ATK + DMG Increase | Army HP + DMG Reduction |
| Navy | Lilia, Shen Suyu, Alvida, Lophy, Sinope, Margaretha | Navy ATK + DMG Increase | Navy HP + DMG Reduction |
| Air Force | Vivian, Carna, Jett, Joan Mature, Heid, Franziska | Air Force ATK + DMG Increase | Air Force HP + DMG Reduction |
Buff progression per sub-track:
| Sub-level | Global Bonus (ATK or HP) | Deployment Bonus (DMG ± ) | CP earned so far |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | +0.1% | (locked) | +100 |
| 10 (Deployment unlocks) | +1.0% | +0.3% | +1,000 |
| 50 (cost step) | +5.0% | +1.5% | +5,000 |
| 100 (cost step) | +10.0% | +3.0% | +10,000 |
| 150 (cost step) | +15.0% | +4.5% | +15,000 |
| 200 (cap, free) | +20.0% | +6.0% | +20,000 |
Global Bonus grows +0.1% per sub-level. Deployment Bonus unlocks at sub-level 10 and bumps +0.3% every 10 sub-levels, capping at +6.0% at level 200.
Cost per sub-track (Awakening Stones):
| Sub-level range | Stones / sub-level | Sub-levels | Stones in range | CP in range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 – 49 | 50 | 49 | 2,450 | +4,900 |
| 50 – 99 | 80 | 50 | 4,000 | +5,000 |
| 100 – 149 | 120 | 50 | 6,000 | +5,000 |
| 150 – 199 | 150 | 50 | 7,500 | +5,000 |
| 200 (free) | 0 | 1 | 0 | +100 |
| One sub-track total | (varies) | 200 | 19,950 | +20,000 |
| Both sub-tracks (per hero) | (varies) | 400 | 39,900 | +40,000 |
Honor Wall planner
Set your current and target sub-level to see stone cost, CP, and the Global / Deployment Bonus values you land on.
Confirmed quirk: one level per tap. Each press of the Advance button costs exactly the listed stones for one sub-level — there is no 10x batch shortcut like the Tier 1 to 10 system has.
Still open (needs live play-test): Whether Global Bonuses stack across all 6 heroes of the same unit type (so 6 maxed Army heroes would mean +120% Army ATK), or whether only the highest hero's bonus applies per unit type. Whether Deployment Bonuses from multiple heroes in the same march stack additively. The exact "Hero Deployed" gating (battle-time check, march-assignment check, or passive toggle when the hero is in any active march).
Awakening Stone Costs
Every paid source of Awakening Stones, ranked by price per stone. Path of Awakening is the best value by a wide margin; the other sources are for when you want more stones than the monthly event provides.
Best deal at a glance
The $4.99 Path of Awakening pass is the best rate at $0.04 / stone.
Every other source is roughly 2.5x to 4x more expensive per stone. Lean on them only after you've maxed the monthly Path, or when you need a burst of stones for a specific goal.
Path of Awakening
Monthly event · best value
| Path | Stones | $ / stone |
|---|---|---|
| Free only | 15 | free |
| $4.99 pass best | 120 | $0.04 |
| $4.99 + $19.99 | 369 | $0.07 |
The $19.99 deluxe only unlocks after you buy the $4.99 pass, so going all-in costs $24.98.
Hot Deals Shop
Rotating shop · grab daily
| Pack | Stones | $ / stone |
|---|---|---|
| $0.99 small grab daily | 10 | $0.10 |
| $8.99 large | 60 | $0.15 |
The $0.99 small pack is the second-best per-stone rate on the page. The $8.99 large pack caps at 400 stones total per cycle (about $60 to hit the cap).
Hero Awakening Benefit Pack
Direct paid bundles
| Pack | Stones | $ / stone |
|---|---|---|
| $4.99 | 50 | $0.10 |
| $8.99 | 80 | $0.11 |
| $19.99 | 130 | $0.15 |
| $49.99 | 320 | $0.16 |
| $99.99 | 600 | $0.17 |
Every tier is 2.5x to 4x the $4.99 Path of Awakening rate. The smallest pack ($4.99) has the best per-stone price within this bundle.
Hero Grand Slam
Event · voucher redeem · help us measure
Vouchers earned during Hero Grand Slam redeem 1-for-1 for Awakening Stones, up to 6,000 stones per event. Per-pack voucher counts are not published in-game — tell us what you bought and how many vouchers you received, and once we have enough submissions we'll publish averages here.
How long until you hit Tier 6?
(event runs monthly)
| Your spend | 1 skill to Tier 6 | All 4 to Tier 6 | All 4 to Tier 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free only | 45 mo | 180 mo | 600 mo |
| $4.99 / mo | ~6 months | ~2 years | ~6 years |
| $24.98 / mo | ~2 months | ~7 months | ~2 years |
Real timelines are faster. Grand Slam Vouchers also redeem 1-for-1 for stones (up to 6,000 per Grand Slam event), which the table above does not include.