Equipment

Refining

Refining is the primary gear-power system in Forsaken World — feed Star Shards at the blacksmith to push gear from +1 to +12, unlocking gem sockets every third level. Non-destructive failures, refinable on weapons + 7 armor slots.

Overview

Refining is Forsaken World's primary gear-power progression system. By feeding refining materials (Star Shards) into equipment at any blacksmith, you increase the item's refine level — boosting its base stats and unlocking gem sockets at milestone tiers. A character's refine state is one of the largest sources of competitive power past level 60, and most endgame benchmarks (PvP arena rankings, dungeon clear times) hinge on it.

Refining is non-destructive. Failed attempts do not break the item, do not lose existing refine levels, and do not damage fortification. The only cost of failure is the materials consumed — money and Star Shards.

How to Refine

Visit any town blacksmith NPC.
Select Enhance Equipment.
Place the item in the refining slot.
Add 1 to 8 Star Shards — more Shards = higher success chance.
(Optional) Add Star Quartz to further boost the success rate.
Pay the gold cost and confirm.
On success, the item gains +1 refine level. On failure, materials are consumed but the item is unchanged.

Maximum Refine Level

+12 is the cap for any single piece of equipment. Reaching +12 across a full gear set is the long-term progression goal for endgame characters.

Refinable Slots

Slot	Refinable?
Weapon	✅ Yes
Headgear	✅ Yes
Shirt (chest)	✅ Yes
Shoulder Pads	✅ Yes
Bracers	✅ Yes
Belt	✅ Yes
Pants	✅ Yes
Boots	✅ Yes
Jewelry / Rings	❌ No
Accessories	❌ No

Gem Socket Unlocks

Every third refine level unlocks a gem socket on the item:

Refine Level	Sockets Unlocked
+3	1
+6	2
+9	3
+12	4

This makes +3, +6, +9, and +12 the meaningful breakpoints for gear planning. Many players target +9 across the full set as a "pre-endgame" goal, then push individual pieces to +12 over time.

Star Shards — Material Tiers

Star Shards come in multiple grades, mapped to item levels:

Lower grade Shards → required for lower-level (1-40) gear.
Higher grade Shards → required for higher-level (50+) gear.
Trying to refine a high-level item with low-grade Shards consumes more materials per attempt for a lower success rate.

Star Shard Sources

Killing monsters (level-appropriate zones)
Quest rewards (notably Run, Lola, Run)
Daily quests and events
Instances and dungeons
Eyrda Boutique (Cash Shop) — guaranteed supply
Nightmare Bazaar — vendor stock at certain hubs
Gift Chests (event drops)

Success Rate — How Many Shards to Use

The success rate of a refining attempt scales with Shard count:

1 Shard: lowest cost, lowest success (suitable for low-level gear or +1/+2 attempts)
4 Shards: balanced — typical for mid-level pushes
8 Shards: maximum success rate per attempt — recommended for high-tier (+9 → +10, +11 → +12) attempts where reagent cost is dwarfed by the time investment

Star Quartz stacks on top of the Shard bonus to further raise the chance. Endgame players keep a stockpile and burn Quartz on every +10/+11/+12 attempt.

Strategy — Refining Progression Path

Levels 1-30: Don't waste materials refining low-grade gear you'll outlevel in days. Save Shards.
Levels 30-60: Push core slots (weapon + chest + helm) to +3 each — three free gem sockets immediately.
Levels 60-80: Target +6 across the full set. This is the cost-efficient breakpoint where you have all 8 slots with 2 sockets each.
Endgame: Ascend +9 → +12 on your weapon first (highest stat ROI), then armor, then accessories' replacements where possible.

FAQ

Q: Will my item break if refining fails? A: No. Failures only consume materials. The item, its refine level, and fortification stay intact.

Q: Can I un-refine an item to recover Shards? A: No. Refine is one-way. Plan upgrade paths before committing to high-tier pieces.

Q: What's better — refining or fortifying? A: Both. Refining boosts base stats and unlocks gem sockets; fortifying adds defensive bonuses. Endgame builds invest in both.

Q: Are jewelry/accessories ever refinable? A: No. These slots are excluded from the refining system. They use different progression paths (gemming, soulbond).

Q: How do I get high-grade Star Shards faster? A: Daily quests at high level + the Nightmare Bazaar rotation + Eyrda Boutique purchases. Endgame players run dailies religiously specifically for Shard income.