Artifacts
Artifacts explained: better bonuses, smarter upgrades
Understand levels, stars and random bonuses, then choose an Artifact that fits the job your Captain is doing.
By ClanOps · Updated
Unlock and equip
Artifact slots become available with level 4 Guardsmen. Each Captain can equip one Artifact at a time, and you can move Artifacts between Captains. They are not permanently assigned to the first Captain who wears them.
Choose the job first: troop training, Crypt exploration or a particular kind of battle. Then choose a bonus that actually applies. A higher-rarity Artifact with unrelated bonuses is not automatically the better tool.
Levels and stars do different things
| Upgrade | Resource | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Artifact level | Artifact Experience | Improves the main bonus within the current level limit |
| Artifact stars | Matching Artifact fragments | Raises progression limits and improves the Artifact |
| Fully unlocked stars | Star progression | Adds random bonuses |
| Random-bonus changes | Relevant bonus fragments and available controls | Changes eligible secondary bonuses |
Captain Experience does not level an Artifact. Likewise, raising an Artifact does not raise the Captain wearing it. Budget for both rather than expecting one upgrade to do two jobs.
Read the whole bonus panel
The main bonus belongs to that Artifact. Secondary bonuses can differ between copies and rarity levels, so inspect your own roll. Check restrictions such as troop class, activity or target type before counting a bonus in a battle plan.
A large-looking percentage may apply to a small part of your army. Compare the actual march or training preview with and without the item where possible. Change one variable at a time.
Useful starting pairings
| Artifact | Recommended use | Captain choice |
|---|---|---|
| Chronoglyph | Training and food-production setup | Helen in an active City slot |
| Torch of Olympus | Crypt exploration efficiency | Carter for Crypt marches |
| Fan of the Five Winds | Guardsmen strength | A developed combat Captain leading a Guardsmen-heavy army |
These are role-based recommendations, not equip restrictions. Helen’s own level matters for her bonuses; it does not multiply an Artifact’s level. The Torch’s exploration efficiency is not the same thing as a direct Tar discount.
Where summons fit in
Artifact summons can award resources, Artifact Experience, complete Artifacts, Artifact fragments or random-bonus fragments. A summon does not guarantee a complete Artifact. Some items also have specific event sources; Heart of the Forest and Forest Crown are tied to the Seasonal Kingdom.
Check the current summon pool and event reward panels before spending keys to chase one named item. Read the guaranteed rewards, if any, separately from the possible rewards.
Ten summons or one at a time?
Opening ten at once is convenient for saved keys, but improved odds are not established by the rules reviewed for this guide. Do not spend extra simply because a batch produced a better-looking reward screen for someone else.
If the current summon screen explicitly offers a ten-pull bonus or guarantee, use the wording shown there. Otherwise treat bulk opening as a convenience, not a proven upgrade to drop rates. Captain Summoning Scrolls and Artifact Summoning Keys are different resources; a rule for one does not establish a rule for the other.
Spend upgrades where you use them
Start with an Artifact you regularly equip. Check the next level or star benefit and whether you have the resources to reach it. Keep a useful secondary bonus until you understand the cost and uncertainty of replacing it.
For everyday preparation, see Chronoglyph and Helen. For Crypt runs, use the Torch reference and Carter setup.
Check current requirements in-game before committing troops or resources.