Opening paragraph
Stronghold upgrades are the long-term lever that turns Quest and Exploration gains into recurring advantages for your army. Materials level up controlled strongholds and give unit and leader bonuses; exact names, costs, and caps must be read on the in-game Base Development screen.
Quick Answer
Section titled “Quick Answer”- Materials come from Quests and Exploring with Idle Leaders; they’re spent on Base Development.
- Upgrades grant unit/leader bonuses and affect recruitment potential, but exact effects are verified in-game only.
- Choose which stronghold to upgrade by its recruitment/quest value and your frontline needs — not by a single blanket rule.
Stronghold Upgrade Loop
Section titled “Stronghold Upgrade Loop”| Step | What you do |
|---|---|
| 1. Assign/complete Quests and Explore | Quests and Idle Leaders provide Materials, Mel, and experience. See /quests-training/ for Quest assignment. |
| 2. Collect materials | Materials appear as rewards; exact types and counts are shown in-game. |
| 3. Open Base Development | Spend materials to raise a stronghold’s level — verify precise effects on-screen. |
| 4. Receive unit/base effects | Upgrades apply bonuses to units, recruitment, or other benefits (see table below). |
| 5. Use improved stronghold | Better recruitment/bonuses affect the next battle and Mission Mode objectives. See /mission-mode/. |
What Stronghold Upgrades Do
Section titled “What Stronghold Upgrades Do”| Effect | What we know / Unknowns |
|---|---|
| Unit and leader bonuses | Confirmed: upgrades provide unit bonuses. Exact bonus values and progression are shown on the Base Development screen. |
| Recruitment | Players observe higher-level recruitment at higher base levels; a complete level-by-level unlock list is not yet verified. |
| Capacity and services | Strongholds support hiring Leaders and Monsters and host a Traveling Merchant who sells weapons and armor. Exact capacity or slot changes must be checked in-game. |
Exploration
Idle Leaders can Explore to find resources, money (Mel), and experience. Exploration is a primary source of upgrade materials alongside quest rewards. See /organization-phase/ for decision timing.
Recruitment
Strongholds are where you hire Leaders and Monsters. Upgrade choices are situational: prioritize strongholds that improve the units or quests you need on the frontline rather than following a single default.
Traveling Merchant
The Traveling Merchant sells weapons and armor — sometimes a faster combat fix than pushing stronghold levels. See /equipment/ for gear details.
What Should You Upgrade First?
Section titled “What Should You Upgrade First?”Pick by situation: which stronghold gives the monsters, leaders, or quests you currently need. If you’re losing fights, frontline gear and immediate squad readiness often solve problems faster than long-term base investment. Avoid a universal “upgrade starting base first” mentality.
Mission objectives
Mission Mode includes objectives such as Strengthen Strongholds, Collect Designated Items, Collect Monsters, Gather Allies, Repay Debts, and Defend Strongholds — check /mission-mode/ for objective rules.
Resource chain
Quests / Exploration → Materials / Mel → Stronghold Upgrade → Unit/Base Effects → next Battle / Mission Objective.
Common mistakes
- Investing blindly in the starting base regardless of needs.
- Ignoring immediate gear or squad readiness when that’s the real bottleneck.
- Assuming upgrade cost/slots without checking Base Development.
Related pages
/organization-phase/ — decision order for seasonal choices /quests-training/ — Quest assignment and rewards /equipment/ — weapons, armor, and merchant details /mission-mode/ — objectives and mission rules /combat-tips/ — tactical advice for fights /monster-list/ — roster details /factions/ — faction strengths and playstyle