Crafting & Upgrading

In the desolate world of Vein, your survival hinges on the strength of your equipment. Crafting and upgrading your weapons and Blood Veils isn't just an option; it's a necessity to overcome the relentless onslaught of the Lost and the formidable challenges that lie ahead. This comprehensive guide will walk you through every aspect of enhancing your gear, from basic upgrades to advanced transformations, ensuring you're always prepared for the next encounter.

All your equipment enhancement needs are handled by Murasame, the enigmatic weaponsmith found at your Home Base. She's located directly to the right upon entering the main cavern, near the workbench. Murasame offers three primary services:

Upgrade Equipment: Enhance the base stats of your weapons and Blood Veils.
Transform Equipment: Alter the scaling properties or add elemental effects to your gear.
Sell/Buy: Exchange materials and equipment.

Upgrading Equipment: The Path to Power

Upgrading is the most straightforward way to increase your equipment's effectiveness. Each upgrade level significantly boosts an item's base attack power (for weapons) or defense/Gift scaling (for Blood Veils). The process requires specific materials, primarily various types of 'Queen' materials, and Haze (the game's currency).

Required Materials: Queen's Legacy

The core components for upgrading are 'Queen' materials, which come in different tiers corresponding to the upgrade level. These materials are found throughout the world, dropped by specific enemies, or purchased from merchants.

Queen Iron: Used for early-game upgrades (+1 to +3).
- Locations: Ruined City Underground, Dried-up Trenches, Howling World.
- Enemy Drops: Basic Lost, Horned Lost.
- Merchants: Murasame (limited stock), Shang (Home Base).
Queen Steel: Used for mid-game upgrades (+4 to +6).
- Locations: Cathedral of the Sacred Blood, Ridge of Frozen Souls, City of Falling Flame.
- Enemy Drops: Axe-wielding Lost, Bayonet-wielding Lost, Lost Knight.
- Merchants: Murasame, Shang.
Queen Titanium: Used for late-game upgrades (+7 to +9).
- Locations: Provisional Government Outskirts, Crypt Spire, Gaol of the Stagnant Blood.
- Enemy Drops: Elite Lost, Executioner, Boreal Brute.
- Merchants: Murasame (after specific story progression), Shang (after specific story progression).
Awake MJ310: A rare material required for the final upgrade level (+10) for any piece of equipment.
- Locations: Extremely rare drops from powerful enemies in late-game areas (e.g., Provisional Government Outskirts, Crypt Spire).
- Boss Drops: Often rewarded for defeating optional bosses or completing specific side quests.
- Chests: Found in hidden chests in challenging areas.
- Trading: Can sometimes be traded for Marks of Honor with specific NPCs.

Step-by-Step Upgrade Process:

Approach Murasame at the Home Base.
Select "Upgrade Equipment."
Choose the weapon or Blood Veil you wish to upgrade.
Review the required materials and Haze for the next upgrade level.
Confirm the upgrade.

Strategy Tip: Prioritize upgrading your primary weapon first, as it directly impacts your damage output. For Blood Veils, focus on those that complement your chosen Gifts and build. Don't neglect your Blood Veil's defense, especially if you're a melee-focused build.

Transforming Equipment: Customizing Your Arsenal

Transformations allow you to alter the inherent properties of your weapons and Blood Veils, tailoring them to your specific build and playstyle. This can involve changing stat scaling, adding elemental damage, or modifying weight and defense. Each transformation requires specific materials, often including 'Loss Shards' and 'Pure Blood' items.

Transformation Types and Effects:

Here's a breakdown of common transformation types and their effects:

Transformation	Effect	Primary Use	Required Materials (Examples)
Fortification	Increases defense (Blood Veils) or stability (Weapons).	Tank builds, survivability.	Loss Shard (S), Pure Blood (Defense)
Alleviation	Reduces equipment weight.	Fast roll builds, stamina management.	Loss Shard (S), Pure Blood (Light)
Intensification	Increases attack power (Weapons) or Gift power (Blood Veils).	Damage-focused builds.	Loss Shard (M), Pure Blood (Power)
Devour	Increases Ichor gain on hit.	Gift-heavy builds, Ichor regeneration.	Loss Shard (M), Pure Blood (Ichor)
Impulse	Increases stagger potential (Weapons).	Breaking enemy poise, crowd control.	Loss Shard (L), Pure Blood (Stagger)
Atlas	Increases Strength/Dexterity scaling (Weapons).	Physical damage builds.	Loss Shard (M), Pure Blood (Strength/Dex)
Prometheus	Increases Willpower/Mind scaling (Weapons/Blood Veils).	Gift-focused builds, elemental damage.	Loss Shard (M), Pure Blood (Will/Mind)
Elemental (e.g., Blaze, Frost, Spark)	Adds elemental damage to weapons.	Exploiting enemy weaknesses.	Loss Shard (L), Pure Blood (Fire/Ice/Elec)

Required Materials: Loss Shards & Pure Blood

Loss Shards (S, M, L): Common drops from various Lost enemies throughout the game. Higher tier shards drop from stronger enemies in later areas.
Pure Blood (Defense, Light, Power, Ichor, Stagger, Strength/Dex, Will/Mind, Fire, Ice, Elec): These specialized items are rarer.
- Locations: Found in chests, as rewards for defeating specific mini-bosses or bosses, or rarely dropped by elite Lost.
- Merchants: Murasame and Shang will stock a limited supply of certain Pure Blood types as you progress.
- Trading: Can sometimes be obtained by trading Marks of Honor with specific NPCs like Coco.

Step-by-Step Transformation Process:

Approach Murasame at the Home Base.
Select "Transform Equipment."
Choose the weapon or Blood Veil you wish to transform.
Select the desired transformation type.
Review the required materials and Haze.
Confirm the transformation.

Common Pitfall: Be mindful that transforming a weapon or Blood Veil will overwrite any previous transformation. You cannot stack multiple transformations. If you transform a weapon with a "Blaze" effect to "Atlas," the fire damage will be replaced by increased Strength/Dexterity scaling. Plan your transformations carefully!

Advanced Strategies & Tips

Build Synergy: Always consider how your equipment upgrades and transformations synergize with your chosen Blood Code and Gifts. A spellcaster using a Blood Code like Astrea will benefit more from a Blood Veil transformed for "Intensification" (Gift power) and a weapon transformed for "Prometheus" (Willpower/Mind scaling).
Elemental Weaknesses: Pay attention to enemy weaknesses. Many Lost are vulnerable to specific elemental damage types. Having a few elemental weapons prepared can make challenging encounters significantly easier. For example, the Gilded Hunter is highly susceptible to fire damage.
Weight Management: The "Alleviation" transformation is crucial for maintaining a fast roll, which is vital for dodging and survivability. If your equipment load is high, consider transforming your heaviest items to Alleviation.
Resource Management: Don't hoard your upgrade materials indefinitely. While it's wise to save some for new, powerful weapons you might find, upgrading your current gear as you progress will make the journey much smoother. Farm areas you've cleared for extra Haze and materials if you're short.
Murasame's Stock: Murasame's inventory of Pure Blood items expands as you progress through the main story. Check back with her regularly.
Marks of Honor: These are earned by helping other players in co-op. They can be traded for valuable materials, including some rare Pure Blood types, from NPCs like Coco at the Home Base. This is an excellent way to acquire specific transformation materials if you're struggling to find them.

By diligently upgrading and strategically transforming your equipment, you'll be well-equipped to face any challenge the treacherous world of Vein throws your way. Remember, a well-prepared Revenant is a surviving Revenant!