Permanent upgrades are purchased from Armor Ace at the Surface Camp using Gold collected during your runs. Unlike Relics and Gear, these upgrades persist across all runs, providing a lasting boost to Shovel Knight's capabilities. Investing in these upgrades is the most reliable way to make the game progressively easier. The most important permanent upgrades include:
- Health Upgrades: Increase Shovel Knight's maximum health, allowing him to take more hits before falling. These are crucial for survivability.
- Magic Meter Upgrades: Expand the maximum capacity of your Magic Meter, enabling more frequent Relic use.
- Relic Slot Upgrades: Unlock additional slots for carrying Relics, allowing for more diverse and powerful combinations of active abilities.
- Gear Slot Upgrades: While you can only equip one Gear at a time, these upgrades might unlock more options for Gear to appear or enhance existing Gear. (Note: In SKD, Gear is typically a single slot, but the concept of 'unlocking more options' applies).
Prioritize health and magic upgrades first, as they provide fundamental improvements to your survivability and offensive potential. Then, focus on unlocking more Relic slots to diversify your strategies. The cumulative effect of these upgrades will significantly improve your chances of reaching and defeating Drill Knight.
