Welcome, fellow champions! Today, I’m going to teach you the best way to get started, how to build a strong team, and what you need to focus on to maximize your progress in Raid Shadow Legends.
I’ve been playing the game since launch started a bunch of accounts from scratch to make sure that this guide is accurate as of 1/13/2025.
Choosing Your Starter Hero Set
If you’re downloading the game for the first time, you’ll get to choose a starter hero set with bonus resources. Here’s a breakdown of what each pack offers:
- Tayrel + Aina – 400K silver, 2 Epic Skill Tomes, 2 energy refills, and a 2-day XP boost.
- Lightsworn + Anax – 300K silver.
- Ultimate Galek + Zargala – 200K silver, 2 energy refills, 10 Magic Brews, and 10 Force Brews.
- Rector Drath + Fayne – 400K silver, 2 Epic Skill Tomes, 1-day XP boost, 1 energy refill, 15 Greater Arcane Potions, and 10 Greater Spirit Potions.
Best Pick?
For a balanced start, Ultimate Galek + Zargala is a solid choice—they work well together and clear early waves efficiently.
Picking the Right Starting Champion
Once you begin, you’ll have to pick your first champion. The best choice? Kael.
Why Kael?
- A1 (Basic Attack) – Applies Poison, which is incredibly useful for damage over time.
- A2 (Area Attack) – Hits all enemies, great for farming.
- A3 (Random Multi-Hit) – Hits 4 random enemies with a chance to apply Poison.
Elhain is another option, but Kael is better for long-term progression.
Early Game Progress – What to Focus On
The 14-Day Reward System
If you log in daily for 14 days, you’ll unlock:
- Shaman – Revives fallen allies with a Shield buff.
- Jizoh – A tanky hero with decent sustain.
- Alice (from Alice in Wonderland) – Comes with bonus resources and a storybook event that lets you collect extra rewards.
The Hub – Navigating the Game
When you log in, you’ll see everything you need to track your progress:
- Energy – Used for battles.
- Profile & Quests – Track login rewards, leveling rewards, and daily quests.
- Clan – Join a clan to participate in group battles.
- Shop & Events – Keep an eye on special offers and tournaments.
Key Buildings & Their Uses
The Mine
- Invest early to generate free currency over time.
The Market
- Sometimes offers blue shards and other useful items.
Altar of Souls
- Unlocks later but allows you to power up heroes.
Guardian Ring
- Lets you passively level up heroes and swap copies of Legendary heroes for better ones.
Tavern
- The main hub for leveling up and upgrading champions.
Great Hall
- Earn Arena points and spend them to boost your team’s stats.
Portal
- Where you summon heroes. Be careful—it’s easy to burn through your resources chasing rare champions!
Game Modes – Where to Focus Your Efforts
Campaign
- Your main progression path. Once completed, you’ll grind 12-3 for experience farming.
Dungeons
- Farm potions, artifacts, and upgrade materials.
Faction Wars
- Completing levels earns you fragments for a free Legendary hero.
Arena
- Where you compete against other players for high-value rewards.
Clan Bosses
- Three powerful bosses that drop rare rewards.
Doom Tower
- Endgame content with strong enemies and valuable loot.
Cursed City
- Another high-level campaign with difficult conditions.
Siege
- A clan-based defense battle where you attack enemy castles.
Hero Types & Elements Explained
- White (Common), Green (Uncommon), and Blue (Rare) – Mostly fodder heroes.
- Purple (Epic) – 45% of them are worth keeping.
- Yellow (Legendary) – 30% are either amazing or filler.
- Red (Mythic) – Rare, but some are niche or underwhelming.
Elemental Advantage System
- Force beats Magic but loses to Spirit.
- Magic beats Spirit but loses to Force.
- Void (Universal) has no weaknesses.
Gearing Up Your Champions
Each hero can equip six artifacts and has three main attributes.
- Higher-tier artifacts have better stats.
- Finding the right stat set is key to maximizing performance.
New mechanics like Stones & Relics provide extra effects and buffs.
8 Essential Beginner Tips
- Skill Tomes Are Rare – Use Them Wisely
- Only invest Legendary Skill Tomes in top-tier heroes.
- Choose Artifacts That Fit Your Champion
- Damage dealers need attack-based gear.
- Speed is king for support champions.
- Understand Artifact Bonuses
- 2-piece sets give small boosts.
- 4-piece sets activate full effects.
- Farm Dungeons During Boost Events
- Save energy for times when drop rates are higher.
- Build an Arena Team for Easy Wins
- Ideal setup:
- Speed leader for turn meter boost.
- Debuffer to weaken enemies.
- Damage dealer to finish the job.
- Healer for sustain.
- Ideal setup:
- Take Your Time – Don’t Rush Progression
- Even at level 50, you’re still learning.
- Avoid the Sparring Pit – it’s not worth the investment.
- Claim Free Rewards & Promo Codes
- Check for promo codes to get free champions and items.
- Playing Free-to-Play is Possible
- Smart resource management lets you progress without spending money.
Top Promo Codes for Free Rewards
Use these limited-time promo codes to grab free champions and resources:
- FIREBURN → Mordecai, 10 Force Brews, 50 Multi-Battle attempts, 200K Silver.
- MYCELIUM → Myciliac Priest Orn, 10 Spirit Brews, 200K Silver, 10 Greater Spirit Potions.
- MONKEYKING → Sun Wukong, 15 Spirit Brews, 300K Silver, 15 Greater Spirit Potions.
- REVIVER → Rector Drath, 10 Force Brews, 300K Silver.
Some promo codes work anytime:
- 1MGIFT → 3-star chickens, skill tomes, energy refill, 300K Silver.
- YEARLYGIFT → 10 XP Brews, 4-star chicken, 3 Multi-Battle sets, 500K Silver.
Use them within the first 24 hours after signing up to maximize your rewards.
Final Thoughts
That’s everything you need to get started in RAID: Shadow Legends. Follow this guide, use your resources wisely, and build a strong team.
Got questions or want to flex your progress? Drop a comment below! Don’t forget to subscribe for more guides and updates.
See you in the arena, champion!