Shards in RAID: Shadow Legends are not an "open and forget" resource — they come with very different price tags and very different right moments. Ancients can be spent fairly freely, Voids and Sacreds only during the right event, and Mythicals are saved for months. Here is the practical logic: what to open, when, and why.
The four shard types and what actually drops
| Shard | What drops | When to open |
|---|---|---|
| Ancient | Rares, Epics, Legendaries; Legendary chance is a fraction of a percent | 2x events, guaranteed champions, early progression |
| Void | Void champions only: Rares, Epics, Legendaries | 2x Void events, guaranteed Void champion |
| Sacred | Epics and Legendaries, no Rares; Legendary chance is far higher — around 5–6% | 2x events, Extra Legendary, guaranteed champions |
| Mythical | Legendaries and Mythicals; Mythical chance is small | 2x Mythical events and special events only |
The key takeaway is already visible: a shard's value depends not only on the rarity pool but on when you open it. The same Sacred Shard outside an event and during a 2x are two completely different shards in terms of return.
Ancient Shards: your workhorse
Ancients are the most common type and the backbone of your roster in the early and mid game. They are the easiest shards to use well, but there are still rules.
- Default rule: open during 2x Ancient events. A doubled Epic and Legendary chance is the best possible use of an Ancient Shard.
- Exception one — guaranteed champions. If an event guarantees a specific champion after N shards and that champion fills a real hole (Clan Boss, Arena, dungeons), spend even outside a 2x.
- Exception two — Fusion deadline. With a day left on a Fusion and one Epic missing, hoarding no longer makes sense.
- Exception three — tournament points. Sometimes shards are a points source, not a champion source.
Outside those cases, stop opening Ancients one at a time "just to see": you are voluntarily giving away half your odds.
Void Shards: the scarcest resource
The Void pool covers niches no other champion can fill, so every Void Shard counts. The rule here is simple: no 2x and no guaranteed champion means no pull.
- Open during 2x Void events or for a guaranteed Void champion you actually need.
- x10 events without a 2x are a lottery on a narrow pool. Fine if you are chasing exactly that champion, bad as a way to "fatten the roster".
- Void Rares are regularly required for Fusions, so keep a small reserve at all times.
- Do not burn Voids "to see what comes out" — that is the most common way to end up empty-handed at a good event.
Sacred Shards: only for a serious event
Sacreds are the fastest route to a Legendary among the regular shards, which is exactly why they should never be opened on impulse.
- Best moments: 2x Sacred events, Extra Legendary events (an extra Legendary when one drops), and guaranteed Legendary events.
- Open in batches rather than one at a time: you reach the mercy counter faster and depend less on a single bad pull.
- A Sacred outside an event is almost always a wasted Sacred, even if something decent comes out.
Mythical Shards: save, do not sample
Mythical is its own rarity, and the Mythical Shard is the only way in. It is the rarest resource you will hold and the most expensive to waste.
- Open only during 2x Mythical events or special events where Mythicals are the focus.
- The urge to "open one and see" is the number one way to throw away the most valuable item in the game.
- Not having a Mythical in your roster is not a reason to pull: a Mythical Shard outside an event gives you no extra value at all.
Mercy system and planning: don't burn your stock
The mercy system works in your favour: failed pulls build a counter that gradually raises your odds, and it resets when you pull a champion of the relevant rarity. Counters are tracked separately per shard type, so "debt" on Sacreds does nothing for your Ancients.
- Check the event calendar first, press the button second. This one rule solves most of the problem.
- Priority order: Fusion > guaranteed champion you need > 2x > everything else.
- Never dump the whole stock on one event — keep a quarter to a third for the next guaranteed champion or a surprise Fusion.
- Pull with a goal: not "I want a Legendary" but "I need an Epic for this Fusion" or "I need a Void for this mechanic".
- Don't pull on tilt after a bad streak — mercy keeps building either way, and the decision itself was already a bad one.
Summary
- Ancients — 2x events, guaranteed champions and Fusion deadlines; this is your main spend.
- Voids — 2x or a guaranteed specific Void only, plus a reserve for Fusions.
- Sacreds — 2x, Extra Legendary and guaranteed Legendary events only.
- Mythicals — hoard until the dedicated event; there is no other option.
- Event first, pull second. The mercy counter is not a reason to rush, it is a reason not to waste resources.
19/10/2026