Gear Basics: Sets, Main Stats and Substats

Gear in RAID: Shadow Legends matters as much as the roster itself: the same champion in the right stats and in a random pile of artifacts are two completely different characters. Below is the foundation — what an artifact is made of, which main stats and substats exist, which sets are worth keeping in mind, and how to gear a champion around its role.

What an artifact is made of

There are six slots: weapon, helmet, shield, gauntlets, chestplate and boots. The first three are fixed: a weapon always rolls ATK as its main stat, a helmet HP and a shield DEF. There is nothing to choose there — all the depth starts at gauntlets, chestplate and boots.

The second key parameter is rank, meaning the number of stars. The higher the rank, the more substat slots the piece has and the higher its maximum level goes. Roughly: 3★ is a transitional stage, 5–6★ is what dungeons are actually farmed for. A high-rank epic or legendary piece is almost always better than a perfectly rolled low-rank one.

Main stats: what to look for and where

The main stat is the one on the top line, and it grows as you level the artifact. On gauntlets, chestplate and boots it varies, and that is exactly what decides whether the piece is worth keeping.

A note on boots: SPD as a main stat only exists on boots. It is the only way to give a champion a serious speed boost from a single slot, so boots without SPD on the top line are almost always a compromise.

Substats: where the real power is

Substats are what actually makes a champion work. How many you get depends on rank, and what you get is down to luck: every four levels a random substat is upgraded, and if a slot is still free, a new one can open instead. That is where all the stories about everything rolling into DEF come from.

The key thing to understand is the difference between percentages and flat values. ATK%, HP% and DEF% scale off the champion's base and massively outperform flat +ATK or +HP in the late game. Flat substats are only useful very early on; after that they just take up a slot.

Rough substat priorities:

• SPD — universally useful, wanted by almost everyone.
• Crit Rate and Crit DMG — for nukers; Crit Rate is worth pushing to the cap.
• ACC — for debuffers: without it, control and debuffs simply do not land.
• RES — for tanks, supports and anything that should not get locked down.
• HP% and DEF% — survivability for everyone who is not a pure damage dealer.

Substats can be topped up with glyphs from Faction Wars: they do not change the logic, but they add a few percent exactly where you are short.

Sets: what actually works

Sets come in two-piece and four-piece versions. Four-piece sets give a noticeable effect, two-piece sets give a tidy stat bonus and combine easily: 4+2 or 2+2+2. The ones worth keeping in mind:

• Speed (2 pieces) — an almost universal pick, since speed decides turn order.
• Lifesteal (4 pieces) — heals the champion from damage dealt; a classic for solo farming and early campaign.
• Savage (4 pieces) — ignores part of the target's DEF, a staple for nukers.
• Accuracy and Perception (2 pieces) — ACC for debuffers and controllers.
• Crit Rate and Crit DMG (2 pieces) — to finish off your crit stats when substats are not enough.
• Immortal and Regeneration (4 pieces) — survivability and healing for tanks and supports.
• Stun, Retaliation, Shield, Relentless (4 pieces) — control, counterattacks, a starting shield and a chance at an extra turn.
• Divine sets (2 pieces) — the same stats plus a small shield at the start of the fight.

The main rule: stats beat sets. Six perfectly named pieces with garbage substats will lose to a mixed bag with proper speed and accuracy. You finish a set once the foundation is already there.

Building by role

• Nuker: Crit Rate to the cap, as much Crit DMG as possible, ATK%, and enough SPD to move in the right order. ACC and RES are secondary here.
• Debuffer: ACC for the specific content, SPD, then HP% and DEF% so it survives to take its turn.
• Support and healer: HP%, DEF%, SPD, RES. Damage is irrelevant.
• Tank: HP%, DEF%, RES and SPD — so shields and provokes go up before the enemy moves.

Common mistakes

• Flat ATK, HP or DEF as the main stat on gauntlets, chestplate or boots — almost always a loss.
• Boots without SPD on the main line — the champion simply never gets a turn.
• Chasing a set at the cost of stats.
• Eyeballing ACC: debuffs fail to land and the champion gets blamed.
• Selling good 5–6★ pieces just because the set is not the one you wanted.
• Levelling every artifact to max without sorting — resources drain into trash.

Summary

Gear in RAID is all about the basics: know which main stats can appear on gauntlets, chestplate and boots, learn to read substats, and do not chase sets too early. Speed and accuracy solve most problems, percentages always beat flat values, and a set is the cherry on top rather than the foundation. Give a champion proper stats for its role and it will immediately start performing the way it was designed to.