This guide explains the most reliable shard sources, including Velgar, Imaru, and Umbral Sands Agility Courses, before walking you through the Masterwork upgrade process. If you're also working through other online games, you can buy RS gold at MMOexp to speed up your progression and level up your game.
What Are Ascension Shards Used For?
Ascension Shards are an essential crafting material for creating Ascension Cores, which are used to upgrade Masterwork equipment. Each successful Ascension increases the item's Power Level by 1, improving its base stats and making the gear more effective in challenging areas.
However, there is an important restriction: only Masterwork gear can be upgraded with Ascension Cores. Standard weapons such as Iron Swords and Oak Shortbows cannot be Ascended.
Key Takeaway: Ascension Shards are primarily a progression material for Masterwork equipment, not a universal weapon-upgrade resource.
Farm Dragons and Bosses for the Best Shard Drops
The most dependable way to build your Ascension Shard stockpile is to defeat bosses and powerful enemies. Lesser dragons and Zogres can provide useful drops, while higher-level zones offer higher-tier shards.
The major dragon bosses are particularly valuable because they provide guaranteed Ascension Shard rewards:
·Velgar: Found in the Fractured Plains. Summon Velgar by crafting a Challenge Horn using Bronze, Bloodwood Sap, and Dragon Teeth. Defeating Velgar rewards Ascension Shard 4.
·Imaru: Located in Fellhollow. Collect Curse Fragments throughout the region to challenge Imaru. Victory rewards Ascension Shard 5.
·Main bosses: Generally provide around 30-40 Ascension Shards per defeat and guarantee shard drops.
If you're not strong enough for these encounters, fight Green Dragons and Zogres in Fellhollow or Blue Dragons in Dowdun Reach instead.
Key Takeaway: Boss farming offers the most reliable large-scale supply, while tough regular enemies provide an accessible alternative.
How to Get Ascension Shard 7
Players looking for higher-tier materials have another option. Ascension Shard 7 can be obtained by completing Agility Courses in Umbral Sands.
This provides an alternative to repeatedly fighting increasingly difficult enemies and gives players who enjoy movement-focused activities another way to work toward powerful upgrades.
Key Takeaway: Don't overlook Agility Courses if you need Ascension Shard 7.
Craft Ascension Cores at the Mystic Forge
Once you've gathered enough shards, head to a Mystic Forge to craft your Ascension Core. Every core requires:
·99 Ascension Shards
·Metal Bars
·Leather
·Cloth
The additional materials depend on the Core's tier. For example, Ascension Cores 4 and 5 require Iron/Steel, Draconic Leather, and Fine Thread, materials associated with the Power Level 4-5 progression found in Fellhollow.
Key Takeaway: Always check the required Core tier before farming materials so you don't waste time collecting resources from the wrong region.
Upgrade Your Masterwork Weapon
After crafting the appropriate Ascension Core, interact with the Mystic Forge and open the Upgrade tab. Place your Masterwork item into the upgrade slot and select Ascend.
The weapon's Power Level will increase by one, improving its base statistics.
Masterwork recipes can come from quests, powerful enemies, and Vault exploration. For instance, the Thane's Authority greataxe can drop from Garou Thanes, while Wild Archer set recipes can be discovered through Dragonkin Statues inside the Bloodblight Swamp's Vault.
Regular weapons cannot use Ascension Cores. Instead, ordinary melee weapons can be improved with Whetstones, while bows and crossbows benefit from stronger ammunition.
Key Takeaway: Obtain the right Masterwork recipe first, then match its Power Level with the appropriate Ascension Core.
Helpful Tips for Faster Progress
·Prioritize bosses when you need large quantities of shards.
·Farm in higher-level zones when you need higher-tier shards.
·Save 99 shards before planning a Core craft.
·Stockpile regional materials alongside shards.
·Check Masterwork recipes before investing heavily in upgrades.
·Use Whetstones and stronger ammunition for equipment that cannot be Ascended.
Final Thoughts
Ascension Shards are the foundation of Masterwork gear progression in RuneScape: Dragonwilds. Farm bosses such as Velgar and Imaru, target higher-level enemies for better shard tiers, and use 99 shards plus the required regional materials to craft Ascension Cores. Then, take your Core and Masterwork equipment to the Mystic Forge to raise its Power Level by one. If you're looking for additional ways to streamline your gaming progression, buy RS gold at MMOexp to level up your game and spend more time focusing on the content you enjoy.
