The WOS Chief Gear Exchange Shop lets you convert surplus Chief Gear materials into the specific materials blocking your next upgrade. It becomes especially important when Design Plans or Lunar Amber begin limiting late-game Chief Gear progression.
This guide explains how to unlock the Chief Gear Exchange Shop, every current exchange rate, how to obtain Lunar Amber, Chief Gear upgrade costs, and which gear pieces you should upgrade first.
Chief Gear unlocks at Furnace level 22. The Enhancement Material Exchange unlocks after you own one Mythic T2 3-Star Chief Gear piece, commonly called Gold T2 3-Star in older guides. The shop can convert 10 Design Plans into one Lunar Amber, but every exchange has a weekly limit and conversions do not count toward material-consumption event tasks.
What Is the WOS Chief Gear Exchange Shop?
The Chief Gear Exchange Shop is officially called the Enhancement Material Exchange or simply Material Exchange. It allows you to trade one type of Chief Gear upgrade material for another.
The four supported materials are:
The exchange does not let you sell Chief Gear, swap gear pieces, or trade materials directly with another player. It only converts materials within your own account according to the rates displayed in the shop.
The conversions are also intentionally unequal. For example, one Design Plan can be converted into 300 Hardened Alloy, but obtaining one Design Plan from Alloy costs 1,000 Hardened Alloy. This prevents players from repeatedly converting materials back and forth without a loss.
How to Unlock the Chief Gear Exchange Shop
To unlock the Chief Gear Material Exchange, you must meet these conditions:
- Reach Furnace level 22 to unlock Chief Gear.
- Progress far enough for Legendary Chief Gear to become available in your state.
- Own at least one Mythic T2 3-Star Chief Gear piece.
Terminology note: Some older English guides call the required milestone Gold T2 3-Star. Newer references may call it Mythic T2 3-Star. These names commonly describe the final pre-Legendary milestone that costs 48,000 Hardened Alloy, 500 Polishing Solutions, and 85 Design Plans.
You only need one qualifying Chief Gear piece. The remaining five pieces do not need to reach the same level before the exchange becomes available.
Where Is the Chief Gear Exchange Shop?
After meeting the requirement:
- Tap your Chief avatar in the upper-left area of the city screen.
- Open the Chief Gear interface.
- Select a Chief Gear piece or its enhancement-material section.
- Tap the Material Exchange or exchange icon.
The exact button position can differ slightly between game versions and device layouts. Look for the exchange-arrow icon near your Chief Gear material totals.
WOS Chief Gear Exchange Shop Rates
The following table lists the standard Chief Gear Material Exchange rates.
Scroll sideways to view the full table.
| You Receive | You Pay | Recommended Use |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Lunar Amber | 10 Design Plans | Useful when a Legendary upgrade is blocked by Lunar Amber |
| 1 Design Plan | 10 Polishing Solutions | Use only when Plans are the confirmed bottleneck |
| 1 Design Plan | 1,000 Hardened Alloy | Useful when Alloy is heavily overstocked |
| 3 Polishing Solutions | 1 Design Plan | Usually poor value unless you have excess Plans |
| 1 Polishing Solution | 200 Hardened Alloy | Can clear a small Polishing Solution shortage |
| 300 Hardened Alloy | 1 Design Plan | Usually inefficient because Plans are harder to replace |
| 50 Hardened Alloy | 1 Polishing Solution | Generally the lowest-priority conversion |
Each exchange option has a limited number of uses. These limits reset weekly, so check the counter before converting a large stockpile.
Important: Material exchanges do not count as consuming Chief Gear materials for event missions. Converting 10 Design Plans into Lunar Amber will not provide the same event points as completing an actual Chief Gear upgrade.
Is the Chief Gear Material Exchange Worth Using?
The exchange is useful for clearing a specific bottleneck, but it should not become your primary way to obtain every material.
The conversion rates contain substantial losses. Converting materials without calculating your next upgrade can create a new shortage that is more expensive than the original problem.
Use the Exchange When:
- You have enough total materials for an upgrade except for one item.
- The blocked upgrade will complete a three-piece or six-piece set bonus.
- You need Lunar Amber for an available Legendary upgrade.
- You have a genuine Hardened Alloy surplus that will not be used soon.
- The weekly exchange reset is approaching and you have a planned conversion.
- You intend to complete the actual upgrade during a scoring event.
Avoid the Exchange When:
- You are converting materials without checking the next upgrade cost.
- You may need the sacrificed material for another gear piece soon.
- You are converting Design Plans into common materials without an urgent reason.
- You expect the conversion itself to provide Chief Gear event points.
- You are trying to convert materials back and forth.
- You are pushing one piece far ahead while ignoring set bonuses.
How to Get Lunar Amber in Whiteout Survival
Lunar Amber is a late-game Chief Gear enhancement material used after Chief Gear reaches the Legendary progression stage.
The main listed sources are:
- Chief Gear Material Exchange: Exchange 10 Design Plans for one Lunar Amber.
- In-game packs: Lunar Amber may be included in eligible Chief Gear or Legendary Gear packs.
Event and shop availability can change as the game is updated. Always inspect the current reward preview before spending event currency or purchasing a pack.
Should You Always Exchange Design Plans for Lunar Amber?
No. Design Plans remain necessary at every major late-game gear tier. Converting too many Plans can give you enough Lunar Amber while leaving the same upgrade blocked by missing Plans.
Before converting, calculate the complete requirement for the target piece:
- Hardened Alloy needed
- Polishing Solution needed
- Design Plans needed
- Lunar Amber needed
Convert only the number of Plans that remain after reserving enough for the planned upgrade and any other gear piece needed to complete the next matching-quality bonus.
Chief Gear Materials and Where to Get Them
Scroll sideways to view the full table.
| Material | Main Purpose | Common Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Hardened Alloy | Used throughout Chief Gear crafting and enhancement | Level 3 or higher Polar Terror rallies, level 22 or higher Beasts, Crazy Joe, Alliance Championship Shop, material chests |
| Polishing Solution | Used alongside Hardened Alloy for many enhancement stages | Crazy Joe, Frostfire Mine, Alliance Championship Shop, material chests |
| Design Plans | Required for quality, star, and tier advancements beginning in the Rare progression | Events, Alliance Championship Shop, Foundry Shop, Power Region Shop, Canyon Shop, material chests |
| Lunar Amber | Required for Legendary Chief Gear progression | Enhancement Material Exchange and eligible packs |
What Are Design Plans Used For?
Design Plans begin appearing at the Rare 2-Star Chief Gear milestone. They are then used for most higher-quality, star, and tier upgrades.
For example:
- Rare 2-Star requires 45 Design Plans.
- Rare 3-Star requires 50 Design Plans.
- Epic requires 60 Design Plans.
- Mythic T2 3-Star requires 85 Design Plans, plus Alloy and Polishing Solution.
Because Design Plans are needed across many milestones and can be converted into Lunar Amber, they should rarely be exchanged for Hardened Alloy or Polishing Solution unless you have calculated a genuine surplus.
Whiteout Survival Chief Gear Upgrade Cost Chart
The following chart lists the material cost for each Chief Gear target level. Each row shows the cost of that individual upgrade, not the cumulative total from the beginning.
Gear color names may vary slightly by localization. This table uses the current progression names Uncommon, Rare, Epic, Mythic, and Legendary.
Scroll sideways to view the full table.
| Target Gear Level | Hardened Alloy | Polishing Solution | Design Plans | Lunar Amber | Total Power per Piece |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uncommon | 1,500 | 15 | – | – | 224,400 |
| Uncommon 1-Star | 3,800 | 40 | – | – | 306,000 |
| Rare | 7,000 | 70 | – | – | 408,000 |
| Rare 1-Star | 9,700 | 95 | – | – | 510,000 |
| Rare 2-Star | – | – | 45 | – | 612,000 |
| Rare 3-Star | – | – | 50 | – | 714,000 |
| Epic | – | – | 60 | – | 816,000 |
| Epic 1-Star | – | – | 70 | – | 885,360 |
| Epic 2-Star | 6,500 | 65 | 40 | – | 954,720 |
| Epic 3-Star | 8,000 | 80 | 50 | – | 1,024,080 |
| Epic T1 | 10,000 | 95 | 60 | – | 1,093,440 |
| Epic T1 1-Star | 11,000 | 110 | 70 | – | 1,162,800 |
| Epic T1 2-Star | 13,000 | 130 | 85 | – | 1,232,160 |
| Epic T1 3-Star | 15,000 | 160 | 100 | – | 1,301,520 |
| Mythic | 22,000 | 220 | 40 | – | 1,362,720 |
| Mythic 1-Star | 23,000 | 230 | 40 | – | 1,423,920 |
| Mythic 2-Star | 25,000 | 250 | 45 | – | 1,485,120 |
| Mythic 3-Star | 26,000 | 260 | 45 | – | 1,546,320 |
| Mythic T1 | 28,000 | 280 | 45 | – | 1,607,520 |
| Mythic T1 1-Star | 30,000 | 300 | 55 | – | 1,668,720 |
| Mythic T1 2-Star | 32,000 | 320 | 55 | – | 1,729,920 |
| Mythic T1 3-Star | 35,000 | 340 | 55 | – | 1,791,120 |
| Mythic T2 | 38,000 | 390 | 55 | – | 1,852,320 |
| Mythic T2 1-Star | 43,000 | 430 | 75 | – | 1,913,520 |
| Mythic T2 2-Star | 45,000 | 460 | 80 | – | 1,974,720 |
| Mythic T2 3-Star | 48,000 | 500 | 85 | – | 2,040,000 |
| Legendary | 50,000 | 530 | 85 | 10 | 2,142,000 |
| Legendary 1-Star | 52,000 | 560 | 90 | 10 | 2,244,000 |
| Legendary 2-Star | 54,000 | 590 | 95 | 10 | 2,346,000 |
| Legendary 3-Star | 56,000 | 620 | 100 | 10 | 2,448,000 |
| Legendary T1 | 59,000 | 670 | 110 | 15 | 2,550,000 |
| Legendary T1 1-Star | 61,000 | 700 | 115 | 15 | 2,652,000 |
| Legendary T1 2-Star | 63,000 | 730 | 120 | 15 | 2,754,000 |
| Legendary T1 3-Star | 65,000 | 760 | 125 | 15 | 2,856,000 |
| Legendary T2 | 68,000 | 810 | 135 | 20 | 2,958,000 |
| Legendary T2 1-Star | 70,000 | 840 | 140 | 20 | 3,060,000 |
| Legendary T2 2-Star | 72,000 | 870 | 145 | 20 | 3,162,000 |
| Legendary T2 3-Star | 74,000 | 900 | 150 | 20 | 3,264,000 |
| Legendary T3 | 77,000 | 950 | 160 | 25 | 3,366,000 |
| Legendary T3 1-Star | 80,000 | 990 | 165 | 25 | 3,468,000 |
| Legendary T3 2-Star | 83,000 | 1,030 | 170 | 25 | 3,570,000 |
| Legendary T3 3-Star | 86,000 | 1,070 | 180 | 25 | 3,672,000 |
| Legendary T4 | 124,000 | 1,500 | 250 | 40 | 3,876,000 |
| Legendary T4 1-Star | 140,000 | 1,650 | 275 | 40 | 4,080,000 |
| Legendary T4 2-Star | 160,000 | 1,800 | 300 | 40 | 4,284,000 |
| Legendary T4 3-Star | 180,000 | 1,950 | 325 | 40 | 4,488,000 |
Chief Gear costs can be adjusted in future game updates. Check the upgrade preview inside your account before exchanging or spending materials.
How Whiteout Survival Chief Gear Works
Chief Gear unlocks at Furnace level 22 and contains six equipment slots. Each pair improves the Attack and Defense of one troop class.
Scroll sideways to view the full table.
| Chief Gear Pair | Troop Class Improved | General Role |
|---|---|---|
| Coat and Pants | Infantry | Front-line durability and combat performance |
| Cap and Watch | Lancer | Middle-line Lancer Attack and Defense |
| Ring and Weapon | Marksman | Back-line damage and survivability |
Some languages or older references use different item names, such as Belt or Shortstaff. Tap the gear piece and check the troop-class bonus instead of relying only on its position around the Chief.
Chief Gear Three-Piece and Six-Piece Bonuses
Matching Chief Gear quality provides additional set bonuses:
- Three matching pieces: Increases the Defense of all three troop classes.
- Six matching pieces: Increases the Attack of all three troop classes.
The bonus is based on the qualifying gear quality. Pushing one piece several tiers ahead can provide strong individual statistics, but it may delay a more valuable three-piece or six-piece set upgrade.
Which Chief Gear Should You Upgrade First?
For most balanced accounts, the recommended order within each quality milestone is:
- Infantry gear: Coat and Pants
- Marksman gear: Ring and Weapon
- Lancer gear: Cap and Watch
Infantry usually absorb the largest amount of incoming damage, so improving their Attack and Defense helps the formation remain alive longer. Marksmen are commonly prioritized second because they provide a large portion of march damage. Lancers normally follow after the Infantry and Marksman pairs.
Recommended Balanced Upgrade Pattern
A practical six-piece progression pattern is:
- Craft all six Chief Gear pieces.
- Raise the two Infantry pieces to the target quality.
- Raise one Marksman piece to activate a three-piece matching bonus.
- Bring the second Marksman piece to the same quality.
- Upgrade both Lancer pieces to complete the six-piece bonus.
- Begin the next quality milestone with Infantry again.
This keeps the account balanced while still prioritizing front-line survival and back-line damage.
When to Use a Different Order
You may adjust the order when:
- Your main rally formation depends heavily on one troop class.
- You are a rally leader with a specialized formation.
- A specific upgrade completes an important set bonus.
- One pair is significantly behind the rest of your gear.
- Your battle reports show a clear Infantry, Lancer, or Marksman weakness.
Do not rely solely on “top,” “bottom,” “left,” or “right” screen positions. Device layouts and translations may differ. Use the displayed Infantry, Lancer, or Marksman bonus to identify each piece.
Players comparing established cities should review all six Chief Gear levels, Lunar Amber inventory, Chief Charms, hero generations, and troop research before selecting a wos account for sale.
Best Way to Upgrade Chief Gear Efficiently
1. Calculate the Full Upgrade Before Exchanging
Do not convert materials based only on the item currently showing as missing. Record all four requirements and subtract your inventory to determine the real shortage.
2. Protect Design Plans
Design Plans are used through most mid-game and late-game milestones. They also become the main Material Exchange source for Lunar Amber.
Avoid converting Plans into Alloy or Polishing Solution unless the lower material is blocking an immediate, valuable upgrade.
3. Keep All Six Pieces Within One Major Tier
Maintaining similar gear quality helps preserve matching-set progression. Bring the other pieces forward before pushing one piece several major tiers ahead.
4. Save Actual Upgrades for Scoring Events
Material conversion does not count as material consumption for events. The actual Chief Gear enhancement may provide points when the relevant scoring task is active.
Use the exchange in advance if necessary, but complete the gear upgrade during the event window when practical.
5. Farm Every Repeatable Material Source
Join eligible Polar Terror rallies, hunt high-level Beasts, participate in Crazy Joe and Frostfire Mine, and review event shops before spending their currencies elsewhere.
6. Check the Weekly Exchange Reset
The shop has limited exchanges that refresh weekly. Avoid waiting until after the reset if a conversion is required for an upgrade you have already planned.
Chief Gear Exchange Shop vs. Other Exchange Systems
Whiteout Survival contains several systems with similar exchange terminology.
- Chief Gear Material Exchange: Converts Alloy, Polishing Solution, Design Plans, and Lunar Amber.
- Chief Charm Material Exchange: Converts Chief Charm materials and has a separate unlock requirement.
- Tundra Trading Station: Exchanges eligible excess hero items for Trade Vouchers and rotating rewards.
- Alliance shops: Spend alliance or event currencies on selected items.
These systems have separate currencies, limits, and unlock conditions. Unlocking the Chief Gear Exchange Shop does not automatically unlock the Chief Charm exchange.
Common Chief Gear Exchange Mistakes
Converting Plans Into Common Materials
Design Plans are generally harder to replace than Hardened Alloy. Trading one Plan for 300 Alloy can be costly when buying the Plan back would require 1,000 Alloy.
Converting Materials in a Circle
The exchange rates are not reversible at equal value. Every conversion loop loses materials.
Buying Lunar Amber Too Early
Lunar Amber is valuable only when your gear is ready to enter Legendary progression. Converting Plans early may delay the Mythic upgrades required before Amber can be used.
Assuming Alliance Members Can Trade Materials
Chief Gear materials cannot be transferred directly between players. Alliance coordination can help members access events and rallies, but it does not enable player-to-player material trading.
Ignoring Matching Gear Bonuses
One advanced piece may look impressive, but three-piece and six-piece matching-quality bonuses improve all troop classes. Include these bonuses in your upgrade decision.
Expecting Exchange Transactions to Score Event Points
The Material Exchange does not count as consuming materials for events. Only eligible Chief Gear upgrade actions count when the event rules specify them.
FAQ
When does Chief Gear unlock in Whiteout Survival?
Chief Gear unlocks when your Furnace reaches level 22.
When does the Chief Gear Exchange Shop unlock?
The Enhancement Material Exchange unlocks after Legendary Chief Gear is available and you own at least one Mythic T2 3-Star gear piece. Older guides may call this Gold T2 3-Star.
How do you get Lunar Amber?
Lunar Amber is primarily obtained through the Chief Gear Material Exchange or eligible in-game packs. The exchange rate is 10 Design Plans for one Lunar Amber.
What are Design Plans used for?
Design Plans are used for Chief Gear quality, star, and tier upgrades beginning at Rare 2-Star. They are also exchanged for Lunar Amber after Material Exchange becomes available.
What Chief Gear should you upgrade first?
For a balanced account, upgrade Infantry gear first, Marksman gear second, and Lancer gear third while keeping all six pieces within a similar major quality tier.
Do Material Exchanges count during Chief Gear events?
No. Converting materials does not count as event material consumption. Complete the actual Chief Gear upgrade during an eligible scoring event.
Can alliance members trade Chief Gear materials?
No. Players cannot directly send Hardened Alloy, Polishing Solution, Design Plans, or Lunar Amber to other alliance members.
When do Chief Gear exchange limits reset?
The Material Exchange limits refresh weekly. The shop displays the remaining exchange count for each conversion option.
Conclusion
The WOS Chief Gear Exchange Shop is a late-game tool for solving material imbalances. It becomes available after one Chief Gear piece reaches Mythic T2 3-Star and allows conversions between Hardened Alloy, Polishing Solution, Design Plans, and Lunar Amber.
Use the exchange only after calculating your full upgrade requirements. Protect Design Plans, avoid conversion loops, maintain similar quality across all six pieces, and complete actual upgrades during relevant scoring events. For most balanced accounts, prioritize Infantry gear first, Marksman second, and Lancer third while working toward three-piece and six-piece matching bonuses.
