Whiteout Survival Mastery Forging is an advanced Hero Gear upgrade system that allows eligible Gold/Mythic Hero Gear to gain additional Gear Strength and improve the bonuses already provided by that equipment.
Unlike normal Hero Gear Enhancement, Mastery Forging uses Essence Stones as its primary upgrade material. Higher Mastery levels also begin consuming additional Mythic Hero Gear, making careful resource management increasingly important as your account progresses.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to unlock Mastery Forging, how its 20 levels work, the exact Essence Stone costs, when Mythic Hero Gear becomes necessary, how Mastery Reforge works, and how to prioritize your upgrades efficiently.
What Is Mastery Forging in Whiteout Survival?
Mastery Forging is a separate enhancement system designed for high-quality Hero Gear. Instead of replacing standard Hero Gear Enhancement, it adds another progression layer on top of it.
Each eligible gear piece has its own Mastery Forging level. Increasing that level provides an additional percentage-based improvement to the Gear Strength and buffs associated with that specific equipment piece.
This distinction is important because your gear can simultaneously have:
- A regular Enhancement Level
- A separate Mastery Forging Level
Mastery Forging contains 20 levels, with each level becoming progressively more expensive.
If you are still learning the broader equipment system, our Whiteout Survival Hero Gear guide covers regular enhancement and other Hero Gear fundamentals in more detail.
How to Unlock Mastery Forging
You cannot use Mastery Forging immediately after obtaining Gold/Mythic Hero Gear. Two important requirements must first be met.
- Furnace Level: Your Furnace must reach Level 20.
- Hero Gear Level: The eligible Gold/Mythic Hero Gear must reach Enhancement Level 20.
After meeting both requirements, the Mastery Forging option becomes available when you open the eligible equipment’s enhancement interface.
How to Access Mastery Forging
- Open the Heroes menu.
- Select the Hero wearing the gear you want to upgrade.
- Open the Gear interface.
- Select an eligible Gold/Mythic Hero Gear piece.
- Choose the enhancement interface.
- Select Mastery Forging.
- Use the required materials to Forge the next Mastery level.
If Mastery Forging does not appear, check the gear quality, Enhancement Level, and Furnace Level first.
What Materials Does Mastery Forging Require?
The main resource required for Mastery Forging is the Essence Stone.
For the first ten Mastery levels, Essence Stones are the only required forging material. Beginning at Mastery Level 11, each upgrade also requires additional Mythic Hero Gear.
Because you already need Essence Stones throughout Mastery progression, they can become one of your most valuable Hero Gear resources. For a dedicated explanation of their sources and farming methods, see our Whiteout Survival Essence Stones guide.
Whiteout Survival Mastery Forging Costs: Levels 1–20
The cost increases predictably as you progress. Each new level requires 10 more Essence Stones than the previous level.
Levels 1–10 require only Essence Stones. Starting at level 11, Mythic Hero Gear is added to the cost.
| Mastery Level | Essence Stones Required | Mythic Hero Gear Required |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | None |
| 2 | 20 | None |
| 3 | 30 | None |
| 4 | 40 | None |
| 5 | 50 | None |
| 6 | 60 | None |
| 7 | 70 | None |
| 8 | 80 | None |
| 9 | 90 | None |
| 10 | 100 | None |
| 11 | 110 | 1 Mythic Hero Gear |
| 12 | 120 | 2 Mythic Hero Gears |
| 13 | 130 | 3 Mythic Hero Gears |
| 14 | 140 | 4 Mythic Hero Gears |
| 15 | 150 | 5 Mythic Hero Gears |
| 16 | 160 | 6 Mythic Hero Gears |
| 17 | 170 | 7 Mythic Hero Gears |
| 18 | 180 | 8 Mythic Hero Gears |
| 19 | 190 | 9 Mythic Hero Gears |
| 20 | 200 | 10 Mythic Hero Gears |
How Many Essence Stones Are Needed for Mastery Forging?
Because the requirement increases by 10 Essence Stones per level, progressing through Mastery Forging becomes increasingly expensive.
The individual costs are:
10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100 Essence Stones for levels 1–10, followed by 110 through 200 Essence Stones for levels 11–20.
This escalating cost is one of the main reasons you should avoid spending Essence Stones indiscriminately across every Hero Gear piece.
Mastery Forging Levels 1–10: Build Your Core Gear First
The first ten levels are considerably easier to manage because you only need Essence Stones.
However, that does not mean every Mythic Gear piece should automatically be pushed toward Mastery 10.
Players with limited resources will usually get better results by investing in the equipment used by their main combat Heroes rather than spreading Essence Stones evenly across their entire Hero roster.
Prioritize Your Main March
Your strongest Infantry, Lancer, and Marksman Heroes are normally the best place to begin.
If a Hero rarely participates in your Arena team, rallies, PvP marches, Bear Hunt formation, or other important content, Mastery investment on that Hero’s equipment may provide less immediate value.
Combat Value Matters More Than Displayed Power
It can be tempting to spread upgrades simply because each upgrade raises your account’s visible power.
However, higher total power does not automatically mean stronger combat performance.
A concentrated set of upgrades on your strongest march can often be more useful than several small improvements distributed across secondary Heroes.
Mastery Forging Levels 11–20: Plan Before You Spend
Mastery Level 11 marks an important change because additional Mythic Hero Gear becomes part of the upgrade cost.
At this point, your decision is no longer about Essence Stones alone.
Extra Mythic Hero Gear has significant value in Whiteout Survival, so using it for Mastery Forging should be an intentional decision rather than an automatic upgrade.
If you need more Mythic equipment, our dedicated guide to getting Mythic Hero Gear covers that topic separately.
Before Going Beyond Mastery 10, Ask:
- Is this gear equipped on one of my main Heroes?
- Is this Hero likely to remain useful for my account?
- Does this equipment improve a stat that matters to my strategy?
- Do I have enough spare Mythic Gear for the next upgrades?
- Would another gear piece provide a better return?
- Do I have upcoming Hero Gear progression that needs these resources?
If you are uncertain about several of these points, saving your materials is usually better than rushing the upgrade.
Best Mastery Forging Upgrade Priority
There is no single Mastery Forging order that is perfect for every account. Your Heroes, generation, spending level, troop composition, PvP role, and preferred game modes all affect the best strategy.
Still, several principles work well for most players.
1. Focus on Your Primary Heroes
Your highest priority should normally be the Heroes you use consistently.
Upgrading a secondary Hero that rarely enters battle provides less practical value than strengthening a Hero used every day.
2. Prioritize Useful Troop Stats
Infantry usually serves as the frontline of your formation, while Marksmen and Lancers contribute heavily to offensive output.
As a general guideline:
- Infantry: prioritize equipment that supports survivability, particularly Health-oriented performance.
- Marksman: offensive and Lethality-focused improvements are commonly valuable.
- Lancer: offensive-focused gear can also provide strong returns depending on your formation.
These are strategic guidelines rather than absolute rules. Different Hero generations and battle situations can change the best equipment priority.
3. Avoid Upgrading Every Gear Piece Equally
Keeping every piece at exactly the same Mastery level may look balanced, but it is not always resource-efficient.
Players with limited Essence Stones can often gain more practical combat strength by improving their most valuable pieces first.
4. Save Resources When Necessary
You do not have to spend every Essence Stone immediately.
Saving resources gives you flexibility when your Hero lineup changes, when you obtain better equipment, or when an event rewards Hero Gear upgrades.
Mastery Forging vs Hero Gear Enhancement
Mastery Forging and Hero Gear Enhancement are different systems.
Normal Enhancement increases the regular level of the equipment using Enhancement XP Components and eligible Hero Gear materials.
Mastery Forging provides a separate progression layer and primarily consumes Essence Stones.
| Feature | Hero Gear Enhancement | Mastery Forging |
|---|---|---|
| Main Purpose | Increase normal Hero Gear level | Increase Mastery and gear bonuses |
| Main Materials | Enhancement XP and eligible gear | Essence Stones |
| Additional Material | Depends on normal progression | Mythic Hero Gear from Mastery 11+ |
| Separate Level? | Yes | Yes |
| Mastery Maximum | N/A | 20 |
Understanding the difference prevents one of the most common Hero Gear mistakes: treating Enhancement Level and Mastery Level as though they are the same progression system.
Can You Reset Mastery Forging?
Yes. Whiteout Survival includes a Mastery Reforge feature.
Mastery Reforge allows you to reset the Mastery level of eligible Hero Gear back to zero.
However, there is an important penalty: only 50% of the Essence Stones invested into Mastery Forging are returned.
This makes careful planning especially important before investing heavily into secondary equipment.
Common Mastery Forging Mistakes to Avoid
Spreading Essence Stones Across Too Many Heroes
Upgrading every Hero may increase your overall power, but your primary formation can fall behind players who concentrate their resources.
Using Mythic Hero Gear Without Planning
Once you reach Mastery Level 11, spare Mythic Hero Gear becomes part of the cost. Do not consume valuable gear simply because the next upgrade is available.
Confusing Mythic Heroes With Mythic Hero Gear
Higher Mastery levels require additional Mythic Hero Gear pieces. You are not sacrificing Heroes.
Using Mastery Reforge Too Frequently
Because only 50% of invested Essence Stones are returned, repeatedly resetting Mastery Forging can create significant long-term losses.
Prioritizing Power Instead of Useful Stats
Displayed power is useful for measuring progression, but your actual combat results depend on how effectively your stats, Heroes, and formations work together.
Upgrading Secondary Gear Too Early
Before investing heavily outside your primary lineup, make sure your most frequently used Heroes have reached a strong baseline.
Is Mastery Forging Worth It?
Yes, Mastery Forging is an important part of Hero Gear progression, particularly once your main Heroes are equipped with strong Mythic gear.
The bigger question is not whether you should use Mastery Forging—it is which gear deserves your Essence Stones first.
For free-to-play and low-spending players, efficient allocation is especially important because Essence Stones and spare Mythic Hero Gear accumulate more slowly.
Higher-spending players have more flexibility, but resource efficiency still matters once several complete gear sets are being developed.
F2P Mastery Forging Strategy
Free-to-play players should generally approach Mastery Forging as a long-term project.
Rather than trying to develop every available Hero equally:
- Build one strong primary lineup first.
- Prioritize valuable equipment slots.
- Save Essence Stones instead of spending automatically.
- Collect Mythic Hero Gear consistently.
- Avoid unnecessary Mastery Reforge losses.
- Use event timing when upgrades can provide additional rewards.
- Expand into secondary Heroes only after your core gear is established.
Whiteout Survival progression rewards consistency. A smaller number of carefully upgraded gear pieces can provide better results than numerous poorly planned upgrades.
Mastery Forging Strategy for Mid and Late-Game Accounts
As your account matures, Mastery Forging becomes part of a much larger Hero Gear progression plan.
You may be balancing Essence Stones against:
- New Hero generations
- Different equipment sets
- Mythic Hero Gear availability
- Advanced Hero Gear progression
- PvP requirements
- Bear Hunt optimization
- Arena performance
This is why blindly pushing one piece simply because you have enough materials is rarely the best approach.
Think several upgrades ahead. Knowing what you want your primary gear sets to look like later will help you avoid expensive Mastery Reforge decisions.
Should You Buy or Build Your Progression?
For most players, progressing naturally and carefully allocating Essence Stones remains the best way to understand and develop an account. However, players comparing the time required to build advanced Hero Gear with an already-developed account can review our wos account for sale page as an optional comparison before deciding which progression route suits them best.
FAQ
What is Mastery Forging in Whiteout Survival?
Mastery Forging is an additional Hero Gear enhancement system that uses Essence Stones to increase the Mastery level and improve the strength and bonuses provided by eligible Gold/Mythic Hero Gear.
When does Mastery Forging unlock?
Mastery Forging becomes available after your Furnace reaches Level 20 and the eligible Gold/Mythic Hero Gear reaches Enhancement Level 20.
How many Mastery Forging levels are there?
Mastery Forging has 20 levels.
What do I need for Mastery Forging?
Levels 1–10 primarily require Essence Stones. Starting at level 11, upgrades also require additional Mythic Hero Gear.
When does Mastery Forging require Mythic Hero Gear?
Mythic Hero Gear becomes an additional requirement beginning at Mastery Level 11.
How many Essence Stones does Mastery Level 20 require?
The Mastery Level 20 upgrade requires 200 Essence Stones plus 10 Mythic Hero Gear pieces.
Can you reset Mastery Forging?
Yes. The Mastery Reforge feature can reset Mastery progress. However, only 50% of the Essence Stones previously invested are returned.
Is Mastery Forging the same as Hero Gear Enhancement?
No. They are separate progression systems. Standard Hero Gear Enhancement raises the equipment’s regular Enhancement Level, while Mastery Forging uses Essence Stones to raise its separate Mastery level.
Should F2P players use Essence Stones on every Hero?
Generally, no. Free-to-play players usually benefit more from focusing Essence Stones on the equipment used by their main Heroes before heavily investing in secondary lineups.
Should I Mastery Forge every Hero Gear piece equally?
Not necessarily. Prioritizing gear that improves important stats for your strongest Heroes can be more resource-efficient than keeping every piece at an identical Mastery level.
Is Mastery Forging worth investing in?
Yes. Mastery Forging provides meaningful improvements to eligible Hero Gear. The key is to invest strategically instead of spreading scarce resources across too many Heroes and gear pieces.
Conclusion
Whiteout Survival Mastery Forging is one of the most important Hero Gear progression systems once your account reaches Furnace Level 20 and your Gold/Mythic equipment reaches the required Enhancement Level.
There are 20 Mastery Forging levels. Levels 1–10 require Essence Stones, while levels 11–20 add increasingly expensive Mythic Hero Gear requirements.
The most effective strategy is not simply to upgrade everything you can. Instead, focus on your strongest Heroes, prioritize equipment that contributes meaningful combat stats, plan ahead for higher Mastery costs, and avoid unnecessary Mastery Reforge losses.
Essence Stones and Mythic Hero Gear become increasingly valuable as your account advances. By treating Mastery Forging as a long-term progression system rather than a quick power boost, you can extract much more value from every resource you invest.
