Star rank is one of the biggest levers on hero strength, and the shard cost to reach each star climbs steeply — going from 1 star to 5 stars can take roughly 20 times as many shards as the first star alone, with the jump from 3 to 4 stars being a particularly large step up in community estimates.
Two breakpoints matter more than the rest:
- 3 stars is a realistic milestone for most players without heavy spending.
- 4 stars is generally treated as the priority goal, because it unlocks a hero’s 4th (“specialty”) skill — a flat combat stat boost that, unlike a hero’s other three skills, is reportedly identical across every hero in the game rather than hero-specific.
- 5 stars is the long-term goal for your core main-squad heroes once 4-star is secured across the board.
Where shards come from
Community guidance points to checking a few sources consistently, particularly right after weekly shop refreshes:
- Alliance, VIP, and Trial shops — worth checking for hero shards every refresh.
- The Honour shop, which refreshes on a longer cycle.
- Pillaging supply trucks that are specifically carrying hero shards (pillaging trucks for other cargo is a lower priority if shards are the goal).
If you’re willing to spend, hero-specific packs and periodic hero-themed shop events are generally the most efficient way to target shards for one hero in particular, rather than relying on random drops.