Item and Hero Customization đź›
What you need to gain the edge in battle đź’Ş
There’s an old trope that goes, “never bring a knife to a gun fight”. While skilled intergalactic assassins might have the upper hand when armed with a blade, the actual meaning of this expression is true for everyone:
The best way to lose a fight is to enter it under-equipped and underprepared.
This is just as true in the Zone of Avoidance universe as it is anywhere else. Here, where heroes of the same level have very similar stats, it is instead items and hero customizations that give you the upper hand on the battleground. Whether it’s a weapon, armor, a buff or some other power-up, how you customize your heroes determines your strategy — which in turn determines the outcome of your battles.
The power of your equipment
Items can be used to modify both primary and secondary stats, making them an incredibly important consideration when planning your strategy. As heroes only have three item slots, and as you can’t equip more than one of the same item on a single hero, you need to think carefully about what you’re equipping.
To begin with, there will be eight available base items: Minigun, Rocket Launcher, Shields Generator, Stealth Suit, Laser Pointer, Medical Drone, Science Drone, and Patronage. Each of these can be upgraded twice, moving from a base Tier 1 to the most powerful Tier 3.
Powerful heroes with a rarity of Epic or higher also have an additional Supply Slot in addition to their three item slots. This supply slot is reserved for a Unique Hero Item — a powerful item which is specific to each hero. Finding, equipping and upgrading these items should be a priority for players looking to find an edge in battle.
Crafting
When you’re in the furthest reaches of known space, finding a shop can be a bit of a challenge. Crews fighting here rely instead on their own ingenuity to get by and have become experts at Crafting.
Crafting allows players to create new items and upgrade existing ones, using ZoA’s internal resources. These resources are collected as you explore the universe and win battles against enemies. As your items increase from Tier 1 to 2 to 3, the cost of upgrading increases as well.
The ZoA Crafting system provides a great P2E opportunity for players. Those willing to grind for resources can craft and upgrade items which they can then sell to others through the marketplace. More information on crafting can be found in our whitepaper, and we’ll release more details as this feature approaches release.
NFTs and the item economy
Just like heroes and spaceships, items in ZoA are linked to NFT cards. Whenever an item is upgraded, a new card is minted and the old NFT is burned.
Items form an important part of the overall ZoA P2E economy. As we mentioned earlier, those willing to work for resources can sell items in the marketplace. Resources themselves aren’t easy to come by, so the most powerful weapons will be sought by the best players looking to maintain their advantage in battle.
Because of the way item crafting works, as well as the upgrade mechanics, it’s possible for players to get ahead without having to spend a fortune on items. Good old-fashioned grinding and a clear strategy can get you anywhere in the ZoA universe. Still, enterprising warriors will quickly find opportunities to profit from their skills by selling items to richer players through the marketplace.
A universe of possibilities
Hero stats, items and battle positioning to combine to give players endless possible strategies and combinations. While a Minigun might be perfect for a hero in one situation, it might be completely inappropriate for the same hero in another. As the leader of your squad it’s up to you to strategize, experiment and determine the best battle plan for your warriors.
We’re releasing new content regularly, so make sure you keep up with ZoA on all our social channels.
