Top 5 Gears You Should Upgrade First in Ragnarok X: Next Generation – Optimize Power Early

In Ragnarok X: Next Generation, your gear defines your performance. While leveling and grinding are important, it's the right equipment upgrades that separate casual players from power farmers and top-tier PvPers. But with so many options available, armor, weapons, accessories, and headgear, it’s easy to fall into the trap of upgrading the wrong piece at the wrong time.

To help you maximize your efficiency, combat potential, and survivability, this guide breaks down the top five gears you should upgrade first. Each choice is backed by practical reasoning and tailored to both early-game progress and long-term growth.

1. Weapon – The Core of Your Damage Output

Your weapon is the lifeblood of your build. Whether you're a DPS class like an Assassin or a spellcaster like a Wizard, your damage scales primarily with your weapon’s stats.

This is the first item you should always prioritize upgrading, no exceptions.

Early in the game, just refining your weapon to +4 or +6 can make a massive difference in farming speed and dungeon efficiency.

Why? Because increased attack power lets you clear mobs faster, complete commissions more efficiently, and push through MVP fights with ease.

In other words, the better your weapon, the quicker your Zeny returns.

Don't stop at refining, either. Enhance your weapon using materials from daily activities, and slot it with the right cards. For example, a Desert Wolf Card increases damage to Small enemies, while a Hydra Card boosts damage against Demi-Humans. Weapon card synergy can make or break your performance, especially in PvP.

2. Accessory (Ring/Necklace) – Stat Boosters with Hidden Power

Accessories often get overlooked. Players focus on armor and shields, assuming these will keep them alive longer.

But here's the catch: accessories offer some of the most powerful passive stat bonuses in the game.

Upgrading rings and necklaces can grant crucial bonuses like increased attack speed, critical rate, or magic penetration. These subtle stats compound over time, especially when stacked with class passives and buffs. Early investments in accessory upgrades can quietly double your output by reducing downtime between attacks and increasing crit frequency.

Moreover, high-tier accessories are extremely versatile. Unlike weapons that are often class-specific, many accessories work well across multiple builds. That means you can invest early without worrying about wasting resources if you switch jobs later on.

3. Armor – Vital for Survivability in PvE and PvP

Once your damage is in a good place, you’ll want to shift focus to staying alive. Armor upgrades should be your third priority, especially if you're starting to dive into content like Oracle Dungeon, Endless Tower, or MVP hunts.

Upgraded armor reduces the damage you take from all sources. This becomes especially important when facing bosses with high burst skills or mobs with AoE attacks.

Unlike weapons, which boost your kill potential, armor gives you room for error, extra seconds to pop a potion, reposition, or survive an unlucky crit.

Refining armor also grants you HP bonuses, damage reduction, and sometimes elemental resistances depending on the type. Combine this with fortification and enhancements, and you'll see a noticeable difference in how long you can survive in high-pressure scenarios.

4. Footgear – Movement and HP Make a Bigger Difference Than You Think

Speed kills, and in Ragnarok X, movement speed is often the difference between dodging a fatal attack and taking the hit head-on.

Footgear might not scream power upgrade at first glance, but they provide vital mobility and HP boosts that are critical in both PvE and PvP.

Upgrading footgear gives two key benefits: enhanced max HP and increased movement speed.

The former helps you tank better, while the latter allows faster map clears, better positioning, and easier farming loops. For melee characters in particular, being able to quickly close the distance between you and a target is essential.

When footgear is paired with movement cards like Verit or Eggyras, you unlock even more utility. For players who participate in MVP sniping or guild wars, every step counts. Time lost is damage lost.

5. Headgear – Minor Bonuses with Major Long-Term Gains

At first glance, headgear might feel like vanity equipment, cosmetic upgrades for the fashion-conscious adventurer. But in Ragnarok X, the right headgear offers powerful passive bonuses that can tilt the odds in your favor during critical fights.

Many headgear items grant percentage-based buffs like increased crit rate, elemental resistances, or skill damage amplification. While these bonuses may seem small at first, they stack with other buffs and multipliers. Over time, they add up.

For instance, a +10% fire resistance from headgear could be the difference between surviving a Flame Lord MVP fight or getting one-shot. If you’re running a magic build, gear that adds to magic penetration or reduces cooldown can significantly improve spell rotations.

Headgear also benefits from refinement, enhancement, and card slotting. Some rare cards, like the Peco Peco Egg Card, boost survivability or offer niche PvP advantages.

These give headgear an endgame edge that isn’t immediately obvious to newer players.

Upgrade With Intention, Not Emotion

The biggest mistake most players make in Ragnarok X: Next Generation is upgrading randomly. They refine every piece of gear evenly or focus too heavily on aesthetics without considering utility.

To truly maximize your growth, you need a focused strategy, and that starts with upgrading the right items in the right order.

Here’s a quick recap of your upgrade priority path:

• Weapon – Maximize your damage output.
• Accessory – Scale your passive stats and long-term power.
• Armor – Improve survivability in mid-to-endgame content.
• Footgear – Boost HP and mobility for faster farming and better positioning.
• Headgear – Gain passive bonuses that stack as your build matures.

Stick to this structure, and you’ll grow stronger faster while spending fewer resources on unnecessary upgrades. In a game driven by time efficiency, that edge is everything.