How to increase your Gear Score in Nightingale

Nightingale doesn’t have a traditional character leveling system like many other RPGs. Instead, the game requires you to increase your Gear Score in order to undertake more difficult challenges. At first, how to do this is unclear, but we’ve got everything you need to know to drive up that number. 

Gear score in Nightingale is calculated based on what you’re wearing, as well as the weapon or tool you’re currently carrying in your main hand. It doesn’t matter what you’re carrying in your off-hand or what’s on your hotbar, the only thing adding to the score is what’s currently equipped.

How to increase Gear Score

By far, the best way to increase your Gear Score is by crafting or upgrading gear and weapons. To do this, you’ll need to purchase the Simple Upgrade Bench from the Essence Trader in your Abeyance Realm. 

To build the Simple Upgrade Bench, you’ll need:

• 4 Lumber
• 2 Ingots
• 3 Twine

Upgrading costs Essences, which you’ll need to gain through completing Encounters, defeating enemies, completing Fae Towers or, at least for the time being, by using this handy Water Bottle trick. Nightingale’s Twitch drops also add a few easy upgrades.

Upgrading items boosts their stats permanently and therefore increases how much they add to your Gear Score. When you upgrade Gear, you also benefit from increased Health, Health Regeneration and Stamina. Upgrading items also increases their rarity, turning Common items into Uncommon items and so on. 

How to unlock a Site of Power – Gear requirements

Each Site of Power holds a boss that must be fought in order to gain rewards, such as Realm Cards. However, each Site of Power comes with a minimum Gear Score that must be attained before you’re granted entry. 

For example, the Site of Power where you can obtain the Antiquarian Major Realm Card has a minimum Gear Score of 20, while the one which holds the Herbarium Card has a minimum Gear Score of 40. 

In order to gain access to these Sites of Power, you must continuously craft and upgrade better Gear and Weapons.