Refining adds a bonus to your equipment. A weapon at +0 deals its base damage. The same weapon at +7 deals noticeably more. Armor at higher refine levels absorbs more damage.
You do this at a blacksmith NPC by paying zeny and providing a Phracon (for armor) or Emveretarcon (for armor) or Oridecon (for weapons) or Elunium (for armor), depending on the item type.
💡Your Eden Group free gear is already decent without refining. Refining matters more once you have a piece of gear you plan to keep for a long time.
Understand the safe refine level.
Every equipment type has a "safe" refine level. Below that level, a failed attempt only wastes your ore. Above it, a failed attempt can break the item entirely.
Safe refine levels for most Renewal gear:
- Weapons: +4 is safe. Above +4, failure can break the weapon.
- Armor / Accessories: +4 is safe. Above +4, failure can break the armor.
Gather the right ore.
Before you visit the blacksmith, make sure you have the correct refining material:
| Item type | Material needed |
|---|---|
| Level 1 weapons | Phracon |
| Level 2 weapons | Emveretarcon |
| Level 3 weapons | Oridecon |
| Level 4 weapons | Oridecon |
| All armor | Elunium |
You can buy Phracon and Emveretarcon from the Tool Dealer in Prontera.
Oridecon and Elunium are found as monster drops or from the player Market at /market.
Visit Hollgrehenn the blacksmith.
Hollgrehenn is the standard refiner in Prontera. He handles most normal equipment.
Talk to him and choose "Refine" or "Let me refine an item." He will ask which equipped or inventory piece to refine.
Click the item you want to refine.
Pick the item from the list. Hollgrehenn will show you the result.
- If the ore and zeny cost is paid, the refine attempt starts.
- Success: the item gains +1 and shows the new level (for example, "Blade [3] (+3)").
- Failure at safe level: the item stays where it is and the ore is lost.
- Failure above safe level: the item may break.
For +11 and above, use Vestri.
There is a second blacksmith in the same building for very high-level refining. His name is Vestri, and he works with the Refine UI for items Level 10 and above.
As a beginner, you do not need Vestri yet. Focus on getting your gear to +4 safely first.
Refining quick summary
| Refine level | Risk | Result |
|---|---|---|
| +1 to +4 | Safe. Failure wastes ore only | Good daily goal |
| +5 to +9 | Failure can break the item | Only for gear you are willing to lose |
| +10 and above | Very high risk | End-game territory |
💡For armor, a +4 Elunium refine gives a flat DEF bonus. For weapons, each refine adds ATK. Even +3 or +4 on your weapon makes a real difference in the early game on a low-rate server like ArionRO.