- Solo Hunters How To Get Shadow involves farming various materials through Red Gates and the Exchange Shop.
- Shadow Energy and Abyssal Resources are primarily found by extracting shadows from monsters in Red Gates.
- Fragments of Thought and Mana Power Extracts drop from most normal monsters and can be bought from the Exchange Shop.
- Prioritize upgrading Igris first to General rank, followed by Serby and Biru for their team-wide buffs.
- Efficiently upgrade shadow weapons by advancing each weapon once before focusing on maxing one.
- The Chapter 9 Archer Red Gate is highly recommended for continuous farming and material extraction.
In Solo Leveling: Arise, shadows are not just loyal companions; they are a crucial component of your overall power. Maximizing their potential requires a consistent supply of various materials, from Shadow Energy to specific promotion fragments. Understanding solo hunters how to get shadow materials efficiently is key to bolstering your army and conquering more challenging content. This guide will walk you through the most effective farming routes, material acquisition strategies, and optimal shadow growth tips to ensure your shadow army is always at its peak performance in 2026.
Whether you're looking to level up your existing shadows, promote them to higher ranks, or simply gather the necessary resources, this comprehensive breakdown will streamline your farming efforts. We'll explore the best locations, highlight essential daily tasks, and provide expert advice to help you build an unstoppable force.
Understanding Shadow Materials & The Extraction Process
Before diving into farming, it's essential to understand the different types of shadow materials and how shadows are initially acquired. The core mechanic for obtaining shadows themselves is Shadow Extraction, a unique skill of the Shadow Monarch. This ability allows you to revive slain beasts or hunters as loyal shadow soldiers. While the skill itself doesn't cost mana, its success rate depends on the target's stats and how recently they died.
Shadows contribute significantly to your overall Army Power, which is a key metric for progression in Solo Leveling: Arise. To enhance your shadows, you'll focus on three main aspects: increasing their level, upgrading their stats, and promoting them to higher ranks. Each of these processes demands specific materials, which we'll detail below.
Video Highlights:
- Overview of shadow level, upgrade, and promotion mechanics.
- Best red gate locations for farming initial shadow energy.
- How to efficiently extract shadows from normal monsters.
The materials required fall into several categories, each with its own primary farming method. Knowing where to find what will save you countless hours of grinding.
Shadow Extraction can be performed on lifeless bodies to turn them into Shadow Soldiers. The success rate is influenced by the target's strength and the time elapsed since their death. Always attempt extraction on freshly defeated, strong enemies for the best chance of success.
Here's a breakdown of the essential shadow materials and their general usage:
| Material Category | Primary Use | Key Farming Method(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Shadow Energy | Leveling up shadows | Extracting normal monsters in Red Gates |
| Gold | Leveling up shadows, crafting | Selling heroic rarity materials from Red Gates |
| Abyssal Fragments | Upgrading & Promoting shadows | Extracting normal monsters in Red Gates |
| Abyssal Energy | Upgrading & Promoting shadows | Extracting normal monsters in Red Gates |
| Abyssal Essence | Upgrading & Promoting shadows | Extracting normal monsters in Red Gates |
| Fragments of Thought | Upgrading & Promoting shadows, crafting | Normal monster drops, Exchange Shop (Hunt Coins) |
| Traces of Shadow | Crafting shadow-specific fragments | Crafting (requires Shadow Energy & Fragments of Thought) |
| Mana Power Extract | Crafting shadow-specific fragments | Normal monster drops, Exchange Shop (Hunt Coins) |
| Shadow-Specific Mats | Crafting shadow-specific fragments (e.g., Tough Armor) | Specific dungeons, Crafting NPC (check locations) |
Core Farming Routes: Shadow Energy & Gold
The foundation of a strong shadow army lies in consistently acquiring Shadow Energy and Gold. These two resources are crucial for the initial leveling of your shadows. Fortunately, the best place to farm both is often the same: Red Gates.
Red Gates offer an excellent environment for continuous monster spawns, allowing you to extract numerous shadows and gather valuable loot for selling.
For maximum efficiency, target Red Gates from Chapters 6, 7, and especially 9. The Chapter 9 Archer Red Gate is highly recommended for its continuous Centaur enemy spawns, which are perfect for endless shadow extraction. It also allows you to farm valuable Shaman and Beast sets.
Here's a strategic approach to farming these essential resources:
Prioritize Chapter 9 Archer Red Gate
Head to the Chapter 9 Archer Red Gate. This location is ideal because you can continuously fight Centaur enemies in the first arena. Once the meter fills to spawn the final boss, it appears right where you're fighting, minimizing movement and maximizing combat time.
Extract Shadows Continuously
As you defeat normal monsters, continuously extract their shadows to gain Shadow Energy. Remember, you cannot extract shadows if enemies are too close, so use powerful AoE skills (like Sung Jinwoo's ultimate) to clear surrounding foes before extracting.
Collect & Sell Heroic Materials for Gold
While clearing Red Gates, you'll inevitably pick up various materials. Focus on collecting heroic rarity materials. These can be sold for significant amounts of gold, which is vital for leveling your shadows, as reaching max level can cost over 500,000 gold per shadow.
Utilize Hunter Mode in Dungeons (Optional)
For additional gold and material farming, consider using specific hunters like Eugene Hoe in Hunter Mode dungeons. His Overdrive passive allows for easy counterattack damage, making clearing normal monsters effortless, especially when combined with the Gatekeeper set.
| Red Gate Recommendation | Primary Benefit (Materials) | Additional Benefits (Sets) | Farming Strategy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chapter 9 Archer | Shadow Energy, Abyssal Resources | Shaman, Beast Sets | Continuous Centaur spawns, boss spawns in place |
| Chapter 6 / 7 Red Gates | Shadow Energy, Abyssal Resources | Various common sets | Good for general monster density |
| Any Heroic Material Gate | Gold | High-value sellable items | Harvest and sell materials regularly |
Sourcing Upgrade & Promotion Materials
Beyond basic leveling, upgrading and promoting your shadows unlock their true potential, requiring a more diverse set of materials. These include Abyssal Fragments, Energy, and Essence, Fragments of Thought, Traces of Shadow, Mana Power Extracts, and various shadow-specific materials.
While you can craft Abyssal Fragments, Energy, and Essence, it's generally not recommended. The crafting cost in Fragments of Thought is extremely high, and Fragments of Thought are a much more critical and versatile resource. Prioritize farming Abyssal resources directly from Red Gates.
Here's how to acquire these crucial items:
1. Abyssal Resources (Fragments, Energy, Essence): These are primarily farmed from Red Gates, similar to Shadow Energy. Extracting enemy shadows from normal monsters in Red Gates is your most reliable source.
2. Fragments of Thought: These are dropped by almost every normal monster in the game, making them seem easy to get. However, their high demand for various upgrades means you'll need a constant supply.
- Primary Source: Drops from normal monsters within Red Gates.
- Secondary Source: Exchange Shop. Use Hunt Coins (earned by completing Red Gates) to purchase them. You can refresh the shop item list up to five times for 15 Hunt Coins per refresh, with a general item refresh every 30 minutes.
3. Mana Power Extract: Similar to Fragments of Thought, these drop from most normal monsters and are relatively easy to obtain. If you find yourself low, they can also be purchased from the Exchange Shop using Hunt Coins.
4. Traces of Shadow: These are only obtained through crafting.
- Crafting Recipe: 5 Shadow Energy + 3 Fragments of Thought.
- Since you'll be farming Shadow Energy and Fragments of Thought extensively, you should have a steady supply for crafting Traces of Shadow as needed.
5. Shadow-Specific Materials: These are unique materials required to craft the final shadow-specific fragments for promotion. There are five different types, each tied to a specific shadow.
- Iron: Tough Armor
- Igris: Shreds of Blood-Stained Cloth
- Tusk: Cursed Remnants
- Tank: Sharp Claws
- Kaisel: Contract Parchment
To find out where to farm these, visit the Crafting NPC in the game, go to "Item Crafting," and click on the specific material you need. The game will show you the exact dungeons where they drop. When farming these, aim for the lowest rarity difficulty stage to make it as quick and easy as possible, as these are common rarity items. Avoid story repeat stages, as they often take longer to clear.
Optimizing Shadow Growth & Prioritization
With materials in hand, the next step is to strategically grow your shadow army. Not all shadows are created equal, and smart resource allocation can significantly boost your overall power.
When advancing shadow weapons, the most efficient route is to upgrade each shadow weapon one advancement level at a time (e.g., all to A1, then all to A2, etc.) rather than fully maxing out one. This provides a more consistent power boost across your army for less resource cost, especially for materials like 'traces'.
Video Highlights:
- Discussion on shadow weapon advancement costs and efficiency.
- Best shadows to prioritize for unlocking and general rank.
- Importance of team-wide buffs from specific shadow authorities.
Here's a recommended prioritization for your shadows:
Tier 1: Max First
Igris
- Reason: Provides an 8% Crit Bonus to every team member (Sung Jinwoo and all Hunters), making him the best choice for overall damage increase. Max him to General rank first.
Tier 2: Unlock Early
Serby & Biru
- Reason: Serby offers a 5% bonus to "Sam Shaken" (a damage buff) that lasts forever, while Biru provides a 5% "Punishment" bonus. Unlock both early for their invaluable team bonuses, but don't rush to General rank.
Tier 3: Next General Rank
Big Rock / Iron
- Reason: After Igris, consider Big Rock for his authority if you focus on basic skill damage. Iron is excellent for Hunter modes, providing a 12% offense reduction to targets. Unlock these to General rank based on your preferred playstyle and current team needs.
Shadow Growth Strategy:
- Unlock Igris to General Rank: This is your top priority due to his universal crit buff.
- Unlock Serby and Biru: Get them to an unlocked state to benefit from their passive bonuses, but don't invest heavily in their General rank yet.
- Expand Your Army: Once Igris is at General, and Serby/Biru are unlocked, start unlocking other shadows like Iron and Big Rock to increase your overall Army Power. This will naturally raise your Battle Tier and provide more power.
- Weapon Upgrades: Apply the "one advancement at a time" rule. Upgrade all your shadow weapons to their next advancement level before focusing on maxing out a single one. This is more resource-efficient for early and mid-game progression.
- Red Territory Upgrades: Once shadows reach the "red territory" (higher upgrade tiers), the power gains and material costs tend to stabilize across different shadows. At this point, you can choose to fully max out your favorite shadows without significant efficiency loss.
Advanced Farming Tips & Daily Checklist
Beyond the core strategies, a few advanced tips can further optimize your shadow material farming and ensure you're always progressing.
Always check the Exchange Shop for Fragments of Thought and Mana Power Extracts. Refresh the shop up to five times daily using Hunt Coins. This is a consistent and reliable way to supplement your monster drops for these crucial materials.
Key Farming Efficiency Tips:
- Red Gate Loop: Utilize the Chapter 9 Archer Red Gate's layout. Fight continuously in the first arena. When the boss spawns, it appears directly in your combat zone, allowing for seamless transitions between mob clearing and boss fighting.
- AoE Ultimates for Extraction: When extracting shadows, ensure no enemies are nearby. Use powerful AoE ultimate skills (like Sung Jinwoo's) to quickly clear the area, creating a safe window for extraction.
- Hunter Mode Synergy: When farming dungeons in Hunter Mode, consider using hunters like Eugene Hoe with the Gatekeeper set. This combination allows for significant passive damage through counterattacks, making monster clearing effortless and efficient.
To keep your shadow army growing consistently, integrate these tasks into your daily or weekly routine:
Daily/Weekly Shadow Material Checklist:
- Complete all available Red Gates for Shadow Energy, Abyssal Resources, and Gold.
- Visit the Exchange Shop and purchase Fragments of Thought/Mana Power Extracts with Hunt Coins (refresh 5 times).
- Farm specific dungeons for any needed Shadow-Specific Materials (check Crafting NPC for locations).
- Consistently extract shadows from normal monsters during all farming activities.
- Prioritize upgrading Igris's weapon and leveling him to General rank.
- Unlock Serby and Biru for their passive team buffs.
Frequently Asked Questions About Solo Hunters How To Get Shadow
Q: What is the fastest way for solo hunters to get shadow energy?
The fastest way to get Shadow Energy is by continuously farming Red Gates, especially the **Chapter 9 Archer Red Gate**. This gate offers constant monster spawns, allowing for rapid shadow extraction.
Q: Should I craft Abyssal Fragments or farm them?
You should primarily **farm Abyssal Fragments** from Red Gates. Crafting them is generally not recommended due to the high cost in Fragments of Thought, which are better used for other critical upgrades.
Q: Which shadow should I prioritize upgrading first for overall power?
You should prioritize upgrading **Igris** first to General rank. His authority provides an 8% Crit Bonus to all team members (Sung Jinwoo and Hunters), offering the most significant overall damage increase.
Q: How can I efficiently upgrade my shadow weapons without wasting resources?
The most efficient method is to upgrade **each shadow weapon one advancement level at a time** (e.g., all to A1, then all to A2). This provides a broader power boost across your army for less initial resource investment compared to fully maxing one weapon.