Shadow Fight 3 is a mobile fighter game that is definitely worth trying, if only for the fact that combat looks absolutely stunning. For those of you who are new to the franchise, we’ve written an entire guide to combat and everything you need to know about it in order to achieve more victories.

Now, let’s focus on what you can do outside of the fights proper to increase your prowess and progress in the game. These are 8 essential tips that every new player should know before they start a character. They won’t replace plenty of combat practice, but they will make it easier for you to defeat your most difficult enemies.

1 – You’ll Need Better Equipment to Progress

This is an important one because equipment is the most important factor in determining your character’s strength. Plus, different gear and weapons can change your fighting style completely, so it’s always a good idea to switch to a different set if you’re looking to try something new.

For example, weapons have unique fighting animations, as well as speed and damage ratings. While you might be tempted to stick to the sword you get from the get-go, you might find that some fights are easier if, for instance, you can attack your opponent from further away with a lance. Headpieces are also important because they determine your Shadow Energy attack ability, while Chest armor comes with a Shadow Energy defensive skill.

2 – If a Fight Is Too Hard, Upgrade Your Gear

Shadow Fight 3 is not a game that holds your hand and eases you into combat. You do get a few introductory fights, but that’s about it. Once you start the campaign proper, it doesn’t take long for you to encounter the first boss. This is where the game might start to feel frustrating.

Most likely, the fight will show up as “Insane” in terms of difficulty, which can feel impossible even for the most experiences SF fighters. The solution, however, is simple. All you have to do is to upgrade your current gear a few times and this will drastically reduce the boss’ difficulty. The game does give you some free coins and premium currency right off the bat, which you can use in the Shop. As an F2P player, make sure that you don’t spend on unnecessary cards and instead focus on those cards that would increase the efficiency of your current gear.

3 – Levelling Up Is Essential

Levelling up goes hand in hand with gear improvements, especially since some gear will require your character to reach a certain level before it can be equipped. Take, for example, the gorgeous sword that drops off the first boss. You might want to try it out right away, but you have to be level 3 to equip it.

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There is only one way to gain XP in Shadow Fight 3, which makes it a slow process overall. You only get XP points from completing missions, so it’s a good idea to go as far as you can in the campaign in order to unlock additional content and gear.

4 – You Can Grind Duels

In fact, you can only grind duels, because no other missions in the game can be replayed once they are completed. This makes SF3 quite different compared to its predecessor, but it’s a nice way to push players into experiencing the “joys” if PvP.

Whether you win or lose in a battle, you will gain some coins and equipment every time you play a duel. That’s fortunate for us F2P players, who might find it impossible to beat low-level opponents with legendary gear. When the campaign gets tough and there’s no other way to improve your character, it’s time to farm some duels.

5 – Side Quests Are Important Too

Side quests don’t come up very often in the game, but when they do, you should definitely take advantage of them. Once completed, these quests are a great way to earn more coins and new equipment, which – let’s face it – you will sorely need if you’re F2P.

In addition, you’ll be given 4 missions to complete every day, which will, in turn, reward you with keys. When you’ve gathered enough keys, you can open special chests with even better rewards. Definitely something worth doing when the campaign gives you a hard time.

6 – Enjoy the Freebies

Shadow Fight 3 is clearly geared towards P2W players, but it doesn’t completely ignore those who prefer to stay F2P, either. For instance, you get a free Booster pack with some rare equipment once every couple of days and while this is not a very quick way to improve your character, we’re still glad it exists.

You’ll also have the opportunity to earn additional loot from combat or to gain a few gems – the game’s premium currency – by watching ads.

7 – All Bosses Have a Weakness

When you first face off against Deng Rao, the fight might seem insurmountable. Even after you follow tip #2 and upgrade your gear, you might still have a hard time landing hits at the right time. This is normal.

Yet you’ll soon discover that every single boss in Shadow Fight 3 has some kind of weakness. Dang Rao, for example, likes to carry out elaborate choreographies with his sword: terrible for you if they connect, but a great opportunity to land a few hits if you manage to dodge Rao and retaliate.

8 – Practice Makes Perfect

If you’re still struggling after following all the tips here and reading through our combat guide, we have two pieces of advice. First, you have to try Shadow Fight 3 on your PC using BlueStacks. This is not just a great way to get rid of lag, but it also allows you to have much better control over your characters and activate your abilities at just the right time.

Second, there are no tips that can replace hours of actual practice on the game. If you’re losing in a fight, don’t let it tilt you! Instead, keep a cool head and just try again. You’ll notice that the more times you attempt a fight, the better your results are and, eventually, every insurmountable boss becomes nothing more than an unpleasant memory.

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