What are the uses of Radiant Starshards?

[Jargonaut]

Can anyone tell me what are the uses of radiant starshards.
I have been keeping a few of them in the academy, but do not now how to use them.
I did a search on the forum, and mostly it talk about the starshards being preserved when you start a new world. However, I cannot find info on what I can use the starshards for.

Also, if I have 3 starshards, does using them consume the starshards?
Thanks a lot for this fun game. I know I am a bit late as many of you on the forum have been playing it for years, and I just know about this game a few days ago.

[Nicholas Steel]

The Cartography Skill will let you discover something that is relevant to them.

[Jargonaut]

Thank you both. I read and realize that the level 3 cartography skill will let me find the temple where I can use the shards to upgrade my weapons.

My question is : Is the temple location always fixed if I do not regenerate the world? If so, then can I find out where the temple is and then when I die, I get my next dungeonman to go to the same location without the cartography skill? Will that work?

My biggest problem is NOT enough books at early/mid level of the game, where I am now.
I start of with 5 books, then get 4 books from the bookstand and 3 books from the ghost professors. This give me 12 books. My luck is pretty poor so I can probably find 2 or 3 books in the loots. And if I dont die at level 10 (never got pass 10) I will have a total of 25 books maxed. I know that sometime the hives sell books, but I can never save enough gold to pay 5999 per book!!!! Are there any way to get books other than what I know now?

Is there ANY way to transmit what I learn to the next dungeonman in ANY way?

My biggest problem is not being able to learn the key stills that I need at level 10 to survive,
I really want to go past level 10. Any help will be much appreciated.

[errantstar]

If you unlock the temple on one character it stays around until the next world regen (it might show up then even if you don't have cartography, but to be on the safe side don't regenerate the world)

Books really aren't as essential as you think btw, since you'll never really be able to rely on them in order to fix up major skills but rather they're there for extra abilities. If you focus on one skill tree (about ~8 levels), one armor type (3 skill points) and whatever utility skills you should be able to get what you want by level 10 anyway. (i'll leave the judgement on which skills are best to max out for you)

e: in the endgame 5k per book is very managable from selling 5* tier weapons and doing Tower of ___ dungeons

[Jargonaut]

1. Denker, hat does retirement means? I am level 10 and I see an option to retire. When I retire, how can I use my blacksmith to store my starshard enhanced gears? As far as I know, it can store only legendary, sets and weapons of dead hero. Can it store the weapons of my retired hero. Since there is no way save and reload, I am unable to test it out by retiring as I would lose my level 10 character.

2. This game is very unforgiving, because many times I use a stairs and it become a 1-way trip with no obvious way to get back. Usually the monsters in the new areas are too strong and just killed my level 10 characters. I died many many times this way. For example, I died when going up to the highest level of some tower (and there is no sign that it is the to before I use the stairs. Another example is I eter the Mountain Fortress and use the stairs on the first floor and it is a 1-way trip with no apparent way to get back. So... I am struggling not to die here, but I will finished using all my bacon soon. I think I am going to die in Mountain Fortress (and a number of other places).

3. Many of these places that I died, I cannot retrieve my weapon as it is too dangerous and so, I lose my champion weapon, OP weapon, etc. Ouch!!!. I really wish there is an easy way to store my weapon. Since I cannot return and I have an OP weapon now, is there a way I can teleport back home or something. I learn the skill to teleport home, but it does not work inside dungeons, etc. There is also no way to send my weapon home, before dying... in fact I cannot even retire inside dungeon.

I died so many times now, I wish someone could write a guide that says "here are some ways that you might die... and so don't do them!!.

Any help from anyone is much appreciated.

[Jargonaut]

Wow, thank you for the great advise, Denker. And the good news is that my character finally got out of the Mountain Fortress by defeating the boss. And I got a 5star 1H Hammer and a 5star Bow too. But I cannot store them yet, as they are not enhanced by starshards.

With your info, I will go and hunt for the star temple, enhance it, and then retire :) :) :)

[Nicholas Steel]

To store Star Shards you leave them in the orb at the academy and they will persist there for your new characters and even when regenerating the world. The War Gear Vault will also keep its contents when regenerating the world.

Cartography will reveal a location where you can use Star Shards to upgrade your gear, gear upgraded via Star Shards can be placed in the War Gear Vault. You should upgrade your weapons once each, upgrade the rings once each and then upgrade everything else once each and then save your Star Shards for later characters.

The Star Shard Shrine (or whatever you want to call it) will need to be rediscovered if you regenerate the world.