Where to Upgrade Weapons
Upgrade blades and firearms at James's Iron Bench and Transmutations at Louis's Laboratoire in the Abandoned Church. Maximum-level materials come from chests and quest rewards in The Outskirts, City of Orphans, University and Fortress.
Blades and firearms reach level 10, while Transmutations reach level 5. Their final upgrades require Quintessential Blade Material, Masterwork Firearm Parts and Quintessential Transmutation Material, respectively.
Upgrade Your Equipment at the Church
- Return to the Abandoned Church. Use James's Iron Bench to upgrade your Saber, Rapier, Claymore, Pistol, Musket or Blunderbuss with the matching Blade Materials or Firearm Parts.
- Check the material required for your next level against the table below. Use the materials already in your inventory before buying more, and purchase only what your chosen upgrade needs.
- Revisit the merchants as you progress through the story. Their stock grows after Chapters 5 and 9, but final-tier materials must come from exploration and quests.
Every Material and Upgrade Requirement
Saber, Rapier and Claymore share the Blade Material upgrade track. Pistol, Musket and Blunderbuss use Firearm Parts. Fire, Stasis and Shield use Transmutation Materials; each quantity below pays for the stated target level.
| Material and Upgrade Requirement | Merchant or Reward |
|---|---|
| Crude Blade Material — level 2: 1; level 3: 2; level 4: 3. | James's Iron Bench: 1,500 Catalysts each. |
| Pure Blade Material — level 5: 1; level 6: 2; level 7: 3. | James's Iron Bench: 3,000 Catalysts each. |
| Distilled Blade Material — level 8: 1; level 9: 2. | James's Iron Bench: 6,000 Catalysts each. |
| Quintessential Blade Material — level 10: 1. | World chests, including The Oathbound's final room. Not sold. |
| Standard Firearm Parts — level 2: 1; level 3: 2; level 4: 3. | James's Iron Bench: 1,500 Catalysts each. |
| Superior Firearm Parts — level 5: 1; level 6: 2; level 7: 3. | James's Iron Bench: 3,000 Catalysts each. |
| Exquisite Firearm Parts — level 8: 1; level 9: 2. | James's Iron Bench: 6,000 Catalysts each. |
| Masterwork Firearm Parts — level 10: 1. | World chests and The King of Smugglers. Not sold. |
| Crude Transmutation Material — level 2: 2. | Louis's Laboratoire: 2,000 Catalysts each. |
| Pure Transmutation Material — level 3: 2. | Louis's Laboratoire: 4,000 Catalysts each. |
| Distilled Transmutation Material — level 4: 2. | Louis's Laboratoire: 8,000 Catalysts each; also rewarded by Sleeping Beauty. |
| Quintessential Transmutation Material — level 5: 1. | World chests and Monster Hunt. Not sold. |
Buying the lower-tier materials for a blade or firearm costs 45,000 Catalysts; a Transmutation's lower tiers cost 28,000. Exploration can reduce that shopping bill. Keep the final material route for your chosen weapon handy before spending.
How to Upgrade Transmutations
- Visit Louis's Laboratoire at the Abandoned Church and bring the materials for your chosen Fire, Stasis or Shield upgrade.
- Before tackling the poison routes below, obtain Shield through story progression at University > Main Hall. It lets you cross poison areas and reach branches containing upgrade materials.
- If you want Abyssal Eviction, take Shield to level 5 to unlock Shield Bash. Keep a Quintessential Transmutation Material for that final upgrade.
Maximum-Level Material Locations
| Location | Details |
|---|---|
| Quintessential Blade Material — The Outskirts > Lighthouse | After defeating Experiment 83, enter the side laboratory with the notes and open the chest. |
| Quintessential Blade Material — Fortress > Chapel | Enter the underground sewer room after the pole jump. Take the left door, descend the stairs and turn right. The enemy encounter room has an explosive chest at the back. |
| Quintessential Blade Material — Fortress > Courtyard | After collecting The Oathbound's emblems, use the Mysterious Stone Slab at the marked wall opposite the Guardsman's room. Read the table's note, then open the chest to its right. |
| Masterwork Firearm Parts — City of Orphans > Sewers | Beyond the Sewers Key door, follow the left path and turn left toward the swing bar. Cross to the platform and take the Sewers Master Key from the body on its left. Return to the Lantern and unlock the door beside it for the chest. |
| Masterwork Firearm Parts — University > Main Hall | From the chandelier area used to reach Shield, take the opposite poison hallway and descend the elevator. Continue through the lower library into the lecture hall. Open the chest beneath the rear balcony. |
| Masterwork Firearm Parts — The Outskirts > Harbour | Follow The King of Smugglers to the Harbour residence. Upstairs, read Crusty Benek's Journal and loot the chest to the left. |
| Quintessential Transmutation Material — City of Orphans | Complete Monster Hunt by collecting all 17 drawings across the city and sewers. |
| Quintessential Transmutation Material — University > Main Hall | Return to the elevator area and follow the poison hallway to another elevator. Ride down to open the Lantern shortcut, then back up into the new area. Open the balcony chest. |
| Quintessential Transmutation Material — Fortress > Traverse | Light both signal fires to open the gate near Traverse. Pass through and open the chest immediately on the left. |
Finish the Quests That Supply Materials
- For The Oathbound, collect the Guardsmen's emblems near Onslaught Arch, Demolished Path, Old Mine, Marketplace, Deep Water, Shamble Street and Courtyard. Once you receive the Mysterious Stone Slab, follow the Courtyard route above to claim the Quintessential Blade Material.
- For The King of Smugglers, return with Shield to Vale of Wrath > Ship Graveyard. Collect Toothless Jack's Journal beneath the pier and the Cargo Manifest farther along on the crates. At The Outskirts > Harbour, cross the poison, enter the ship's hold, collect Crusty Benek's Torn Letter and defeat the miniboss for the Harbour Residence Key. Unlock the house left of the iron gates, read the upstairs journal and collect the Masterwork Firearm Parts nearby.
- For Monster Hunt, collect the Drawing of a Lancer from the tree beside Tribunal Square to begin. Follow the collection through Tribunal Square, Shamble Street and Sewers until you have all 17 drawings. Completing the hunt awards Quintessential Transmutation Material.
- For Sleeping Beauty, start at Cursed Hollow > Village Church and crouch under the fence to the right of the large tree. Follow the path to the island shrine and collect Headman's Daughter's Prayer. Defeat the miniboss in the next building for the Headman's Key, unlock the house and inspect the upstairs note and spinning wheel. Either choice gives Distilled Transmutation Material.