Heirloom items in an MMORPG: what they are, the XP bonus and the set bonus

Heirloom items are one of the handiest ideas in the MMORPG genre. Normal gear goes stale every few levels: you find a jacket, and an evening later you replace it. An heirloom works differently: it grows with your hero and also speeds up levelling. Let’s see how it works in Zarhold, a card MMORPG in your browser.

What heirloom items are

An heirloom is gear of a special, red rarity that always fits. Its stats are recalculated at every hero level: put it on at level 1 and it is just as good at 30 and at 60. Instead of a normal level requirement, the item card says it grows with you.

An heirloom has three stats — Power (a bonus to your damage, healing and shields), Health and Hardiness. In strength it sits between a blue and an epic item of the same level. At level 60 its item level matches a blue, so epics replace it at the top of the game anyway. Enchants and sharpening go on top of its base stats like on any other item.

The XP bonus: the main reason to wear them

Each heirloom you wear gives bonus experience: 1 to 5% depending on the slot (the starter ring gives 4%), and a two-handed weapon gives double. On top of that comes a set bonus by the number of heirlooms worn:

| Heirlooms worn | Set bonus | |---|---| | 6 | +8% XP | | 12 | +18% XP in total and +10% Hardiness | | 15 | +33% XP in total and +15% Power |

So a full set gives up to +33% XP — on top of each item’s own bonus. It works on experience from enemies, quests and dungeons. A full set has 15 slots for every class, and classes with an off-hand or a ranged weapon can have heirlooms there too.

For comparison: Zarhold has no rested XP — experience comes only from fights, quests and dungeons. That makes heirlooms the only permanent levelling boost. The fastest way to level is in Levelling to 60.

How to get heirloom items

• The starter ring goes to every new hero — you can always wear it.
• The other heirlooms come from the premium track of the battle pass, the Path of the Hall, and you can wear them while the hero has that premium. Without premium you can’t put them on: worn ones move to your bag and wait there. How the pass works is in MMORPG battle pass.
• Heirlooms gifted to your account can be worn without premium.

What you can and can’t do with them

An heirloom is for your heroes, not for the market:

• you can’t list it on the auction house, trade it, sell it to a vendor, disenchant it or mail it to another player;
• you can mail it to another of your own heroes or pass it through your account’s shared chest — so one set serves all your heroes in turn.

How to protect valuable items in general: How not to lose a valuable item.

When to swap an heirloom for an epic

An epic of the same level is stronger than an heirloom. But while you level, the heirloom usually wins: it gives XP and keeps the set bonus, and removing one piece can drop you below a threshold. A simple rule:

1. Before 60 — keep the heirloom set, especially the 6, 12 and 15 thresholds.
2. At 60 you no longer need XP — swap heirlooms for epics as they drop.
3. Before swapping, compare the items: the game shows what goes up and what goes down — Comparing items.

Heirloom FAQ

What are heirlooms in simple words?

Gear that grows with your hero’s level and gives bonus experience. Put it on once and you don’t need to replace it every few levels.

How much XP does a full set give?

The set bonus is up to +33% XP for 15 heirlooms worn, plus each item’s own bonus.

Can I sell an heirloom?

No: not on the auction house, not to a vendor, not to another player. You can only pass it to another of your own heroes.

Do I need heirlooms at level 60?

Not for power: epics are stronger. But the heirloom set comes in handy when you start levelling your next hero.

The bottom line

Heirlooms are gear that doesn’t go stale while you grow and speeds up the road to 60: up to +33% XP for the set on top of each item’s bonus. In Zarhold every hero has the starter ring, the rest is in the battle pass premium, and one set can be passed between your heroes. Full rules and per-slot bonuses are in the knowledge base: How heirlooms work. Open the game — the ring is already waiting for your new hero.