In ARES: THE IRON VANGUARD, prioritize S-grade Red suits for all primary material upgrades. Red suits provide higher base attributes, superior stat ceilings, and stronger percentage-based passive traits for long-term Combat Power (CP) growth. Use Purple suits strictly as temporary placeholders or minor stopgap options when hit by an immediate boss or progression bottleneck. As soon as you acquire a Red suit, immediately shift your core upgrade materials toward it and phase out your Purple gear.
Red vs. Purple Suit Comparison
| Suit Tier | Primary Purpose | Base Stats & Growth | Upgrade Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red (S-Grade) | Long-term main loadout | High stat ceilings & superior skill scaling | High Priority: Dedicate all core and premium materials |
| Purple | Temporary placeholder | Lower stat limits & basic initial boost | Low Priority: Apply minimal upgrades only when stuck |
Upgrade Priority Sequence
Follow these steps to manage upgrade materials efficiently without wasting resources on lower-tier gear:
- Invest core resources in Red suits: Direct your main enhancement materials and premium items into S-grade Red suits to secure maximum CP returns as content difficulty scales.
- Fill empty slots with Purple suits: Use unupgraded or minimally upgraded Purple suits only to complete your active loadout while building toward full Red suit coverage.
- Apply minor stopgap upgrades if stuck: If an immediate mission or boss blocks progress and Red suit upgrade costs are currently out of reach, make minor enhancements to a Purple suit to gain the required CP.
- Transition immediately upon acquiring a Red suit: When a replacement Red suit becomes available, divert all upgrade focus to the new suit and set aside or dismantle the old Purple gear.
How to Choose Which Suits to Keep
When evaluating specific suits within your inventory, assess their operational performance alongside raw CP numbers:
- Skill synergy: Confirm that the suit's active abilities and traits align with your current equipped weapons.
- Passive trait scaling: Favor Red suits for their higher percentage-based passive stat bonuses, which deliver better long-term returns as character level increases.
- Loadout compatibility: Ensure your suit selection supports smooth, real-time suit switching and rapid weapon cycling during combat.
Free ARES: THE IRON VANGUARD Codes
Current active codes and how to redeem them.
Michael Smith
Michael covers live-service games, events, reward systems, and efficient daily routines, turning frequent updates into clear actions for players.
COMMUNITY
Player Comments
158 players commented on this guide.
I tried this today and it worked better than my old setup.
This helped me understand strategy much better.
Nice guide. I am checking the other ARES: THE IRON VANGUARD articles next.
Can you add more details about strategy in a future update?