Marvel’s Avengers – resources and gear upgrades guide

The number of pickups in Marvel’s Avengers can get quite overwhelming. There are different types of resources to keep track of and various ways to obtain them. For the most part, you can earn resources by destroying crates, opening strongboxes, dismantling Gear, and completing mission objectives. Here are all of the different types of resources and how they contribute to upgrading your Gear and buying from Vendors.

Common resources

Fragments are the most common of Common resources. While out on the field, you’ll see an abundance of white crates to break that are full of Fragments. Additionally, you can dismantle any pieces of Gear for more Fragments. You’ll need them as a main form of currency in item shops.

Upgrade Modules are generally found through opening strongboxes and completing missions. You’ll need these too to purchase Epic and Legendary Gear.

Rare resources

Nanites look like little robot spiders, but these Technical resources appear on the field in purple resource crates or through enemy drops. You will primarily use Nanites to upgrade Melee Gear.

Nanotubes are Structural resources found in blue resource crates or through enemy drops. These are generally used for upgrading Defense Gear.

Catalysts are Chemical resources and are in orange resource crates and enemy drops. They are the primary component for upgrading Ranged Gear.

Plasma is harder to come by, but you’ll find them through breaking yellow resource crates or from fallen enemies. Plasma contributes to upgrading Heroic Gear.

Exotic Resources

Polychorons are “four-dimensional nano-particles” that you can obtain through completing Faction Assignments. These rarities are for upgrading Exotic Artifacts.

Uru is the “mystic metal” that you can use for upgrading Minor Artifacts. These are in various strongboxes, or you can earn them by completing Drop Zones.

DNA Keys are a scarce commodity, and they have the important role of opening “biometrically locked DNA strongboxes” in Vault missions. “Humanoid boss-type enemies” like Taskmaster have a chance of dropping these keys, so completing Villain Faction missions may be your best bet to obtain these.

You can also buy most of these Resources as “Specialty Items” from Roy (Model-G) in the Chimera. These are on a rotating basis and the four different resources that Roy will offer refreshes daily. Additionally, you can dismantle unwanted Gear for their resources; check which type of resource a piece of Gear needs for a power boost (i.e. Nanotubes for Defense Gear), and dismantling that piece will return more of that resource with some fragments.