Gems buy units. Gold buys the supplies around them. Yen exists only inside a match. Mixing the three up is the usual reason an early account feels stuck.
Where Gems come from
The currency page names quests, Story missions, raids, Infinite waves, codes, the Time Machine, daily login, events, Infinity Castle rooms, and Robux. It does not publish a per-wave or per-room amount.
Infinite mode is per world. Finish that world's Story acts first. Gem payouts are tied to the waves you reach each day on that world's own leaderboard. Update 20.4.1 shortens the daily Infinite quest from 50 waves to 40 waves.
Infinity Castle is a room-based Gem source for content you have already cleared. A 2023 guide said rooms paid 150 Gems and that there were more than 300 rooms. Those figures are not treated as the live rate.
Codes are a poor plan until the three disputed strings are settled. Most published codes are expired. APRILFOOLS, if it still redeems, is the one with a documented 1500 Gem reward, and it requires level 20.
Where Gold goes
Sell units you will not place. Clear the Extra Gold Challenge. Then buy XP food, Star Fruits, summon tickets, raid tickets, or the materials for an evolution you are ready to finish. The Bartender sells unit and skin slots for 50,000, 75,000, and 100,000 Gold, raising the cap through 150, 200, and 250 slots. Buy slots when the cap is the thing blocking you, not before you can afford food.
Summons
You always receive at least one unit. Extra items can drop beside that unit, and an item drop does not mean the summon failed. A shiny result is described in older guides as cosmetic. Lucil, in the lobby, is who you talk to when you remove a shiny for Star Remnants.
Banner pools change. Update 20.4.1 adds pity for the featured unit on Special and Legacy banners, pity for the featured middle Mythic, and Secret pity on the April Fools banner. Pity counts were not given a number in that log, so use the counter in the summon screen.
A 2023 guide recorded 50 Gems per summon, four rarities from Rare through Mythic, and a banner that changed every hour, with luck potions sold beside the summon shop. Read the current price on the banner before you spend. This guide does not repeat 50 as a live price.
A spending order
- Hold a Gem reserve until a banner shows a unit you will place in Story.
- Level that unit with the current world's food.
- Evolve only when you have the item and you plan to keep the unit.
- Reroll traits after the unit survives that test. Use the 1-remnant Legendary roll if the evolution will keep the trait.