The Grade system in Cursed Gear is the backbone of character progression. Every rank you earn boosts your attribute scaling and raises your Cybernetic Load cap, letting you equip more powerful cybernetic modifications. Early on, climbing is straightforward — hit Level 25, and you're automatically promoted to Grade 4. After that, every single promotion demands you win a competitive PvP exam.
Quick answer: Reach Level 25 to unlock Grade 4 automatically, then pass Grade Exams (eight-player PvP tournaments that run every 30 minutes) to promote further. The final two ranks require top Heian Rating placements, with "The Strongest" reserved for the #1 player on the leaderboard.
What Grades Do — Attribute Bonuses and Cybernetic Load
Each Grade promotion delivers two concrete benefits. First, you gain a percentage-based attribute bonus that scales all of your stats upward. Second, your Cybernetic Load ceiling increases by 10 points per rank, giving you room to slot in additional cybernetic upgrades. At Grade 4, you start with a modest 5% attribute bonus and 110 Cybernetic Load. By the time you reach The Strongest, those numbers jump to 45% and 190, respectively.
| Grade Rank | Attribute Bonus | Cybernetic Load |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 4 | 5% | 110 |
| Grade 3 | 10% | 120 |
| Semi-Grade 2 | 15% | 130 |
| Grade 2 | 20% | 140 |
| Semi-Grade 1 | 25% | 150 |
| Grade 1 | 30% | 160 |
| Special Grade 1 | 35% | 170 |
| Special Grade | 40% | 180 |
| The Strongest | 45% | 190 |
The jump from Grade 4 to The Strongest effectively multiplies your combat power ninefold in terms of attribute scaling alone. Cybernetic Load matters just as much — 190 Load opens up build combinations that are simply impossible at lower ranks.
Grade Exams — Format, Cooldowns, and Demotion Risk
Grade Exams are the only path to promotion beyond Grade 4. They fire every 30 minutes, so you'll have plenty of chances throughout a play session. When one starts, eight players are matched together and placed into a single-elimination bracket of one-on-one fights. Only the last two players standing earn a promotion.
That means six out of eight participants walk away empty-handed every time. The odds are steep, and the stakes get higher as you climb because repeated exam failures can actually demote you from your current rank.
Exams are also separated into level brackets that increase in intervals of 50 levels. You won't be matched against players wildly outside your level range, but within each bracket, the skill gap can still be significant — especially at the higher tiers where everyone has strong cybernetic builds and optimized stats.
Every Grade Promotion Requirement
Not every rank asks the same thing of you. The lower tiers simply need you to be within the right level bracket and survive the exam. The top two ranks introduce a completely separate condition tied to the Heian Rating leaderboard.
| Grade Promotion | Requirements |
|---|---|
| Grade 4 | Automatically granted at Level 25 |
| Grade 3 | Level 50–100, pass Grade Exam |
| Semi-Grade 2 | Level 50–100, pass Grade Exam |
| Grade 2 | Level 50–100, pass Grade Exam |
| Semi-Grade 1 | Level 100–150, pass Grade Exam |
| Grade 1 | Level 100–150, pass Grade Exam |
| Special Grade 1 | Level 100–150, pass Grade Exam |
| Special Grade | Level 100–150, pass Grade Exam, and reach Top 10 in Heian Rating |
| The Strongest | Reach Rank #1 in Heian Rating |
Notice the pattern: Grades 3 through Grade 2 share the Level 50–100 bracket, while Semi-Grade 1 through Special Grade 1 share the Level 100–150 bracket. You can theoretically chain multiple promotions within a single bracket if you keep winning exams and waiting out the one-hour cooldown between victories.
Heian Rating and the Top Two Ranks
Heian Rating (HR) is Cursed Gear's dedicated PvP ranking ladder. You gain HR by defeating other players and lose it when you're defeated. It operates independently from Grade Exams — you accumulate HR through regular PvP encounters, not just exam matches.
HR becomes a hard gate for the final two promotions. Special Grade requires you to sit inside the Top 10 on the Heian Rating leaderboard while also passing a Grade Exam at Level 100–150. The Strongest skips the exam entirely and demands something far more exclusive: you must hold the #1 Heian Rating position. Only one player on the server can hold this rank at any given time.
Progression Tips for Climbing Efficiently
Your first milestone is reaching Level 25 to unlock Grade 4 and enter the exam system. From there, focus on leveling to at least 50 before queuing for your first exam — you'll need to be in the Level 50–100 bracket to promote to Grade 3.
Since only two of eight players earn a promotion per exam, consistency matters more than any single performance. The 15-minute loss cooldown is short enough that you can re-queue quickly after a defeat, while the one-hour win cooldown gives you time to level, farm, or adjust your cybernetic loadout between successful attempts.
Demotion is the biggest risk to watch for. If you enter exams before your build and stats are competitive for your bracket, repeated losses can push you back down a rank. It's worth investing in your cybernetic setup and attribute distribution before aggressively chasing promotions, especially once you cross into the Level 100–150 bracket, where the competition sharpens considerably.
The Grade system in Cursed Gear rewards patience and PvP skill in roughly equal measure. The early ranks are accessible to anyone willing to grind levels and learn the exam format, but the final stretch — Special Grade and The Strongest — filters for players who can dominate the Heian Rating leaderboard over sustained periods. Whether you're aiming for a comfortable Grade 1 build or gunning for the top spot, understanding the exact requirements and cooldown timers at each tier keeps you from wasting time on exams you aren't ready for.