the more common way to do it is through the use of split souls. split souls are only available from the soul merchant and can be used to increase the blessing level of an awakened champion by one. alternatively, you can use a higher level perfect soul if you pull one from a soulstone.

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You've got to get a soul of a higher blessing level to increase the level on the hero. The higher soul replaces the lower one. Or adds to, in the case of broken souls.

Careful to look at the number of stars on the stone or in the Soul Merchant. When it first came out I made the mistake of buying a split soul thinking it would raise the level of my chapion but it was for my duplicate. 

Just to be perfectly clear - while the above answers are all correct, the "true" answer is - don't bother.

You're far too early in the game to be spending resources on souls. If you happen to stumble upon some soulstones, go ahead and use them, sure - although wait until there's a soulstone rush or soulstone tournament, so you can get some tangential rewards in the process. And, if you happen to stumble upon some coins, sure, use those to buy soulstones.

But don't waste your essences, either for buying soulstones or for buying split souls, because it's *very* likely you'll end up wasting them on champs who don't warrant improving. I'm not saying this to insult you - it's simply that the likelihood you misevaluate the value of a champ is very high, given you are still new to the game.

Well said.  I am laughing at how "half" your posts are nice like carpe, the others you are harsher than my unwelcome bluntness.

At what level would you consider it appropriate to start spending assets on soulstones

For starters - at the point where you stop considering level to be a relevant factor :)

But in all seriousness, there isn't an "easy" answer to that question. All I can say is - you'll know when you get there.

Convince me Kram isn't actually Quinns burner account so she can be as rude as she'd like.

When you can do Iron twins 15, you should hit it daily and twice on Sunday. 

Hydra should be done weekly, getting as many chests as you can.  Not a focus per se, but progression should occur naturally as you build more champs.

Hey now. I'm blunt, not rude :)

Not exactly what OP was asking. By the time you can do twins15, you're more than sufficiently progressed to understand which champs it is worth spending ESE to buy split souls.

The trap is being lured into buying souls of random champs you happen to have. It's a double trap for newer players because not only do they waste valuable resources on useless souls, they also get lured into spending more resources leveling useless champs to make use of those souls.

Lol, my mistake.

I don't think either of us know what OP is asking, tbh.  

But I agree with your answer to the question he should be asking :)

I appreciate all the answers. And I just seem to have a blunt answer as one that's 5,000 words long and nothing actually say anything. In any event give me a break though. I'm 61 years old and did not grow up with a video game controller in my hand. I'm currently at level 71 and it's clear that I made lots of rookie mistakes cuz I can't even get close to beating level 15 of the iron fortress. But again thanks for your answers

99% of people ask the wrong questions, so no worries there :)

Level 71, u probably aren't ready for IT.  Focus on dungeon 20s and better gear. It's a long grind...