To get the best weapons, you also need to make sure that you merge level 2 or 3 weapons. The easiest way to tell if a weapon is higher level is to simply visually compare the icons - level 2 weapons / 3 look more sophisticated, with additional additions. Why upgrade to higher levels? Because when they level up you will gain x1,5 / x2 damage bonus.
There is a trick to upgrading weapons much faster, and that involves the rare Fusion Material EXP gasket. Weapons with this seal can be mined to gain significantly more XP than normal. This is how it works.
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How To Quickly Increase The Fuse Level Of Weapons | Fusion Material EXP Guide
As you level up, complete missions, and earn rewards, eventually you'll earn a fairly large collection of weapons. Some of these weapons will have the Fusion Material EXP gasket. This seal makes you gain + 150% Fusion EXP on merge at the blacksmith's.
There are two tips you can use to quickly gain more Fusion EXP with each Fuse.
# 1: Make a weapon with EXP fusion gear your primary weapon
If you have a weapon with the Fusion Material EXP seal, instead of wasting it, you can make it your primary weapon. This means that you merge low level weapons into your weapon with Fusion Material EXP - you will still get the + 150% EXP bonus for each fuse, and you won't just get rid of the weapon.
# 2: Upgrade the Fusion Material EXP weapon, then fuse two together
If you have more than one Fusion Material EXP weapon, you can combine the two together for a huge bonus. Before doing so, you can level up the second weapon Fusion Material EXP - fuse 10-20 weapons, gain + 150% EXP, then fuse with your primary weapon (which also has the Fusion Material EXP seal) to earn a huge bonus.
The more you mine these Fusion Material EXP weapons, the faster you can upgrade your weapons. By combining the power of two EXP + seal weapons, you can essentially extract 50% more XP from anything in your inventory. Don't just let this + 150% bonus go to waste!