How make your hero stronger

Verias

So i found out that my hero's gain 3 Attack 1Defence and 8 troops each time they gain a level.
This is much lower then i expected.

So i was wondering whats the best way would be to make  my hero stronger.
in s16 i played a week and i saw 80+ players  much stronger then i am right now with my lvl 72x.huang on the new s18
I could get my gear a little better and after a while  ardements and Foster.

But is there any other way to make them stronger
I always thought the level would do more then this

CaoPi

1.Refine
Buy the legendary equip then refine it
If u free player I'm recommend to use free refine until 3 skill lvl 4,then use gold to lvl 5(to lvl 5 must use gold)
2.Hero foster
Foster need soul,you can get soul from chalenge or sweep Trial Tower
To do foster open hero,foster(just red and purple hero can foster)
Better use cost 350 first,after many red arrows then use cost 1500,after many red arrows again then use cost 3000
3.Armament and gem
Forge armament cost iron,and now there Armament Polish can unlocked at lvl 81,it cost iron and super iron(just can get from voucher),expensive but more stat u can get
#Polish not give initiative like forge,but at some amount of star,u can get horcrux,the equipped hero can get special stat,example:defender capacity +2%,attacker capacity +2%,etc
Same lvl gem can combined to higher lvl,more higher gem lvl,bigger initiative and stats u get

kudogami

Caopi.. 1.Recharge to vip 11 first.. then do 1 2 3 of urs

CaoPi

Wahaha,I'm free player lol :v

ozie

hi caopi free player with "71 money"?

DometKitty

Umm, 71 money is got mainly by posting in these threads.. is there a way to transfer it in game we are not aware of?