WoW Upgrades - The Item Upgrader

Upgrades give a guaranteed boost to specific stats. Each upgrade increases item level by +3. A random extra substat is also added to every upgrade.

The upgraded gear is usually more valuable, unless it is not required by nature (like FB sorc shields) or has a large variance in stats (like Eth Titan weapons). The latter see less value from upgrading due to the necessity to roll for a perfect version.

Recycle Points

The item upgrader lets players upgrade their gear by offering the currency to an NPC. Upgrades can be applied on any type of weapon or armor. However, the item used for the upgrade will be consumed for the duration of time and cannot be used again. Upgrades can also be used to create the enchantments.

You can upgrade your gear anytime by visiting the upgrader in any major city. To keep your gear current, it is recommended that you visit the upgrader each several weeks.

The cost of upgrading will depend on the current level of the equipment being upgraded however, they will always be cheaper than buying new gear from other sources. For example upgrading a Benthic chest piece to 385 ilvl will cost 20 recycle points purchasing a similar piece from another player will costs 105.

Valorstones

Upgrades are useful items that are used to improve the quality of weapons and tools, armor and other items. They can be bought by players through NPCs who sell upgrades for items in exchange for different currencies, and may also be found in random treasure lists. Once purchased, an upgrade is able to be applied to any tool, weapon or armor. The button will show a preview of an item upgrading level upgrade [informative post]'s next upgrade level when there are enough materials.

The cost of upgrading varies based on the item upgrade slot, and the current level of the item. For instance, weapons will cost more than bracers, or gloves. Each upgrade cost 15 Flightstones plus a set number of crests. Some upgrades give a discount on the Flightstones. After an item has been upgraded to a certain amount it is able to be degraded and sold back to the upgrader for a lesser amount of both currencies.

Many locations have upgraders for their items, including the main Island and a few outposts. The NPCs offer an upgrade coupon as well as the possibility of obtaining a new recipe. The discount for upgrading increases as more items are upgraded. It can also be increased by having players finish certain achievements or quests.

Unlike Cromwell in Baldur's Gate II, there is no upgrader for items in the beginning of Icewind Dale. The NPCs that can assist with upgrades are only accessible through a variety means. This is both a benefit as well as a drawback.

In Season 3 the upgrade system was modified a bit, and several new features added. Once the player has upgraded to a certain item level for an armor slot, upgrading other items to the same item level, will cost less. This applies regardless of whether the items are from a different set of gear.

The amount of Valorstones needed for upgrades is decreased, and the discount is affixed to all accounts. The amount of Harbinger Crests required to upgrade is cut as well, but is only available when certain milestones have been reached.

Crests

Players have a number of choices when it comes to upgrading their gear in WoW. Flightstones are an option that is accessible to everyone for upgrading. Crests are more specialized and are utilized during specific item level upgrades. Crests are an integral component of the Dragonflight Gear Progression System introduced in version 10.1. They are available in four ranks.

The first thing to note is that crests are only able to be spent on equipment that is of a particular rank, and that every rank has different requirements for upgrading. The easiest and most straightforward upgrade costs 15 crests. The most complex upgrade requires up to 20 crests, contingent on the kind of gear that is being upgraded.

Players can obtain crests by finishing content at the appropriate level, which means walking around and doing outdoor activities for gear of lower tiers, raids or dungeons with all difficulties for higher-tier items or Mythic+ heroic raid bosses or dungeons for gear that is used in the endgame. The crests can then be exchanged with an item upgrader, such as Cuzolth or Vaskarn in Valdrakken to upgrade the item in the proper steps and routes.

Utilizing these new currencies isn't that difficult, but the system will introduce a few changes to the overall upgrade process. For example, once a piece of equipment reaches the highest level of upgrading for any rank (Explorer, Adventurer, Veteran, Champion, Hero, or Mythic), it won't require Flightstones to be upgraded. This change allows players to upgrade their gear to the highest level possible for all their characters rather than relying on seasonal loot.

It's also important to use crests with care, since they only have one use. For instance it's best to utilize all of your Whelpling rank crests with the Best item upgrade gear you have available, and then save Drake and Wyrm crests to use for the next set of upgrades you're planning on making. This is particularly applicable to items like rings and trinkets that occupy several slots. The discount on the account will only apply when all slots on the character are filled with top-quality equipment.