WoW Upgrades - The Item Upgrader

Upgrades will give you a boost in specific stats. Each upgrade increases the level of an item upgrader mod by 3. A random extra substat is also added to each upgrade item.

The more modernized gear generally has a higher trade value regardless of whether it has low requirements (like the FB shield of the sorc) or has a high stat variation (like Eth titan weapons). Upgrades are less valuable for those with higher variance due to the need to roll the perfect version.

Recycle Points

The item upgrader enables players to upgrade gear to a higher item level by providing the appropriate currency to the NPC. Upgrades can be applied to any kind of weapon or armor. However, the Best item upgrader that is used for the upgrade will be consumed for the duration of time and will not be able to be used again. Upgrades can also be used to create the enchantments.

You can upgrade your equipment at any time by visiting the upgrader in any major city. It is recommended to visit the upgrader every couple of weeks to keep your equipment up-to-date.

The cost of upgrading will be based on the current level of the equipment being upgraded however, they will always be cheaper than buying new gear from other sources. Upgrades like upgrading a Benthic chest to ilvl385 will cost you 20 recycle points. Buying a similar item will cost you 105.

Valorstones

Upgrades are items that can be used for weapons, armor, tools and accessory upgrades. They are purchased by players from Item level upgrade upgrader NPCs in exchange for different currencies, and may also be found in random treasure lists. Once purchased, an upgrade is able to be used on any tool, weapon or armor. button, which will show a preview of the item at the next upgrade level in the event that the player has enough materials.

The cost of upgrades varies based on the item upgrade slot and the current item level, with weapons costing more than gloves or bracers for example. Each step costs 15 Flightstones and a few crests, with some upgrades offering discounts to reduce the cost of the Flightstones or crests that are used. Once an item has been upgraded to a certain level and is degraded, it can be sold and returned to the upgrader for a lesser amount of the two currencies.

Item upgraders can be found at many locations on the main island, as well as a few outposts. The NPCs provide both an upgrade discount and a chance to acquire a new upgrade recipe. The upgrade discount increases according to the number of items that are being upgraded. It is also possible to be boosted by having players complete specific achievements or quests.

Unlike Cromwell in Baldur's Gate II, there is no upgrader for items available in the beginning of Icewind Dale. The NPCs who can facilitate upgrades are only available through a variety means. This is both a positive and a drawback.

In Season 3, the upgrade system has been tweaked a bit, with some new features added. After a player has earned an upgrade items to a particular level for an item in an armor slot, upgrading additional items to that same item level will cost less even if they belong to an entirely different set of gear.

The discount is applicable to all accounts. The amount of Harbinger Crests needed to upgrade is cut also, but is only available when certain milestones are reached.

Crests

Players have a variety of choices when it comes to upgrading their gear in WoW. Flightstones are an item that is available to everyone who wants to upgrade. Crests are more special, and are used during specific item level upgrades. Crests are the main component of the Dragonflight gear progression system that was introduced in 10.1 and are available in four ranks.

The first thing to be aware of is that crests can only be spent on equipment that is of a particular rank, and that each rank has different requirements for its upgrade path. The simplest and most straightforward upgrade route costs 15 crests while the more complex one can require as much as 20 crests based on the kind of gear being upgraded.

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

Utilizing these new currencies isn't too difficult however, the system does introduce some modifications to the upgrade process. When a piece attains the highest level of upgrade for any rank (Explorer or Adventurer) it is no longer required to purchase Flightstones. This allows players to upgrade their gear to the highest level possible for all their characters, instead of relying on seasonal loot.

It's also important to use crests with care, since they have only one purpose. It is recommended to use your Whelpling-rank crests on the highest-quality gear you can find and save Drake and Wyrm Crests for the next set of upgrades. This is particularly true for items like rings and trinkets that fill multiple slots on the character, which will only be able to benefit from the account-wide discount if all slots are filled with high-quality equipment.