WoW Upgrades - The Item Upgrader
Upgrades will give you a boost to specific stats. Each upgrade increases the item level by +3. A random extra substat is also increased with each upgrade.
The more modernized gear generally has a more value in trade, unless it has inherently low requirements (like the FB sorc's shield) or very high stat variation (like the eth titan weapons). The latter are less valuable from upgrading due to the requirement to roll for a perfect version.
Recycle Points
The item level upgrade upgrader allows players to upgrade their gear by giving the currency to an NPC. Upgrades can be applied to any kind of weapon or armor. However, the item level upgrade used to upgrade will remain in use for a long time and can't be used again. Upgrades can also be applied to enhancements.
You can upgrade your equipment at any time by visiting the upgrader in any major city. To keep your gear up-to-date it is recommended that you visit the upgrader each couple of weeks.
The cost of upgrading will vary based on the current item level of the equipment being upgraded but they will always be less expensive than purchasing new equipment from other sources. For example upgrading a Benthic chest to 385 levels will cost 20 recycle points while buying a similar item from another player will costs 105.
Valorstones
Upgrades are functional items that can be used to improve the quality of weapons tools, armor, and other items. They can be purchased from item upgraders NPCs for a variety of currencies. They can also find them in random treasure lists. Once an upgrade is purchased, it can be applied to any weapon or tool with the help of button, which will show an item's preview at the next upgrade level when the player has enough materials.
The cost of upgrading varies based on the item slot, and the current item level. For example weapons are more expensive than gloves, bracers or bracers. Each step costs 15 Flightstones plus a certain number of crests. Some upgrades offer discounts on Flightstones. Once an item has been upgraded to a certain degree it is able to be degraded and returned to the upgrader for a lesser amount of the two currency types.
Item upgraders can be found in many places, including the main island and some outposts. The NPCs provide both an upgrade discount and a chance to get a brand new upgrade recipe. The discount on upgrades increases according to the number of items being upgraded. It can also be increased by having players complete specific achievements or complete quests.
Icewind Dale does not have an item upgrader at start, unlike Cromwell from Baldur's Gate II. Instead, the NPCs that are available to help with upgrades must be acquired through various methods, which is both an improvement as well as a disadvantage.
In Season 3, many new features were added to the upgrade system. After an upgrade has been completed to a certain level of item for an armor slot, upgrading other items to the same item upgrader kit level, will cost less. This is regardless of whether the items are from a different set of gear.
The discount applies to all accounts. The amount of Harbinger Crests required to upgrade is reduced as well, but is only available when certain milestones are reached.
Crests
Players have several choices when it comes to upgrading their gear in WoW. Flightstones are an option that is accessible to all players for upgrading. Crests are more special, and are used during specific item level upgrades. Crests are an integral part of the Dragonflight Gear Progression System, which was introduced in version 10.1. They come in four ranks.
The first thing to be aware of is that crests are only able to be used to purchase gear of a specific rank, and that every rank has different requirements for upgrading. The simplest and easiest upgrade is 15 crests. The most complex upgrade could require as much as 20 crests, contingent on the type or equipment that is being upgraded.
Players can earn crests through working through content that is of the appropriate level, whether that involves walking around and performing outdoor activities for lower-tier gear, raids or dungeons with all difficulty for items of higher tier or Mythic+ dungeons or heroic raid bosses to obtain endgame gear. These crests are then exchanged with an upgrader for the item, such as Cuzolth or Vaskarn in Valdrakken for the appropriate upgrade steps and pathways.
Utilizing these new currencies isn't too difficult, but the system does introduce some 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 need Flightstones to be upgraded. This allows players to upgrade their gear to the highest level possible for all their characters, instead of relying on seasonal loot.
Another notable modification is that crests have one usage and it's crucial to use them properly. It's Best item upgrade to use your Whelpling-rank Crests on the top-quality equipment you can locate and save Drake and Wyrm Crests for the next round of upgrades. This is especially applicable to rings and trinkets that take up multiple slots on the character, which will only be able to take advantage of the account-wide discount if all slots are filled with high-quality equipment.