WoW Upgrades - The Item Upgrader
Upgrades provide a guaranteed boost to certain stats. Each upgrade increases the level of an item by +3. Each upgrade also increases the random substatus.
The upgraded gear is usually more valuable, unless it is not required by nature (like FB sorc shields) or has a high variance in stats (like Eth Titan weapons). These types of gear get less value from upgrading due to the requirement to roll to get a perfect version.
Recycle Points
The upgrader for items allows players to upgrade gear to a higher item upgrading level by supplying the appropriate currency to the NPC. Upgrades can be applied to any type of armor or weapon. The item used to upgrade the item is discarded and cannot be used again. Upgrades can also be applied to enchantments.
The upgrader can be found in every major city, and is accessible at any time to upgrade your equipment. It is recommended to visit the upgrader at least once every couple of weeks to ensure that your equipment is up to date.
The cost of upgrades will depend on the current item level of the gear being upgraded but they will always be less expensive than purchasing new gear from other sources. Upgrades such as upgrading a Benthic chest to the level of ilvl385 will cost you 20 recycle points. If you purchase a similar item upgrade, it will cost you 105.
Valorstones
Upgrades are functional items that can be used to upgrade weapons tools, armor, and other accessories. They can be purchased from item upgraders NPCs in a variety of currencies. They can also find them on random treasure lists. Once an upgrade is purchased, it can be applied to any weapon or tool using a button, which will display a preview of the item at the next upgrade level in the event that the player has enough materials.
Upgrade costs vary depending on the slot for the item and the current level of the item. For instance, weapons will cost more than gloves, bracers, or bracers. Each upgrade cost 15 Flightstones plus a set number of crests. Some upgrades give 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 lower amount of both currencies.
Many locations offer item upgraders which include the main island and some outposts. The NPCs provide an upgrade discount and a chance to acquire a new upgrade recipe. The discount for upgrades increases with the number of items being upgraded. It can also be boosted by having players complete specific achievements or complete quests.
Contrary to Cromwell in Baldur's Gate II, there is no upgrader for items at the beginning of Icewind Dale. The NPCs who are able to facilitate upgrades are only accessible through a variety means. This is both a benefit as well as an issue.
In Season 3 the upgrade system was altered a bit, with numerous new features added. Once an upgrade has been completed to a specific level for an armor slot upgrading other items to the same item level Upgrade level will cost less. This is regardless of whether the items are from another set of gear.
The amount of Valorstones needed for upgrades is decreased, and the discount is available across all accounts. The amount of Harbinger Crests needed to upgrade is cut also, but is only available when certain milestones are achieved.
Crests
Players have a number of options for upgrading their equipment in WoW. Flightstones are a currency that is available to everyone who wants to upgrade. Crests are more specific and are used for specific item level upgrades. Crests are the main component of the Dragonflight gear progression system introduced in 10.1 and are available in 4 ranks.
First, you should know that the crests can only be purchased for gear that is of a particular rank. Each rank has a different upgrade path. The simplest and easiest upgrade is 15 crests. The most complicated upgrade requires up to 20 crests, contingent on the kind of gear being upgraded.
Players can earn crests by working through tasks at the appropriate level. This could be by doing outdoor activities, or by doing dungeons or raids in all difficulty levels to obtain lower-tier gear or Mythic+ raid bosses or dungeons with heroic difficulty to obtain endgame gear. These crests can then be exchanged at an upgrader NPC, like Cuzolth in Dornogal or Vaskarn in Valdrakken, for the appropriate upgrade pathways and steps.
The new currency system isn't difficult to use, however it does bring some changes to the upgrade process. When a piece has reached the highest level of upgrade for any rank (Explorer or Adventurer), it will no longer require Flightstones. This change lets players upgrade their gear to the highest possible ilvl on all their characters rather than relying on seasonal loot.
It's also essential to use crests wisely, as they only have one use. It's best to use your Whelpling-rank crests on the top-quality equipment you can locate and keep Drake and Wyrm Crests for the next set of upgrades. This is particularly applicable to items like trinkets and rings that take up multiple slots. The discount for the entire account will only apply when all slots on the character are filled with top-quality gear.