WoW Upgrades - The Item Upgrader
Upgrades will give you a boost to certain stats. Each upgrade boosts the item level by +3. Each upgrade also increases an unspecified substat.
The upgraded gear typically has a higher trade value as long as it meets low requirements (like the FB shield of the sorc) or a very high stat variation (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 level by providing the appropriate currency to the NPC. Upgrades can be applied to any kind of armor or weapon. However, the item that is used to upgrade will be consumed for the duration of time and cannot be used again. Upgrades can also be used to create enchantments.
The upgrader is located in all major cities, and is accessible anytime 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.
Upgrades will cost more, based on the level of the item but they will always be less expensive than purchasing new equipment. Upgrades such as upgrading a Benthic chest to the level of ilvl385 will cost you 20 recycle points. Buying a similar item will cost you 105.
Valorstones
Upgrades are items that can be used for tools, armor, weapon and accessory upgrades. They are purchased by players through NPCs that sell upgrades to items in exchange for different currencies, and may also be found in random treasure lists. Once an upgrade is purchased, it can be applied to any weapon, tool, or armor with the help of The button will display a preview of an item's next level of upgrade, in the event that there are enough materials.
Upgrade costs vary depending on the slot for the item and the current item level. For example weapons cost more than gloves, bracers, or bracers. Each upgrade cost 15 Flightstones and a few crests, with certain upgrades having a discount to lower the cost of the Flightstones or crests that are used. Once an item is upgraded to a certain level and is degraded, it can be sold and returned to the upgrader for a lower amount of both currency types.
Upgraders for items are available in many places, including the main island and some outposts. The NPCs offer an upgrade coupon and the chance to obtain an entirely new recipe. The discount on upgrades increases when more items are upgraded. It can be increased by having players complete certain achievements or quests.
Contrary to Cromwell in Baldur's Gate II, there is no upgrader for items at the start of Icewind Dale. The NPCs who are able to facilitate upgrades are only available through a variety means. This is both a benefit and a drawback.
In Season 3 the upgrade system was tweaked a bit, with some new features added. When a player has an upgrade to a specific level of an item level upgrade (visit here) for a specific armor slot, upgrading additional items to that level will cost less even if they belong to another set of gear.
The amount of Valorstones required to upgrade is reduced and the discount is available across all accounts. The amount of Harbinger Crests required for upgrades is reduced as well, but is only available when certain milestones are reached.
Crests
When upgrading equipment in WoW, players have a few options. Flightstones are a currency that is available to everyone for upgrading. Crests are more special and are utilized during specific item level upgrades. Crests are a crucial component of the Dragonflight Gear Progression System, which was introduced in version 10.1. They are available in four ranks.
First, you must be aware that the crests can only be purchased for equipment that is of a particular rank. Each rank has distinct upgrade paths. The simplest and most straightforward upgrade path costs 15 crests, while the most complicated can require as much as 20 crests based on the type of equipment that is being upgraded.
Players can earn crests through completing content of the appropriate level, whether that means walking around and doing outdoor activities to get lower-tier gear, raids or dungeons of all difficulties for higher-tier items or Mythic+ dungeons or heroic raid bosses for gear that is used in the endgame. These crests are then exchanged with an Best item upgrade upgrader, such as Cuzolth or Vaskarn, in Valdrakken to upgrade the item in the proper steps and pathways.
The new currency system isn't complicated to use, but it brings some modifications to the upgrade process. For example, once an item upgrader kit reaches the highest level of upgrade for any rank (Explorer, Adventurer, Veteran, Champion, Hero, or Mythic), it won't need Flightstones to be upgraded. This change is designed to allow players to upgrade their equipment up to the highest ilvl possible on all their characters, instead of relying on seasonal loot.
It's also crucial to choose crests with care, since they are only used for one purpose. It is recommended to use your Whelpling-rank Crests on the Best item upgrader gear you can find, and keep Drake and Wyrm Crests for the next round of upgrades. This is particularly applicable to items like trinkets and rings that take up several slots. The account-wide discount will only apply when all the slots on the character are filled with top-quality equipment.