WoW Upgrades - The Item Upgrader
Upgrades will give you a boost to specific stats. Each upgrade increases the level of the item by +3. Each upgrade also boosts the random substatus.
The more modernized gear generally has a higher trade value as long as it meets low requirements (like the FB sorc's shield) or very high stat variance (like Eth titan weapons). The latter see less value from upgrading due to the necessity to roll for a perfect model.
Recycle Points
The upgrader for items allows players to upgrade their gear to a higher item level by supplying the appropriate currency to the NPC. Upgrades can be applied to any kind 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 applied to the enchantments.
You can upgrade your gear at any time by visiting the upgrader in any major city. It is recommended to visit the upgrader once every few weeks to keep your equipment up-to-date.
The cost of upgrading will depend on the current level of the gear being upgraded but they will always be less expensive than purchasing new equipment from other sources. For instance, upgrading a Benthic chest to ilvl 385 will cost 20 recycle points while buying a similar item from another player will costs 105.
Valorstones
Upgrades are items that can be used for weapon, armor, tool and accessory upgrades. They can be purchased by players through NPCs who sell upgrades for items in exchange for a variety of currencies, and may also be found in random treasure lists. Once an upgrade items is purchased, it can be applied to any weapon or tool with an button, which will show an image of the item level upgrade - official website, when it is upgraded when the player has enough materials.
The cost of upgrading is based on the item slot and the current item level, with weapons costing more than gloves or bracers for instance. Each upgrade item cost 15 Flightstones and a few crests, with certain upgrades offering discounts to reduce the cost of Flightstones or the crests used. After an item has been upgraded to a certain amount, it can be degraded and returned to the upgrader for a lesser amount of both currencies.
Upgraders for items are available at many locations on the main island and some outposts. The NPCs offer an upgrade coupon and the chance to obtain a new recipe. The upgrade discount increases as more items are upgraded. It can be increased if players complete certain 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 can facilitate upgrades are only accessible via a variety of ways. This is both a positive and a drawback.
In Season 3, several new features have been added to the upgrade system. Once a player obtains an upgrade to a particular item level for a particular armor slot, upgrading other items to that level will be less expensive, even when they are part of a different gear set.
The amount of Valorstones required for upgrades is decreased, and the discount is affixed to all accounts. The amount of Harbinger Crests needed to upgrade is reduced as well, but is only available when certain milestones are reached.
Crests
Players have a number of choices when it comes to upgrading their equipment in WoW. Flightstones are an option that is accessible to all players for upgrading. Crests are more special and are used for 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 remember 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 its upgrade path. The simplest and simplest upgrade process costs just 15 crests while the most complex may require as many as 20 crests based on the type of equipment that is being upgraded.
Players can earn crests by finishing content at the appropriate level, whether that involves walking around and engaging in outdoor activities for lower-tier gear, raids or dungeons of any difficulty for higher-tier items, or Mythic+ heroic raid bosses and dungeons for gear that is used in the endgame. The crests can later be exchanged at an item upgrader NPC, such as Cuzolth in Dornogal or Vaskarn in Valdrakken, for the appropriate upgrade routes and steps.
The use of these currencies isn't that difficult, but the system introduces some changes to the overall upgrade process. For instance, when an item is at the highest level of upgrade for any rank (Explorer, Adventurer, Veteran, Champion, Hero, or Mythic), it will no longer require Flightstones to be upgraded. This change is intended to allow players to get their equipment to the highest level possible for all their characters rather than relying solely on seasonal loot.
It's also important to use crests wisely, as they only have one use. For instance it's a good idea use all of your Whelpling-rank crests on the Best item upgrader equipment you have and keep Drake and Wyrm crests to use for the next set of upgrades you're planning to create. This is particularly applicable to rings and trinkets that fill multiple slots on the character which will only be able to benefit from the account-wide discount if all of the slots are filled with high-quality gear.