WoW Upgrades - The Item Upgrader
Upgrades provide a guaranteed boost to certain stats. Each upgrade increases the item level by +3. A random additional substat is also added to every upgrade.
The upgraded gear typically 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 requirement to roll for a perfect version.
Recycle Points
The item upgrader allows players to upgrade their gear by transferring the currency to an NPC. Upgrades can be applied on any type of weapon or armor. The item level upgrade used to upgrade the item will be consumed and can't be used again. Upgrades can be applied to Enchantments.
You can upgrade your equipment anytime by visiting the upgrader in any major city. To ensure that your equipment is up-to-date, it is recommended that you visit the upgrader every couple of weeks.
Upgrades will cost more, based on the item level, but they will always be less expensive than purchasing new equipment. For example 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 tools, armor, weapon, and accessory upgrades. They can be bought by players from item upgrade upgrader NPCs in exchange for various currencies, and can be found in random treasure lists. Once purchased, an upgrade can be applied to any tool, weapon, or armor. button, which displays a preview of the item upgrader kit at the next upgrade level in the event that the player has enough materials.
The upgrade cost depends on the item slot and the current item level, with weapons costing more than bracers or gloves, for instance. Each upgrade cost 15 Flightstones plus a certain number of crests. Some upgrades offer a discount on the Flightstones. Once an item has been upgraded to a certain level it can be re-downgraded and sold to the upgrader for a lower price.
Upgraders for items are available in many places on the main island and some outposts. The NPCs offer both an upgrade item discount and a chance to get a brand new upgrade recipe. The upgrade discount increases with the number of items being upgraded. It is also possible to be boosted by having players complete some specific achievements or quests.
In contrast 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 available only through a variety means. This is both a benefit as well as an issue.
In Season 3, several new features were added to the upgrade system. After the player has upgraded to a certain level of item for an armor slot, upgrading other items to the same level will cost less. This applies even if those items are from an entirely different set of gear.
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 cut as well, but is only available once certain milestones are achieved.
Crests
When it comes to upgrading equipment in WoW, players have a few options. Flightstones are a currency that is available to everyone for upgrading. Crests are more specific, 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 come in 4 ranks.
First, you should know that the crests can only be purchased for gear that is of a particular rank. Each rank comes with a different upgrade path. The most basic and straightforward upgrade route costs 15 crests while the most complicated can require as much as 20 crests based on the kind of gear being upgraded.
Players can earn crests through completing content at the appropriate level. This could be by doing outdoor activities, or by doing dungeons or raids in all difficulties to get equipment of lower tier or Mythic+ raid bosses or dungeons with a heroic difficulty for gear in the endgame. These crests can be exchanged with an item upgrader such as Cuzolth or Vaskarn in Valdrakken to upgrade the item in the proper steps and routes.
Using these new currencies isn't too difficult however, the system will introduce a few changes to the overall upgrade process. When a piece has reached the highest level of upgrade for any rank (Explorer or Adventurer) it is no longer required to purchase Flightstones. This change is intended to allow players to upgrade item their equipment up to the highest ilvl possible for all their characters rather than relying solely on seasonal loot.
Another significant modification is that crests have one usage and it's crucial to make use of them in a responsible manner. It is Best item upgrade to use your Whelpling-rank crests on the highest-quality gear that you can find, and save Drake and Wyrm Crests for the next round of upgrades. This is especially true for items such as trinkets and rings that fill several slots. The discount for the entire account will only be applicable if all slots on the character are filled with top-quality gear.