WoW Upgrades - The Item Upgrader
Upgrades give you boost in specific stats. Each upgrade increases item Level Upgrade level by 3. A random additional substat is also increased with every upgrade.
The more modernized gear generally has a higher trade value as long as it meets low requirements (like the FB sorc's shield) or has a high stat variance (like eth titan weapons). Upgrades aren't as important for those with higher variance because of the requirement to roll the perfect version.
Recycle Points
The item upgrader allows players to upgrade their gear by transferring the currency to an NPC. Upgrades can be made on any type of armor or weapons. The item used to upgrade the item will be consumed and can't be used again. Upgrades can also be used to create enchantments.
The upgrader is located in all major cities and can be accessed anytime to upgrade your gear. It is recommended that you visit the upgrader at least once every couple of weeks to keep your equipment up to date.
Upgrades will cost more depending on the level of the item however they'll always be cheaper than purchasing new equipment. Upgrades like upgrading a Benthic chest up to ilvl385 will cost you 20 recycle points. A similar item will cost you 105.
Valorstones
Upgrades are items that can be used to upgrade weapon, armor, tool and accessory upgrades. They can be purchased by players through NPCs who sell upgrades for items in exchange for different currencies, and can be found in random treasure lists. Once an upgrade item is purchased it can be applied to any weapon or tool using the help of button, which displays a preview of the item upgrader mod when it is upgraded if the player has sufficient materials.
The cost of upgrades varies based on the slot of the item upgrades and the current item level as well as the level of the weapon, which is more than gloves or bracers for instance. Each upgrade costs 15 Flightstones and a variety of crests, with some upgrades offering discounts to reduce the cost of Flightstones or crests that are used. Once an item has been upgraded to a certain amount, it can be degraded and returned to the upgrader for a lower amount of the two currencies.
Many locations have upgraders for their items which include the main island and a few outposts. The NPCs provide an upgrade discount and the chance to get a brand new upgrade recipe. The upgrade discount increases depending on the amount of items being upgraded. It is also possible to be increased by requiring players to complete specific achievements or quests.
Unlike Cromwell in Baldur's Gate II is no item upgrader available in the beginning of Icewind Dale. The NPCs who are able to facilitate upgrades are only accessible through a variety of methods. This is both a positive and a drawback.
In Season 3, many new features were added to the upgrade system. Once a player obtains an upgrade to a specific item upgrading level for a particular armor slot, upgrading further items to the same level will cost less, even when they are part of another set of gear.
The amount of Valorstones needed for upgrades is reduced, and the discount is affixed to all accounts. In the same way, the amount of Harbinger Crests needed for upgrades is also cut and is not available until players achieve certain achievement milestones.
Crests
When upgrading gear in WoW players have a couple of options. Flightstones are an option that is accessible to everyone for upgrading. Crests are more specialized and are used for specific item level upgrades. Crests are a key element of the Dragonflight gear progression system introduced in 10.1, and come in 4 ranks.
The first thing to be aware of is that crests are only able to be used to purchase equipment that is of a particular rank, and that every rank has different requirements for its upgrade path. The simplest and simplest upgrade costs 15 crests. The most complicated upgrade can require up to 20 crests, depending on the kind of gear being upgraded.
Players can earn crests by finishing content at the appropriate level, which means walking around and doing outdoor activities for gear of lower tiers, dungeons or raids of all difficulty for items of higher tier, or Mythic+ dungeons or heroic raid bosses for gear that is used in the endgame. The crests can later be exchanged at an item upgrader NPC, like Cuzolth in Dornogal or Vaskarn in Valdrakken to obtain the appropriate upgrade routes and steps.
The new currency system isn't too difficult to use, however it brings some changes to the upgrade process. Once a piece of gear reaches the highest level of upgrade for any rank (Explorer or Adventurer), it is no longer required to purchase Flightstones. This change lets players upgrade their equipment to the highest level possible on all of their characters rather than relying on seasonal loot.
Another important modification is that crests have one usage therefore it's essential to use them properly. For instance, it's a good idea utilize all of your Whelpling rank crests with the Best item upgrader equipment you have, and then save Drake and Wyrm crests for the next round of upgrades you're planning on making. This is particularly relevant for trinkets and rings that occupy multiple slots on the character which can only be eligible to avail the discount for all accounts when all slots are filled with high-quality gear.