WoW Upgrades - The Item Upgrader
Upgrades will give you a boost to specific stats. Each upgrade increases item level by +3. A random extra substat is also added to every upgrade items.
Upgraded gear is generally more valuable, unless it has low requirements by nature (like FB sorc shields) or has a large variance in stats (like Eth Titan weapons). Upgrades aren't as valuable for those with lower requirements because of the requirement to roll an exact version.
Recycle Points
The item upgrader allows players to upgrade their gear by transferring the currency to an NPC. Upgrades can be applied to any type of weapon or armor. The item used to upgrade the Best item upgrader will be consumed and can't be used again. Upgrades can be applied to Enchantments.
The upgrader is located in all major cities, and can be accessed anytime to upgrade your equipment. It is recommended to visit the upgrader at least once every few weeks, to keep your equipment up to date.
The cost of upgrades will be based on the current item level of the gear being upgraded, but will always be less expensive than buying new gear from other sources. Upgrades such as upgrading a Benthic chest up 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 can be purchased by players through NPCs who sell upgrades to item level upgrade owners 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 with a The button will show the item's next upgrade level in the event that there are enough materials.
The cost of upgrades varies based on the slot of the item and current item level, with weapons costing more than bracers or gloves, for example. Each upgrade costs 15 Flightstones and a variety of crests, with some upgrades having a discount to reduce the cost of Flightstones or crests that are used. After an item has been upgraded to a certain level it can be re-downgraded and sold to the upgrader at a lower cost.
Many locations offer item upgraders which include the main island and a few outposts. The NPCs offer an upgrade coupon and a 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.
Icewind Dale does not have an item upgrader at start, unlike Cromwell from Baldur's Gate II. Instead, the NPCs that are available to help with upgrades require a variety of means which is both an improvement as well as a disadvantage.
In Season 3, several new features have been added to the upgrade system. After a player has earned an upgrade to a certain level of an item upgrades for a specific armor slot, upgrading additional items to that same item level upgrade level will cost less, even if they belong to an entirely different 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 required to upgrade is cut also, but is only available after certain milestones are reached.
Crests
Players have several choices when it comes to upgrading their equipment in WoW. Flightstones are a currency that is available to all players for upgrading. Crests are more specific, and are used during specific item level upgrades. Crests are an important part of the Dragonflight Gear Progression System introduced in version 10.1. They are available in four ranks.
The first thing to note is that crests can only be used on equipment of a particular rank, and that each rank has its own requirements for its upgrade path. The simplest and easiest upgrade costs 15 crests. The most complex upgrade requires up to 20 crests, based on the type of equipment that is being upgraded.
Players can earn crests through finishing tasks at the appropriate level. This could be done by doing outdoor activities, or by taking on dungeons and raids of any difficulty to earn lower-tier gear or Mythic+ raid bosses or dungeons with a heroic difficulty for endgame gear. The crests can later 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 will bring some changes to the process of upgrading. For instance, when a piece of equipment reaches the highest level of upgrading 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 level possible for all their characters instead of relying only on seasonal loot.
It's also crucial to choose crests in a wise manner, as they are only used for one purpose. For instance it's a good idea use all of your Whelpling-rank crests on the top equipment available, and then save Drake and Wyrm crests for the next batch of upgrades you plan to create. This is especially true for items such as trinkets and rings that take up multiple slots. The discount on the account will only apply when all the slots on the character are filled with top-quality equipment.