Indisputable Proof You Need Item Upgrade
WoW Upgrades - The Item Upgrader
Upgrades give you boost in certain statistics. Each upgrade increases the level of an item by +3. A random additional substat is also added to every upgrade.
Upgraded gear is generally more valuable, unless it has a low requirement by nature (like FB sorc shields) or has a large variance in stats (like eth Titan weapons). Upgrades are not as important for those with higher variance due to the requirement to roll a perfect version.
Recycle Points
The item upgrader allows players to upgrade their gear by offering the currency to an NPC. Upgrades can be applied to any kind of weapon or armor. However, the item used for the upgrade will remain in use for a long time and cannot be used again. Upgrades can be used to create enchantments.
The upgrader is located in every major city, and is accessible at any time to upgrade your equipment. To keep your gear current it is recommended that you visit the upgrader each several weeks.
Upgrades will cost more depending on the level of the item but they will always be cheaper than buying new gear. For example upgrading a Benthic chest to 385 levels will cost 20 recycle points purchasing a similar piece from another player will cost 105.
Valorstones
Upgrades are items that can be used for weapon, armor, tool, and accessory upgrades. They are purchased by players from NPCs that sell upgrades to items in exchange for different currencies, and can also be found in random treasure lists. Once an upgrade has been purchased, it can be used on any weapon, tool, or armor using an The button will show the item's next upgrade level, when there are enough materials.
The cost of upgrading varies based on the slot for the item upgrades and the current level of the item upgrader mod. For instance, weapons will cost more than bracers, or gloves. Each upgrade cost 15 Flightstones plus a certain number of crests. Some upgrades offer a discount on the Flightstones. Once an item is upgraded to a certain level it is able to be downgraded and sold to the upgrader at a lower cost.
A lot of locations offer upgraders for items which include the main island and a few outposts. The NPCs provide an upgrade discount as well as a chance to obtain a new upgrade recipe. The discount on upgrades increases with the number of items that are being upgraded. It can also be increased by having players complete specific achievements or quests.
Icewind Dale does not have an item upgrader at the start unlike Cromwell from Baldur's Gate II. The NPCs who are able to facilitate upgrades are only accessible through a variety means. This is both a benefit as well as an issue.
In Season 3 the upgrade system has been altered a bit, with numerous new features added. After a player has upgraded to a certain level of item level upgrade for an armor slot upgrading other items to the same level will cost less. This is regardless of whether the items come from a different set of gear.
The amount of Valorstones needed for upgrades is reduced, and the discount is affixed to all accounts. The amount of Harbinger Crests required to upgrade is cut as well, but is only available once certain milestones are reached.
Crests
When it comes to upgrading equipment in WoW, players have a variety of options. Flightstones are an item that is available to all players for upgrading. Crests are more specific and are used for specific item level upgrades. Crests are an important element of the Dragonflight Gear Progression System, which was introduced in version 10.1. They are available in four ranks.
The first thing to be aware of is that crests can only be used to purchase gear of a specific rank, and each rank has different requirements for its upgrade path. The simplest and easiest upgrade item is 15 crests. The most complicated upgrade can require up to 20 crests, based on the type of equipment that is being upgraded.
Players can earn crests by finishing tasks at the appropriate level. This could mean doing outdoor activities, or by completing dungeons and raids in all difficulty levels to obtain lower-level gear or Mythicbosses for raids, or dungeons with a heroic difficulty to obtain endgame gear. These crests can then be exchanged at an item upgrader NPC, such as 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 does bring some modifications to the upgrade process. For instance, when an item reaches the highest upgrade level of any rank (Explorer, Adventurer, Veteran, Champion, Hero, or Mythic) it will no longer require 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.
Another notable modification is that crests have one usage and it's crucial to make use of them in a responsible manner. For instance it's a good idea utilize all of your Whelpling rank crests on the best equipment you have and then save Drake and Wyrm crests for the next batch of upgrades you plan to make. This is especially applicable to rings and trinkets that take up multiple slots on the character, which can only be eligible to avail the account-wide discount when all slots are full of high-quality gear.