The gearing system in World of Warcraft is undergoing a drastic overhaul. With patch 10.1, it will get complicated – and yet so much simpler.
In many MMORPGs, and especially in World of Warcraft, the endgame is primarily about the hunt for better loot. The strongest weapon, the most effective trinket, and of course an impressive set of gear with as high an item level as possible. However, how equipment can be upgraded in WoW has been revised multiple times over the past years. With patch 10.1 Flames of Neltharion, the developers are once again trying a major rework of the upgrade mechanics – and incidentally removing the valor points.
WoW aims to simplify everything, introducing two new currencies
Even though it may initially seem like a “typical Blizzard move” to introduce more and new currencies while simplifying things, the system makes sense. Instead of the many different currencies used to upgrade various types of PvE gear, everything is being consolidated into a unified system. There are two new currencies:
- Flightstones: The Flightstone (approximately: “Squad Stones”) can be obtained from almost all PvE content. Whether it be world quests, treasures, dungeons, or raids, every PvE activity can yield Flightstones. This is the primary currency for upgrading items.
- Shadowflame Crests: The second currency, the Shadowflame Crests (approximately: “Emblems of Shadowflame”) come from world events, dungeons, and raids. They exist in four varieties:
- Whelpling’s Shadowflame Crest (LFR level)
- Drake’s Shadowflame Crest (Normal level)
- Wyrm’s Shadowflame Crest (Heroic level)
- Aspect’s Shadowflame Crest (Mythic level)
With these two currencies, almost all equipment you obtain in patch 10.1 from PvE content can be upgraded.
Which items are not included in the system? Even though the system aims to encompass a large portion of items in WoW, there are some items that are excluded, either relying on a different system or not being upgradable. These include:
- PvP items: PvP rewards continue to use the upgrade system tied to honor and personal PvP rating.
- Crafted items: Items crafted through professions will continue to be upgraded as before through “recrafting”.
- Mythic raid items: Equipment at the level of mythic raids cannot be upgraded further. The very best items at the “item level cap” are thus only available through direct drops and the weekly cache – just as before.
How does the upgrading work? Although it may seem like a lot of information and overwhelming at first glance, the system is relatively simple once you get accustomed to it.
When an item is created (i.e., when you loot an item level), a category and an upgrade rank are assigned to it. Thus, most items can be upgraded between 4 and 8 times.
Each upgrade requires both new resources for each upgrade step. The flightstones effectively act as a replacement for valor points. They are the “mass currency” that you can accumulate.
Shadowflame Crests, on the other hand, are required for upgrading when you want to raise an item level to one that you do not yet possess. Higher-level items require better Shadowflame Crests (from “Whelpling” to “Aspect”). The Shadowflame Crests are limited to 10 of each type per week; however, it is expected that “this will be so much that most players will not reach this limit.” Moreover, the cap increases. If you don’t play in the first week, you can collect 20 Shadowflame Crests in the second week.
However, upgrading is significantly cheaper if you already own an item in the same slot with a higher item level, as then the Shadowflame Crests are waived and the costs of the flightstones are halved.
This system also works similarly for twinks. There is thus a built-in “twink-friendliness”, where costs for second characters are reduced as long as their item level is lower or equal to that of your best character. However, the costs for Shadowflame Crests still apply.
What is the goal of the system? Basically, Blizzard is trying to make every gameplay content rewarding. Since you can acquire flightstones almost everywhere, it can be worth assisting friends at a lower raid level or supporting them with lower “Mythic+” keystones. While tougher content yields more of this currency, lower content is still worthwhile to a certain extent.
Furthermore, Blizzard emphasizes that the same amount of loot is still being awarded. The goal is simply to create a more unified system for upgrading that accommodates as many playstyles as possible.
Will the system last forever? No, not necessarily. Blizzard wants to test this type of upgrade system mainly in season 2 of Dragonflight and listen to the feedback from players. If it is well received, it could become the new standard. If not, there will be adjustments or even a return to the old model.
What is your first impression of this system? A good evolution and solid solution? Or complicated and cumbersome?
