Blizzard has quietly made a significant adjustment to how gearing will work in World of Warcraft: Midnight — and it could reshape early Season 1 progression.
New updates from the Midnight beta reveal changes to Crest upgrade costs, weekly caps, and even a new system that dramatically reduces upgrade expenses for alternate characters.
Here’s what’s changing — and why it matters.
Flat 20 Crest Cost Per Upgrade Level
One of the biggest adjustments is the shift to a flat upgrade cost model.
Instead of tiered costs (10 / 20 / 30 / 40 / 50 Crests depending on level), gear upgrades will now cost:
20 Crests per level — across the board.
This simplifies the system significantly and removes the escalating cost curve players saw in previous expansions.
However, this also means:
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Lower-tier upgrades are slightly more expensive
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Higher-tier upgrades are slightly cheaper
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The gearing curve is more predictable
Blizzard appears to be prioritizing clarity over complexity.
Crafted Gear Now Costs 80 Crests
Crafted items are also seeing an adjustment.
Previously, upgrading crafted pieces cost 60 Crests.
Under the new Midnight system, that cost increases to:
80 Crests per crafted upgrade.
This makes crafted gear more of a long-term investment rather than an early-season shortcut.
It also encourages players to engage more broadly with dungeon and raid content rather than relying heavily on crafting paths.
Weekly Crest Cap Increased to 100
Blizzard has also raised the weekly Crest cap to 100, up from 90 in The War Within.
This slightly offsets the standardized upgrade costs and gives players more flexibility in how quickly they progress each week.
The combination of:
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Flat upgrade costs
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Higher weekly cap
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Standardized gear tracks
creates a system that’s easier to understand — but still controlled in pacing.
Alt Characters Get a Massive Boost
Perhaps the most player-friendly change involves alternate characters.
Completing certain gear upgrade achievements on your main character will now:
Reduce Crest upgrade costs by 50% on alts.
That’s a major quality-of-life improvement for players who enjoy maintaining multiple characters.
Instead of grinding full Crest costs again, alt gearing becomes dramatically more efficient once progression milestones are unlocked.
For multi-class players and Mythic+ enthusiasts, this is one of the most impactful adjustments in the system.
Is Gearing Slower or Faster?
The answer is: slightly slower at first, but more streamlined overall.
Because lower-tier upgrades now cost 20 Crests instead of 10, early gearing requires more investment. However:
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Higher-tier upgrades are cheaper than before
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Weekly cap is higher
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Alt discounts reduce repeated grind
Blizzard seems to be aiming for a more consistent progression experience rather than large early power spikes.
Why Blizzard Changed the System
The previous Crest structure had multiple types, variable costs, and scaling upgrade paths that many players found confusing.
Midnight simplifies this into:
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One Crest type per track
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Six standardized gear tiers
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Flat costs
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Achievement-based alt discounts
The result is a system that’s easier to track, easier to explain, and more alt-friendly — while still maintaining seasonal pacing.
What This Means for Season 1
With Season 1 launching shortly after Midnight’s early access, these changes will shape how players approach:
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Mythic+ farming
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Raid progression
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Crafting strategies
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Alt preparation
Hardcore players may need to adjust early gearing plans, but the long-term system appears cleaner and more sustainable.
Blizzard is clearly refining progression rather than reinventing it — and that usually signals a more stable launch cycle.
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