If you played World of Warcraft back in 2012, you’ll remember how huge Mists of Pandaria was when it launched. Now that MoP Classic is here, players are diving back into the lush zones of Pandaria, farming dungeons, raids, and PvP like it’s brand new again. One of the core systems that made MoP stand out was the gear upgrade feature. Unlike earlier expansions, you didn’t just farm a boss for a drop and call it a day—you could actually upgrade gear in MoP Classic to squeeze out extra stats and keep your character competitive.

In this article, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know about how to upgrade gear in MoP Classic, covering Valor Points, Justice Points, PvP gear, raid optimization, and even tips from a veteran perspective. And if you’re looking to speed up progression, you can check out ClassicMoPGold.com to safely buy cheap MoP Classic gold. It’ll give you a big edge when gearing up without grinding endlessly for hours.

Let’s dig into the details.

Why Gear Upgrades Matter in MoP Classic

MoP Classic isn’t just about slapping on a few raid epics and jumping into Siege of Orgrimmar. The expansion introduced a system where you could spend Valor Points (VP) and Justice Points (JP) to directly improve your existing items. This was Blizzard’s way of extending the lifecycle of loot, making even that dungeon trinket or raid weapon worth keeping around until the next tier dropped.

Each gear upgrade bumped an item’s item level by a set amount, which in turn increased primary stats like Strength, Agility, Intellect, and Stamina, along with secondary stats such as Haste, Crit, or Mastery. In other words, upgrading was essentially free power that scaled across all content—raids, PvP, scenarios, and even challenge modes.

For competitive players, this was mandatory. If your guild was pushing progression in Heart of Fear or Throne of Thunder, skipping upgrades meant falling behind in DPS checks or survivability.

The Gear Upgrade System Explained

Here’s the breakdown of how upgrades worked in Mists of Pandaria—and what you’ll experience in MoP Classic.

• Valor Points (VP): Earned from dungeons, scenarios, daily quests, and raids. Used to upgrade epic gear.

• Justice Points (JP): Obtained mostly from heroics and lower-tier content. Spent on upgrading blue-quality items.

• Upgrade NPCs: You’ll find ethereal NPCs in your faction capital (Stormwind/Orgrimmar) who handle gear upgrades.

• Upgrade Increments:

  • Epic items (iLvl 489 and higher): +4 item levels per upgrade (twice per piece).

  • Rare items (blues): +8 item levels once.

• Weapons & Trinkets: Priority items for upgrading, since they gave the biggest stat increases.

That system meant your grind never went to waste. Even if a raid boss refused to drop your BiS weapon, you could at least upgrade your existing one and keep up with your raid group.

How to Earn Valor and Justice Points in MoP Classic

Upgrading gear isn’t free—you’ll need a steady supply of points. Here’s how you’ll get them:

• Valor Points:

  • Random Heroic Dungeon: 80 VP daily.

  • Scenarios: 50 VP daily.

  • Raid Bosses: 40 VP each.

  • Daily Quests: Small amounts but stack up quickly.

  • Weekly Cap: 1000 VP.

• Justice Points:

  • Heroic Dungeon bosses: 30 JP.

  • Normal Dungeon bosses: 15 JP.

  • JP is mostly used early-game or for alt gearing.

The key to staying competitive is capping Valor every week. In MoP Classic, expect the grind to feel real, but efficient players can easily mix dailies, dungeons, and raids to hit that weekly ceiling.

Best Items to Upgrade First

Upgrading everything at once isn’t realistic, so you’ll need to prioritize. Here’s how veterans like me approached it back in the day:

1. Weapons: These gave the biggest stat boosts for DPS and Healers alike.

2. Trinkets: Often BiS for long stretches, so upgrading them paid off for months.

3. Chest/Legs/Helm: High-stat slots worth the investment.

4. Secondary Gear: Rings, cloaks, and belts were fine to upgrade later, especially if you expected raid upgrades soon.

Gear Upgrades and PvP in MoP Classic

PvP players weren’t left out. You could also use Conquest Points to buy PvP gear and then upgrade it, improving both item level and raw stats. While PvP balance in MoP wasn’t perfect, upgrading meant the difference between surviving a Rogue opener or getting deleted in two seconds.

If you’re planning to push Rated Battlegrounds or Arenas in MoP Classic, keeping up with upgrades will be non-negotiable.

Gearing Strategies for Raids

For raiders, MoP Classic brings back some of the most mechanically demanding fights WoW has ever seen. Whether you’re grinding through the Terrace of Endless Spring or wiping in Siege of Orgrimmar, upgrades will smooth out progression walls.

• Farm Valor early in the week: Don’t wait until reset day.

• Prioritize raid BiS weapons: Even a 4-item-level boost can push your DPS over the edge in tight enrage timers.

• Coordinate with guildmates: Raid leaders often encouraged everyone to upgrade certain slots to help with progression walls.

Upgrades were a guild-wide effort, not just an individual flex.

Tips from a Veteran MoP Player

I was around when MoP first dropped, and I can tell you this system was one of the best Blizzard ever added. Here’s some advice for upgrading gear in MoP Classic without burning out:

• Don’t waste Valor on throwaway gear. If you know you’ll replace an item in the next raid tier, skip upgrading it.

• Keep an eye on patch cycles. Blizzard sometimes disabled upgrades mid-expansion (like during Siege of Orgrimmar).

• Focus on throughput. Tanks should prioritize stamina-heavy gear, healers should prioritize Spirit and Intellect, and DPS should push weapons and trinkets first.

• Don’t sleep on dailies. Yes, they can feel like a grind, but in MoP Classic they’ll be a reliable Valor farm.

Final Thoughts: Why Gear Upgrading Still Matters

So that’s the full breakdown of how to upgrade gear in MoP Classic. It’s a system that rewards dedication, planning, and smart resource use. Unlike later expansions where gear was handed out like candy, MoP made you work for your power, and that’s what made it so satisfying.

If you’re jumping into MoP Classic for the first time—or reliving it after a decade—take the time to plan your upgrades, cap your Valor each week, and stay ahead of the curve. And if you want a boost to keep your character competitive, don’t hesitate to visit ClassicMoPGold.com to buy MoP Classic gold safely. It’ll save you hours of farming and let you focus on the content that actually matters.

Pandaria awaits, and trust me, you’ll want every stat upgrade you can get when facing bosses like Lei Shen or Garrosh Hellscream.