Master Valor Points in Shadowlands: Upgrade strategies, caps, and endgame progression
What Are Valor Points?
After a six-year absence, Blizzard has reintroduced the fan-favorite Valor Points system in World of Warcraft’s Shadowlands expansion. This PvE currency originally debuted during Cataclysm (2010) before being retired in Warlords of Draenor (2014).
The revived Valor Points system addresses player frustration with the RNG-heavy Great Vault by providing deterministic gear progression.
Unlike the Great Vault’s random rewards, Valor Points (VP) offer targeted upgrades for Mythic+ gear. This system particularly benefits players who frequently complete dungeons but struggle with bad luck protection. VP creates a parallel progression path that complements rather than replaces existing reward systems.
Activision-BlizzardThe return of Valor Points helps mitigate the ‘gear wall’ many players hit in Shadowlands’ endgame.
How to Earn Valor Points
Valor Points primarily come from two sources in Shadowlands: Mythic+ dungeon completions and Covenant Callings. However, Blizzard has implemented careful restrictions to maintain balance.
Weekly caps prevent excessive farming while ensuring consistent progression:
- Mythic+ dungeons award VP based on keystone level (+2 to +15)
- Callings provide smaller but guaranteed VP amounts
- Total weekly earnings cap scales with player progress
For optimal farming, prioritize higher keystone levels early in the week. Each completed Mythic+ dungeon awards VP regardless of timer completion, though depleted keys grant reduced amounts.
Blizzard EntertainmentStrategic VP farming requires balancing dungeon difficulty with completion consistency.
Gear Upgrades with Valor
The Valor Points upgrade system offers precise control over gear progression, with tiered requirements that encourage dungeon mastery.
Upgrade tiers follow a clear achievement-based progression:
- Base cap: ilvl 200 (all Mythic+ gear)
- Keystone Explorer: +7 ilvl (complete all dungeons at +5)
- Keystone Conqueror: +13 ilvl (complete all at +10)
- Keystone Master: +20 ilvl (complete all at +15)
Upgrade costs scale with item slot and current level. Weapons and armor pieces require different VP amounts, making strategic upgrading crucial. For example, upgrading a weapon from 200 to 207 might cost 750 VP, while a ring might cost 500 VP for the same upgrade. Plan upgrades carefully to maximize your weekly VP allocation.
Pro Strategies for Valor Optimization
Maximizing Valor Point efficiency requires understanding hidden mechanics and common pitfalls.
Key strategies for advanced players:
- Prioritize upgrades for slots with weakest current items
- Avoid upgrading items you might replace from raid drops
- Coordinate with guildmates to maximize weekly VP gains
- Track achievement progress to unlock higher ilvl caps
Common mistakes include overspending on minor upgrades early in the week, neglecting achievement progress, and failing to account for upcoming raid lockouts. Remember that VP upgrades persist through weekly resets, so there’s no rush to spend all points immediately. Patience and planning yield the best long-term results from the VP system.
No reproduction without permission：SeeYouSoon Game Club » World of Warcraft finally brings back popular Valor Points system in Feb 9 update Master Valor Points in Shadowlands: Upgrade strategies, caps, and endgame progression