⬆️ Item Upgrading
Permanently increase your item's base stats
📖 Reading time: 5 minutes | Last updated: February 3, 2026
What is Item Upgrading?
Item Upgrading is a system that allows you to permanently increase an item's base stats using Pixels and Crystals. Each upgrade level increases the item's damage or armor by 5%, making it significantly more powerful. This equipment enhancement system provides permanent stat boosts.
How Upgrading Works
When you upgrade an item:
- The item's upgrade level increases by 1
- Damage and armor increases by 5% of the base value
- Enchantments are preserved during upgrades
Stat Scaling Formula
Example:
Base Attack: 100
Item Quality: 1.5 (Epic)
Upgrade Level: 4
Final Attack = 100 × 1.5 × (1 + 4 × 0.05) = 100 × 1.5 × 1.2 = 180
Each upgrade level adds +5% multiplicative bonus. At upgrade level 10, your item has +50% more attack/armor! This stat scaling creates powerful equipment.
Item Upgrade Costs
Upgrading requires both Pixels and Crystals.
What Affects Costs?
Upgrade costs increase with:
- Higher Item Rarity: Legendary and Artifact items cost significantly more to upgrade than Common items
- Higher Item Level: Level 50 items cost more than level 10 items
- Better Item Quality: Items with higher Quality percentage cost more
- Higher Upgrade Level: Each successive upgrade becomes exponentially more expensive
- Item Type: Different equipment slots have different base costs
Max Upgrade Level
The maximum upgrade level you can achieve increases with your player level and ascension bonuses. Higher max levels allow for more powerful equipment enhancement.
This means:
- Base max level: 1
- Ascension Perks can increase the cap (+1 from Enchanting perk)
- Every 75 actual levels grants +1 max upgrade level
- Post-prestige players use max level (301) instead of actual level
Upgrade Level Progression (Pre-Prestige)
| Player Level | Max Upgrade Level | Total Stat Bonus |
|---|---|---|
| 1-74 | 1 | +5% |
| 75-149 | 2 | +10% |
| 150-224 | 3 | +15% |
| 225-299 | 4 | +20% |
| 300-301 | 5 | +25% |
🎯 Conclusion
Item upgrading permanently increases your equipment's power through multiplicative stat bonuses. Each upgrade level provides a 5% boost, creating significant power gains for fully upgraded gear.
Remember these key principles:
- 5% Per Level: Each upgrade level adds a 5% multiplicative bonus to damage or armor
- Enchantments Preserved: Upgrading never removes enchantments or item properties
- Max Level Scales: Your maximum upgrade level increases with player level and ascensions
Choose your upgrade strategy: either upgrade gear you won't replace for a while (and upgrade them heavily), or spread upgrades across all equipment to maximize stat gains versus cost. With this upgrading guide, you're ready to maximize your equipment's potential!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is item upgrading in Idle Adventure?
Item upgrading permanently increases an item's base stats using Pixels and Crystals. Each upgrade level increases damage or armor by 5% multiplicatively. Enchantments are preserved during upgrades.
How much does each upgrade level increase stats?
Each upgrade level adds a 5% multiplicative bonus to your item's stats. The bonus stacks with item Quality for powerful results.
What currencies does upgrading require?
Upgrading requires Pixels and Crystals. Costs increase based on upgrade level, item Quality, item level, Rarity, and item type. Higher Rarity items are significantly more expensive to upgrade.
What is the maximum upgrade level?
The maximum upgrade level is 6, but this requires the Enchanting ascension perk. Without the ascension perk, the maximum upgrade level is 5.
Are enchantments preserved when upgrading items?
Yes, enchantments and all item properties are preserved during upgrades. You can safely upgrade enchanted items without losing any bonuses. This makes upgrading a safe way to enhance your gear.