How often do you upgrade your gear while leveling?

Hekx

As the topic, I know there are some players who upgrade gear at every possible level, but I noticed that my toons various crafting skills level far more slowly than the actual toon's levels.
I was originally planning on crafting upgraded gear every 4 levels , but noticed there wasn't *that* much difference between say level 20-> 24 gear, or 30->34.

Am I going to need the latest and greatest gear when I get to levels 45-50 or the VR's? (for PVE) Or is having gear 4-8 levels lower (or more) going to be ok stat-wise.

Thanks for any info you can share!

leandro.800ub17_ESO

I upgraded and crafted new gear every 2 levels to green level
Now at VR i upgrade to blue every rank.

zhevon

At low levels (<20), I found that there is armor only minimally helps. So I will upgrade to normal when crafting/levelling skill allows it - or something breaks. Before a group dungeon or one of the solo missions I usually do a serious gear check and sometimes I do a more serious upgrade.

[edit : I mainly use medium armor]

Gisgo

As soon as i level i hit the forge

vyndral13preub18_ESO

Haven't hit vr but normal leveling i try to replace everything every 4 levels. Unless i get a blue and the values are good. Deconstructing almost everything i find has left me with enough mats, and leveled it fast enough. Of course i am a slower grinder sort. Kill everything i see. So maybe i get more stuff then those just scooting through the quest.

Irtax

I upgrade about every 10 levels pre-50. Though I went from 36 to 50 in the same set of gear. For veteran ranks, I upgraded at VR1, VR5, and VR10. I only use crafted gear and sell/decon/research all loot and quest reward gear.

PBpsy

When I was leveling to 50 all gear was disposable. Once It was down to 0 it was changed with anything that fit the slot.I had maxed out med/heavy and had 45 in light by level 50. For VR I craft a full set immediately after I advance in rank. I use three sets of three item bonuses and I upgrade them to green/blue and enchant them to my requirements, I like to craft my own stuff but the normal levels go by so fast and the repairs are so high for someone leveling 4 crafting skills I didn't see the point in bothering with it.
Using drooped stuff also means you have level appropriate gear most of the time.

Bflaker

Pre 50 I would build a new blue set every 4 lvls. In VR I build a new blue set every lvl.

Violation2014

I started a small guild of trusted players. we have maybe 13 people total. We use our guild bank for player crafted armor and weapon pieces. Ones that will be kept and held onto for when one of us makes a new character and decides to level it. The gear will be in bank to use. Atm our collection goes something like this:

Levels: 1,10,16,20,26,30,36,40,46

Weapons:
Bows: - Weighted - +Attack Speed
Destro Staffs: - Fire - Precise - +increase weapon / spell crits
Destro Staffs: - Lightning - Defending - +increase armor / spell resist
Swords: - Precise - +increase weapon / spell crits

All armors are reinforced traits for maximum armor.

At this point we have every armor set to purple quality with purple quality enchantments.

the weapons vary from purple to legendary with matching enchantment.

End goal is everything Legendary and always have a set of gear to grab / grind straight to V1 with.

DenverRalphy

I upgrade my gear at any opportunity that presents itself. If I pass by a crafting station, and I have the mats (which I usually do), then I'll do a quick gear check and upgrade any equipment I can. I've never purchased gear from vendors ever, never find my gear falling behind.

But then too, I've found that after any of my toons reach the mid-20's, I more often find suitable gear from loot drops, quest rewards, etc... and rarely have to craft much gear anymore. Which is fine by me, as I can wait until hitting 50, respec my skills, and be able to focus more on specific crafting skills for high end gear.

Gremlis

My toons have deconstructed all items found and have built quite a supply of crafting mats. It became easy to craft green armor every 4 lvls. I found the weapons to be effective as greens every 4 lvls also. If an encounter required a superior weapon all blue, purple and gold crafting mats were retained for this or end game uses.

Falmer

Below 20 I probably only make an effort to replace gear that is more than 5 levels below my level.

Generally, I replace gear frequently after that. Never letting anything get more than 2 levels behind my current level. Crafted stuff is usually superior to drops though. So something that dropped that is a level behind my get swapped out before a crafted item that is 2 levels old.

axiod

leandro.800ub17_ESO wrote: »

I upgraded and crafted new gear every 2 levels to green level
Now at VR i upgrade to blue every rank.

I do the same as this guy did, sometimes skipping crafting gear pre 50 due to gear dropping and such.

Xithian

I did fine from 1-50 using random drops and quest gear, just swapping whenever I stumbled upon an upgrade. At VR1 I had a guildie craft me a blue set. I'm VR3 and still using it.

Blade_07

Every 4 levels green gear and blue gear after i hit lvl 50.

jockjammerb16_ESO

I started as a crafter and made a combat alt. generaly I upgrade everything cross crafting about every 4 levels and upgrade to green. works well. after hitting level 46 with my crafter i made my first all blue set. need it in coldharbor. hope to kick Molag Baal in his Molag Bolloks as soon as the server is up.^^

beowulfsshield

My toon's only level 26 (I'm easily distracted) and I upgrade whenever I get a better piece, or when a piece I'm wearing is beat down to zero. Like a lot of folks I don't repair, especially at this level, I just put on whatever I have that's better, or create a basic piece to wear until something better drops.

FrauPerchta

When I start almost dying a lot I check my gear and usually find I should have upgraded about 6 levels earlier. So I hit the forge and am good till next time I start taking too big of a beating.

DeLindsay

leandro.800ub17_ESO wrote: »

I upgraded and crafted new gear every 2 levels to green level
Now at VR i upgrade to blue every rank.

This basically. VR mobs aren't really any harder to kill but they hit you like a mack truck. From 3-20ish I used mostly drops/quest rewards with occasional crafted items. From late 20's to late 30's I crafted every 2-6 levels while using a few drops. Once I hit the 40's or so I crafted every 2 or so levels, upgrading all armor to green and weapon to blue. Now at VR, it's 100% new gear every rank, upgraded to blue (sometimes the armor to green if I run out of mats).

Boracks

For armour, I craft my own and I upgrade 3-4 pieces every 2 levels and alternate which ones. So essentially a piece gets upgraded every 4 levels. Weapons tend to be a bit more random, and often use ones from drops.

jockjammerb16_ESO

Good to know. an insite into VR changes. I hope I'll be dealing with that tonight.^^

Tarwin

Since Level 8, I always make a new suit of plate every two levels, hon them and stick on enchants. Then if a drop is better, wear that piece. Think it's still been cheaper as once deconstruction started giving me honing stones all was well

Same with weapon, but will throw dwarven oil at those if I have any

Only 44, so no idea how things will continue

ZiRM

I never purchased a weapon or armor. I never crafted anything, haven't even looked at it actually.

I upgraded my armor and weapons every time something dropped or I was rewarded a better item. I can't wait to hit VR10 (soon) and look forward to grinding out 2 more VR when craglorn is released.

Draaconis

Whenever a few fights in a row are closer than I'd like I'll upgrade.

Nasuradin_ESO

I upgraded every new color or visual tier 16-48, in VR content every VR level or two, since by then you'll have finished 1-2 zones before you get 1 lvl.

kewl

I'm leveling one crafter who makes gear for two alts. All three get new gear on even levels.

Loxy37

leandro.800ub17_ESO wrote: »

I upgraded and crafted new gear every 2 levels to green level
Now at VR i craft to blue every rank.

This.. Its pointless upgrading to anything above green in the pre VR levels. In VR content, each zone is 1 level so you can upgrade a few to blue. Personally I am saving 90% of my blue tempers and 100% yellow for VR10\12. I have on my BS, 423 green tempers, 86 blue and about 25 yellow. Which is plenty enough to get me a nice set of armour come the Max level. Same story with my other characters.

Skulclutter

I've been crafting basic armor every other level, to level up crafting. I'll enchant, but I don't bother upgrading. I'll swap out for greens/blues as I come across them. Once I hit VR1 I'll start upgrading.

Loxy37

NiRN wrote: »

I never purchased a weapon or armor. I never crafted anything, haven't even looked at it actually.

I upgraded my armor and weapons every time something dropped or I was rewarded a better item. I can't wait to hit VR10 (soon) and look forward to grinding out 2 more VR when craglorn is released.

Do you dis-enchant your other gear that you don't use? Even if you don't craft, spending a few point can make you mega bucks from dis-enchanting gear.

madangrypally

Most gear wont need to be upgraded often.

This is how I geared while leveling and since gear is account bound I can reuse sets for all my alts. I was at soft cap for Armor, Spell Resist, Magicka, and Weapon Damage the entire level experience.

Every 4 levels I replace my weapons and upgrade to epic quality. Enchant with an Epic Enchant.

Every 5 levels I replace my Rare Rings with the next tier. (mages guild sells rings). 1 enchant is Legendary Armor enchant. 2nd enchant is Legendary Spell Resist enchant. At higher levels I had enough spell resist that I switch to a different enchant.

At level 4 I crafted a complete Epic armor set that had good set bonuses.

At level 23 I purchased a Robe, Hood, and Neck piece for Warlock Set bonus. Upgraded the Robe and Hood Legendary status since Ill keep it a long time.

At level 24 I replaced all other item slots other then Robe, Hood, and neck piece and upgraded to Epic Status.

Other then rings and weapons I kept the same gear up to VR1. Was still at Armor, Spell Resist, Magicka Soft cap and had extemly high DPS (soloed most public dungeons and world bosses). When I replaced the spell resist ring I had many options for a new ring enchant.

At VR1 I bought a new Warlock Set (Robe, Hood, and Neck). New weapons and Rings and all enchanted.

Every level I upgraded my Weapon and boosted it to epic.
Every new enchant level I upgraded my rings.
Rest of gear I upgraded at VR4 and VR8 because new set bonuses. Besides my VR1 warlock set.

ClaudiaMay

Currently I upgrade with quest/drop items as I see fit (or if "hey this is broken, time for backup gear!"). Every two levels I check what I've got on, if anything is falling behind I craft a few pieces.