What happens to Valor in Dragonflight?
As an avid WoW player and guide writer, I‘ve been eagerly following all the changes coming with the launch of the Dragonflight expansion. One topic at the front of players‘ minds is what will happen with valor – a currency tied directly to progressing and upgrading Mythic+ and raid gear.
With the removal of the weekly valor cap slated for later this season, the possibilities for maxing out your gear open up tremendously. I wanted to provide an in-depth look at how earning, spending, and tracking valor will work in Dragonflight. Read on for details and tips!
New Valor Cap & Earnings
Currently in season 1 of Dragonflight, there is a weekly cap on how much valor can be earned. This functions as a "bad luck protection" system to ensure continual progress. The valor cap will start at 1500 per week, and increment by 750 each week after:
- Week 1: 1500 cap
- Week 2: 2250 cap
- Week 3: 3000 cap
- Week 4: 3750 cap
So by week 4, the weekly cap will be 3750, and that total will remain for the rest of the season. Important to note – the cap is only how much you can earn per week, not how much you can hold. If for any reason you miss earning valor in a given week, you‘ll be able to catch up with higher totals in later weeks.
In terms of activities, Mythic+ dungeons will be the primary source of valor for most players. Here is how much you‘ll get per dungeon based on the keystone level:
| Mythic+ Level | Valor Earned |
| Mythic 0 | 65 |
| Mythic +2 | 95 |
| Mythic +4 | 115 |
| Mythic +6 | 135 |
| Mythic +8 | 155 |
| Mythic +10 | 175 |
| Mythic +12 | 195 |
| Mythic +14 | 215 |
As you can see, there are significant gains for stepping into higher key levels. With the removal of the cap, dedicated players will be able earn well over 10k valor in a season – allowing for many gear upgrades.
Spending Valor to Upgrade Gear
The main use for valor will be to upgrade Mythic+ gear earned from the end-of-dungeon chests as well as raid gear from bosses. Upgrading increases both the raw item level and boosts secondary stats providing even more power. Here‘s a quick overview:
- 200 valor: 5 item levels
- 400 valor: 5 item levels (only up to 6 ranks total for most pieces)
- 600 valor: 15 item levels (final rank ups to tier set pieces and special slots)
As an example, if you earned an ilvl 425 helm from a +15 key early in the season, spending 800 valor would upgrade it all the way to ilvl 460 – on par with higher tier Mythic raid drops! Some additional notes:
- Tier set pieces and special slots can go up to Mythic ilvl with enough valor.
- Jewelry cannot Warforge/Titanforge so valor gives a clear path to max itemization.
- Complete removal of the weekly valor cap, allowing endless farming similar to older WoW expansions
- Increase to the valor rewards from Mythic+ as players push ever-higher keystone levels
- Introduction of additional gear slots eligible for valor upgrades (e.g. world quest or professions pieces)
When planning out gear and weighing against PvP options I put together a valor calculator to determine total valor needed to kit out a character. You can access that Dragonflight valor calculator here. Look out for an upcoming guide on how to optimize your valor spending!
What Changes are in Store?
In examining blue posts and developer interviews, there was strong indication that the current valor system is seen as transitional. Though purely speculative, I wouldn‘t be surprised to see the following adjustments in future Dragonflight patches:
Additionally, don‘t be shocked if the whole valor mechanic is recalibrated or even temporarily retired at the onset of the next expansion. Blizzard has been known to hit the reset button in the past – but for now enjoy reaping unlimited upgrades!
Gear Up with Valor in Dragonflight!
The revamped valor and Mythic+ systems in Dragonflight provide one of most compelling gear progression paths we‘ve seen. With smart play and planning, you‘ll be clearing +20 keystone in no time with a full set of Mythic-quality pieces powered up by valor!
As always, I welcome comments and discussion – let me know your thoughts and plans for valor gains this season. And be sure to check back on the site as I cover other emerging Dragonflight guides and strategies!
