Guide to Gearing Up in Week 1 of WoW Patch 11.2 Ghosts of K´aresh
If you're jumping into Patch 11.2 of The War Within (TWW), gearing up efficiently in the first week is crucial to maximize your item level (ilvl) and prepare for the season ahead. This guide breaks down all the key sources of gear and crests you can obtain in week 1, along with important changes and strategies.
Major Changes in Item Level Progression
Huge ilvl increase: Transitioning from 11.1 to 11.2 brings a 45 ilvl jump, which is significantly larger than the usual 26 or 39 ilvl increases seen between previous seasons.
Heroic and Mythic gear ranks capped: Gear that received two rank upgrades in Season 2 will not continue upgrading beyond rank 6 in 11.2.
Gear Sources in Week 1
1. Campaign Chapters 1–3: Explorer Gear (642-665 ilvl) + Artifact Cloak (694+ ilvl)
Completing the early campaign chapters rewards you with nearly a full set of Explorer gear ranging from 642 to 665 ilvl.
This is a solid starting point for gearing up quickly.
You will also get the Artifact Cloak with a starting ilvl of 694 ilvl which you upgrade to 697 ilvl by gathering 3 Ethereal Strands (from warrant activity and delve reward).
2. Dungeons (639-691 ilvl)
Normal Dungeons: Drop 639 ilvl gear; can be run endlessly for steady upgrades.
Heroic Dungeons: Start at 665 ilvl (Adventurer Rank 4), upgradable to 678 ilvl with Weathered Crests.
Mythic 0 Dungeons: Begin at 682 ilvl (Champion Rank 1), upgradable to 691 ilvl.
You can run each Mythic dungeon once per week for loot.
Available dungeons include Eco-Dome Al’dani, Halls of Atonement, Ara-Kara, City of Echoes, The Dawnbreaker, Priory of the Sacred Flame, and Operation: Floodgate.
Mythic gear upgrades require Carved Crests (15 crests per upgrade, 4 upgrades total).
3. Delves
Access to all 11 tiers, but you start unlocking from Tier 3.
The highest crest available in week 1 is Carved Crests.
Tier 11 Delves reward 10 Carved Crests each.
Delves are a great way to farm crests to upgrade your gear.
Note: The Delver’s Journey feature is shut down in week 1, and you won’t get Delve maps from loot or Nemesis spawns.
4. Great Vault Rewards (668-695 ilvl)
Rewards depend on what you unlock, but expected ilvl ranges are:
Heroic Dungeon: Veteran Rank 1 (668 ilvl, max 691)
Outdoor Activities: Veteran Rank 1 (668 ilvl, max 691)
Mythic 0 Dungeon: Heroic (694 ilvl, max 710)
Delves: Tier 1 to Tier 11 range from Veteran Rank 1 (669 ilvl) up to Hero Rank 1 (695 ilvl).
To maximize Great Vault rewards in week 1, complete:
Mythic 0 dungeons
Delves & Outdoor activities at Tier 8 or above
5. Outdoor Activities and World Quests (655-678 ilvl)
World Quests (WQs) are divided into sections, with 11 WQs available twice a week.
Many WQs are inside Phase Diving zones.
Gear rewards are Adventurer Gear ranging from 655 to 678 ilvl.
Weekly activities also reward Adventurer Gear and Weathered Crests.
Weekly activities include:
Delve Weekly Quest
The Archives Weekly Quest
Weekly Khaz Algar Aid
Special Assignments (+1 Undermine, +2 Karesh)
Theatre Event
Kaheti Pacts Weekly Quest
Spread the Light - Weekly World Quest
Ringing Deeps Weekly Quest
Snuffling Weekly Quest
Weekly Surge Quest
Phase Diving
Ecological Succession
6. Rares and Elite Rares
Rares drop Adventurer gear (655-678 ilvl).
Crest rewards from rares:
Regular rares (x20): 2-3 Weathered Crests each (40-60 total)
Objective rares (x4): 2 Carved Crests each (8 total)
Elite rares (x4): 2 Carved Crests each (8 total)
Warrant silver elite rares (x6): 2 Carved Crests each (12 total)
Crest Types and Usage
Carved Crests: Highest crest available in week 1, used to upgrade Mythic gear and Delve rewards.
Weathered Crests: Used to upgrade Heroic gear and obtained from outdoor activities and rares.
You should aim to cap 90 Carved Crests and 90 Weathered Crests in week 1 to maximize gear upgrades.
Additional Notes
Brann’s max level is 100.
New curios (combat and utility) are available.
Delver’s Journey is not accessible in week 1.
No Delve map drops from loot or Nemesis spawns in week 1.
Summary: How to Gear Up Efficiently in Week 1
Complete Campaign Chapters 1–3 for a solid Explorer gear base. In which you will also get the Artifact Cloak with a starting ilvl of 694 ilvl which you upgrade to 697 ilvl by gathering 3 Ethereal Strands (from warrant activity and delve reward).
Run Normal and Heroic dungeons endlessly for steady gear and Weathered Crests.
Run each Mythic 0 dungeon once per week for high ilvl gear and Carved Crests.
Farm Delves starting from Tier 3 to earn Carved Crests and unlock higher tiers.
Complete Outdoor World Quests and Weekly Activities for Adventurer gear and Weathered Crests.
Hunt Rares and Elite Rares for additional crests and gear.
Aim to cap 90 Carved and 90 Weathered Crests to upgrade your gear efficiently.
Complete Mythic 0 dungeons and Tier 8+ Delves/Outdoor activities to maximize Great Vault rewards.
