I’m getting back into the game after a long break (since Cataclysm), and I’m trying to understand how the Delve tiers impact the gear I get from the weekly vault. Specifically, does doing higher tier Delves beyond Tier 1 improve the gear rewards from the vault? Or can I just run Tier 1 Delves and still get the same vault rewards? Also curious about what benefits come from Tier 8 versus Tier 11 Delves, especially regarding crests and gear upgrades.
5 Answers
In summary: Tier 8 is where your maximum vault gear upgrades come from, and Tier 11 Delves are valuable primarily for the gilded crests you get from doing them (three times a week). Those crests are crucial for upgrading heroic gear and crafting mythic gear. Beyond Tier 11, there aren’t bigger vault rewards, but you do get little extras like more crests and Brann experience.
Just to add, the Delver bounty item called the bountiful map is useful here. When used on a Tier 8 or higher Delve, it guarantees a Heroic-tier gear drop. Using it on a Tier 11 Delve will also give you more gilded crests, which you can use to upgrade your equipment further. So try to save your bounty for when you’re doing these higher tiers for extra rewards.
If your goal is to maximize gear upgrades, you want to do a mix: hit three Tier 11 Delves each week to get those valuable gilded crests needed for the highest upgrades and mythic gear crafting, then do your remaining Delves at Tier 8 to get the best vault gear drops. Tier 11 ones lend extra benefits like more crests and some extra experience, but they take longer, so it’s a balance of efficiency and rewards.
The rewards you get from the weekly vault cap at Tier 8, so doing Tier 8 Delves will give you the best gear upgrades there. Doing higher tiers, like Tier 11, won’t improve the vault gear itself but will reward you with more crests (like gilded and runed crests) from the Delves, which are used to upgrade your gear further.
For achievements, if you’re going after those, keep in mind some require finishing Delves on Tier 11. Also, to get credit for finishing each role (Tank/DPS/Healer), you need to do the Delve at least on Tier 4 or above. But for story or discovery achievements, lower tiers like Tier 1 work fine if you’re just aiming to complete those efficiently.
Thanks! So basically do three Tier 11s for crests and the rest at Tier 8 for gear from vaults, got it.