Champion is the fourth of WoW's six gear tracks (Explorer, Adventurer, Veteran, Champion, Hero, Myth), and faction renown is the most reliable guaranteed source of it. Renown levels award gear plus upgrade crests, so you can fill empty slots without relying on drops. Midnight's exact renown thresholds and item levels shift with each patch, so open a faction's renown panel in game and read its reward list.
The gear track ladder at a glance
| Track | Where it usually comes from |
| Explorer | Open-world content, the easiest raid difficulty |
| Adventurer | Heroic dungeons, world activities, early renown |
| Veteran | Mythic 0, low keys, Normal raid |
| Champion | Renown reward levels, mid-range keys, Heroic raid |
| Hero | High keys, early Mythic raid bosses |
| Myth | Deep Mythic raid, top-end keys |
What to know before you chase it
- Every piece carries a track and a rank. Champion gear has run eight upgrade ranks in recent seasons, and a fully upgraded Champion item overlaps the item level of a fresh Hero piece.
- Upgrades cost the season's mid-tier crest (Runed, under The War Within's naming). Reward names can change between expansions, so treat the crest names on your currency tab as the source of truth.
- Renown has been account-wide since The War Within, so a second character inherits your progress instead of restarting the grind.
- Renown chests also drop crests and upgrade currency, not just wearable pieces. That is often worth more than the item itself.
- Item levels are re-tuned every season. A number you read in an old guide is almost always stale.
What renown level gives Champion gear in Midnight?
That specific threshold is not something confirmed here, and it can differ per faction and per patch. The pattern across recent expansions is that early renown levels hand out Explorer and Adventurer pieces, the middle stretch moves into Veteran, and Champion-track rewards land in the upper renown levels alongside crest caches.
The reliable way to check is in game: open the renown panel for the faction, scroll the reward track, and hover the gear icons. It lists exactly which level pays out and at what item level for the current patch.
Can renown Champion gear be upgraded to Hero track?
No. Upgrading raises the item level within the Champion track, but it does not convert the item to Hero. To wear Hero-track gear you have to earn a Hero-track drop from harder content.
That said, a maxed Champion piece is close enough to entry Hero item level that it stays useful for most of a season. Don't hold crests waiting for a better base item.
Is Champion gear enough for Mythic+ and raiding?
For entry and mid-range keys, and for Heroic raid, yes. Champion-level gear is the normal baseline for that content. Where it starts to hold you back is the top key range and later Mythic raid bosses, which expect Hero and Myth pieces.
What is the fastest way to gain renown?
Weekly quests and the faction's rotating world content give the biggest single blocks. Beyond that: complete first-time exploration and story steps, clear world quests that pay the faction directly, and take any renown bonus event that runs. Because renown is account-wide, doing it once on your main is enough.
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