The Gear Upgrade window. The top bar indicates the accumulated tech points and the bottom one shows the "Quality Improvement Chance". The latter chance can be increased by using better (or special) Tech Upgrades or by using consumable boosts from the Zen Store or from some special mission rewards.
The Gear Upgrade System enables players to improve the quality of their gear items by increasing both their mark and quality, aka rarity or "color". It was added to the game shortly before the release of Delta Rising and can be accessed through a button on the bottom-left of the inventory window, or via the right-click menu of upgradable items while they are not equipped.
To be upgraded, an item needs to accumulate Technology Points. Once these reach the required amount, the upgrade process can begin. Accumulating Tech Points requires dilithium 
and Tech Upgrade Kits, which are obtained mainly through the R&D system and/or traded with other players/the exchange, but also as a reward from some missions.
The resource requirements for upgrading can sometimes be eased during events known as Upgrade Weekends. During these events, the amount of technology points added by a Tech Upgrade is doubled, which means you need less dilithium to achieve the same results.
Tech Upgrade Kits[]
Crafted Tech Upgrade Kits don’t require dilithium to purchase or craft, but applying one does cost dilithium . Tech Upgrade Kits come in different grades, with better Upgrade Kits providing more tech points and being more dilithium-efficient:
| Tech Upgrade Kits | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Item | Sources | Production cost | Application cost | Application result |
| Basic Tech Upgrade | Exchange, R&D level 5, Earth Spacedock/First City vendors |
One of each common components in the appropriate R&D school + 2,500  |
700 |
2,000 Tech Points (ca. 2.86 points/ ,
0.8 points/ |
| Improved Tech Upgrade | Exchange, R&D level 10 | One of each uncommon component in the appropriate R&D school + 7,500 |
950 |
5,000 Tech Points (ca. 5.26 points/ ,
0.66 points/ |
| Superior Tech Upgrade | Exchange, R&D level 15 | One of each rare component in the appropriate R&D school + one very rare material (depending on the school) + 15,000 |
1,075 |
12,800 Tech Points (ca. 11.9 points/ ,
0.85 points/ |
| Superior Experimental Tech Upgrade |
Exchange, R&D level 15 | One of each rare component in the appropriate R&D school + one very rare material (depending on the school) + Salvaged Technology + 15,000 |
1,885 |
12,800 Tech Points (ca. 6.8 points/ ,
0.85 points/ |
| Expert Universal Research Tech Upgrade |
One-time mission reward: “Reunion” (Bound to Character) |
Cannot be crafted. | 950 |
5,000 Tech Points |
| Superior Universal Research Tech Upgrade |
One-time mission reward: “Breaking the Wall” (Bound to Character) |
Cannot be crafted. | 1,885 |
12,800 Tech Points 1.2x Quality Improvement Chance |
| Enhanced Universal Tech Upgrade |
[Featured Episode Weekly Reward] during the special event period, (Bound to Account) |
Cannot be crafted. | 0 |
30,000 Tech Points, No Quality Improvement Chance |
| Romulan Republic Universal Tech Upgrade |
Admiralty System Tour of Duty: 10/10(Bound to Character) |
Cannot be crafted. | 0 |
15,000 Tech Points |
| Omega Particle Tech Upgrade |
“Omega Molecule Stabilization” Bound to Account, as are the materials used in creating it. |
81 common omega traces available during the Anniversary Event. |
0 |
25,600 Tech Points, 4x Quality Improvement Chance |
| Delta Vanguard Tech Upgrade |
[Delta Operations Pack] (Bound to Account) |
Cannot be crafted. | 0 |
110,000 Tech Points No Quality Improvement Chance |
| Temporal Vanguard Tech Upgrade |
[Temporal Special Agent Pack] (Bound to Account) |
Cannot be crafted. | 0 |
110,000 Tech Points No Quality Improvement Chance |
| Temporal Agent Tech Upgrade |
[Temporal Transponder] (Rank progression to lvl.50) (Bound to Character) |
Cannot be crafted. | 0 |
110,000 Tech Points No Quality Improvement Chance |
| Temporal Agent Universal Tech Upgrade |
[Temporal Transponder] (Specialization system progression) (Bound to Character) |
Cannot be crafted. | 0 |
15,000 Tech Points No Quality Improvement Chance |
| Universal Prototype Tech Upgrade |
[Cardassian-Dominion Lock Box] XBOX One and PlayStation 4 only (Bound to Account) |
Cannot be crafted. | 0 |
12,800 Tech Points 2x Quality Improvement Chance |
| Ultimate Tech Upgrade |
[Master Key Ring 20-Pack] Bound to Account |
Cannot be crafted. | 0 |
Set Tech Points to Maximum Set Research to Maximum |
| Ultimate Tech Upgrade - Beam/Cannon/Projectile Tech |
Special Events: "Mycelial Crisis" "Equal and Opposite" Bound to Account |
Cannot be crafted. | 0 |
Set Tech Points to Maximum Set Research to Maximum Can only be used on Beam, Cannon, and Projectile Weapons or Consoles |
| Ultimate Tech Upgrade - Engineering Tech (Bind Target) |
[Dominion Transponder] [Temporal Transponder] (Account-Wide Tier 6 Reputation reward) Unavailable to Gamma or Temporal Recruits Bound to Account |
Cannot be crafted. | 0 |
Set Tech Points to Maximum Set Research to Maximum Can only be used on Engines or Engineering Consoles |
| Ultimate Tech Upgrade - Science Tech (Bind Target) |
[Dominion Transponder] [Temporal Transponder] (Account-Wide Tier 6 Reputation reward) Unavailable to Gamma or Temporal Recruits Bound to Account |
Cannot be crafted. | 0 |
Set Tech Points to Maximum Set Research to Maximum Can only be used on Deflectors or Science Consoles |
| Ultimate Tech Upgrade - Shield Tech (Bind Target) |
[Dominion Transponder] [Temporal Transponder] (Account-Wide Tier 6 Reputation reward) Unavailable to Gamma or Temporal Recruits Bound to Account |
Cannot be crafted. | 0 |
Set Tech Points to Maximum Set Research to Maximum Can only be used on Personal Shields or Space Shields |
| Classic Phoenix Universal Tech Upgrade |
Unobtainable | Cannot be crafted. | 0 |
51,200 Tech Points |
| Phoenix Universal Tech Upgrade |
Phoenix Prize Pack Redemption Store | Cannot be crafted. | 0 |
38,400 Tech Points |
| Event Buyback Tech Upgrade - Universal (Small) |
Risian Lohlunat Pearl Buyback (Bound to Character) |
Cannot be crafted. | 0 |
12,800 Tech Points |
| Event Buyback Tech Upgrade - Universal (Large) |
Risian Lohlunat Pearl Buyback (Bound to Character) |
Cannot be crafted. | 0 |
25,600 Tech Points |
| Recruitment Universal Tech Upgrade |
[Dominion Transponder] [Encrypted Klingon Receiver] (Specialization system progression) (Bound to Character) |
Cannot be crafted. | 0 |
15,000 Tech Points |
| Dominion Universal Tech Upgrade |
[Gamma Vanguard Pack] (Bound to Account) |
Cannot be crafted. | 0 |
110,000 Tech Points 2x Quality Improvement Chance |
Aside from their grade, there are also different types of Tech Upgrade kits. Most upgrade kits, such as those crafted in the R&D System or some handed out during special events, may only work on a specific "school", i.e. category, of items. Universal Tech Upgrades, such as Phoenix or Omega Tech Upgrades on the other hand, are applicable to any item.
Upgrade Accelerators[]
Upgrade Accelerators are consumable items that can be used in conjunction with an upgrade kit. There are two types of Upgrade Accelerators. Both types come in two grades, standard and major.
- Technology Boosts: Improve the amount of Tech Points rewarded from a Tech Upgrade.
- Technology Boost (1.5x technology points)
- Major Technology Boost (2x technology points)
- Research Boosts: Increase the "Quality Improvement Chance".
- Research Boost (1.5x quality improvement chance)
- Major Research Boost (2x quality improvement chance)
Accelerators are mainly obtained from the Research and Development Pack which can be purchased from the Zen Store or as rewards from some special missions. They can also be sold and purchased on the exchange.
Upgrade process and results[]
The upgrade process itself can be started once an item received the required amount of Tech Points from upgrade kits. The process does not take any time and it does not require any additional resources. Additionally, the system provides three slots for upgrading up to three items at a time.
The gear upgrade process always results in an improved gear mark as long as the mark can be upgraded (i.e. up to Mk XV). Also note: Common Installed Shipboard Parts Cannot Be Upgraded. Additionally, there is a (typically small) chance that the upgrade process will improve the rarity of the gear (up to Epic). This chance is denoted by the Quality Improvement Chance bar on the upgrade window. It can be increased by using high-quality Tech Upgrades or by using the appropriate Upgrade Accelerators. Rarity improvement has varying effects on your gear, though many items will acquire an additional modifier. Others, like consoles, will instead gain a boost similar to the mark upgrade. The modifiers that can be achieved by rarity upgrades are however limited. Weapons may only gain [Acc], [Dmg], [CrtD] or [CrtH]. Some rarity upgrades will always yield the same modifier. Weapons, for example, will always gain [Ac/Dmg] when upgraded to epic. This is especially true for items belonging to gear sets. The corresponding information is found on the pages for the gear sets.