Blizzard Explains World of Warcraft’s New Heirloom System in Patch 6.1

Heirlooms are a system in World of Warcraft that allows players with high level characters to pass down equipment to their lower level or newly made characters. This heirloom gear levels up with players, so they don’t have to pick up new items or worry about gearing up. 

In the upcoming 6.1 patch for the game, Blizzard is implementing a new system for managing and using heirloom items. With the implementation of the patch, all heirloom items will be automatically added into the new system and you will be credited for them across your account. 

Blizzard writes: “At the time, heirlooms will be modified to obtain maximum levels that fall into one of three groups: 1-60, 61-90, and 91-100. Your heirloom items will all be grandfathered into whichever group is appropriate, with previous maximum levels being upgraded. This means that if you have an heirloom item that previously maxed out at level 85, it will now max out at 90.”

In this new system, you’ll be able to log into a character, open your collections screen, and all of the heirloom items you’ve previously obtained will appear there. Only heirloom items in characters’ bags or bank slots will be added to the collection. If you have any heirloom items in the mail, you’ll first have to retrieve them. 

The way the system works allows you to generate new heirloom items for the character you’re presently on by right-clicking on it. 

Blizzard adds: “A common question we’ve received about this new heirloom system is, “What’s going to happen with heirloom items that I’ve previously enchanted?” Nothing will change with those items. If you have a piece of enchanted heirloom gear on a character today, it will still be there exactly as before. You can still use it and send it to other characters on your account as always. With this new system, you’ll be able to generate additional, unenchanted copies of that item for your characters.”

In addition to the new heirloom system, Blizzard is implementing a new achievement and mount reward with patch  6.1. 

“The Heirloom Hoarder achievement requires 35 different heirloom items obtained on your account, and rewards the new Chauffeured Chopper mount. It’s a mount that can be used by all characters, even brand new level 1 characters. Of course, your new level 1 mage doesn’t know how to operate a mount yet, so he’ll ride passenger while driver Koak Hoburn mans the chopper.”