Ni No Kuni: Cross Worlds - How to Upgrade Your Weapons & Armor

screenrant.com:

Possessing powerful upgraded weapons and armor is one of the primary ways of having a high CP or Combat Power in Ni No Kuni: Cross Worlds. While the game's early stages should not be much of a challenge for players, the mid to later portions of the main questline will demand that the protagonist is equipped with adequate gear for encounters with stronger enemies and bosses. Accordingly, adventurers will need to understand the different ways of upgrading equipment in Ni No Kuni: Cross Worlds and how the mechanics of the upgrading system function.

There are four distinct techniques in Ni No Kuni: Cross Worlds for upgrading equipment. These techniques include Level Up, Upgrade, Enhance, and Awaken. Conducting these methods on one's gear will enhance the weapons or armor's capabilities, directly increasing Combat Power. First, players can Level Up their equipment in a similar manner to leveling their character or rank. Naturally, the process will cost in-game currency, but adventurers will also need to procure general or special leveling resources, depending on the type of equipment being enhanced. Furthermore, weapons have unique element-based leveling materials that can provide a bonus when applied to weaponry with the same element.

Related: Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom Prince's Edition Review — A Flawed But Fun Port

Upgrading in Ni No Kuni: Cross Worlds functions similarly to the Level Up system, but instead of solely increasing the gear's power, players can boost the item's CP. Ni No Kuni fans accomplish this by raising the Star-tier of the equipment piece. This process will reset the item's Level back to 1, but the base stats will be enhanced. Players can compare this procedure to how a weapon's Ascension works