Mmoexp Diablo 4 Items: Key Mechanics That Affect Item Power from Rozemondbell's blog

2. Key Mechanics That Affect Item Power

To maximize your gear’s Item Power and affix potential, here are some critical factors to understand:

Item Level vs. Item Power

Item Level is the base level of the item, which typically corresponds to your character’s level or the level of the world tier you are in.

Item Power, however, can be manipulated through affixes, upgrades, and crafting, allowing you to Diablo 4 Items potentially surpass the normal level restrictions.

Upgrading Gear

One of the easiest ways to increase Item Power is by upgrading lower-tier gear (like Rare or Legendary) to Sacred or Ancestral tiers. This can be done through the Item Forge or other in-game mechanics that allow for item progression.

World Tiers and Item Power

World Tier 1 and 2 drop items with a lower Item Power (around 500-700).

World Tier 3 (Sacred) and World Tier 4 (Ancestral) allow for items to Diablo 4 Items for sale drop with much higher Item Power, starting from around 800 for Sacred and 925+ for Ancestral.

The higher the World Tier, the higher the Item Power range, unlocking more powerful affixes and enhancements.