Weapons
Source Tech Core pg. 94
Some of the entries in this chapter have a grade above commercial and item level above 0. This allows you to upgrade lower-or similar-grade equipment into these special variant weapons by using the difference in price to calculate how much you need to spend to upgrade your weapon. You can also upgrade these weapons into higher-grade weapons by paying the upgrade price listed in the Weapon Improvements table. For example, you can upgrade an advanced knife into a blast knife for 14,000 credits or upgrade a superior knife into a blast knife for 5,000 credits. You can later upgrade that into an elite blast knife for an additional 10,000 credits, gaining a higher item level, additional upgrade slot, and bonus damage die, as normal for an elite weapon.
These variant weapons are always considered to have the same name as the weapon listed in their grade entries. So, you can still use a void cutlass for feats that require you to wield a phase cutlass. You can share proficiencies if you have a feat or feature that specifically grants you proficiency in that weapon, including those that list multiple weapons like ancestry feats. However, variant weapons can’t be upgraded into other variant weapons even if they share the same listed weapon in their grade entry. So, a knuckle sheller can’t be upgraded into a magnet-directed battleglove.
These variant weapons are always considered to have the same name as the weapon listed in their grade entries. So, you can still use a void cutlass for feats that require you to wield a phase cutlass. You can share proficiencies if you have a feat or feature that specifically grants you proficiency in that weapon, including those that list multiple weapons like ancestry feats. However, variant weapons can’t be upgraded into other variant weapons even if they share the same listed weapon in their grade entry. So, a knuckle sheller can’t be upgraded into a magnet-directed battleglove.