Item rarities: magic, rare, red, Primal
Four loot tiers are confirmed. One is a chase item so rare that most players will never see it. The useful question before launch is not “what is the best item” — it is “what do I pick up, and what do I leave on the floor”.
The four tiers
| Tier | Confirmed | What to do with it |
|---|---|---|
| Magic | Exists | Early upgrades and filler affixes. Do not hoard them. |
| Rare | Exists; has multiple affixes | The workhorse. Identify, compare, keep only clear upgrades. |
| Unique (red) | Exists; effects can define a build | Read the effect, not the rarity colour. A build-defining unique can be worse than a good rare for your current setup. |
| Primal | Exists; extremely rare chase tier | Do not plan a build around one. Plan the build that can farm until one drops. |
Reading an item label
An official screenshot shows a ground label reading “Siegemaster's Ancestor Idol of the Tithe”, with “25 SLAIN” and a progress bar underneath. That is the classic ARPG naming grammar — prefix, base, suffix — but the kill counter suggests it may be a special item rather than a standard rare.
What to pick up
The game is built for a long grind, which means the loot floor will be noisy. A simple rule set beats a spreadsheet until you know the affix pools.
- Pick up every red unique until you know the pool. A unique’s effect can change a build; a rare can only improve it.
- Pick up rares that match your weapon and defensive slots. Ignore off-slot rares once your slots are filled.
- Leave magic items after the first hour unless you are desperate for a resistance or a socket.
- Pick up currency and rune stones always. The Forge is a confirmed progression system; materials are not clutter.
- Do not pick up an item because the label is long. Long names are not a quality signal.
How to compare two items
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Check the base
A higher base weapon or armour value is usually worth more than a small affix gain. The base is the floor.
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Check the affixes you actually use
Life, resistances, your damage type, your attribute. Ignore affixes for skills you do not play.
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Check the requirement
A great item you cannot equip is a stash problem. The passive tree shows Str/Dex/Int for a reason.
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Check the opportunity cost
If the upgrade costs you a socket or a resistance cap, it may be a downgrade in a real fight.
Thorn Crown: an observed item panel
The official Forge loop shows a real item panel. It is the best evidence we have for how affixes, item level and crafted mods fit together.
- Base
- Thorn Crown Seen in public footage
- Defences
- 29% increased Defences Seen in public footage
- Energy Shield
- +17 to maximum Energy Shield Seen in public footage
- Lightning Resistance
- +29% Seen in public footage
- Cold Resistance
- +24% Seen in public footage
- Open affixes
- 1 prefix, 1 suffix Seen in public footage
- Item level
- 60 Seen in public footage
- Crafted mod
- +43 to maximum Life Seen in public footage
Primal items are a direction, not a plan
“Most players will never see one” is the developer’s own framing. That makes Primal items a long-term chase, not a build requirement. A guide that tells you to farm a Primal item before you can clear the band that drops it is a bad guide.