Item rarity

In Guild Wars, the rarer an item is, the more valuable and powerful it can be. There are five levels of item rarity. They are, in ascending rarity:
 * 1) White: Common items.
 * 2) Light Blue: Less common items.
 * 3) Purple: Uncommon items.
 * 4) Gold: Rare items.
 * 5) Green: Unique items. Items that are dropped by a boss (see index of unique item lists for where to find them). These items don't technically have a place on the rarity spectrum.

On weapons, Focus Items and shields the chance for a weapon modifier or upgrade increases with rarity. White items will have no upgrades or modifiers, Blue items mostly have one modifier or upgrade, and Purple or Gold items have usually more than one modifier or upgrade. Salvaged weapon upgrades are always blue, and adding an upgrade to a weapon or adding a rune to a piece of armor does not change the item's color.

On salvage items the chance for a minor, major or superior Rune increases with rarity. White salvage items have no runes applied; Blue salvage items indicate that a Minor rune is applied, Purple salvage items indicate a Major rune, and Gold salvage items indicate a Superior rune.

Despite their name and rarity, the names of rare crafting materials are white like common items. The names of dyes are also white regardless of rarity.