Quality

Quality is a property of items. It is represented in-game by the item's prefix. Under rare circumstances, an item's Quality can be changed by Valve.

Quality is a purely cosmetic property, and has no effect on gameplay. Items can have both a Quality and a Rarity value.

Inscribed
Inscribed items have a counter that tracks a specific in-game statistic. A regular item can be changed to Inscribed quality by placing an Inscribed Gem into a socket. Inscribed items can also be unboxed from Treasure Chests. These items come with an Inscribed gem.

Tracked counters are viewable by other players. Other than this, Inscribed items are no different from regular items.

Unusual
Unusual is a special prefix for items that have a special particle effect. To date, only couriers can have unusual quality. Unusual couriers are found in Treasure Chests at an approximately 1-2% chance.

Elder
Elder is a special prefix for limited items obtained under certain circumstances. To date, there are six Elder items.

Heroic
Heroic is a special prefix for items dropped for spectators during a live tournament game. Other than their name, these items are no different from Normal quality items.

Authorized Tournament ticket holders or observers can receive Heroic items by witnessing 12 types of events in tournament games. The phrase "in quotations" pertains to the actual item inscription.


 * "defeated Team X" (A game is won)
 * "scored first blood" (First blood)
 * "scored a multi kill" (Killing more than one hero in a row without being killed)
 * "scored an ULTRA KILL" (Killing 4 heroes in a row without being killed)
 * "scored a RAMPAGE, killing every member of Team X (RAMPAGE! aka killing 5 heroes without being killed, not necessarily 'every member' due to Buyback)
 * "denied his ally" (Denying an allied hero, thus preventing an enemy team a kill)
 * "destroyed the Aegis of the Immortal, denying Team X its use" (Denying Aegis)
 * "unexpectedly snatched the Aegis of the Immortal, denying Team X its use" (Stealing an Aegis which was not an allied Roshan kill)
 * "killed a courier" (Courier kills)
 * "got an Early Roshan" (Killing Roshan before the horn sounds)
 * "purchased a rapier" (Divine Rapier being purchased)
 * "performed a 5 man Echo Slam" (An hitting five enemy heroes)

Genuine
Genuine is a special prefix for limited items obtained under promotional circumstances. They are obtained as bonus items by purchasing certain merchandise.

Self-Made
Self-Made is a special prefix for items that were submitted to the Steam Workshop which were accepted and added to the game. They are given out to the creator(s) of the item by Valve. Self-Made items cannot be chiseled, socketed, or hammered.

Cursed
Tagged for special Diretide 2013 event items. Previously named Haunted.

Favored
Items awarded to players that win the Compendium team/player vote.

Legacy
Unused.

Standard
Unused. "Unique".

Community
Unused.

Valve
Unused. "Developer".

Customized
Unused.

Completed
Unused.

Exalted
Granted to copies of the Arcana item Blades of Voth Domosh purchased before Jan 4th, 2013.

Frozen
Part of the Frostivus/Wraith Night event for 2013. Items unlocked through redeeming fragments have this quality.

Corrupted
Part of the Frostivus/Wraith Night event for 2013. Items created using the recipe Recipe: Wraith King's Relic will have this quality. These items comes socketed with a Foulfell Shard. The Corrupted quality can be transferred by transferring the gem.