Color-Coded Item Tiers

3 min readApr 10, 2023

Introduction
Examples
Table of Rarity order
Color psychology
Conclusion
Sources

1. Introduction

Color-coded item tiers in games are a commonly used design element to indicate the rarity and power level of equipment or items. Different games use different color schemes and naming conventions for their tiers, but there are some general trends that have emerged across the industry.

2. Examples

Sure, here are some examples of color-coded item tiers in different games:

World of Warcraft

“Poor” (Grey) < “Common” (White) < “Uncommon” (Green) < “Rare” (Blue) < “Epic” (Purple) < “Legendary” (Orange)< “Heirloom” (Yellow) [2]

Dota 2

Has a few rarity levels for its cosmetic items, which are represented by different colors:

Common (bluish-gray) < Uncommon (light blue) < Rare (Blue) < Mythical (Purple) < Legendary (Fuchsia) <Immortal (Gold) <Arcana (Green) < Ancient (Red) < Dota Plus Access and Seasonal (Yellow) [1]

Divinity: Original Sin II,

White: non-magical < Green: Uncommon < Blue: Rare < Purple: Epic < Pink: Legendary < Orange: Divine < Gold: Unique. [1]

Hogwarts Legacy

Has a Gear Rarity system consisting of: Common (black), Well-Appointed (green), Superb (blue), Extraordinary (purple), and Legendary (orange).[1]

3. Table of Rarity order

Generally, gray or white are used for the lowest tier, with green being a step up and blue being higher still. Purple is often used for the most powerful tiers, with orange or gold being reserved for the most legendary items. There can be variation in naming conventions, but the color coding tends to follow this general pattern.

4. Color psychology

Color psychology can also play a role in the design of item tiers. For example, purple is often associated with luxury, power, and royalty, making it a fitting color for the highest tiers of equipment. Orange and gold can signify rarity and exclusivity, making them good choices for the most sought-after items. [4]

5. Conclusion

When I explained the topic to ChatGPT, we came to this conclusion [3].

In general, the naming and color matching can be summarized as follows:

Poor, Non-magical, Common → White or Grey ⚪️
Uncommon → Green 🟢
Rare → Blue 🔵
Epic, Unique → Purple 🟣
Legendary → Orange, Gold 🟠
Heirloom, Mythical → 🔴

However, the overall ranking depends on the level of the item. A high-level green item may be better than a low-level purple item, for example.

Ultimately, the specific tiers and colors used will depend on the game and its design goals. However, using a consistent and intuitive color-coded system can make it easier for players to quickly assess the relative power of different items and make informed decisions about which ones to pursue.