Weapon and Armor Materials

When purchasing weapons and armor from vendors or upgrading from monster drops or treasure finds, pay close attention to the items' material types. The game breaks items down into nine different tiers in several different materials. For example, Tier 1 iron won't provide as much damage or damage reduction as the Tier 4 veridium. In general, a higher tier means a better item, if you have the requirements to use it. However, some items may hold special bonuses that override the tier system. If, for example, you're a warrior and find a Tier 9 weapon with bonuses to cunning, you may want to hold on to your old Tier 8 weapon with its strength bonus. Unless you rely on a lot of your old equipment, in Awakening, you will generally deal only with Tier 8 and Tier 9 gear.

Most of your equipment comes from vendors, monsters, or treasure; however, you can also find very special items as you complete side quests. You can collect the full set of the super-cool Sentinel armor, for example, in the Blackmarsh during your brush with the First and on the "Tears in the Veil" side quest.

Material Type

Metals

Woods

Leathers