Team Fortress 2

Team Fortress 2

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Every Item Quality Explained
By box²
This guide will explain every item quality in TF2.

Normal, Unique, Vintage, Genuine, Strange, Collector's, Decorated, Unusual, Haunted, Community, Self-Made, Valve.
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Normal
Normal quality is the item quality assigned to Stock Weapons.



These are the standard weapons that all players start with and are not stored in the backpack.

Unique variants of the Destruction PDA and the Disguise Kit items are created when using a Name Tag, Description Tag, or Killstreak Kit of any quality with a Normal quality item.

In some cases, items that have been re-granted to users by Steam support (after being either accidentally deleted or stolen) were assigned Normal quality. In addition to this, several Strange weapons that were unboxed or awarded in Mann Up were assigned Normal quality while still retaining their kill counting abilities, these are known as "glitched items".

The hex code for Normal items is #B2B2B2
Unique
Unique quality is the item quality assigned to items which can be found through random drops during gameplay, obtained through achievements, crafted, or purchased from the Mann Co. Store.


Unique is regarded as the "default" quality for items, and has no unique name prefix for items (with the exception of some items which have "The" before their name).


The Unique quality was added in the Gold Rush Update, 2008.

The hex code for Unique items is #FFD700
Vintage
Vintage is the item quality applied to most items in players backpacks during the 2011 patch, The Mann-Conomy Update.
The intent was to increase their appeal in trading as well as offer a refresh to the economy.



In the Mann-Conomy Update, several expensive crafting recipes were modified to be cheaper.
To recognize items that had been crafted when the recipes were expensive Valve made the Vintage quality.



Vintage items are functionally and cosmetically identical to their Unique counterparts.

The hex code for Vintage items is #476291
Genuine
The Genuine item quality is applied to items gained through a cross-game promotion or an in-game event

Genuine items distinguish other items from the same items gained via other methods, such as random drops or crafting.

Items with the Genuine quality can be strangified, but their names (and the item's icon in the user's backpack) will keep the Genuine quality colour instead of changing into the Strange quality colour.

Genuine qualities are otherwise cosmetically and functionally identical to their Unique variants.

The hex code for Genuine items is #4D7455
Strange
Strange quality items track the stats on your weapon / cosmetics.
Strange weapons will track your kills, and Strange cosmetics will track your points.

Strange weapons track kills, and records them as an item attribute, allowing the count to be viewable
by other players and the owner. Cosmetic items with the Strange quality track the number of points
scored while wearing the item.
Strange items are awarded new ranks as their counters increase, with the new rank being affixed to the beginning of the items name.

Strange Parts can be added to many Strange quality items. A maximum of three parts can be added to a given item. They do not contribute toward rank progress for the item.

Methods of obtaining Strange items include:

* Unlocking a Mann Co. Supply Crate containing the item,
* Using a Strangifier on an item,
* Purchasing the items from the Steam Community Market,
* Earning Botkiller weapons or Australium weapons from Mann Up mode,
* Trading with other players for them.

The Strange item ranks are:
* 0 kills - Strange
* 10 kills - Unremarkable
* 25 kills - Scarcely Lethal
* 45 kills - Mildly Menacing
* 70 kills - Somewhat Threatening
* 100 kills - Uncharitable
* 135 kills - Notably Dangerous
* 175 kills - Sufficiently Lethal
* 225 kills - Truly Feared
* 275 kills - Spectacularly Lethal
* 350 kills - Gore-Spattered
* 500 kills - Wicked Nasty
* 750 kills - Positively Inhumane
* 999 kills - Totally Ordinary
* 1000 kills - Face-Melting
* 1500 kills - Rage-Inducing
* 2500 kills - Server-Clearing
* 5000 kills - Epic
* 7500 kills - Legendary
* 7616 kills - Australian
* 8500 kills - Hale's Own

The hex code for Strange items is #CF6A32
Collector's
Collector's is an item quality that is given to items by completing special Chemistry Sets
These chemistry sets can only be obtained through the item drop system.
The Chemistry Sets convert 200 Unique copies of the set's respective item into one Collector's quality item of the same item.


The Collector's quality was added to the game in the Nov 12, 2013 Patch and the colour changed from #830000 to #AA0000 on Nov 26, 2013

Collector's items are functionally and cosmetically identical to their Unique quality "parent" ingredients that created them.


The hex code for Collector's items is #AA0000
Decorated
The Decorated item quality is assigned to weapons with skins or war paints applied to them
They have varying levels of wear and can have Strange counters applied to them and/or Unusual effects.


Each Decorated weapon's pattern differs in scale and rotation from weapon to weapon, with the game randomizing portions of these when the weapon is first awarded. As such, it is very rare to have two Decorated weapons with the exact same pattern.


Decorated weapons are purely cosmetic, and have no effect on gameplay.

Decorated weapons were originally introduced in the Gun Mettle Update and War Paints didn't exist at the time of the update.

While in the Steam inventory, during trading, and on the Steam Community Market, the hex code for Decorated weapons is #FAFAFA regardless of grade.

Unusual
The Unusual quality is applied to items with an Unusual Effect, such as "Circling Heart"
It is an item quality used on cosmetic items, taunts, and weapons.



Unusual quality items can be obtained in any Mann Co. Supply Crate, but the effect pools may vary from depending on the crate series. These effect pools are most often referred to as "generations".

Unusual quality items have special particle effects attached to them, and are considered to be some of the rarest items in TF2.


There are currently 452 cosmetic items that can have one of 123 total effects, 67 taunts that can have one of 37 total effects, and 45 weapons that can have one of 4 effects.

Unusual items can be obtained mainly by opening Mann Co. Supply Crates.

You have less than a 1% chance of uncrating an Unusual quality item.

The hex code for Unusual items is #8650AC
Haunted
Haunted is an item quality designated for Halloween-themed items
Many, but not all, Halloween items have a Haunted version.




Costume pieces from the Very Scary Halloween event could be obtained in Haunted quality if a Haunted Halloween Gift was found in the Underworld section of Eyeaduct, or rarely from a Halloween Goodie Cauldron. During the Spectral Halloween Special.


items unboxed from Eerie Crates were Haunted, with the exception of the event in which an Unusual hat was found instead. There was also a chance that a Voodoo-Cursed Soul could be obtained in Haunted quality when a player used a Pile of Curses.

The Halloween Gift Cauldron added in Scream Fortress 2014 is guaranteed to have at least one of the items from it be in Strange Haunted quality.

During Scream Fortress 2015, the Merasmissions had a chance to reward the player with a random Halloween item from the previous Halloween events that was Haunted.

The Soul Gargoyle also has a chance to give the player a Haunted Halloween item from the previous Halloween events when the Halloween Transmute was done by the player, the player would also receive a bonus Haunted item if the Halloween transmute was done 10 times.

Haunted versions of items are visually and functionally identical in-game to their Unique quality counterparts.

The hex code for Haunted items is #38F3AB

The Haunted quality was added in Oct 27, 2011 and the hex code was originally #8650AC but then changed to #38F3AB a year later.
Community
Community item quality items are specifically granted by Valve to individuals who have made significant, or valuable contributions to the Team Fortress 2 community or the game itself.
For example, Community weapons have been granted to users who help organize competitive and community events (e.g. KritzKast), create certain maps, work extensively within the game's code to report and fix exceptional bugs, and much more


There is no uniform method to acquiring one other than this broad qualifier, and it is ultimately left to individual cases at Valve's discretion. Community items have the Community Sparkle particle effect and an additional description string stating, "Given to valuable Community Contributors".


Initially, Community items had a hidden item attribute which increased their damage capability by 10 percent; this has since been removed in an unknown patch.

Stock weapons that were awarded the Community quality prior to the introduction of the Name and Description Tags are derived from their original Normal quality variants, making them unable to be altered by either Tag. However, Community quality items are now derived from Unique quality variants and behave as expected; this is also the result of an unknown patch.

Community quality items automatically have the Community Sparkle effect applied to them and are technically the first unusual weapons in TF2.

The hex code of the Community quality is #70B04A
Self-Made
The Self-Made quality is an item quality given by Valve to the creators of an item that was submitted on the Steam Workshop and then added to the game.







items with the Self-Made quality have the "Community Sparkle" particle effect attached and can be given different material parameters. They also have an additional description string of "I made this!".




Depending on the type of accepted content, various additional Self-Made items may be granted, alongside Self-Made versions of an accepted cosmetic item, weapon or taunt:

* Self-Made supply crate or case keys, as well as applicable bundle packs, are awarded to players
whose items are featured within them.

* Self-Made Map Stamps, Strange Filters and a Self-Made Map Stamps Collection are awarded to
map creators.

* Self-Made Unusual Caps are awarded to the creators of Unusual effects.

* Self-Made War Paints are awarded to their creators, which yield a Self-Made Decorated weapon
when used.

The hex code of the Self-Made quality is #70B04A
Additional Self-Made items, including commemorative badges and action items, were granted to the teams that created the Robotic Boogaloo, End of the Line and Invasion community updates.
Valve
The Valve quality is assigned to certain items that are given to Valve employees.
In some cases they posses the Flying Bits particle effect, which is basically burning flames on a gun.



Because of their nature as items of developers who have unlimited freedom, they may possess stacked attributes as seen in the backpack example; however, these additional attributes are not part of the Valve quality itself, In fact, some Valve quality items may be completely identical to a Normal or Unique quality weapon aside from the name.

The plethora of buffs on some Valve weapons are, on rare occasions, "used to their potential" on public servers, when one can expect the entire enemy team to obliterated by the mischievous employee. However, the unfortunate victims of the community tend to receive their deaths very well and with a sense of awe due to the hilarity of the situation.


You can see the Valve Rocket Launcher item shown in Robin Walker's Rocket Launcher.[backpack.tf] backpack


The hex code for Valve items is #A50F79


"This is what God would use to shoot somebody!"


End
Well you reached the end of the guide.

If there's anything about this guide that I got wrong please leave a comment and I'll make the correction.

17 Comments
Ocean Man 18 May @ 2:38am 
yeaha well how rare are my haunted strange cosmetic then?
ianguzfi1 19 Sep, 2023 @ 6:11pm 
thanks for the guide now i know how to get hales own quality (i will get it rn)
berriz44 6 Sep, 2023 @ 7:15am 
@ZacPlayz 5000 strange kills
ZacPlayz 19 Aug, 2023 @ 2:10pm 
What is the "Epic" quality?
Dragon 6 Jul, 2020 @ 1:50pm 
@richard ik I just wanted to see if he would follow through
richard 5 Jul, 2020 @ 2:36pm 
@dragon he is lying lmao it's a joke
Mike Hock 5 Jul, 2020 @ 6:41am 
oh god youre BREAKING THE SIMULATIONS UNIVERSAL


Universal_Unit 5 Jul, 2020 @ 5:18am 
a buffed valve weapon on a 100x times server wonder if it would crash
Brandon 4 Jul, 2020 @ 10:59pm 
Go to the community store and search in tf2 "Shovel" and you will see a thing called " Strange The Market Gardener" can you explain that
Dragon 4 Jul, 2020 @ 12:20pm 
@Joserm can I see it in your inventory or did you sell it/ trade it away?