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Items & Crafting ~26 min read 5,028 words

Salt & Steel: Modifier System

Document type: Item Systems Design — Foundational
Status: Canonical
Last updated: 2026-04
See also: Base Types and Categories | Currency System | Crafting Methods | GURPS Framework

Overview

A found item and a crafted item are the same rarity tier. What separates them is which modifiers landed, at which tiers, and whether those modifiers serve the build that holds them. The Modifier System is the mechanism by which items become powerful — or not. It is also the mechanism that creates Salt & Steel's endgame economy: the difference between a Legendary Cutlass with three useful Engravings and two useful Marks versus one with random ones is the difference between a trade commodity and vendor trash.

Salt & Steel adapts PoE's prefix/suffix architecture to the pirate setting with renamed categories and thematically grounded modifier names. The underlying logic — a hard cap of three modifiers per side, tiers gated by item level, weighted random pools modified by crafting materials — is faithful to the PoE model that has proven itself over a decade. The naming and flavor make it feel like it belongs in this world rather than imported from another.

The Engraving / Mark Architecture

Every explicit modifier on an Uncommon, Rare, Legendary, or Mythic item is either an Engraving (prefix) or a Mark (suffix). This categorization is permanent and designed into each modifier at the data level.

  • Uncommon items: Maximum 1 Engraving + 1 Mark (2 explicit mods total)
  • Rare items: Maximum 2 Engravings + 2 Marks (4 explicit mods total)
  • Legendary items: Maximum 3 Engravings + 3 Marks (6 explicit mods total)

The Engraving/Mark split creates structural constraints that drive crafting strategy. Damage bonuses are predominantly Engravings. Defensive bonuses and utility modifiers are predominantly Marks. A Legendary item can never have four offensive Engravings — the system enforces a 3/3 ceiling that ensures no item can simultaneously maximize every stat category.

Why This Matters Mechanically:
A crafter who uses the Anchor Crafting method (equivalent to metacrafting) can apply the bench modifier "Engravings Cannot Be Changed" before using a currency that rerolls Marks — protecting a perfect offensive Engraving while randomizing defensive slots. Knowing which modifiers are Engravings and which are Marks is the threshold between random gambling and informed crafting. The system rewards knowledge.

Engravings (Prefixes) — Complete Catalog

Engravings appear above the implicit modifier in the item tooltip, colored in amber/gold text. They are identified by their distinctive naming convention: each Engraving tier has a maritime-themed name.

Weapon Engravings

Physical Damage Engravings

"Tide-Touched" / "+ to Cutting Damage" (Cutting weapons only)

Tier Name Value Range Required ilvl
T1 Tide-Touched +35-40 to Cutting 78
T2 Storm-Forged +28-34 to Cutting 65
T3 Sea-Hardened +21-27 to Cutting 50
T4 Salt-Kissed +14-20 to Cutting 35
T5 Barnacle-Edged +8-13 to Cutting 22
T6 Wave-Worn +4-7 to Cutting 12
T7 Weathered +1-3 to Cutting 1

"Bloodied" / "+ to Impaling Damage" (Impaling weapons only)

Tier Name Value Range Required ilvl
T1 Bloodied +35-40 to Impaling 78
T2 Red-Tipped +28-34 to Impaling 65
T3 Sharp-Proved +21-27 to Impaling 50
T4 Keen +14-20 to Impaling 35
T5 Pointed +8-13 to Impaling 22
T6 Honed +4-7 to Impaling 12
T7 Filed +1-3 to Impaling 1

"Cannonball's Weight" / "+ to Crushing Damage" (Crushing weapons only)

Tier Name Value Range Required ilvl
T1 Cannonball's Weight +35-40 to Crushing 78
T2 Anchor-Heavy +28-34 to Crushing 65
T3 Stone-Head +21-27 to Crushing 50
T4 Ballast-Loaded +14-20 to Crushing 35
T5 Iron-Headed +8-13 to Crushing 22
T6 Lead-Wrapped +4-7 to Crushing 12
T7 Weighted +1-3 to Crushing 1

"Dead-Eye" / "% increased Physical Damage" (All weapons)

Tier Name Value Range Required ilvl
T1 Dead-Eye's 85-100% increased Physical Dmg 80
T2 Marksman's 65-84% increased Physical Dmg 68
T3 Soldier's 48-64% increased Physical Dmg 54
T4 Fighter's 32-47% increased Physical Dmg 40
T5 Brawler's 20-31% increased Physical Dmg 26
T6 Scrapper's 10-19% increased Physical Dmg 14
T7 Rough 1-9% increased Physical Dmg 1

"Powder-Dry" / "% increased Attack Speed" (All weapons)

Tier Name Value Range Required ilvl
T1 Powder-Dry 17-20% increased Attack Speed 76
T2 Fleet-Handed 13-16% increased Attack Speed 64
T3 Quick-Drawn 10-12% increased Attack Speed 50
T4 Nimble 7-9% increased Attack Speed 36
T5 Brisk 5-6% increased Attack Speed 24
T6 Active 3-4% increased Attack Speed 12
T7 Eager 1-2% increased Attack Speed 1

Thematic Weapon Engravings (Regional/Encounter-locked)

These Engravings only appear in specific content regions or via specific crafting materials. They cannot appear through random crafting without the appropriate material — they are the modifier system's version of Influence mods.

"Sea-Blessed" / "+% Tide Magic Damage" (Any weapon; requires Tide Essence material)

  • Adds a secondary tide magic damage component to physical attacks
  • T1: +35-45% added Tide Magic Damage
  • T2: +25-34% added Tide Magic Damage
  • T3: +15-24% added Tide Magic Damage
  • Tide Magic damage is a supernatural damage type that bypasses physical DR; effective against ghost/undead enemies

"Ember-Forged" / "+% Fire Damage on Hit" (Any weapon; requires Alchemist's Fire Flask material or Volcanic Isle drop)

  • T1: 40-50% of Physical Damage added as Fire Damage
  • T2: 28-39% of Physical Damage added as Fire Damage
  • T3: 16-27% of Physical Damage added as Fire Damage
  • Fire damage causes Ignite; burning enemies deal reduced damage to you (distraction effect)

"Kraken-Touched" / "+% Corrosion Damage" (Any weapon; drops only from Kraken-type enemies or Tentacle-infested zones)

  • Adds Corrosion damage that permanently reduces enemy armor DR during the encounter
  • T1: 30-40 Corrosion damage on hit; −3 target DR per hit (max −9 DR reduction)
  • T2: 20-29 Corrosion damage; −2 DR per hit (max −6)
  • T3: 10-19 Corrosion damage; −1 DR per hit (max −3)

"Dead Man's" / "% chance to deal double damage" (Any weapon; drops in Davy Jones' Locker content)

  • T1: 15% chance to deal double damage on hit
  • T2: 10% chance
  • T3: 6% chance
  • Double damage applies before wound multiplier — a double-damage Impaling hit against unarmored does 4× effective damage

Ranged-Specific Engravings

"Ballistic" / "% increased Projectile Damage" (Ranged weapons only)

Tier Name Value Range ilvl
T1 Ballistic 65-80% increased Projectile Dmg 75
T2 True-Flying 50-64% 60
T3 Wind-Aided 35-49% 44
T4 Range-Found 22-34% 30
T5 Aimed 12-21% 18
T6 Careful 5-11% 8
T7 Steadied 1-4% 1

"Powder-Packed" / "% increased Reload Speed" (Firearms only)
Note: Reload Speed is a critical modifier for pistol and musket builds. Even a 10% reload speed reduction noticeably extends the fire window.

Tier Name Value Range ilvl
T1 Powder-Packed 30-40% faster Reload 72
T2 Cartridge-Ready 22-29% faster Reload 58
T3 Quick-Loading 15-21% faster Reload 44
T4 Practiced 10-14% faster Reload 30
T5 Prepared 6-9% faster Reload 18
T6 Careful 3-5% faster Reload 8
T7 Unhurried 1-2% faster Reload 1

Armor Engravings

"Ironside" / "+% Damage Reduction" (Armor pieces)

Tier Name Value Range ilvl
T1 Ironside 18-22% increased DR 78
T2 Plated 13-17% increased DR 65
T3 Reinforced 9-12% increased DR 50
T4 Fortified 6-8% increased DR 36
T5 Braced 4-5% increased DR 22
T6 Shored 2-3% increased DR 12
T7 Patched 1% increased DR 1

"Sea-Legs" / "+% to resistance vs. specific damage type" (Armor pieces)
Each resistance type is a separate modifier family (Cutting, Impaling, Crushing, Piercing, Burning, Corrosion, Supernatural). Each follows the same tier structure.

  • T1: 30-35% resistance to [type]
  • T2: 24-29%
  • T3: 18-23%
  • T4: 12-17%
  • T5: 8-11%
  • T6: 4-7%
  • T7: 1-3%

Marks (Suffixes) — Complete Catalog

Marks appear below the explicit modifiers in the tooltip, colored in silver/white text. Mark naming follows a different convention from Engravings — where Engravings describe what was done to the weapon, Marks describe what the item does for the wearer.

Defensive Marks

"of the Leviathan" / "+Maximum HP" (Any item)

Tier Name Value Range ilvl
T1 of the Leviathan +135-150 HP 78
T2 of the Sea Dragon +115-134 HP 65
T3 of the Shark +90-114 HP 50
T4 of the Barracuda +70-89 HP 36
T5 of the Mackerel +50-69 HP 22
T6 of the Minnow +30-49 HP 12
T7 of the Sprat +10-29 HP 1

"of the Tide Pool" / "+Maximum FP" (Any item)

Tier Name Value Range ilvl
T1 of the Tide Pool +50-60 FP 78
T2 of the Rock Pool +40-49 FP 65
T3 of the Deep +30-39 FP 50
T4 of the Shallows +20-29 FP 36
T5 of the Current +12-19 FP 22
T6 of the Ripple +6-11 FP 12
T7 of the Wake +2-5 FP 1

"of the Ironhull" / "+Armor Rating" (Chest pieces, Heavy armor only)

Tier Name Value Range ilvl
T1 of the Ironhull +20-24 to base DR 76
T2 of the Oakhull +15-19 to base DR 62
T3 of the Pinehull +11-14 to base DR 48
T4 of the Planking +7-10 to base DR 34
T5 of the Timber +4-6 to base DR 22
T6 of the Pitch +2-3 to base DR 10
T7 of the Caulk +1 to base DR 1

"of the Helmsman" / "+Dodge chance" (Footwear, accessories)

Tier Name Value Range ilvl
T1 of the Helmsman +15-18% Dodge 74
T2 of the Mate +11-14% Dodge 60
T3 of the Sailor +8-10% Dodge 46
T4 of the Deckhand +5-7% Dodge 32
T5 of the Cabin Boy +3-4% Dodge 20
T6 of the Stowaway +2% Dodge 10
T7 of the Landlubber +1% Dodge 1

Utility Marks

"of the Navigator" / "+% Movement Speed"

Tier Name Value Range ilvl
T1 of the Navigator 28-35% increased Move Speed 76
T2 of the Pathfinder 22-27% 62
T3 of the Scout 16-21% 48
T4 of the Runner 11-15% 34
T5 of the Traveller 7-10% 22
T6 of the Wanderer 4-6% 12
T7 of the Stroller 1-3% 1

"of the Quartermaster" / "+% Treasure Find"
Treasure Find increases the quantity of loot dropped by enemies and found in chests/caches.

Tier Name Value Range ilvl
T1 of the Quartermaster 50-65% increased Treasure Find 70
T2 of the Boatswain 35-49% 56
T3 of the Mate 22-34% 42
T4 of the Deckhand 13-21% 30
T5 of the Lookout 7-12% 18
T6 of the Watch 3-6% 8
T7 of the Eye 1-2% 1

"of the Captain" / "+% Crew Morale"
Crew Morale is a ship-layer stat that affects crew combat performance, mutiny resistance, and morale-based ability unlocks.

Tier Name Value Range ilvl
T1 of the Captain 30-40% increased Crew Morale 68
T2 of the Commander 22-29% 54
T3 of the Officer 15-21% 40
T4 of the Bosun 10-14% 28
T5 of the Petty Officer 6-9% 18
T6 of the Leading Hand 3-5% 8
T7 of the Rating 1-2% 1

"of the Rogue" / "+% Critical Strike Chance"

Tier Name Value Range ilvl
T1 of the Assassin 28-35% increased Crit Chance 78
T2 of the Rogue 22-27% 64
T3 of the Cutpurse 15-21% 50
T4 of the Sneak 10-14% 36
T5 of the Stalker 6-9% 24
T6 of the Shadow 3-5% 12
T7 of the Shade 1-2% 1

"of the Buccaneer" / "+% Critical Strike Multiplier"

Tier Name Value Range ilvl
T1 of the Buccaneer 55-70% more damage on Crit 76
T2 of the Corsair 40-54% 62
T3 of the Privateer 28-39% 48
T4 of the Freebooter 18-27% 34
T5 of the Marauder 11-17% 22
T6 of the Raider 6-10% 12
T7 of the Brigand 1-5% 1

Implicit Modifiers

Every item base type carries one implicit modifier that exists independently of the Engraving/Mark system. The implicit appears above the dividing line in the item tooltip, separate from explicit modifiers. Implicits are fixed to the base type — they cannot be removed or changed by standard crafting.

Implicits can be:

  • Rerolled (within a value range) using the Blessed Powder currency — equivalent to PoE's Blessed Orb
  • Enhanced on Mythic items using special Mythic crafting materials
  • Replaced only if the item is fundamentally changed (a specific high-cost recipe)

Weapon Implicits

Weapon Base Implicit Notes
Cutlass +15% Cutting Damage Fundamental weapon identity
Rapier +15% Critical Hit chance with Impaling Rewards precision investment
Sabre +10 flat Cutting Damage Scales with percentage modifiers
Boarding Axe +20% damage vs. Stunned/Grappled Opportunistic specialist
Great Axe +25% opener damage (first hit at full HP) Ambush bonus
Mace/Club +30% Stagger chance Control specialist
War Hammer Attacks reduce target DR by 2 for 6 sec Armor destroyer
Pike/Halberd +20% first-strike damage Reach weapon bonus
Harpoon Thrown attacks: 30% root chance Maritime specialist
Dagger +25% damage from behind or vs. Stunned Backstab specialist
Flintlock Pistol +40% damage at range under 5m Close-range execute
Brace of Pistols Escalating +15% per shot in volley Commit to full brace
Musket Ignore 4 DR on target Armor penetration
Blunderbuss Multiple pellet hits: 40% Stagger chance Close-range crowd control
Crossbow Silent; +20% damage vs. unaware targets Stealth weapon

Accessory Implicits

Accessory Base Implicit Notes
Bone Pendant +8 HP Baseline survival
Shark's Tooth +5% Crit Chance Offensive amulet
Navigator's Astrolabe +15% Navigation effectiveness Exploration focus
Sea Witch's Talisman +10% FP capacity Arcane builds
Doubloon Pendant +5% Merchant rolls Economy builds
Standard Compass +5% chart accuracy Navigation baseline
Desire Compass Points to nearest uncollected loot Treasure hunting

Hybrid Modifiers

A Hybrid modifier occupies a single Engraving or Mark slot but grants two statistics simultaneously. Hybrids are rarer than single-stat modifiers (lower weight in the random pool) and are highly sought after because they free up affix space.

Example Hybrid Modifiers:

Hybrid Name Type Effect ilvl
"of the Storm Captain" Hybrid Mark +60-80 HP / +20-30 FP 72
"Ember-and-Salt" Hybrid Engraving +20% Fire Damage / +15% Cutting Damage 68
"of the Boarding Master" Hybrid Mark +15% Move Speed / +10% Crew Morale 60
"Black-Powder Sharp" Hybrid Engraving +30% Projectile Dmg / +15% Reload Speed 74
"of the Ghost Crew" Hybrid Mark +12% Dodge / +8% resistance to Supernatural 66
"The Double Cross" Hybrid Engraving +40% damage to Stunned enemies / +25% Stagger chance 70

Region-Locked and Source-Specific Modifiers

Certain modifiers cannot appear through random item generation — they require specific crafting materials, content regions, or encounter types.

Wreck Modifiers (from Sunken Ship content)

Only appear via Salvage Crafting using materials looted from sunken ship zones.

  • "Ghost-Tempered" (+25% damage against undead and supernatural enemies)
  • "Salt-Preserved" (+20% resistance to Corrosion and Poison)
  • "Waterlogged Fury" (+30% damage when HP is below 50%)

Deepwater Modifiers (from Underwater Dungeon content)

Only appear via Essence Bottles from deep-sea zones.

  • "Abyssal Weight" (+50% damage but −15% Attack Speed — mimics the crushing pressure of depth)
  • "Bioluminescent" (attacks have a 20% chance to apply Illuminated — revealed invisible enemies, amplified by Supernatural damage)
  • "Pressure-Proof" (+40% resistance to Crushing; resistance to knockback)

Davy Jones Modifiers (from Locker content, endgame)

Only accessible via the Black Spot currency or drops in the Davy Jones' Locker zone.

  • "Locker-Forged" (+60% damage; item cannot be upgraded further; item permanently identified when found here)
  • "Drowned Man's Grip" (+40% chance to Stagger; attacks have 10% chance to cause Fear — enemy flees for 3 seconds)

Fleet Battle Modifiers (from Fleet Commander encounters)

Only appear on items dropped by Fleet Admirals or crafted via Admiralty Cannon Powder material.

  • "Admiral's Mark" (+30% naval combat effectiveness for the player's ship while this item is equipped on the captain)
  • "Broadside's Edge" (+25% damage; when the player lands a Critical Hit, nearby crew members are emboldened for 8 seconds)

Fractured Modifiers

Fractured modifiers appear in teal text on items. They are permanently immovable — no currency operation can remove, reroll, or overwrite a Fractured modifier. This makes Fractured items valuable crafting bases: the Fractured modifier is guaranteed, and the player can spend all crafting effort on the remaining modifier slots.

Fractured items are found as drops — they cannot be created by the player. Their value depends entirely on what was Fractured and at what tier.

Example Value Scenarios:

  • A Legendary Cutlass with a Fractured T1 "Dead-Eye's" Engraving (+85-100% Physical Damage) is an elite crafting base — the most valuable offensive Engraving is locked, and the player needs only to build the remaining two Engravings and three Marks.
  • A Legendary Crossbow with a Fractured T1 "of the Assassin" Mark (+28-35% Crit Chance) is a critical-strike build foundation.
  • A Corsair's Longcoat with Fractured T1 "of the Leviathan" (+135-150 HP) is among the most sought-after armor bases.

Finding Fractured Items: Fractured items appear more frequently in content associated with ancient or preserved things — excavated ruins, salvaged wrecks, sealed treasure vaults. They are never found in fresh monster kills but in loot caches that have sat undisturbed.

Anchored Modifiers (Benchcrafted)

Anchored modifiers are applied manually at the crafting Bench — a deterministic crafting option unlocked through Craftsman NPCs and the Master Crafting system. They differ from random modifiers:

  1. Deterministic: The player selects exactly which modifier to apply from the unlocked list; no randomness in the modifier chosen (though value roll within tier range remains random, fixable by Lodestone)
  2. One at a time: Only one Anchored modifier can exist on an item at once (unless the "Three Anchors" bench recipe is applied)
  3. Visually marked: Anchored modifiers display with a blue tint in the tooltip
  4. Removable: Anchored mods can be removed and replaced at the Bench at no currency cost (only applies to the Anchored slot, not other mods)

Key Anchored Modifiers Available:

Anchored Modifier Type Effect Unlock Requirement
"Mastercrafted Life" Mark +50-80 HP Master Craftsman rank 2
"Mastercrafted Speed" Mark +10% Move Speed Footwear craftsman rank 1
"Mastercrafted FP" Mark +20-30 FP Arcane craftsman rank 1
"Anchored Resistance" Mark +15% to chosen resistance Material-specific unlock
"Powder Refinement" Engraving +8% Reload Speed Gunsmith craftsman rank 2
"Blade Honing" Engraving +10-15 flat Physical Blacksmith rank 2
"Engravings Protected" Meta Engravings Cannot Be Changed Master Craftsman rank 4
"Marks Protected" Meta Marks Cannot Be Changed Master Craftsman rank 4
"Three Anchors" Meta Up to 3 Anchored Modifiers Master Craftsman rank 5; very expensive

Meta Anchored Modifiers (the "Engravings Protected" / "Marks Protected" equivalents) are Salt & Steel's metacrafting layer. They protect modifier types while other currencies are applied — enabling crafting strategies where a specific Engraving is preserved while Marks are rerolled. See Crafting Methods for metacrafting sequences.

Cursed Modifiers

Cursed modifiers are a category unique to Salt & Steel. They can appear on Cursed rarity items (purple) or be added to Legendary items via the Black Spot currency. Cursed modifiers are always extremely powerful and always carry a significant drawback.

Cursed modifiers are not categorized as Engravings or Marks — they occupy the Cursed slot, separate from the 3/3 Engraving/Mark cap. A Legendary item can have up to 3 Engravings, 3 Marks, AND 1 Cursed modifier (if the Black Spot is applied) — making Cursed modifiers additive power on top of the standard modifier budget.

Cursed Modifier Catalog

"Davy Jones' Grip"

  • Bonus: +50% Physical Damage
  • Drawback: −20% healing received (all healing, including potions, is reduced)
  • Thematic: The strength of the drowned; life slips away faster
  • Cleansable: Yes (removes the modifier entirely; costs Cleansing Salt + Sea Glass)
  • Embraceable: Yes — Embrace doubles the bonus (+100% Physical) and doubles the drawback (−40% healing)

"The Weight of the Deep"

  • Bonus: +30% Maximum HP; +20% to all resistances
  • Drawback: −20% Movement Speed; the item cannot be unequipped without a Curse Breaker ritual (5-minute ceremony requiring specific materials at a ritual site)
  • Thematic: The deep ocean crushes and preserves; the item becomes part of you
  • Cleansable: Yes, but only at a Curse Breaker NPC (not at a crafting bench)
  • Embraceable: Yes — bonus increases (+50% HP, +35% resistances), Movement Speed penalty becomes permanent at −35%, and the ritual cost doubles

"Salt-Blood Hunger"

  • Bonus: +40% Attack Speed; attacks have 15% chance to restore 3 FP on hit
  • Drawback: Constant drain of 2 HP per second; cannot be stopped by any means except removing the item
  • Thematic: The cursed drive of the pirate who can never stop — fighting is the only relief
  • Cleansable: Yes (removes both bonus and drain)
  • Embraceable: Yes — Attack Speed becomes +60%; FP restore becomes 25% chance at 5 FP; drain increases to 5 HP per second

"Ghost-Sight"

  • Bonus: Player can see all invisible, hidden, and supernatural enemies; +30% Perception for all detection rolls
  • Drawback: The player appears skeletal to all NPCs and other players; −30 to all social Reaction rolls; certain NPCs will not interact
  • Thematic: Glimpsing the spirit world has costs; the dead see you and so does everyone else
  • Cleansable: Yes
  • Embraceable: Yes — Ghost-Sight extends into the future (5-second glimpses of incoming danger, functioning as Danger Sense for all threats); drawback expands to causing Fear in NPCs (some flee, some attack)

"Black Flag's Claim"

  • Bonus: +35% damage to all enemies; enemy ships surrender 20% more readily
  • Drawback: +35% damage received from all sources; player cannot receive mercy (enemies never attempt to capture alive — always fight to kill)
  • Thematic: You became the monster; monsters do not survive
  • Cleansable: Yes
  • Embraceable: No — this modifier cannot be Embraced; some prices are fixed

"The Drowned Man's Breath"

  • Bonus: Unlimited underwater breathing; +25% speed in water; +30% resistance to supernatural ocean effects
  • Drawback: Severe discomfort on land (−10% all stats when not within 20m of water); crew morale reduces by 20% when captain is inland
  • Thematic: You belong to the sea now
  • Cleansable: Yes (but may not want to — this is genuinely powerful for ocean-focused builds)
  • Embraceable: Yes — bonus extends to breathing salt water freely, swimming at full move speed, and +50% ocean resistance; land penalty becomes −25% and extends to 100m from water

"The Corsair's Debt"

  • Bonus: +60% to all damage types; +40% movement speed
  • Drawback: Item deteriorates — it loses 1 point of base DR (or 1% of damage bonus) per minute of wear. After 4 hours of cumulative wear, the item shatters and is permanently destroyed. Timer resets only if item is unequipped.
  • Thematic: You borrowed power; the debt comes due
  • Cleansable: No — this modifier cannot be removed; the item's destruction is inevitable
  • Embraceable: No — cannot be Embraced; can only be used and consumed

Mod Groups and Mutual Exclusivity

Modifiers within the same mod group (modifier family) cannot appear simultaneously on the same item. This prevents stacking the same stat from multiple tiers.

Examples of Mod Group Exclusivity:

  • The "Physical Damage added as Fire" modifier family and the "% Fire Damage" family are separate groups — both can appear
  • The "Maximum HP" family includes all tiers of flat HP bonus — only one tier can appear per item
  • The "+% Cutting Damage" and "+% Physical Damage" groups are separate — both can appear on a Cutlass (a Cutlass could have both a Cutting-specific Engraving and a general Physical Damage Engraving)
  • "Crew Morale %" and "Treasure Find %" are separate groups — a single item can have both

Mod group exclusivity is part of what makes item valuation complex: understanding which modifiers compete for the same slot is essential for crafting planning and item assessment.

How the Modifier System Creates Item Valuation

The modifier system generates near-infinite item complexity through combinatorics. A six-modifier Legendary item draws from dozens of eligible Engravings and Marks, each with multiple tiers, each tier with a value range. The probability of any specific combination of six desired modifiers at high tiers is astronomically small through pure random crafting.

Valuation Dimensions:

  1. Tier quality: T1 HP vs. T5 HP is quantitatively measurable; the gap is large
  2. Affix efficiency: How many of the 6 slots contain modifiers relevant to the build
  3. Build specificity: The same modifier has different value for different builds — "Crew Morale" is irrelevant to a solo Ghost build and essential to a Captain build
  4. Combination synergy: "Ember-Forged" + "of the Assassin" creates a fire-crit combination that neither alone enables
  5. Craftability: A 5-modifier item with one open Engraving slot may be more valuable as a crafting base than a 6-modifier item with an irrelevant sixth mod
  6. Region source: Does the item's drop source make it eligible for region-locked modifiers?
  7. Cursed status: Does it carry a Cursed modifier, and is that modifier good or bad for this build?
  8. Fractured properties: Are any modifiers permanently locked?

Cross-References