Salvaging Gear

Neon sign in a pawn shop window

Salvaging is one of five disposal options for Guild Wars 2 gear (either weapons or armor) you don’t want:

  • Sell it on the GW2 Trading Post.
  • Sell it to a merchant.
  • Salvage it.
  • Throw it into the Mystic Forge.
  • Destroy it.

How Does Salvaging Work?

Salvaging breaks down the item into several different components. Mainly crafting materials, including cloth scraps, leather scraps, and metal.

In many cases, these components are worth more than the item itself. This is why we recommend using a bag-opener if you want to earn gold.

The level and type of the item determines what you salvage from the item:

  • Light armor: Cloth scraps
  • Medium armor: Leather scraps
  • Heavy armor: Ores
  • Weapons: Ores or logs
  • Trinkets: Ore

You also get extra “stuff,” including runes, sigils, luck, Globs of Ectoplasm (from Rare and Exotic items level 68 and higher), and more.

Runes and sigils can themselves be salvaged into smaller bits. In some cases, these small bits can be quite valuable, so be sure to check prices on the Trading Post before you “Deposit All Materials.”

Note: The item level is what determines the drop rate, not the level of the character doing the salvaging. A level 80 item will drop level 80 crafting material (like Gossamer Scraps and Mithril Ore) even if you salvage it on a level 15 character, and vice-versa.

Why Can’t I Salvage This Item?

If you can’t sell or salvage an item, that’s because it’s Soulbound. An easy way to check for this is to see if the item has a sell price showing on its title card. If it does not have a vendor price, then it is Soulbound.

The following item is not Soulbound, because it has a vendor price showing (1 silver 46 copper). However, it is “Soulbound on Use.” This means that if I equip the item, it will then be Soulbound.

Screenshot of an item info panel in Guild Wars 2 with the soulbound info highlighted

Some items (like gear you get from Personal Story) are soulbound by default. Other items become Soulbound when you equip, upgrade, or damage them.

The only thing you can do with a Soulbound item you don’t want is destroy it.

Which Salvage Kit Should I Use?

You can buy salvaging kits from basic merchants. Always use the best kit you can afford. The better the kit, the better your chance of getting rare materials and upgrades.

If you have Mystic Forge Stones, of the best deals in the game is the Mystic Salvage Kit. This provides the best return rate in the game, with the same effectiveness as a Master’s Salvage Kit. But it has 250 uses per kit, compared to only 25 uses per Master’s Kit.

To make a Mystic Salvage Kit, throw the following into the Mystic Forge:

  • 1 Fine Salvage Kit
  • 1 Journeyman’s Salvage Kit
  • 1 Master’s Salvage Kit
  • 3 Mystic Forge Stones

DO NOT buy Mystic Forge Stones from the Gem Store for this purpose! It’s not worth it. Save your gems and buy a Silver-Fed-Salvage-O-Matic.

We recommend the Silver-Fed-Salvage-O-Matic, which you can purchase from the Gem Store. This is a convenience item which will make your life easier. This permanent salvaging tool costs 60 copper per use, and has the same effectiveness as the Master Salvage Kit.

Speaking of Gem Store purchases, if you buy a Shared Inventory Slot, you can use it for your salvage kit. Then all your characters always have access to the kit.

Salvage Ascended Items

Ascended items can be salvaged for Lesser Vision Crystals, insignias, agony infusions, and more. To salvage an ascended item, you need an Ascended Salvage Kit or Ascended Salvage Tool.

Use “Salvage All”

Until a few years ago, the only way to salvage items was to click on a salvage kit, then double-click each item you wanted to salvage. Then ArenaNet added an update that lets you “Salvage All,” and there was much rejoicing.

Now you can right-click on a salvage click and select Salvage All to salvage every qualifying item at once. Be sure to check your item values on the Trading Post before you do this!

Black Lion Salvage Kits

If you open many Black Lion chests, you will soon have buckets of these. Use them to salvage exotic items.

Photo by Osman Rana on Unsplash

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