Diablo 4 Items with Stars: What They Mean and How to Maximize Them
In Diablo 4, items play a central role in defining your character’s power, capabilities, and overall progression. One of the more distinctive elements players encounter while looting gear is the presence of stars on certain items. These stars serve as visual indicators of an item’s quality, rarity, and potential power. In this guide, we’ll break down the meaning behind the stars on Diablo 4 items and how you can make the most of them.
Diablo 4 Items with Stars
What Do Stars Mean on Items?
Stars on items in Diablo 4 are directly tied to the item’s affixes and overall quality. When you come across an item with stars, these stars represent how many of the item’s affixes have rolled exceptionally well, often indicating that the item is above average in terms of potential power.
Number of Stars: The number of stars ranges from 1 to 4, with more stars indicating higher-quality rolls on the item’s affixes.
1-Star Items: These items have a decent roll on at least one affix, but overall may not be extraordinary.
2-Star Items: This indicates that two of the item’s affixes are particularly strong, making it a better option for your character.
3-Star Items: Items with 3 stars typically have several affixes that have rolled high, making them highly valuable.
4-Star Items: These are among the best items you can find, with multiple affixes rolling at top-tier levels. These items are often game-changers for your build and should be prioritized.
How to Identify Starred Items
While playing Diablo 4, you will notice that starred items can appear in various item rarities, though they are most commonly associated with legendary and unique items. The stars typically appear when you hover over an item in your inventory or after identifying it at the occultist or a blacksmith.
Legendary Items with Stars: Starred legendary items are a good indication that their affixes, including Legendary Powers, have rolled exceptionally high. This makes these items highly desirable for specific builds.
Unique Items with Stars: Uniques with stars are often highly sought after due to their fixed affixes. When you see stars on a unique item, it means that its potential to maximize your build’s effectiveness is significant.
How to Maximize Items with Stars
Once you’ve identified an item with stars, there are several steps you can take to ensure you’re making the most of its potential.
1.Look for Synergies with Your Build
Before using or upgrading starred items, make sure they align with your build’s playstyle. For example, a 3-star weapon with a high attack speed bonus and critical damage might be ideal for a Rogue, while a 4-star item with increased health regeneration would suit a Druid or Barbarian.
Compare the starred affixes to your build’s key attributes, and prioritize items that maximize your damage, survivability, or resource generation.
2.Upgrade the Item at the Blacksmith
Items with multiple stars are often worth upgrading to increase their base stats, such as damage, armor, or resistance. Since starred items have already rolled high on affixes, investing resources into them at the blacksmith can significantly improve their overall effectiveness in combat.
Upgrading a 3- or 4-star item can push it to the top of your gear list, allowing you to take on more difficult content with ease.
3.Reroll Affixes at the Occultist
Sometimes, starred items may have rolled great affixes but still have one that doesn’t benefit your build. Use the Occultist to reroll one of the affixes on the item and potentially turn it into a perfect match for your character.
Be cautious when rerolling, though. While rerolling can help tailor an item to your needs, it can also be costly and may require rare crafting materials.
3.Extract Legendary Powers
If you find a starred legendary item but prefer to use another piece of gear, consider extracting its Legendary Power. Doing so will allow you to apply that power to another item, ensuring that you’re still benefiting from the item’s potential even if you’re not directly equipping it.
Extracted powers can be stored for later use, making it a great way to bank high-roll abilities for future upgrades.
4.Trade or Sell High-Star Items
Diablo 4’s economy allows for trading with other players. If you find a 3- or 4-star item that doesn’t fit your current build but might be perfect for another class, consider trading it. High-star items are often in high demand due to their rarity and power.
Alternatively, you can sell the item to a vendor for a substantial amount of gold if it’s not something you can use or trade.
Star Ratings and Item Tiers
The likelihood of encountering starred items increases with higher item tiers. Here’s a quick breakdown of how starred items align with different item tiers:
Rare Items: Stars on rare items are uncommon, but if you do find them, they indicate an above-average roll on stats.
Legendary Items: Stars are common on legendary items and signal that the item has excellent potential for endgame builds.
Unique Items: Seeing stars on unique items means that the item is a top-tier version of itself, with exceptional affix rolls that make it stand out.
How to Farm for Starred Items
If you want to increase your chances of finding starred items, focus on farming in Nightmare Dungeons, World Bosses, and Helltide Events. These high-difficulty areas often drop legendary and unique gear, with a higher chance of rolling starred affixes.
Nightmare Dungeons: These dungeons scale in difficulty and offer the best chance of obtaining high-star items. The deeper you go, the better the drops.
World Events: Participating in world events like Helltides or defeating World Bosses provides opportunities to collect starred items due to the high level of loot available.
Crafting and Upgrading: Sometimes upgrading rare or legendary items at the blacksmith can result in a higher-star rating, so always keep an eye on your upgrades.
Conclusion
In Diablo 4, items with stars represent some of the most powerful gear you can obtain, especially if you’re aiming to perfect your build. Understanding what the stars mean and how to maximize their potential is key to elevating your gameplay experience. Whether you’re upgrading at the blacksmith, rerolling affixes at the occultist, or trading high-star gear with other players, starred items should always be a priority for any serious adventurer in Diablo 4.