Would you rather wield a good looking weapon skin, or a bad looking rare one?

I go for looks over everything else. Stats don't factor into the equation for me, because I can max stats on every skin weapon/armor in the game.

When I make a new character, I go to wiki and look at all the armor skins available for that character. I then choose the one I like the "look" of the best and buy that. I don't care if it's cheap, elite or Obsidian. Luckily, I've liked the cheap ones the best so far.

For weapons, there are usually 3-4 different ones that I prefer. For my warrior, I really really want a Chaos Axe and Tormented Shield. I think those look the best. Unfortunately, I own neither. I prefer to get them as drops myself rather than buying from players, so I'm patient and one day I'll have them. In the meantime I'm wielding a Req 8 maxed out Celestial Axe and Celestial Shield combo that I love.

I'm starting to change my mind a bit about the armor though. My ele is wearing basic max flame-forge top with the white pants bottom. Neither is elite and I've been kicked from Elite mission groups because they think I'm too poor to afford Elite armor, so obviously I must be a horrible player. I think that's total Bull, but unfortunately so many other players don't.

I always base my choices of weapons (and pets, and armor) on what I like the look of. Rarity (or expense) is secondary, at best.
For that reason, you'd never see my warrior with a Destroyer Sword for example - they are just too uugly for me.
Also, I have a purple Crystaline Sword, which I got from a chest in the Furnace, but it's on one of my storage characters - I'd never use the thing.

On the other hand, my Ranger has had Obsidian armor for a long time because it was the only Prophecies armor I liked. (There are some nice looking armors for Ranger now, but back then there wasn't)
For a pet, my Ranger has had almost all of them at some point. Melandru's Stalker is still my favorite, but recently I had a Rainbow Pheonix. I dumped the Pheonix though, because it's too big and ugly, and now I have a Black Wolf (which I like.)

Rarity is a bonus to appealing skins, imo. I'd take the common skin.

If I ever get a rare item....I'll let you know

Seriously, I'd use the weapon that best suited my needs. If that happened to be an ugly rare weapon, then so be it. But, I'd be just as likely to use an ugly common weapon if it was the best for what I was trying to do.

I use weapons based on how much I like them. Unless I want to show off to Koss, the rarity really doesn't matter.

Looks > Rarity

I always decide what I am going to wield based on how well it works will my characters style/armor.

My mesmer for example has regular sunspear dyed red and my newly obtained tengu domination staff... looks awesome and I barely spent 10k on him total..

It's all about the stats. I could care less if it looked like a turd as long as it has the numbers I'm after.

I own just about everything except the BMP weapons, eternal blade, and the ugly neon light tormented weapons. It depends on my mood I guess. Got all sorts of stats and mods to choose from too. For instance, I'll use a runic blade with a perfect echovald shield and the next day switch to using an elonian gladius with that same shield.

For most of the classes, the best looking armor is the 1k armor in one of the various towns.

As for weapons... I really don't care. Once I have max stat in something, I move on to some other aspect of the game.

If I get it in a rare or a common item, I don't pay attention. I honestly don't know how common or rare most of my gear is.

My whole collections of swords, axes, shields, foci and staffs are common. I am real proud of them even though some people might not find them all that great
so common looks > rarity

Stats > Realism > Looks > Rarity

I don't like all these Icy and Flame Swords of Pwnage. I prefer stuff like longswords (thsu "realism"). Though there are exceptions. I do like my new emerald edge...

I wouldnt want to weild a "common" weapon rather one that you dont see many using (still looks good of cource) Stilletos for example, best skin ever.
In order
:uniquness
:looks
:Rarity

But id never weild anything paticuary bad

Runic Sword, Long Sword, Ascalon Razor and Katana are my favorite types of skins for swords.
Spiked Targe, Tall Shield, Militia Shield and Bronze Shield are my favorite types of shields.

I prefer good mods go first, skins that I like go second, and if they happen to be rare, oh well, get them anyway.

To DeVaNey: No need to spend money on R8, but that's a good axe,, what's the name of the axe again?

for me only stats are important

Turdimmit Axe, Only drop from people who like PvP.

Stats > looks > rarity.

If I like it, then everyone else in my group will like it too. H/H, of course. Who cares how rare it is? For a long time I went with 1.5k Knights rather than my other 15k sets before they added the 15k set.