Help with Salvaging (new player)

I did a search and read up on salvaging, but couldn't answer these specific questions:

First, I found a blue armor salvage drop from a charr shaman or something (the ones that say "use salvage kits to obtain..." etc. I identified it and it had the following mods:

armor +5 (health 80%)
armor +5 (health 60%)
armor +5 (health 40%)
armor +5 (health 20%)

But it's not an armor that I can equip, just a salvage item. after I ided it, I unlocked a "rune of vitae." Am I supposed to use a normal salvage kit, exp. salvage kit (or a perf/charr kit). And will I get this rune of vitae that I unlocked or something that will give the armor+5 when under health mods from the item?

Second, I found a staff and when I identified it I got a "defender's hilt" unlocked. does that mean when I salvage it I'll get a defender's hilt with the +4 armor mod? Do I have to use an exp kit or reg kit?


I also read from searching that I should only salvage max mods, so I'm guessing you guys would recommend not to salvage the defender's hilt?

Thanks for any help

You'll need an expert, superior, or perfect salvage kit for mods. Superior is just an expensive expert, and perfect will keep it from breaking.

*edit* By *it* I mean the armor piece and any runes you haven't salvaged...you are guarenteed to get the first thing you try and salvage off it. */edit*

The insignia (which is what you listed) is an undertakers. The armor should be called "undertakers xxx of vitae". The vitae rune is actually a +hp rune that will be different from the armor one, and you can choose which one to salvage first if you use expert or greater kit. Use a perfect if you want to guarentee getting both, but honestly I'd salavge the minor vitae and just buy an undertaker's if it breaks...they are pretty cheap.

Also, that insignia will only be useful if you are a Necro, as they are the only ones who can use it.

Same kit needs are for the weapon. Anything BUT a normal one will give you that option.

Salvage max mods to sell, yes. If you are low level and just want to make your own weapon, go ahead...only thing you'll lose is the 4-5 gold a salvage use costs.

armor +5 (health 80%)
armor +5 (health 60%)
armor +5 (health 40%)
armor +5 (health 20%)

That is a Undertaker's insignia for a nerco so enless your major is necro you can't use it. As for the defender's hilt with the +4 armor mod, you do need a salvage kit if you want to put that mod on another weapon. As Sindy said "You'll need an expert, superior, or perfect salvage kit for mods. Superior is just an expensive expert, and perfect will keep it from breaking." You might also want to check out http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Main_Page to see what you can use on your Elementist/Monk. Good luck and welcome to GW.

If you salvage items using a normal salvage kit, you will only get common crafting materials out of it.

If you salvage with a expert/superior/perfect salvage kit, you will get the option to salvage any "magical" components the item has, such as the Rune of Vitae or the Staff Wrapping of Defense. You can also salvage for crafting materials and have the chance (in some cases) of salvaging rare crafting materials instead of just common ones.

The other posters seem to have overlooked this, but if you happen to be in pre-searing ascalon, the ONLY way you can salvage any of theses mods/insignias/runes is with the use of a charr salvage kit. These kits are a rare drop from the charr bosses only in pre-searing. After entering post-searing they are equivalent to an expert salvage kit, just with fewer uses. When using an expert/superioir/charr kit to salvage something you have a 50% chance of destroying the item you salvage from (losing any chance to salvage additional mods/materials from it), but with a perfect salvage kit the item will never be destroyed.

The OP mentioned the different salvage kits including the Charr one, so I just figured he knew it was "not a basic" salvage kit and would work. But yes, in case he didn't, that is absolutely true.

The captain is right.

ARE you in PRESEARING? (starting area of prophecies)

If you are then you will need a Charr Salvage Kit. The Kit will set you Back 1,000 Gold per use. There are a max of 5 uses on the kit. Please be careful not to buy anything else other and ?/5 kit. If you see others they are from an exploit from some time ago and are illegal to have in presearing.

The "max" mods changes for Pre searing and Post searing. One way to find out is to identify the item like you did and then see what mods come on it.

As for the vitae you can always type in the chat "PC on VITAE please" and see if it is worth your while to salvage it with an expert or charr salvage kit.

If you are starting in Factions or Nightfall then ignore this post.

Lots of good info listed above. Let me add... try to learn what has gold value and what does not. In the example you listed, the vitae is worth salvaging, the undertaker probably isn't unless you have a use for it.

the others are right about the salvaging thing. but i noticed that u said something about armor u could'nt equip, the only armor u can equip is what u buy from an armorsmith.

instead of responding individually, since you were ALL helpful, I just want to say thank you guys so much you're great and this community is better than expected...!

I successfully salvaged the rune of vitae from the armor but it destroyed after (not that I needed the necro thing anyway...)

honestly, I've been to scared to exp. salvage anything because a) exp. salvage kits are expensive for me, and b) because I thought it would just randomly pick a mod and try to get it or break the item... I didn't know that after you click to salvage it, it brings up a nice little choice selection box where you can pick what you want. hehe

one final question (about purp. items)

I have a purple round shield, but unlike the blue items it doesn't have any prefixes or suffixes... but it does give +20 HP (while enchanted). when i try to exp. salvage it, it only offers me materials. Can you exp. salvage things like runes,etc. from purple items? Or only materials...

do purple items ever have modifiers/runes that can be salvaged? I read that you should always merch purp items unless it says "highly salvageable." What if it has a good mod!!! Same with gold and green...?

The problem isn't the fact that the item is purple, its the fact that it is a shield. Prophecies shields cannot be modded and the mods they carry are fixed (cannot be removed or replaced). Basically the shield is called "Round Shield", however if it were called "Round shield of fortitude" for example then you would be able to salvage the mods. Not sure how well I am explaining this, feel free to ask for better clarifications.

Green items are unique items and their stats are fixed (can't be changed in anyway and an attempt to salvage them for mods will fail). Gold are like blues and purples just rarer.

Yes, you can. However, they're generally not worth salvaging, which is why the advice to merch. You should definitely salvage any Major Vigor rune you see (I'm not sure where exactly you are ingame). Many purple runes aren't popular enough to be worth salvaging, and the same goes for mods, because they are generally not maxed out.

For runes, if there's a rune trader nearby, it's a good idea to take a look at how much each rune sells for. If it sells for less or close to what the drop is worth, you might as well not salvage it and just merch the whole drop unless it's a rune/insig that you really want.

Yes you explained it well, thank you. I'm guessing they added shield mods after prophecies (I am in prophecies, as you said)

hmm, I'm guessing that the sell price for a rune is the buy price that the rune traders list? Because I can't sell it if I don't have the rune before salvaging and therefore can't select it and see how much it's worth. If that's true then I understand. If not, how do I check the sell price.

Also, what about the mods that are fixed and don't vary. Like a 33% longer poison duration on enemies. It's fixed when I checked the upgrade wiki- it can only be 33%. Does this mean it's not valuable?

Thanks