
A stat will have an intrinsic base value, which is then subject to a % deviation up or down. In Grim Dawn, item stats, affixes and bonuses will often come with random stat deviation. Epic items below level 50 also have higher-level "Empowered" versions and even higher "Mythical" versions AoM. Many items have several different possible item levels, enabling the player to make use of them throughout the the game - notably monster infrequents and quest reward items. Item level also determines the level of affixes that an item can have.
Item level indicates the minimum required level of monster or chest from which a particular item will drop (and is sometimes different to the level needed for the player to equip).
Red - consumables such as potions they appear red until they are picked up by the player. Light Yellow - higher grade (Rare) components. Orange - components, blueprints and recipes appear as this color. Lavender - quest items, crafting materials and notes come in this color. Another tier of unique items, of higher quality and rarity than Epic items. They also have unique names and item art. Rather, they have their own unique properties and stats. Unlike lower quality items, Epic items do not have a base item type or random affixes. Encompasses Unique Items and Item Sets. Monster infrequents lack the affixes but have their own attributes. Monster infrequents can also be found with this level of quality. Rare items can have the same attributes as magical items, however they also have more powerful affixes that are exclusive to them. They usually have one or two affixes that indicate which attributes they will have. Uncommon items that have standard magical attributes. Although it is rare, some white items can have magical properties. Common items are the most easily found, and drop frequently from monsters and containers. Unlike in Titan Quest, in Grim Dawn broken items vanish when dropped. Broken items are low-quality versions of common items. Grim Dawn uses a color code similar to Titan Quest to indicate the rarity of items.
While items of higher quality are harder to find, it does not mean higher-quality items are always better for your character. Item quality indicates the rarity of an item and determines the stats and bonuses an item will have.