Guild Wars 2 (GW2) features a wide variety of dyes that players can use to customize the appearance of their armor, weapons, backpacks, gliders, and mounts. Dyes come in different rarities, with rarer dyes generally being more expensive due to their lower drop rates. In this article, we will take a look at some of the most expensive dyes currently available in GW2.
How Dyes Work in GW2
In GW2, dyes are consumable items that permanently unlock the ability to color certain aspects of your character’s appearance using that dye. Once unlocked, a dye can be applied and reapplied to gear indefinitely at no additional cost. Dyes come in a few different rarities:
- Common – Inexpensive, widely available from vendors.
- Uncommon – Slightly rarer drops from enemies, usually under 1 gold on trading post.
- Rare – Harder to find drops, often 1-4 gold on trading post.
- Exotic – Very rare drops from high level areas, often over 10 gold each.
Within each rarity tier, some specific dyes are considered more desirable and can sell for higher prices due to player demand. These most coveted dyes are the ones we’ll look at in this article.
Factors Driving Dye Prices
There are a few key factors that determine how much a dye will cost in GW2:
- Rarity – Exotic dyes have very low drop rates, making them expensive.
- Aesthetic appeal – Dyes with colors/effects players find attractive sell for more.
- Fashion wars – GW2 has a robust cosmetics scene, driving demand for dyes.
- Limited availability – Some dyes can only be obtained during specific events.
Understanding these factors can help explain why certain dyes command such high prices compared to others.
Most Expensive Black Dyes
Black is a very popular color in GW2 for creating dark, ominous looks. Here are some of the most sought after and expensive black dyes in the game:
| Dye Name | Rarity | Trading Post Price |
| Abyss | Exotic | 100+ gold |
| Shadow Abyss | Exotic | 100+ gold |
| Black Lion Trading Company | Exotic | 50+ gold |
Abyss and Shadow Abyss are some of the purest, darkest, and most expensive blacks available. Black Lion Trading Company has a glossy, oily aesthetic that makes it popular as well.
Most Expensive White Dyes
White dyes are popular for angelic, holy, or icy looks. Here are some of the priciest white dyes in GW2:
| Dye Name | Rarity | Trading Post Price |
| Celestial | Exotic | 100+ gold |
| White Gold | Rare | 10-20 gold |
| Glacial Sky | Rare | 10-20 gold |
Celestial is the brightest, purest white available. White Gold and Glacial Sky have a faint metallic shimmer that makes them popular as well.
Most Expensive Blue Dyes
Blue is a common color for water, ice, and lightning themed looks. Here are some of the most in-demand blue dyes:
| Dye Name | Rarity | Trading Post Price |
| Blue Lion | Exotic | 100+ gold |
| Electro Blue | Rare | 10-30 gold |
| Blue Shade | Rare | 10-30 gold |
Blue Lion has a vivid brightness that makes it a top choice for lightning themes. Electro Blue and Blue Shade are slightly darker with a rich, saturated finish.
Most Expensive Red Dyes
Red sees heavy use in fiery, battle-ready, or hellish themes. Here are some red dyes with sky-high prices:
| Dye Name | Rarity | Trading Post Price |
| Cardinal | Exotic | 100+ gold |
| Ruby | Rare | 10-30 gold |
| Red Lion | Rare | 10-30 gold |
Cardinal is the purest, brightest red available. Ruby and Red Lion offer deeper, blood-like shades of red.
Most Expensive Green Dyes
Greens are ubiquitous in poison, nature, and fel-magic motifs. Costly greens include:
| Dye Name | Rarity | Trading Post Price |
| Emerald | Rare | 10-30 gold |
| Green Lion | Rare | 10-30 gold |
| Lime | Uncommon | 3-10 gold |
Emerald and Green Lion have vivid, poisonous hues. Lime provides a bright accent shade of green.
Most Expensive Yellow Dyes
Yellow sees use in toxic, sandy, golden or electric themes. Pricy options include:
| Dye Name | Rarity | Trading Post Price |
| Yellow Lion | Rare | 10-30 gold |
| Lemon Tint | Uncommon | 2-10 gold |
| Gold | Uncommon | 2-10 gold |
Yellow Lion has a bright, toxic look. Lemon Tint and Gold provide vibrant accent shades.
Most Expensive Purple Dyes
Purple fits nicely with dark, psychic, royal, or void-touched themes. Popular purples include:
| Dye Name | Rarity | Trading Post Price |
| Violet | Rare | 10-30 gold |
| Purple Lion | Rare | 10-30 gold |
| Amethyst | Uncommon | 3-10 gold |
Violet and Purple Lion offer deep, rich shades. Amethyst stands out as a lighter accent purple.
Most Expensive Orange Dyes
Orange fits fire, sand, and Halloween themes beautifully. Top oranges include:
| Dye Name | Rarity | Trading Post Price |
| Orange Lion | Rare | 10-30 gold |
| Carrot | Uncommon | 2-10 gold |
| Squash | Uncommon | 2-10 gold |
Orange Lion has a bold, jack-o-lantern-like hue. Carrot and Squash offer bright accent shades.
Most Expensive Brown Dyes
Brown fits well with earthy, nature, or steampunk motifs. Popular browns include:
| Dye Name | Rarity | Trading Post Price |
| Chestnut | Rare | 10-30 gold |
| Cocoa | Uncommon | 3-10 gold |
| Bark | Uncommon | 3-10 gold |
Chestnut offers a rich, deep brown tone. Cocoa and Bark provide lighter, earthy accents.
Most Expensive Metallic Dyes
Metallic dyes lend a gleaming, shiny look. Popular metals include:
| Dye Name | Rarity | Trading Post Price |
| Rose Gold | Rare | 10-30 gold |
| Bronze | Rare | 10-30 gold |
| Silver | Uncommon | 3-10 gold |
Rose Gold and Bronze offer unique metallic hues. Silver serves as a bright neutral metal.
Most Expensive Patterned Dyes
Patterned dyes add visual complexity and interest. Popular patterns include:
| Dye Name | Rarity | Trading Post Price |
| Shadow Red | Rare | 15-50 gold |
| Storm | Rare | 15-50 gold |
| Shadow Blue | Rare | 15-50 gold |
Shadow Red, Storm, and Shadow Blue feature swirling patterns in popular colorways.
Most Expensive Gemstore Dyes
The Black Lion Trading Company Gem Store offers exclusive dyes. High priced gemstore dyes include:
| Dye Name | Rarity | Trading Post Price |
| Permafrost | Exotic | 200-400 gold |
| Winter Sky | Rare | 50-100 gold |
| Shadow Abyss | Exotic | 100+ gold |
Permafrost and Winter Sky are icy blue tones exclusive to wintertime winter events. Shadow Abyss is a pure black gemstore dye.
Conclusion
In summary, dye prices in GW2 are driven largely by rarity, aesthetic appeal, fashion wars demand, and limited availability. The rarest, most coveted dyes can easily sell for upwards of 100 gold. Popular colors like black, white, blue, and red command premium pricing, as do special patterns, metallics, and gemstore exclusive dyes. With fashion wars being so important in GW2, expect these sought after dyes to remain quite expensive for the foreseeable future.