Should You Salvage or Sell Your Gear in Diablo 4?

If you’re running low on inventory space, you may be wondering if you should salvage or sell your gear in Diablo 4. Clearing out trash gear or equipment you’re no longer using is one of the game’s main chores, and there are two primary ways to do it. Both have their uses, and you’ll need to engage with both systems if you want smooth progression. But which one should you focus on, salvaging or selling? Our Diablo 4 guide answers that question.

Salvage vs. Sell: Which is Better in Diablo 4?

The short answer to whether you should salvage or sell your gear in Diablo 4 is that you should salvage your items. This is especially true in the early game (before you reach Level 50). You’ll want to build up a bank of upgrade materials for later in your playthrough.

The longer answer is this: you should salvage most of your gear early on (around 75%). But once you start relying on Rare or higher-quality equipment, the number of materials you get from salvaging lower-tier stuff is negligible. You only have 33 slots in your inventory and 50 slots per tab in your stash. It’s next to impossible to keep everything you find, and you’re certainly not expected to.

Tips for Salvaging or Selling Gear and Items in Diablo 4

I began noticing things changed a little bit in the later game. Crafting higher-quality gems, upgrading your gear, and otherwise interacting with build mechanics costs lots of gold. Salvaging Rare items also become less worthwhile at that point, too. I even let some Legendaries hit the bin. Selling a few pieces of high-level gear pays for a lot of what you need to do, but don’t be afraid to salvage what you don’t want.

With that in mind, I recommend filling your inventory until there’s almost no space left. Then, return to town to sort through it. That way, you have a safe place to sort through what you want to keep, salvage, and sell. You can then take the time you need to consider whether any of the loot you found is worth adding to your build.

Remember that just because your character is using a specific playstyle doesn’t mean that another isn’t also viable. Having a collection of good backup equipment is part of more efficient play. The meta for these games changes with patches and Seasonal updates.

Also, consider the gear you get at the beginning of a playthrough isn’t necessarily worthless if you want to play another character. Putting a well-rolled piece of gear in your stash for a Sorcerer while playing a Barbarian will make leveling the new character easier.

Hopefully, we’ve answered whether you should salvage or sell in Diablo 4, though our preference is for the former. Don’t be afraid to sell things if you need the money. But with upgrade materials being so important, be careful with what you part with for coin. If you’re looking for more content on the latest in Blizzard’s ARPG franchise, check out our guides on how to find and beat the Butcher, how to reset dungeons, and more in our D4 guides hub.