Quality

All crafted items have quality levels. If the quality of their craftsdwarfship is above standard, the item name is bracketed by characters that show it.

Images on the floor or on walls that are engraved by an engraver have quality levels, which can be seen by examining the engraving. Smoothed floor tiles and walls do not, and neither do carved fortifications.

Buildings constructed by an architect such as the trade depot, wood furnaces or smelters also have quality levels.

Almost all decorations have quality levels, too. An item of any quality (except artifacts) can have a decoration of any quality.

Dyeing is considered a decoration and has quality levels. If thread is dyed, and it is woven into cloth, the new cloth will retain the dye and whatever quality level the dye had. The same is true for cloth made into clothes and other goods.

Note that destroying ☼masterwork☼ items (e.g. by melting) may cause the dwarf who made it to get unhappy thoughts or throw tantrums.

Symbol Meaning Value Sharpness Weapon*
Item Name 1x 50% 1x
-Item Name- Well-crafted 2x 60% 1.2x
+Item Name+ Finely-crafted 3x 70% 1.4x
*Item Name* Superior quality 4x 80% 1.6x
≡Item Name≡ Exceptional 5x 90% 1.8x
☼Item Name☼ Masterful 12x 100% 2x
Unique name Artifact 120x 100% 3x
«Item Name» Decorated object Varies Varies unknown

* this column shows Weapon To-Hit / Armor Deflect modifier

The quality level of a decoration is shown by the same signs (-, +, *, ≡, ☼) just outside the double angle-brackets. Thus, a *«+steel battle axe+»* is a finely-crafted steel battle axe with superior decorations on it, and a «☼steel battle axe☼» is a masterfully crafted steel battle axe with decorations of standard quality.