CS2 Pattern Checker

A paint seed (also called pattern index or pattern ID) is a number between 1 and 1000 that determines how a skin's texture is mapped onto a weapon model. Each seed creates a unique visual pattern, and some seeds are significantly more valuable than others. For example, Case Hardened skins with high blue coverage (Blue Gems) can be worth 10-100x more than average patterns. The paint seed is permanently assigned when a skin drops or is unboxed and cannot be changed.

You can find your skin's paint seed by inspecting it in-game and looking at the item details, or by using a float checking tool like our Float Checker. The paint seed is visible in the inspect link URL and can also be seen on marketplace listings on sites like CSFloat and Buff163. Third-party browser extensions for Steam can also display paint seeds directly on marketplace pages.

A Blue Gem refers to a Case Hardened skin with an exceptionally high percentage of blue coloring on the playside. Case Hardened skins have a randomized blue, gold, and purple pattern determined by the paint seed. Seeds with very high blue coverage on the playside are considered "Blue Gems" and command massive premiums — the most famous being AK-47 Case Hardened seed 661, which has sold for six figures. Seed 670 is the separate "Scar" pattern, named for the gold line running through its blue. Even partial blue patterns carry significant premiums. Coverage is judged per weapon: each model has its own UV map, so a gem seed on a Karambit is unremarkable on an M9 Bayonet.

No — and any tool that claims to is guessing. A Doppler phase is stored in the item's paint index, not its paint seed: Ruby is paint index 415, Sapphire 416, Black Pearl 417, Phases 1-4 are 418-421, and several knives use their own indices on top of those. Two knives with an identical paint seed can be different phases, so no seed lookup can identify one. To read a phase you need the paint index, which comes from the inspect link — our Inspect tool pulls it directly from the item. The paint seed still matters within a phase, because it changes how the colours are distributed.

Fade skins display a gradient of colors, and the "fade percentage" describes how far the color transition extends across the weapon. A 100% (or "full") fade shows the complete yellow-to-red-to-purple gradient. Lower fade percentages (80-90%) show less of the color spectrum, typically cutting off before reaching the full purple. Higher fade percentages are more desirable and valuable. The fade percentage is determined by the paint seed, and certain seeds consistently produce max fades across different weapon types.

Crimson Web skins feature web patterns randomly placed across a red background, and the value depends on web placement and centering. The most valuable patterns have large, centered webs on the playside of the weapon. For knives, having one or more large webs perfectly centered is the holy grail. "Double web" and "triple web" patterns — where multiple distinct webs are visible — command significant premiums. The paint seed determines web placement, making certain seeds consistently valuable.

Slaughter skins feature metallic patterns on a red-pink background. Notable patterns include the Diamond (a centered diamond shape), Angel or Phoenix (wing-like shapes), Heart, Zebra, and Dog Bone patterns. A centered Diamond on the playside is generally the most valuable Slaughter pattern. Pattern recognition is subjective and depends on how clearly defined and centered the shape appears. Karambit and M9 Bayonet Slaughter patterns are particularly sought after by collectors.

Pattern tiers are community-established rankings that classify paint seeds by desirability. For Case Hardened they track blue coverage on the playside: Tier 1 is the small group of patterns people name-drop, Tier 2 is strong blue that trades well above a standard copy, and Tier 3 is a good pattern worth a modest premium. Different communities draw the boundaries slightly differently, which is why we show a confidence rating next to every seed — "well established" means a long sales record backs it, while "unconfirmed" means treat it as a lead and check the images yourself. If a seed has no ranking on record we say so rather than estimating one.

While all skins technically have a paint seed, patterns only create visible and meaningful differences on certain finish types. The main ones are Case Hardened, Marble Fade, Fade, Crimson Web and Slaughter, plus three glove finishes — Sport Gloves Vice and Amphibious, and Specialist Gloves Emerald Web. Most other finishes (Asiimov, Hyper Beast and so on) look virtually identical regardless of paint seed, so their pattern index has no impact on price. Note that Doppler is not on this list: its phases come from the paint index rather than the seed, though the seed still varies the colour distribution within a phase.

Yes, several marketplaces support pattern-based searching. CSFloat allows you to filter listings by paint seed, making it easy to find specific patterns. Buff163 also displays paint seeds on listings. Our Pattern Checker tool helps you identify which seeds to look for before searching marketplaces. For high-value patterns like Blue Gems, dedicated communities and databases like our Blue Gem Guide maintain comprehensive lists of the best seeds for each weapon.