CS2 Pattern Seeds and Paint Index: Which Skins Have Rare Patterns

The pattern seed (also called the paint seed, pattern index or pattern template) is a number, usually quoted as 0 to 1,000, that sets where a finish’s texture sits on a weapon model. The paint index is a different number: it identifies which finish the skin uses. On most skins the seed is invisible, but on a short list of pattern-sensitive finishes, such as Case Hardened, Fade and Marble Fade, it is the main driver of price.

What is the difference between pattern seed, paint index and float?

Every skin instance carries three separate values: the paint index (which finish), the paint seed (where the texture sits) and the float (how worn it is). Mixing them up is the most common error on pattern-checker sites.

Value	Also called	What it sets	Example
Paint index	Paint kit, finish catalog	Which finish the skin is	AK-47 | Case Hardened is finish catalog 44; AK-47 | Fire Serpent is 180
Paint seed	Pattern index, pattern template	Where the texture lands on the model	AK-47 | Case Hardened seed 661
Float	Paint wear	Wear level and exterior	Fire Serpent spans 0.06 to 0.76

Guides disagree by one at the ends of the seed range (0–1,000, 1–1,000 or 0–999), so treat “1,000 patterns” as the practical figure.

Valve now uses its own wording. Its Steam Community Market update went into beta on May 12, 2026, and for Counter-Strike skins it gives a better view of pattern template, wear/float and charm template. “Pattern template” is the seed, and charms carry their own template number, which community guides commonly describe as running from 1 to 100,000. Details are in Valve’s Steam Community Market announcement.

How does the seed position a texture on a skin?

The seed shifts a flat texture before it is wrapped onto the weapon model. A pattern’s position is defined by an X offset, a Y offset and a rotation, and the seed picks which part of the source artwork ends up on the visible face.

• Deterministic: the same seed always gives the same placement on the same weapon, and it never changes after the skin is created.
• Weapon-specific: each weapon has its own model and UV map, so a gem seed on a Karambit says nothing about an M9 Bayonet.
• Texture-dependent: if the artwork is uniform, moving it changes little. On Glock-18 | Moonrise the pattern only moves on the X-axis. AK-47 | Fire Serpent is not affected by the pattern index, so it is priced on float and stickers.

Which finishes are pattern-sensitive?

The classic pattern-sensitive finishes are Case Hardened, Fade, Marble Fade, Crimson Web and Slaughter. The seed matters when the source texture has distinct regions such as colour gradients, veins or webs.

Finish	Typical items	What the seed controls	Sought-after result
Case Hardened	AK-47, Five-SeveN, knives	Blue vs gold coverage	Blue gems, led by seed 661 on the AK-47
Fade	Fade knives and weapons	Fade percentage	High-percentage fades with the full colour spectrum
Marble Fade	Karambit, bayonets, other knives	Red, blue and yellow arrangement	Fire & Ice seeds (red and blue, no yellow)
Crimson Web	Knives	Web placement	Large webs centred on the playside
Slaughter	Knives	Position of the pattern shapes	Clean, centred shapes on the playside

Seed 661, the “Scar Pattern”, is described as the most famous paint seed in Counter-Strike. Blue-gem lists vary by site: one database ranks 13 of the 1,000 AK-47 seeds, 7 of them in Tier 1, while others count dozens. Confirm any tier against more than one source before paying a premium.

Which cheaper skins have rare patterns?

Several inexpensive skins have collectible seeds, so a pattern hunt does not need a knife budget. The base skins are cheap, but the best seeds trade thinly, so check live listings rather than old price lists.

Skin	What the seed changes	Collector target	Notes
Glock-18 | Moonrise	Whether a star shows on the slide stop	Center Star seeds (12 listed)	Front Star and Back Star seeds (13 each) are cut off and cheaper
Galil AR | Sandstorm	Share of purple, white and tan	Purple T1: 583, 761, 739, 178	White T1: 449, 555, 352, 873; Tan T1: 786, 783, 774
AWP | PAW	Position of the cat artwork	Gold Cat seeds	Look up the tier list for your exact seed

The Moonrise and Sandstorm seed lists come from csgoskins.gg’s Glock-18 Moonrise seed guide and Galil AR Sandstorm seed guide. One analysis puts the best Sandstorm seeds at only 1.1% of all patterns. Moonrise tier counts differ between sources, because some guides also count star fragments, so verify a seed on a database first.

Are Doppler phases decided by the seed?

No. Doppler phases are separate finishes with their own paint indexes, and the seed only changes how colour is distributed within one phase. In the current CS2 item data, standard Doppler runs from index 415 to 421: Ruby is 415, Sapphire 416, Black Pearl 417 and Phases 1 to 4 are 418 to 421. The seed still nudges where the texture sits on the blade, but it cannot turn a Phase 3 into a Sapphire.

Some knives use their own indexes. Black Pearl is 417 on most knives and 617 on the Butterfly Knife and Shadow Daggers, and the Talon Knife uses 852–855 for Phase 1–4. Always confirm against the specific model. SteamDB’s Doppler phases guide has the full list.

How do you read the seed from an inspect link?

Since March 2026, CS2 inspect links carry the item data themselves, so a decoder can read the seed without a server lookup. The csfloat/inspect repository states that as of March 2026 all CS2 inspect links self-encode the item details.

1. Copy the link from your inventory, the in-game inspect option or a market listing. It starts with steam://rungame/730/. Copy it rather than clicking it.
2. Decode it with a tool built on CSFloat’s open-source serializer. Some decode right in the browser. The output includes the weapon, paintindex, paintseed and paintwear.
3. Match paintseed against a pattern database for that exact weapon. The same number looks different on different weapons.
4. Cross-check on Steam. Market listings for CS2 skins now show the pattern template, exact wear and attached charms or stickers.

Older links that don’t self-encode are resolved server-side through the game coordinator. Inspect links are previews only and cannot move items or touch your account.

Tip: Trust the number decoded from the link, not a screenshot or a seller’s message. Then check the seed against the exact weapon model before you pay.

How rare is a specific seed?

If seeds are rolled evenly, any single seed turns up on roughly 0.1% of copies, independent of float and of the drop odds. A rare seed therefore multiplies with every other rarity layer.

Take AK-47 | Case Hardened. It is a 1.60% drop from the CS:GO Weapon Case, roughly 1 in 63 drops. One particular seed on top is about 1 in 63,000 openings, before exterior or float. A top-tier float adds another layer on the same scale.

Key takeaway: Seeds are assigned randomly when an item is created, whether from a case, a trade-up or a drop, so you cannot aim for one. A case page shows its item pool and drop rates, not the seed you will get. Opening cases is gambling with a house edge, and nothing is guaranteed.

Provably fair systems use a different “seed”. CSDROP’s case results come from a hashed server seed, your client seed and a nonce, which is unrelated to a skin’s paint seed. Read the provably fair page and browse all cases to check item pools and rates before opening. CSDROP is 18+ only; play with money you can afford to lose.

What mistakes cost money with pattern premiums?

The usual mistake is paying a premium for a seed that collectors do not want, or one that is only rare on a different weapon.

• Seed from the wrong weapon. Look up the exact model, not just the finish.
• Lookalike patterns sold as the real tier. Verify the seed number, not the photo, especially for Fire & Ice and Moonrise star claims.
• Mid-tier seeds priced as top-tier. Moonrise has three star groups and Sandstorm has purple, white and tan groups, and prices differ between them.
• Ignoring wear. Heavy wear dulls a pattern, so check exterior and float as well as the seed.
• Trusting one tier list. Lists differ between sites; compare at least two.

FAQ

What is a pattern seed in CS2?

It is a number, usually quoted as 0 to 1,000, that sets how a finish’s texture is positioned on the weapon. It is rolled when the item is created and never changes. Valve’s Steam Market calls it the pattern template.

Is the paint seed the same as the paint index?

No. The paint index (or finish catalog number) identifies the finish, such as 44 for AK-47 | Case Hardened. The paint seed positions that finish’s texture. Many sites say “pattern index” for the seed, which adds to the confusion.

Does the pattern seed matter on every skin?

No. On uniform finishes the seed barely changes the look. It matters on texture-driven finishes such as Case Hardened, Fade, Marble Fade, Crimson Web and Slaughter, and on a few cheaper skins like Glock-18 | Moonrise and Galil AR | Sandstorm.

How can I check a skin’s seed before buying?

Copy its inspect link and decode it with a CSFloat-based tool, or read the pattern template on a Steam Market listing. Then compare the seed with a pattern database for the same weapon. Do not rely on a screenshot.

Can I choose or change the pattern seed?

No. It is assigned randomly at creation, including from cases, trade-ups and drops. Applying stickers, buying, selling or trading a skin never alters it.