Most regular weapons are always linked to a specific attribute. For example, the Ritualist Cane is always linked to Channeling Magic (and always deal Lightning Damage). A variable attribute item, on the other hand, can be linked to any one of a number of attributes. Examples of variable attribute items include Bladed Shields, Celestial Scepters, Shadow Staves, and Jugs.
Note that items such as Deldrimor Staff does not technically count as "variable attribute", as there are not actual items named "Deldrimor Staff" that have different attribute requirement. Rather, "Deldrimor Staff" is a collective shorthand for weapons such as "Deldrimore Domination Staff", "Deldrimore Illusion Staff" etc, which are different weapons.
- Martial weapons
- There are no martial weapons with variable attributes. They are always linked to the related "Mastery" attribute.
- Shields
Some variable attribute shields are specific to Warriors, and can be tied to either Strength or Tactics. Likewise some are specific to Paragons, tied to either Command or Motivation and some can be tied to any of the four attributes. And there are general variable attribute shields whose possible attributes cover both Warrior and Paragon support attributes.
- Caster items
Like shields, some caster primary weapons with variable attribute are restricted to within the profession (such as Cane), whereas some could be from any profession. See the table below for the list of possible attributes in a variable weapon (example, a staff that has variable attribute would not be linked to Fast Casting, whereas a focus item that has variable attribute would always be linked to a caster primary attribute).
| Profession | Weapon Damage | Shield1 | Wand | Staff | Focus Item |
| Core | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Warrior |
Strength | ||||
| Tactics | |||||
 Monk |
Fire | Divine Favor | Divine Favor | Divine Favor | |
| Light | Smiting Prayers | Smiting Prayers | |||
 Necromancer |
Soul Reaping | ||||
| Dark | Blood Magic | Blood Magic | |||
| Dark | Curses | Curses | |||
| Cold | Death Magic | Curses | |||
 Mesmer |
Fast Casting | ||||
| Chaos | Domination Magic | Domination Magic | |||
| Chaos | Illusion Magic | Illusion Magic | |||
 Elementalist |
Energy Storage | ||||
| Lightning | Air Magic | Air Magic | |||
| Earth | Earth Magic | Earth Magic | |||
| Fire | Fire Magic | Fire Magic | |||
| Cold | Water Magic | Water Magic | |||
| Factions campaign | |||||
 Ritualist |
Elemental (any) | Spawning Power | Spawning Power | Spawning Power | |
| Elemental (any) | Channeling Magic | Channeling Magic | |||
| Elemental (any) | Communing | Communing | |||
| Elemental (any) | Restoration Magic | Restoration Magic | |||
| Nightfall campaign | |||||
 Paragon |
Command | ||||
| Motivation | |||||