Imroving quality of items before rarity?

If you are going to improve a weapon with a whetstone, should you do that before improving it to a rare or magical? Or perhaps another way to ask would be; would you get a better item using whetstones or scraps before or after improving the rarity with orb of alchemy/orb of transmutation?

... or does it even matter?

Thanks!

It doesn't change the chance of getting a good item.

However it only costs 4 whetstones to upgrade a white item )(5% per whetstone), but 10 for a magic one (2% per) and 20 for a rare (1% per). So it's cheaper to upgrade it first.

I believe I understand. So assuming you have a good "base" item. It makes more sense to upgrade its quality first, then its rarity. Otherwise, if you get a good role on the rarity upgrade, it will cost many more whetstones to upgrade it further... Ok. Thanks a lot!

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jhagler wrote:

I believe I understand. So assuming you have a good "base" item. It makes more sense to upgrade its quality first, then its rarity. Otherwise, if you get a good role on the rarity upgrade, it will cost many more whetstones to upgrade it further... Ok. Thanks a lot!

Yup, that's right. If you're using lots of different base items though, it's probably cheaper just to spend 20 whetstones on the one you finally finish with, instead of upgrading each one to 20% first and then vending it!

Ive done both ways. Prolly best to use 4 whetstones on something that has a favorable socket layout. rather than willy-nilly