AWP PAW Guide: All Rare Seed Patterns
If you ever come across a video of the all-time best plays in CS2, you are sure to witness some mind-blowing AWP plays on the majority of occasions. In the right hands, the AWP is a rifle that can demoralize an opposing team like no other. You peek a corner and… boom! You’re dead, just like that. The gun is perhaps one of the most popular in the franchise, and a good AWPer in a team is one of the biggest blessings you can wish for in competitive matchmaking. This popularity is evident from the fact that for non-rare drops, certain AWP skins stand to be the most expensive, with their value even surpassing those of rare knives in some instances.
Over the years, there have been over 40 different finishes released for the rifle, with some unique and amazing ones such as the legendary AWP Dragon Lore, a modern classic that is the AWP Gungnir, and the Retro futuristic AWP Asiimov, among others.
One of the skins for the AWP which is quite distinct and forms the basis of this guide, is called the PAW, released with the introduction of the Horizon Case in 2018. What makes the PAW skin different are certain seeds carrying rare patterns which makes that particular AWP PAW unique and therefore more expensive than regular ones at the average market rate. In this guide, we will tell you everything about these rare patterns, how much they’re worth, and how you can get one for yourself, so let’s get started.
Full List Of Rare AWP PAW Seed Patterns
First up, we’ll be looking at all the unique rare seeds of the AWP PAW before proceeding to the finer details. The rare seeds are divided into 5 different categories, each with its own tiers. These categories have been formulated on the basis of possessing a unique characteristic, in this case, a character from the PAW pattern sheet that stands out from the rest, with tiers distinguishing the best seeds from the average ones. For your convenience, we have directly included these seed patterns below:
| Group | Pattern Seeds |
|---|---|
| Gold Cat T1 | 41, 350 |
| Gold Cat T2 | 19, 35, 177, 531, 581, 624, 644, 675, 744 |
| Gold Cat T3 | 138, 192, 304, 321, 368, 393, 480, 493, 565, 741, 802, 807, 895, 919, 999 |
| Gold Grenade T1 | 429, 926, 954 |
| Gold Grenade T2 | 3, 4, 26, 38, 53, 63, 73, 78, 103, 122, 156, 158, 163, 182, 186, 216, 232, 234, 247, 270, 279, 307, 334, 347, 411, 430, 463, 467, 575, 749, 819, 891, 917, 952, 957, 961 |
| Gas Mask T1 | 29, 97, 685, 900 |
| Gas Mask T2 | 62, 75, 120 |
| Gas Mask T3 | 2, 32, 209, 291, 294, 458, 492, 566, 647, 916, 992 |
| Gold Cat Knife T1 | 212, 628, 737 |
| Gold Cat Knife T2 | 84, 339, 366, 472, 859, 864 |
| Gold Cat Knife T3 | 319, 322, 114, 396, 509, 559, 804, 830, 977, 406 |
| Stoner Cat T1 | 420, 788 |
| Stoner Cat T2 | 187, 306 |
- Gold Cat Tier 1: The Gold Cat is inspired by a popularly known Japanese charm meant to bring good luck. On Tier 1 seeds, the Gold Cat appears right on top of the AWP’s magazine.
- Gold Cat Tier 2: Tier 2 patterns are almost as good overall as the ones in Tier 1, but the Gold Cat is slightly off-center from the top of the magazine.
- Gold Cat Tier 3: In Tier 3 seeds, the Gold Cat moves slightly further away from being on the top of the magazine, and on these seeds, is either closer to being on the top of the trigger guard, or further ahead on the forestock.
- Gold Grenade Tier 1: This rare pattern in the PAW drawing has a grenade similar in design to the in-game grenade, with a blue-eyed cat trying to get it. Tier 1 seeds have the grenade and cat above the top of the magazine.
- Gold Grenade Tier 2: The Cat and the grenade are not as centered on top of the magazine, but still close to it.
- Gas Mask Tier 1: We wouldn’t have been able to tell whether this character is a dog or a cat since it’s wearing a gas mask, but the ears are a big giveaway. Tier 1 Gas Mask patterns are on the body of the AWP right above the magazine.
- Gas Mask Tier 2: Tier 2 patterns are slightly off-center from the top of the magazine but still good.
- Gas Mask Tier 3: The Gas Mask character in Tier 3 seeds is placed either near the top of the trigger or further up the forestock.
- Gold Cat Knife Tier 1: This rare character is a masked cat carrying what appears to be a Huntsman-esque knife. On Tier 1 patterns, the cat is right on top of the magazine.
- Gold Cat Knife Tier 2: These patterns have the cat slightly off-center from the top of the magazine.
- Gold Cat Knife Tier 3: These patterns have the Cat Knife character further up the forestock or on top of the trigger guard.
- Stoner Cat Tier 1: This cat has perhaps become stoned from inhaling all the smoke from the grenade it is carrying and forgot to throw. Tier 1 patterns have the cat right above the magazine.
- Stoner Cat Tier 2: Tier 2 patterns have the cat off-center from the top of the magazine or slightly cut off.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below, we have answered some of the most frequently asked questions about the AWP PAW and its rare seed patterns.
What Is The AWP PAW Pattern?
The AWP PAW pattern is taken from a sheet that has a colorful drawing of 50 different cats and dogs in varying poses, which is transferred on the AWP’s body with its scope, barrel, and recoil pad remaining unpainted. The position of the pattern is determined by changes in the X and Y axis parameters when it’s transferred onto the AWP, resulting in each skin having one of a thousand different pattern variations. Some characters in the PAW pattern stand out from others and are popularly considered to be easter eggs, these being the Gold Cat, Gold Grenade, Gas Mask, Gold Cat Knife, and Stoner Cat.
How Rare Are Those AWP PAW Patterns?
The AWP PAW finish comes in 1001 different pattern variations, numbered from 0 to 1000. The top tier of the Gold Cat, which is the most popular pattern and considered to be the best, has only two seeds, #41 and #350. This means that the chances of getting a Tier 1 Gold Cat pattern are 0.2%, which makes it relatively rare. There are close to a million AWP PAWs currently in public inventories, which means that the skin is commonly available. If we consider the odds of getting a Tier 1 Gold Cat Pattern drop, we can safely assume that there are roughly 2,000 PAW skins with such a pattern.
How Valuable Are The Rare AWP PAW Patterns?
Any rare pattern for the AWP Paw, including the Tier 1 Gold Cat pattern may only be a few dollars above the average market price. This is due to a number of reasons such as the skin being available in large numbers, its case price being cheap, and lastly, the hype and community sentiment for the rare patterns and the skin overall being pretty low.
Obtaining An AWP PAW With A Rare Pattern
There are a number of methods at your disposal if you are out looking to grab one of the rare patterns for the AWP PAW. For your convenience, we have elaborated on these below so go ahead with whichever appeals to you:
Case Openings
Case openings involve purchasing the case that has the skin you want as a drop, and then buying the key for it, after which you proceed to open the case. There are varying odds for each skin that comes in a case which gives a rough estimate of its chances to drop when a case is unlocked. The AWP PAW is a restricted level skin in the Horizon Case, which means you have a 15.98% chance of getting it as a drop. However, we advise against this method since it’s an expensive endeavor with a substantial possibility of netting you a loss.
Trading
Trading may well turn out to be an effective way to get the pattern you want for the AWP PAW but has some limitations. You can start off by posting your request for the desired pattern on the CS2 Trading sub-forum and wait for someone to give a positive reply. Then, it’s simply a matter of coming to an agreement on the items to be traded, after which you can accept the trade and finally get what you were looking for. However, make sure you know what you’re getting into since there are chances of being scammed, or making a net loss from the trade if you are unsure about the value of items being traded. It’s always a good idea to ask for some opinions before responding to any offer.
Buying From Third-party Marketplaces
Your best bet is to try and find the pattern you’re looking for listed on an online marketplace dealing in CS2 skins. We don’t normally recommend the Steam Community Market with its high fees, but in the instance of the AWP PAW, which is quite cheap to begin with, you can also check that out if you want. However, if you want to make the most of your money, we have provided a list of the most reputed online marketplaces where you can compare prices, check the number of listings, and take a look at our recommendation of the most viable site for purchasing the AWP PAW:
Conclusion
And that about wraps it up. If you are into the art style that comes with the AWP PAW, it goes without saying that it would make for a great addition to your inventory. The good news is, unlike the extremely rare Doppler finishes like the Ruby or Sapphire, or those elusive and ultra-expensive Case Hardened Blue Gems, the PAW is commonly available, and its huge numbers mean that those rare patterns we mentioned won’t be too hard to find either. Whether you are into collecting rare patterns or investing in them, the low price point of the AWP PAW even lends one to the idea of collecting the best of each unique pattern. And with CS2, you never know when something ends up becoming a new craze, so go ahead and grab one. May the Gold Cat bring you some luck!
