When Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred DLC was released in October 2024, many players were very curious about the new Runes, because while there were many building options in the base game that could provide high boosts, the type of items that appeared in this combination was still very rare. Players who now own this expansion have already spent six seasons with it and are familiar with its mechanics.
However, like most players in the base game, players in DLC will also need to consider how to quickly and effectively farm this buff item to make the early and mid-game leveling process easier after new season goes live. If you're currently experiencing this predicament in D4 Season 12, then you might find a solution in this guide.
Where is the most effective source?
According to Diablo 4's description of Nahantu, a new explorable region in Vessel of Hatred expansion, the main source of regular farming runes is the ubiquitous Goblins, among which Treasure Goblins, with their higher rarity, provide runes of higher quality and quantity.
However, it's worth noting that if your current builds are not strong enough, please be cautious when challenging higher-level Goblins to avoid losing resources due to death. In this situation where your strength is limited, using Tribute of Harmony in Kurast Undercity dungeon becomes a better approach.
By contributing it to Undercity's Spirit Brazier, you can obtain some high-end loot, which may include Diablo 4 Runes you've been longing for. Compared to the more challenging Goblins, killing groups of monsters or bosses in this dungeon is relatively easy, making it perfect for you to complete at the beginning of the season.
Most importantly, running this dungeon doesn't have high requirements for the items and attributes you equip. Just wear what you like and activate the skills/passives that suit your playstyle. There's a prerequisite you need to be aware of: you must enter as a team, because the chances of success and farming efficiency for a solo player are extremely low.
How does it work?
Having understood the two most important sources of runes, we can begin preparing for their farming from Kurast Undercity. Generally speaking, a well-prepared farming team will be much more efficient per hour than an unprepared one, producing about 4-6 more runes. So, bring as many Tributes of Harmony as possible from various activities throughout Sanctuary and your allies who are most familiar with Diablo 4's efficient farming strategies for this exploration!
Once you enter Undercity, the timer starts running. You need to race against time, accumulate points, increase your focus level, and ultimately defeat the final boss to win rewards. On lower difficulties, the timer is more lenient, but higher difficulties are much more brutal. However, you can gain extra time by defeating certain monsters; for example, Minor Afflicted can give you 1 second, and Mini-Boss Afflicted can give you 30 seconds.
It's worth noting that bringing a Tribute to the dungeon will affect the difficulty of the challenge. Tribute of Harmony will present you with Torment difficulty. So, if you're not a skilled player or not very confident, you can try entering without a Tribute first. Once you can complete the challenge with at least 60 seconds remaining, you can bring it in.
Besides this strategy, which requires your special attention, it's also crucial to plan and utilize each District Run floor effectively. Every time you enter a District Run or switch floors, you'll enter a protective shield that pauses the countdown throughout Kurast Undercity, resuming it only after you leave. So, you need to spend time looking at the map and planning your route.
Especially on the first floor, be sure to kill Afflicted Mobs that provide a lot of extra time as early as possible, and remember the blue Spirit Beacons that have the same effect. Additionally, you need to learn how to use resources effectively in District Run, such as taking Elixir, using Incense, or using Flask to restore some health or mana.
Once you have a strong character build, you can try farming Treasure Goblins to obtain more Diablo 4 Legendary Runes. The most recommended world event for this activity is Nightmare Dungeons with Treasure Breach affix, as Goblins have the highest spawn rate and offer a wealth of rewards, such as Obducite, gold, sigils, and materials. If you're lucky, you might be able to cultivate more than 30 goblins in each run, which is top-notch efficiency.
The next Diablo 4 event that allows you to farm goblins just as quickly is Infernal Hordes, because it features Goblin Chaos Wave, where hordes of enemies appear, which greatly boosts your farming efficiency. However, I must warn you that this entirely belongs to RNG, so you might need to rely more on luck.
The last and most easily underestimated source of goblins for regular DLC players is Helltides, especially when Tree of Whispers is active, which provides double the generation rate. By engaging in these activities, you significantly increase your chances of obtaining legendary runes from goblins, making it easier to create high-quality, powerful Diablo 4 builds.
The above are two strategies and techniques for achieving efficient farming runes in Diablo 4 Season 12 Season of Slaughter. Many leaks suggest that the latest Lord of Hatred DLC will include runes and runewords, so you can prepare in advance and try them out when it launches on April 28th. Enjoy the game!
