Here's a comprehensive guide for the Kurast Undercity in Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred. This new addition brings a challenging activity filled with strategic elements and rewarding loot. Here's what you need to know to make the most of your runs:
Introduction to the Kurast Undercity
The Kurast Undercity is a new endgame activity set beneath the remnants of the old Kurast structures. It combines fast-paced action with strategic resource management as you race against time to maximize your rewards.
To succeed, you'll need to:
Race the clock: Manage your time efficiently while battling hordes of enemies.
Boost your attunement: Progress through higher reward tiers.
Face formidable bosses: Claim powerful loot.
Tributes and Bargains
Tributes
Tributes are optional "keys" obtained from activities such as:
Nightmare Dungeons
Infernal Hordes
Tormented Bosses
These keys enhance the rewards from your Kurast Undercity runs.
Rewards include:
Masterworking materials
Runes for rewards
Uber boss summoning materials
To use a Tribute:
Place it in the Brazier at the Undercity entrance.
This unlocks an optional reward slot known as Bargains.
Bargains
Bargains let you tailor rewards by offering additional materials. For example:
Spend 125 Obols to ensure unique gear is specific to your current class.
Use Veiled Crystals to target specific Aspects of your Codex of Power.
Note: Bargains do not guarantee specific unique gear but improve the odds of desirable outcomes.
Navigating the Kurast Undercity
Each Undercity run has three floors, each filled with opportunities to increase attunement and gain time bonuses. Keymap icons include:
Blue Flame Icons
These represent mini-encounters. Completing them raises your attunement tier, which affects the quantity and quality of loot.
Attunement Tier 4 is required to face the final boss.
Continuing beyond Tier 4 offers diminishing returns.
Beacons
Beacons spawn monster packs upon interaction. Defeating them drops spirit shards that:
Boost your attunement rank.
Provide buffs like temporary movement speed.
Grand Beacons
At the end of some floors, you'll find Grand Beacons, which:
Spawn multiple waves of enemies.
Grant significant attunement bonuses upon completion.
Are critical for maximizing loot.
Portal Prankster Goblins
These goblins appear randomly and are unmarked on the map until you're nearby.
Killing them grants:
A tooltip for an extra chest is available after the run.
Significant attunement gains.
Tip: Goblins are rare and don't appear in every run, so prioritize them if you encounter one.
Orange Hourglass Icons
Hourglass encounters extend your timer. However:
Assess your damage output before engaging, as they might take longer to kill than the time they provide.
Skull Icons
Regular Skulls: Mark lesser afflicted elites. Killing them restores up to 8 seconds of time.
Horned Skulls: Represent greater afflicted elites. These grant 23–30 seconds but are tougher and unmarked until you're close.
Time and Attunement Management
Prioritize encounters that boost attunement or grant time bonuses.
Aim for Attunement Tier 4 quickly to unlock the boss encounter.
Monitor your time-to-kill efficiency to avoid unnecessary delays.
Boss Encounter
Once attunement and time thresholds are met:
Proceed to the final floor and face the boss.
Bosses provide the most significant rewards, especially when Tributes and Bargains are used effectively.
Rewards
Kurast Undercity rewards include:
Unique Gear (class-specific if tailored with Obols).
Runes for crafting rewards.
Materials for masterworks or Uber boss summoning.
Maximizing rewards depends on a combination of Tribute selection, Bargains, and efficient navigation.
Tips for Success
Optimize builds: Use high-damage, AoE-focused builds to clear mobs efficiently.
Plan your route: Study map icons and prioritize high-value encounters.
Use resources wisely: Invest in bargains that align with your building goals.
Keep an eye on time: Don't overextend; focus on attunement and time recovery.
Focus on Nightmare Dungeons, Helltides, and World Events, as they are lucrative sources of Diablo 4 gold and gear. Run dungeons with high mob density to maximize gold drops and item rewards. Spend gold wisely on upgrading gear, enchanting Diablo 4 items, or crafting powerful aspects.
MMOexp Diablo 4 Team