Diablo 4: Infernal Hordes Guide

introduces the Infernal Hordes, a challenging horde mode that has quickly become one of the best sources for XP, Legendary Diablo 4 items, and Aether, a valuable currency used to unlock various endgame rewards. This activity allows players to test their builds against waves of increasingly difficult demons, culminating in a fight against the Fell Council, a formidable group of bosses. Here's everything you need to know about unlocking, participating in, and reaping the rewards from the Infernal Hordes.

How to Unlock the Infernal Hordes Activity

To begin participating in Infernal Hordes, you'll need to complete the "The Eyes of the Enemy" quest, which is available after reaching World Tier 3. Here's the step-by-step process to unlock it:

Complete "The Eyes of the Enemy" Quest:

Go to Zarbinzet (in the Fractured Peaks region).

Speak to the soldiers in town to learn about the incoming demonic invasion.

Follow them to the eastern edge of town and eliminate the Hellborne enemies.

Afterward, speak to the survivor, who will direct you to the Gates of Hell.

Complete the short dungeon to unlock the Infernal Hordes activity.

Once you've completed this, the Infernal Hordes will be available for you to start at any time.

How to Start an Infernal Horde

Infernal Hordes is a horde mode activity, where you face multiple waves of demons. To start an Infernal Horde, you'll need to use an Infernal Compass. Here's how to get started:

Obtain an Infernal Compass:

Drop Locations: Infernal Compasses drop from endgame activities such as Legion Events, World Bosses, Helltide Bloodmaidens, and Treasure Goblins.

Forge at Occultist: You can also forge Infernal Compasses at the Occultist for crafting.

Modifiers on the Compass:

Each Infernal Compass has a series of modifiers that alter the difficulty of the activity and the types of rewards you'll receive. The more difficult the modifiers, the better the loot, but also the harder the challenge.

The compasses come in nine different tiers, and the rewards scale up with each tier. For early players, it's recommended to start with Tier 2 Infernal Hordes.

Starting the Activity:

Use the Infernal Compass to summon the Infernal Horde. The activity will feature a set number of waves, which depends on the tier of the Infernal Compass you're using.

The higher the tier, the greater the rewards, but also the tougher the enemies.

Clearing the Infernal Hordes

The Infernal Hordes activity is wave-based, with each wave becoming progressively harder. Here's a breakdown of what to expect:

Wave Survival:

Each wave gives you 60 seconds to kill as many demons as possible.

After enough demons are defeated, a temporary event will spawn, such as:

Aetheric Mass: Destroy the mass to spawn Aether.

Soulspires: Defeat 30 enemies near a Soulspire to earn Aether.

Aether Fiends: Slay a group of Elite enemies for Aether.

Hellborne (Modifier): Special enemies that drop Aether when killed.

Butcher (Modifier): The Butcher spawns, and upon defeat, drops large amounts of Aether.

Modifiers:

At the end of each wave, you will be offered three random modifiers. You can pick one to apply to the next wave, which alters the difficulty.

Some modifiers are positive, while others are negative, but be careful—some negative modifiers can also provide great benefits.

Examples of beneficial modifiers:

"The Teeming Masses": Spawns an Aether Lord when you destroy an Aetheric Mass.

"The Summoned Lords": Increase Aether dropped from Aether Lords.

Final Boss - The Fell Council:

After completing all waves, you will face the Fell Council, a group of 3 to 4 demons.

These demons use large AoE attacks and summon Hydra turrets, so focus on eliminating one demon at a time to reduce the number of attacks.

Once the Fell Council is defeated, the activity will be complete.

Infernal Hordes Rewards

The Infernal Hordes activity is not only a test of skill but also a source of incredible loot. Here's a breakdown of what you can earn:

Aether:

You can exchange Aether for various rewards at the end of the activity.

Chests: After defeating the Fell Council, you can open chests using your accumulated Aether:

Equipment Chest (20 Aether): Drops two Legendary items with a low chance of a Unique item. Some items may also have greater affixes.

Resource Chest (20 Aether): Contains crafting materials, such as gem fragments, Forgotten Souls, Angelbreath, and Scattered Prisms.

Gold Chest (Remaining Aether): Converts all your Aether into Diablo 4 Gold, with roughly 1M Gold per 50 Aether.

Greater Affix Chest (Tier 3 and Above):

Available in higher-tier Infernal Hordes (T3 and above), the Greater Affix Chest guarantees at least one Legendary item with a greater affix.

This chest costs 60 Aether to open and offers significantly better loot than regular chests.

You can only open it once per activity, so choose wisely.

Tips for Success in Infernal Hordes

Prepare Your Build: Make sure your endgame build is strong enough to handle the waves. Focus on damage, survivability, and crowd control.

Use Elixirs: Bring Elixirs of Shadow Resistance or other helpful potions to mitigate damage during tougher waves, especially when modifiers like Hellborne or Butcher are active.

Maximize Aether: Focus on modifiers that boost Aether drops, like The Teeming Masses or The Summoned Lords.

Work with a Team: If you're struggling with higher-tier Hordes, consider teaming up with others to increase your chances of success.

Conclusion

The Infernal Hordes provide a unique challenge for players looking for high-tier loot and Aether to upgrade their gear. By mastering the wave-based survival mechanics, understanding how modifiers work, and focusing on the Fell Council at the end, you can maximize your rewards and use Aether for powerful upgrades. So, gear up, choose your Infernal Compass wisely, and start battling the forces of Hell!