Diablo 4 Infernal Hordes Overview

Introduction

Welcome to our guide on the Infernal Hordes in Diablo 4! Here, you will find all the information available and learn everything you should know about the new game mode. We will start with the most basic information about this new addition and compare it to existing related content. Next, we will discuss whether this game mode is a good or bad inclusion, mentioning the reasons.

We'll then discuss the necessary steps you must complete before jumping into the action, how to prepare yourself, where to obtain the material needed to enter, and the best ways to push yourself to achieve the highest tier possible. Are you ready?

Table of Contents

Here is a little breakdown of our Diablo IV Infernal Hordes Overview:

• Infernal Hordes Overview
• Infernal Hordes Particularities
• General Requirements
• How to prepare for The Infernal Hordes
• Infernal Hodes Difficulty
• Fell Council Rewards
• Best Builds for The Infernal Hordes

What are the Infernal Hordes in Diablo 4?

The Infernal Hordes represents the new game mode released in Season 5, adding further content to the endgame. It is a time-limited, wave-based game mode that revolves around choosing a positive and a negative modifier that will enhance your gameplay, similar to roguelike survival games.

This game mode is a new activity for players of all kinds and provides a new way to obtain powerful items, including guaranteed greater affix items, masterworking materials, and heaps of gold.

Why should you play Infernal Hordes?

While being the newest addition to the endgame, it will provide a fresh new challenge, with multiple tiers of difficulty and various combinations of Boons and Banes to provide a new experience every time a new run starts.

Aside from the new content, the Infernal Hordes is an excellent way to obtain items with guaranteed greater affixes, gold, and a great source to obtain masterworking materials, so you won't have to grind the Pit of the Artificer continuously.

Infernal Hordes Difficulty

While the difficulty depends entirely on the Infernal Compass tier used to open the Infernal Horde, the monster levels range from 50 to 200.

The difficulty of the Infernal Horde will also depend on the Boons & Banes that you will choose at the end of each wave, the tier of the Infernal Compass determining how many modifiers you can have active.

Comparison between Infernal Hordes and Pit of the Artificer

The two game modes have few similarities, being based on entirely different approaches. One of the only similarities is that they are both time-based.

While the difficulty of the Pit scales to insane measures, the last known tier of the Infernal Hordes includes the same level 200 mobs with lower stat multipliers, making it easier to clear. However, the main difference is in the boss fight.

While the player must fight three bosses at once in the Fell Council at the end of the Infernal Hordes, the Pit simply requires them to fight one boss upon filling the progress bar.

For more information on the latter, you can check our ‍The Pit of the Artificer guide.

Infernal Hordes Duration

The duration of the Infernal Horde is based on two main factors:

• The tier of the Infernal Compass - This will provide a specific number of waves based on the tier of the Compass; for example, tier 3 has five waves.
• Wave Timer - This will not be influenced by the tier of the Compass or anything else. Each wave has a fixed timer of 1 minute, in which you must slay as many demons as possible while also completing as many Aetheric Events (progress bars) in order to farm great quantities of Burning Aether.

Aside from the factors mentioned above, the only thing that could influence the time spent in the Infernal Hordes is when you need to decide which Bane & Boon you choose at the end of every wave and how fast you can kill Fell Council's bosses.

Who can access the Infernal Hordes?

Access to the Infernal Horde is available to any player who unlocks World Tier 3 and can kill the monsters inside, starting at level 50.

The only pre-requisite aside from the world tier is owning a tier 1 Infernal Compass, which can be obtained in various ways. Still, the main requirement is completing the "Eyes of the Enemy" quest, located near Zarbinzet, Hawezar.

Can you play the Infernal Hordes solo or in a group?

Like every other activity, the Infernal Hordes can be played in solo and group variants. While playing solo is the most accessible way, not depending on the other players, it does not raise the enemies' stats, like in group play.

However, playing in a group means more enemies will be slain in the same amount of time, and more events will be completed, resulting in more Burning Aether collected for the Spoils found after killing the bosses of the Fell Council.

Is the Infernal Hordes game mode available on seasonal and eternal realms?

The Infernal Hordes is a general piece of endgame content, just like the Season of Loot Reborn itemization and upgrade overhaul. This means it is available for seasonal and eternal realms, granting this new endgame content to all players.

Where can you find the Infernal Hordes & Fell Council?

Once you have obtained an Infernal Hordes Compass, it can be used just like a Nightmare Sigil by right-clicking it. This will open a new dungeon location, called just like the game mode, "The Infernal Hordes", located in Caldeum, Kehjistan. The new location can be clicked on to teleport directly inside.

The Fell Council is open once all the waves in the Infernal Hordes are completed, revealing the final three bosses to the player. Once the Fell Council bosses have been slain, the Spoils of Hell will appear, each costing a different amount of Burning Aether.

How to unlock and access the Infernal Hordes

To unlock the new Infernal Hordes game mode, firstly, you must complete the Cathedral of Light capstone dungeon and move to World Tier 3. Once there, the "Eyes of the Enemy" questline will be available.

This questline will teach the player everything he needs to know about this new game mode while also awarding a Tier 1 Infernal Hordes Compass at the end of it. The questline is short, takes about 30 minutes, and will also unlock other ways of obtaining Infernal Compasses.

Infernal Horde Compasses

In the following part of our article, we will discuss the key to this new game mode, Infernal Horde Compass. We will go through all the details of this new item, from what it is, where to obtain it, and how to upgrade it. Let's go!

What is an Infernal Compass?

The Infernal Compasses are the keys to this new game mode, having the same initial functionality as the Nightmare Sigils, helping you pass through the Gates of Hell to face the endless waves of enemies coming with one single intent: to kill you.

By opening the map and clicking "The Infernal Hordes" marker, you will be teleported straight into the Onslaught arena, facing an Aether Fiend. The Infernal Hordes will start once you have damaged the first Aether Fiend.

How to obtain Infernal Compasses?

There are multiple ways of obtaining Infernal Horde Compasses, and we will rank them by how lucrative farming them is, as follows:

• The Occultist - The easiest and fastest way to obtain Infernal Compasses, you can craft them just like Nightmare Dungeon sigils, using Sigil Powder and Forgotten Souls.
• Helltide chests - Also known as Tortured Gifts, opening the chests requires the least amount of Cinders, providing the most lucrative way to obtain the Compasses. Considering the speed at which you can obtain Cinders in the Helltides, this surely will be the best way of farming Infernal Compasses.
• Nightmare Dungeons - Aside from the Distilled Fear obtained as a reward, there's a chance that an Infernal Compass will be awarded to the player at the end of any nightmare dungeon. Considering that an endgame build will help you clear these dungeons quickly, it is a great way to farm Compasses.
• Whispers - Having the highest chance to award Infernal Horde Compasses, the whispers are a great way of farming them while also using at least one of the methods mentioned above, since farming Grim Favors is time-limited.
• The Eyes of the Enemy questline - Being the last on our list, this is the first way to obtain a Compass, but only one.

How to upgrade Infernal Compasses

Upgrading Infernal Compasses is pretty simple. You must obtain one Abyssal Scroll, then right-click the scroll and select the Compass you want to raised, tier by tier. You can do this up to tier 8, using five Abyssal Scrolls from the usual tier 3 that drop in World Tier 4.

Opposed to what the player base thought, the Abyssal Scrolls will not upgrade the following obtained Compasses, just the selected one. So, if the player wants to upgrade 5 Compasses to tier 5, the player will need 10 Abyssal Scrolls, knowing that the Compasses in WT4 will drop at Tier 3.

Coming up in the Mid-Season, tier 9 and 10 Infernal Compasses will be available, bringing a fresh challenge for the players.

Infernal Compass Tiers

In WT4, with each tier upgrade, the mob level will rise by 20, reaching the top limit at level 200 with Tier 8. Each tier will also provide one extra wave of monsters, significantly raising the Burning Aether farming potential. We can see the difference in tiers in the following table:

Abyssal Scrolls

In this part of our guide, we will talk about the functionality of the Abyssal Scrolls, how to obtain them and their drop chance, and offer you tips on how to farm them efficiently. Let's jump straight into it!

What are Abyssal Scrolls?

The Abyssal Scroll is a reward that can be obtained at the end of an Infernal Horde run, with its only use being to upgrade Infernal Horde Compasses to the following tiers.

How to get Abyssal Scrolls & Drop chance

Abyssal Scrolls will only be obtainable by opening Spoils of Materials, Spoils of Equipment, or Spoils of Gold after the demise of the Fell Council by spending 20 Burning Aether for each opening or by salvaging Infernal Compasses. Opening the Spoils will not guarantee an Abyssal Scroll, as the drop rate is pretty low.

Infernal Hordes mechanics

The Infernal Horde is an Onslaught arena with constant waves of enemies spawning, ready to defeat the player with their great power. Alongside their deadliness, the Infernal Hordes have a lot of mechanics that we will discuss in the following part of our article.

Aetheric Events

While continuously slaying the monsters coming to kill you throughout each wave, a progress meter found on the right side of the screen will fill. Once the meter is complete, an Aetheric event is triggered and the progress will be reset.

These events are chosen randomly and vary in reward and difficulty. There are six of them, as follows:

• Aether Fiends - Similar to Hellbornes, Aether Fiends are generic elite monsters. They are great for farming Burning Aether, once you start upgrading them with Boons & Banes.
• Aetheric Mass - They are similar to the Corrupted Spires in Helltide, with their appearence being different. Their only attack is an AoE that's divided into six sections, three at a time, with a gap between each. Once killed, it will drop Burning Aether.
• The Burning Butcher - There's nothing like the moment you see The Butcher in nightmare dungeons, but guess what? The Burning Butcher is part of The Infernal Hordes game mode, ready to hunt you down with his new flaming kit. Seeing him is extremely rare, and will drop more than 20 Burning Aether. The Burning Butcher's spawn can be guaranteed by acquiring the "Stalking Devil" Bane.
• Soulspire - Just like the Ravenous Soulspires from Helltides, they will require you to slay a number of enemies while standing in the range shown on the screen.
• Hellborne - Only available if the "Burning Hellborne" Bane or the "Summoned Hellborne" Bane is chosen and active. They will spawn in groups of two to three, and will drop one Burning Aether each, unless you have Boons & Banes that raise their potential.
• Aether Lords - Only available if the "Summoned Lords" Bane or the "Teeming Masses" Bane is chosen and active. These Aether Lords are upgraded versions of Dungeon & Stronghold bosses, with brand new attacks, including AoE damage & crowd control. They will tipically drop 2-3 Burning Aether without being upgraded.

Infernal Offerings - Boons & Banes

After each wave is successfully completed in the Infernal Hordes, you will be offered three different Boons & Banes, from which you must choose one to progress further. These modifiers can stack for multiple similar modifiers and are categorized into four different rarities: Common, Rare, Legendary, and Unique.

Burning Aether

The Infernal Hordes currency, Burning Aether, is awarded from the completed Aetheric events and is kept throughout each wave until it can be spent after slaying the Fell Council. The amount of Burning Aether can be increased by choosing specific Boons & Banes or unlocking more powerful enemies that drop more of this currency.

The Burning Aether is used to open four different types of chests, named Spoils of Hell. Each requires a different amount of currency, so obtaining as much as possible should be a priority.

Best Boon & Banes combinations for Aether farming

• Hellbornes - Probably the easiest and most reliable way to farm Burning Aether, Hellbornes are easier to kill compared to Aether Lords. Obtaining the "Summoned Hellborne" Bane early is a top priority, as it will allow Aetheric Events to spawn Hellbornes, while also making the event more common than others. Other good Bane combos are "Surging Hellborne" and "Exalted Hordes", raising the potential of this strategy.
• Aether Fiends - Very similar to Hellborne strategy, Aether Fiends are the same difficulty as Hellbornes, while also spawning in groups. Banes & Boons we should look for here are "Exalted Hordes" & "Exalted Elites" for stacking, while "Surging Elites" & "Unstoppable Elites" are beneficial, but not required.
  "Surging Elites" should be the main priority, as it allows more elites to spawn, including Aether Fiends, while also making Aether Fiends more common in Aetheric Events. If you can't find "Surging Elites" early, the next best one is "Exalted hordes", being almost as effective.
• Aether Lords - Even if they are harder to kill, the Aether Lords are a very strong contender to the best farming strategy. The best Bane & Boon to look for is "Summoned Lords", being required early in the run. This combined with "Exalted Hordes" ensures good spawn rates, while "Teeming Masses" & "Bursting Masses" increase the chance of spawning even more Aether Lords.
  "Bursting Masses" can be stacked, so you can start each wave with multiple Aetheric Masses and spawn Aether Lords from each of them. The only problem with this strategy is that "Summoned Lords" & "Teeming Masses" are rare Boons, being less likely to be found.
• Pure Luck - Considering the three Banes & Boons are chosen randomly at the end of each wave, you cannot ensure that you'll be able to replicate any of the strategies mentioned above. While not being a strategy, being lucky will play a big part in how efficient you can be while farming Burning Aether.

The Fell Council

Corrupted and twisted by the evil influence of Mephisto, The Fell Council are the resurrected remains of the Council from Diablo 2. Much like the council members from D2, each of these bosses possesses different types of powers while also being able to summon Hydras, each with their unique characteristics.

How many bosses are in the Fell Council?

The Fell Council is composed of 5 bosses:

• Bremm the Maelstorm - All his spells deal lightning damage, while also summoning hydras with two heads that spit a projectile each, chaining damage between them. Bremm will stay away from you while casting Sparkbolt and occasionally throw lightning orbs that deal AoE damage. While under 66% Life, tornados will be summoned and slowly circle the middle of the arena, and while under 33% life, Bremm will occasionally send six projectiles toward you, three from his direction and three from the opposite.
• Geleb the Flame - Has several spells that deal fire damage. Hydras summoned by Geleb deal fire damage and have three heads. As an addition, Geleb will cast Flame Wave, moving slowly across the arena. While under 50% hp, three flame waves will be summoned at once instead of just one.
• Ismail the Accursed - Most of his spells are summons, while the Hydras will be fewer in number and pit medium-sized projectiles. From time to time, Specters of Ismail will be summoned, mimicking the range attacks. While the Specters are summoned, Ismail cannot attack directly.
• Maffer the Cruel - All of the attacks of Maffer are physical, and Hydras will shoot large but slow projectiles. He will try to close in often, getting into melee range, and while under 50% life, will cast Bone Prison in an attempt to trap you.
• Wyand the Shadow - Deals shadow damage, while the Hydras summoned by Wyand will spit small but fast projectiles. He will constantly try to maintain the distance but will use his melee attacks if you get too close. Under 66% hp, he'll begin to teleport to the furthest point from the player in the arena, and under 50% life, he'll shoot Shadowbolts that leave a DoT AoE darkness damage zone.

Infernal Hordes Rewards: Spoils of Hell

At the end of each run, after slaying the three members of the Fell Council, you'll be given the choice of four Spoils of Hell. These chests can be opened by spending the Burning Aether you farmed throughout the waves.

When a Spoil of Hell has been opened, it will reset after just a moment and be ready to be opened again. This will allow you to spend your Burning Aether however you want. After opening the chests, if you have leftover Burning Aether, you can spend it on Spoils of Gold, as it will drain all of your Aether and give you gold in accordance with the amount spent.

Best builds for the Infernal Hordes & Fell Council

Before we will showcase the best builds for the new Season 5 - Infernal Hordes activity, we will provide the general ideas of the perfect build.

To farm as much Burning Aether as possible while still being able to slay the Fell Council when the waves inevitably end, you will need a build that has very serious AoE damage while still being able to deal massive amounts of single-target damage.

Also, having a good amount of life with maxed-out resistances (could use items that raise the resistance cap) will surely be very useful in the higher tiers of Infernal Hordes.

An excellent example of an incredible build in all the sections of gameplay mentioned above would be the Whirlwind Twister Barbarian build from Season 4, that includes the Tyrael's Might Mythic Unique.

The Best Builds for The Infernal Hordes are:

• Lightning Spear Sorcerer - The best build of Season 5 by far, it will melt any type of enemy, and destroy all tiers of the Infernal Hordes.
• Spin2Win Barbarian - Also known as the Whirlwind Twister barbarian, this build has incredible AoE capabilities, while also dealing great single-target damage to the Fell Council.
• Andariel/Barrage Rogue - A very powerful build with many variants, it fits perfectly for farming high amounts of Burning Aether in the highest tiers of the Infernal Hordes.
• Landslide Druid - Another great choice that has many variants, the AoE has a crazy range, while also dealing incredible damage to quickly staggered bosses.
• Bone Spirit - The best necromancer build for any activity, it deals insane bursts of damage that can melt even the most powerful bosses.

F.A.Q.

1. What is The Infernal Horde in Diablo 4?
The Infernal Horde is a new addition to the endgame of Diablo 4, bringing a fresh challenge and a new way to farm masterworking materials.

2. What is needed to enter the Infernal Hordes?
Aside from an adequate level, you will need an Infernal Hordes Compass in order to access this new game mode.

3. What is an Infernal Compass in D4?
The Infernal Compass is the key needed in order to open the Infernal Hordes game mode.

4. What rewards can you obtain from The Infernal Hordes in Diablo IV?
The Fell Council found at the end of the Infernal Hordes will award the player with legendary, unique, or mythic items, guaranteed greater affix items, masterworking materials, and heaps of gold.

5. How hard is the Infernal Hordes activity?
The difficulty of the Infernal Hordes will depend on the tier of the Infernal Compass and the Boons & Banes chosen throughout the waves. The monsters level scale from 50 to 200.

6. How many bosses will you fight in The Fell Council in Diablo 4?
After completing all the waves in The Infernal Hordes, you will have to face 3 bosses in The Fell Council.

7. What is the best build for The Infernal Hordes?
The best build for The Infernal Hordes is one that can deal incredible AoE damage, while also being able to kill bosses with great single-target damage.

Update Log

14.08.2024 - Small update on general information.

19.07.2024 - We have posted the guide.

Related Guides

Now that you have learned about the new Infernal Hordes game mode, how about you check out our guides about Best Classes, Builds & Currency Farming?

• Diablo 4 Tempering & Masterworking Guide
• The Pit of the Artificer – Diablo 4 Guide
• Diablo 4 Leveling Guide: How to Level Up Fast in D4
• Diablo 4 Best Builds Guide
• Best Barbarian Builds in Diablo 4
• Best Rogue Builds in Diablo 4
• Best Necromancer Builds in Diablo 4
• Best Sorcerer Builds in Diablo 4
• Best Druid Builds in Diablo 4
• Diablo 4 Legendary Aspects Farming Guide
• Diablo 4 Uniques & Uber Uniques Farming Guide
• Diablo 4 Best Class Guide
• Diablo 4 Barbarian Class Guide
• Diablo 4 Druid Class Guide
• Diablo 4 Necromancer Class Guide
• Diablo 4 Rogue Class Guide
• Diablo 4 Sorcerer Class Guide
• D4 Gold Farming Guide
• D4 Forgotten Souls Farming Guide
• D4 Grim Favors Farming Guide
• D4 Materials Farming Guide
• D4 Red Dust Farming Guide
• D4 Aberrant Cinders Farming Guide
• D4 Murmuring Obols Farming Guide
• D4 Seeds of Hatred Farming Guide

We update our articles with each and every update in the game, so keep an eye out on our guides.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, Diablo 4's endgame systems are constantly evolving, with new content added every now and then. By using our guide, you'll be ready to face the newest endgame content called Infernal Hordes and clear every tier available with ease.

If this looks time-consuming or too hard, why not check our Diablo 4 boosting services and let professional boosters prepare your character for The Infernal Hordes & The Fell Council quickly and efficiently?