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Diablo 4 Season 15 is a nostalgic season that not only brings back some Diablo 3 gear but also introduces a Runeword crafting system similar to Diablo 2. These runes can be socketed into rune slots, and they can also be used directly to craft Runeword items.

Whether you plan to craft Runeword items or Mythic items, you will need runes first. Let's take a look at how to farm them in Season of Hell's Legacy.

Where Do the New Runes Mainly Come From?

These new runes mainly come from new content, such as Capstone Dungeons. If you are farming for Torches, you will obtain Splinters from each boss, including Diablo Splinter, Baal Splinter, Mephisto Splinter, and more.

They all share the same loot tables, drop Rates, and general rewards. The only difference is that different dungeons provide different Splinters.

To enter Uber Tristram, you will need to complete all of these dungeons. During the process, you will usually pick up plenty of runes. Some may be the original Diablo 4 runes, but most of them will be Diablo II runes.

Since Splinter of Terror, Splinter of Hatred, and other similar items have extremely low drop rates, you will often collect many rare new runes before even entering Uber Tristram.

Among the three dungeons, Baal's Worldstone Fortress offers the fastest clear speed and the highest efficiency, making it the best option for rune farming.

If your character is powerful enough, you can try challenging Pinnacle Capstone Dungeon on Torment 10 difficulty. The monster difficulty here is roughly equivalent to Torment 12.

At this difficulty, Baal has a high chance of dropping Sparks, Mythic items, and various rare runes.

Horadric Cube Rune Upgrades

To support the new runes and Runeword items, new recipes have also been added to Horadric Cube. You can combine lower-tier Diablo 4 runes in Horadric Cube to upgrade them and eventually create Ber and other runes.

Runes have a progression system similar to Diablo II. Early upgrades follow a 3-to-1 combination rule, while later upgrades use a 2-to-1 system and require the corresponding Flawless or Perfect Gems.

However, it is not recommended to waste Flawless Gems trying to obtain these rare runes. While farming in Capstone Dungeons, you can occasionally find them along with Mythic items, Mythic Charms, Seals, and other valuable rewards.

Lair Bosses

If you want to farm a specific rune, you can check the boss drop reference table. Each boss has a selection of runes, usually including one Magic, one Rare, and one Legendary rune.

You also need to select the Lair of Runes node in War Plans for Lair Bosses. After activating this node and defeating the corresponding bosses, opening the reward chest will grant a chance to drop specific runes. The drop is not guaranteed, but the frequency is relatively high.

Kurast Undercity

Besides Capstone Dungeons, Kurast Undercity is also one of the best locations for farming runes. You need to prepare Lesser Tribute of Harmony, Tribute of Harmony, or Greater Tribute of Harmony, which provide additional rune rewards after completion.

You do not need to upgrade them before use. Regardless of which version you obtain, they can be used directly. Kurast Undercity itself already has a decent rune drop rate, so you can still collect plenty of runes even without using Tribute.

In Kurast Undercity, there is no need to clear every monster. Your goal is to quickly activate Energy Towers and fill the reward bar. Once the reward bar reaches Level 4, you can head directly to the boss. This is much faster than clearing the entire dungeon. Farming on at least Torment 10 or higher is recommended, as rune drops become significantly worse at lower difficulties.

Running Kurast Undercity with teammates can further improve efficiency. Using Tribute of Harmony to add buffs to the final boss helps secure the number of rune drops and greatly increases the chance of obtaining Legendary runes.

All Rare runes obtained during farming still have value. You can use three identical Rare runes at the Jewelry Vendor to create one random rune, with a 15% chance of directly producing a Legendary rune.

War Plans

The most important node in The Undercity War Plans is Gutter Filth node. It gives you a chance to summon Portal Pranksters when activating Beacons, increasing additional drops.

Bauble Day node allows you to trade runes and Gems with gold. This option was not recommended in previous seasons because obtaining gold was too difficult, but earning gold is much easier in Season 15. If you have enough gold available, you can choose this node. Unique Runes are worth around 50 million gold each.

Other Methods

Besides the main methods mentioned above, runes can also drop throughout the world. However, the efficiency is relatively low, so they are better treated as additional rewards while leveling and farming rather than a primary farming strategy.

• Elite Monsters
• Helltide
• Strongholds
• Whisper Caches

If you are missing a specific rune but do not want to spend time farming for it, you can also trade with other players. Joining some trading groups is recommended, as it makes it easier to find suitable trading partners.

These are the most effective ways to obtain runes in Diablo 4 Season 15. The new rune system is not overly difficult to farm, and hopefully you can collect Runewords you need smoothly.

In Diablo 4 Season 15, Resplendent Sparks are not only the essential material for crafting Mythic Uniques but also the scarcest resource for your character's endgame progression.

Targeted upgrades via Horadric Cube require five Resplendent Sparks, while random crafting at Jeweler requires three. Given these high costs, every instance of acquiring or spending a Resplendent Spark directly impacts your build's completion speed and overall gameplay experience.

To help players smoothly accumulate and wisely utilize Resplendent Sparks in Season 15, we have compiled a systematic overview covering the current farming landscape, mechanics, and strategic planning.

Changes in Season 15

The challenge lies in the fact that Diablo 4 Season 15 imposes strict limitations on the sources of Resplendent Sparks, making the acquisition process feel significantly more difficult.

Currently, many key sources of Resplendent Sparks - such as defeating Echo of Lilith (limited to the first kill per season) - require players to reach Torment 12 (Rank 9 or higher).

If you attempt to defeat Lilith at a lower difficulty, such as Torment 10, you may fail to secure the desired Resplendent Spark reward.

In other words, regarding boss encounters, you may need to first build up your gear through other Diablo 4 activities to meet the threshold for obtaining Resplendent Sparks.

Additionally, while Season Journey and seasonal rewards still offer Resplendent Sparks, the distribution is not always consistent; some chests may yield nothing upon opening, possibly because of game latency or potential bugs.

Beyond boss farming, combining Whisper Caches with War Plans offers another avenue for obtaining Resplendent Sparks in Diablo 4 Season 15.

However, this requires players to first select Mephisto's Splinter of Hatred as their seasonal power and then upgrade the corresponding node for Whisper Caches (such as Resplendent Favor) to Level 22 within War Plans system.

Once this is done, opening Whisper Caches gives you a chance to obtain two Diablo 4 Resplendent Sparks at once.

Salvaging Mythic Uniques

In previous seasons, salvaging duplicate Mythic Uniques was a standard way to acquire Resplendent Sparks, but this has changed somewhat in Season 15.

According to player feedback, not all Mythic Uniques currently yield Resplendent Sparks upon salvaging, so you need to be very careful when performing this action.

For instance, salvaging a Mythic Charm will not produce a Resplendent Spark, whereas specific items like Hellfire Torch still do.

Salvaging gear blindly can result in significant resource loss without yielding the expected Resplendent Spark. Therefore, in Season 15, you must carefully verify the item type before salvaging any Mythic Unique to avoid wasting valuable gear.

How to improve farming efficiency?

Given the increased difficulty requirements and limited drop sources, how should you adjust your farming strategy to improve the efficiency of obtaining Resplendent Sparks?

First, in Diablo 4 Season 15, prioritize repeatedly farming Lair bosses - such as Baal, Belial, and Mephisto - at an appropriate Torment difficulty level; this is an efficient way to increase your chances of getting Resplendent Spark drops.

Additionally, collecting a large number of Lair Keys to repeatedly challenge Greater Lair Bosses is another viable approach.

Before embarking on large-scale farming, it is recommended that you unlock Nemesis Lair portal via Two by Two, Greater Nemesis, and Ultimate Nemesis in War Plans, as well as unlock the relevant tribute nodes; doing so will significantly boost your farming efficiency.

If your current character's gear isn't strong enough to challenge high-difficulty bosses (like those at Torment 12), start by farming lower-difficulty Lair bosses to build up your power before gradually progressing toward your target difficulty.

How should you plan their use?

Since obtaining them has become more difficult, every Resplendent Spark you possess is highly valuable; therefore, you must carefully prioritize how you use them.

When crafting, you first need to decide whether to save up five Resplendent Sparks for targeted crafting via Horadric Cube or spend just three for a random roll at Jeweler.

Targeted crafting, while costly, guarantees a core item that fits your current build - an ideal choice for players who prefer a steady approach.

Random crafting, on the other hand, is less expensive and suits players who have limited Resplendent Spark reserves but are willing to take a risk.

Additionally, while focusing on Resplendent Sparks, don't overlook the need to collect the necessary runes; crafting Mythic Uniques will also require specific runes.

A Few Unusual Scenarios

There is some unpredictability regarding Resplendent Spark drops in Season 15, so players should remain patient while farming.

If you don't see a Resplendent Spark drop immediately after opening a chest - or if the characteristic purple beam of light doesn't appear - don't rush to assume the chest yielded nothing.

In some cases, there is a delay in receiving Resplendent Spark, and it may appear in your inventory a short while later.

Furthermore, to address server issues at the start of Season 15, the developers distributed a Resplendent Spark to some players as compensation via the in-game Horadric Post; be sure to check this mailbox regularly for any unclaimed items.

Overall, farming Resplendent Sparks in Diablo 4 Season 15 has become more challenging, putting greater emphasis on farming efficiency and resource management!

Gift of the Tree limited-time event has returned to Diablo 4 Season 15, running from September 23 to October 7. During the event, whenever you turn in Grim Favors to Tree of Whispers, you will receive an additional Gift of the Tree cache alongside the standard Whisper Cache.

This bonus cache provides significant XP and extra gear drops, meaning the efficiency with which you farm Grim Favors directly impacts your total rewards.

However, the yield and efficiency of Grim Favors vary depending on the activity or farming method. Let's look at the best content for farming Grim Favors right now and how to incorporate War Plans into your farming route to maximize overall gains.

Farming Location Priorities

PvP Zones in Fields of Hatred

During Gift of the Tree event, the fastest way to earn Grim Favors is by completing PvP-related Whisper tasks in the Fields of Hatred - though this doesn't necessarily mean you have to engage in actual PvP combat.

Located in Dry Steppes, Fields of Hatred contain two separate PvP zones. A world boss known as Seething Abomination spawns in these areas; defeating it grants 5 Grim Favors and drops a large amount of Seeds of Hatred. Additionally, Altars of Extraction scattered across the map allow you to purify these Seeds of Hatred, with the purification ritual granting another 3 Grim Favors.

This means a single full loop of the PvP zone (defeating Seething Abomination plus one Altar of Extraction purification) yields a total of 8 Grim Favors - just 2 points shy of the 10-point turn-in threshold.

In practice, Seething Abomination can usually be defeated within a minute, and Altar of Extraction ritual requires only a brief wait, making the entire process highly efficient.

However, there are two key details to keep in mind. First, leaving the PvP zone causes you to lose all carried Seeds of Hatred, so you must complete the purification process before exiting the area. Secondly, if you are concerned about interference from other players, you can disable cross-platform play in the game settings; this significantly reduces the likelihood of encountering other players.

Blood Maiden in Helltides

When PvP zones in Diablo 4 are unavailable or on cooldown, Helltides serve as an excellent alternative for earning Grim Favors. The key is to locate a Helltide zone that features Blood Maiden.

Blood Maiden is a special boss event within Helltides; summoning and defeating her grants 5 Grim Favors. While summoning her requires Baneful Hearts, you only need to contribute three to receive the full reward - adding more does not double the payout.

Helltide zones also offer other Grim Favor tasks, such as Collect Cinders and Slay Harbingers, which provide between 1 and 3 Grim Favors each.

An ideal strategy is to enter a Helltide zone that features both Blood Maiden and Collect Cinders tasks. Complete Blood Maiden event first to earn 5 points, then gather Cinders for additional points; a single run allows you to accumulate the required 10 points to redeem at Tree of Whispers.

Note that Duriel's Invasion War Plan node can sometimes cause Duriel to appear in place of Blood Maiden; defeating Duriel does not count toward Blood Maiden Grim Favor objective. If Blood Maiden fails to spawn, it is best to switch to a different Helltide zone.

Nightmare Dungeons

Nightmare Dungeons are another viable source of Grim Favors, though their efficiency depends largely on whether you possess Nightmare Sigils with the grants Grim Favor affix. These Sigils can be crafted at the Occultist using Sigil Powder, though the affixes are generated randomly during crafting.

Since Sigils with Grim Favor affixes are relatively rare, a practical strategy is to craft Nightmare Sigils in bulk and prioritize keeping those that grant Grim Favors. If your current War Plan objectives align with a Nightmare Dungeon, you can use these specific Sigils to earn extra Grim Favors while progressing your War Plans, thereby maximizing the overall value of each Nightmare Dungeon run. If storage space is limited, you can simply use eligible Sigils directly rather than hoarding them at the expense of your daily farming efficiency.

Integrating War Plans into Your Farming Routine

In Diablo 4, War Plans serve as a significant reward multiplier during Gift of the Tree event. War Plans consist of seven distinct activity categories (such as Helltide, Pit, Nightmare Dungeons, etc.), and players must complete the currently active War Plan objective to earn progress.

When farming for Grim Favors, prioritize activities that overlap with your current War Plan. For instance, if the active War Plan is Helltide, farm Blood Maiden and collect Cinders while completing Helltide tasks; this ensures that every kill and objective completion advances both systems simultaneously. Once a War Plan is completed, you can redeem a new one and adjust your farming route based on the new activity type.

Within War Plans section of Tree of Whispers, there is a node called Tree of Plenty that increases the number of Whisper Cache choices from three to four. During Gift of the Tree event, having an extra chest choice means a higher probability of obtaining high-quality Diablo 4 items and more experience orbs; unlocking this node is highly recommended.

Summary

Overall, during Diablo 4 Gift of the Tree event, it is best to prioritize high-efficiency activities like Fields of Hatred and Helltide to gather Grim Favors, while simultaneously selecting activities that stack rewards based on your current War Plan.

Rather than sticking to a single farming method, the key is to flexibly adjust your route according to the active War Plan. This allows you to advance Grim Favors, War Plan progress, and general farming gains in tandem, ultimately securing more Gift of the Tree caches and maximizing your overall rewards during the event.

Just over a week after its launch, Diablo 4 Season 15 saw its peak concurrent player count on Steam hit 64,005 - a figure that far surpasses any previous season and nearly rivals the hype surrounding the launch of Lord of Hatred (64,518).

While Steam data alone doesn't represent the entire Diablo 4 player base, the success of Season 15 is undeniable. So, what is driving this success, and what makes Season 15 stand out compared to previous seasons?

What Makes Season 15 Unique: A Return to the Classics

Launched shortly after BlizzCon 2026, S15 Season of Hell's Legacy serves as a celebration of the Diablo franchise's 30th anniversary. The seasonal campaign takes players back to iconic locations from the series' history: battling Diablo deep beneath Tristram Cathedral, confronting Mephisto in Durance of Hate, and destroying Baal at the Worldstone Keep.

What has truly electrified Diablo 4 community, however, is the wealth of hidden content tucked away by the developers. None of this content appeared in the official patch notes; it was left entirely for players to discover on their own.

Echo of Tristram

The most notable discovery is Echo of Tristram. To access it, players must first scour the game world to collect Splinter of Terror, Splinter of Destruction, and Splinter of Hatred, combining them in the Horadric Cube to craft Wirt's Lucky Coin.

Players also need to gather ten hidden volumes of Deckard's Journal to unlock Deckard's Memory portal, which leads to Tristram. Finally, by dropping the crafted Wirt's Lucky Coin into the fountain in Tristram, players open a portal to Echo of Tristram.

In this hidden level, all three Prime Evils appear simultaneously. Defeating them rewards players with the Hellfire Torch - a classic item reimagined for this game as a Mythic Charm within Talisman system.

Runewords

Additionally, players have uncovered hidden recipes for classic Diablo 2 Runewords, such as combining Tal + Eth to create Stealth, and Jah + Ith + Ber to create Enigma. These Runewords are not presented via standard seasonal recipes; instead, players must rely entirely on their memories of classic combinations to discover them.

Whimsyshire

Whimsyshire from Diablo 3 makes a comeback, featuring classic elements like Cuddle Bears, Happy Clouds, and Candy Jars, alongside a unicorn boss named Neigh'relle - a playful nod to Diablo 4 character Neyrelle. Defeating her grants Fancy Pants title.

A host of other hidden content awaits discovery, including Moophisto, Divine Bovine and Mefishto, Lord of Relaxation.

Free Trial and Discounts: Another Driver of the Player Count Surge

The surge in Steam player numbers isn't solely due to the content of Diablo 4 itself. Coinciding with the launch of Season 15, Steam kicked off a free trial event allowing players to download the base game and play up to level 30 for free; this event runs until September 21. Meanwhile, the price of the standard edition dropped from $49.99 to $12.49 - a 75% discount - with the promotion lasting until September 24.

This means the current Steam player data reflects a complex mix of factors: returning veterans drawn by the classic elements introduced in Season of Hells Legacy, users re-engaging with the franchise following BlizzCon, new players taking advantage of the discount, and those downloading the game simply because it is free to try.

All these groups are reflected in the same player count graph. Therefore, to truly gauge the appeal of Season 15 itself, it will be necessary to observe data trends after the free trial ends on September 21 and the promotion concludes on September 24.

If Steam player counts drop rapidly back to low levels after the events end, it indicates that the current growth was primarily driven by promotions; if numbers stabilize at levels significantly higher than those seen at the end of Season 14, it suggests the seasonal content itself possesses sufficient player retention power.

The Impact of BlizzCon

To understand this resurgence, one cannot overlook the influence of BlizzCon 2026. Diablo franchise garnered significant attention at this annual showcase: Diablo 5 was officially announced with a projected release in the spring of 2029; Amazon class was confirmed for Diablo 4, expected to launch in the first half of 2027; and Diablo 4: Age of Hatred collection was revealed for Nintendo Switch 2. Collectively, these announcements generated a wave of interest around Diablo brand that extended far beyond the scope of the new season itself.

Summary

The case of Diablo 4 Season 15 clearly illustrates the dynamics behind player count fluctuations in modern live-service games: the convergence of seasonal content, brand events, free promotions, and discount strategies within a single timeframe drove a significant spike in engagement. For an ARPG that has been live for over three years, such a rebound demonstrates the game's enduring ability to draw players back.

However, the true metric of interest is not the instantaneous peak of 64,005 concurrent players, but rather whether these returning players will fully engage with the seasonal progression loop - farming resources, acquiring gear, investing Diablo 4 gold to adjust attributes and try out meta builds. Only when players commit to this cycle of progression can a short-term surge in player numbers translate into a stable, active player base.

Season 15 proved that seasonal content can rival expansion-level updates in both quality and scale. When players spontaneously experiment with twenty-year-old rune combinations in Horadric Cube or toss a coin into the fountain in Tristram, the long-standing rapport between the developers and the community comes into play. The next question is how many of these players will choose to remain in Sanctuary once the trial period ends.