Shard of Agony is a vital resource required to unlock boss loot hoards in Diablo 4, especially for high-value bosses like Duriel, King of Maggots. To farm these efficiently, players should focus on specific locations and routes in the game that offer the best drop rates and quick clear times.
One of the most reliable ways to farm Shards of Agony is by defeating Grigoire, the Galvanic Saint, located in the Hall of the Penitent in the Dindai Flats region. After defeating him, players must use 12 Living Steel to unlock his hoard, which guarantees a drop of Shards of Agony. Living Steel itself can be farmed from Tortured Gifts of Living Steel found in Helltide zones, making Helltides a key activity to combine with your shard farming for the best efficiency.
Another notable location is the Malignant Burrow in the Writhing Mire region, where players can fight the Echo of Varshan. Similar to Grigoire, opening Varshan's hoard requires 12 Malignant Hearts, which are collected through activities called Whispers of the Dead and Tree of Whispers caches. Varshan's hoard also drops Shards of Agony, though at a less consistent rate than Grigoire's.
The Undercity of Kurast offers a farming route with the Tribute of Titans activity, which, when augmented with the Tribute of Titans item, can greatly increase the chances of obtaining Shards of Agony along with other valuable boss keys. This method is considered the second-best option after farming Grigoire, especially if players want to gather multiple types of materials simultaneously.
World Boss events across Sanctuary also present opportunities to earn Shards of Agony. Although the drop is not guaranteed, participating in these large-scale fights rewards other valuable materials and offers variety to the farming experience.
For maximizing efficiency, players should adopt builds designed for fast clearing and high mobility to sustain multiple runs with minimal downtime. Group play can also enhance shard acquisition by speeding up boss kills and enabling rotation of summoning among party members. Additionally, combining shard farming with other activities like Helltides helps maintain a steady flow of essential materials like Living Steel and Malignant Hearts, streamlining the overall farming process.
The best drop locations and farming routes for Shard of Agony are:
-
Grigoire, the Galvanic Saint at Hall of the Penitent, Dindai Flats (using Living Steel)
-
Echo of Varshan at Malignant Burrow, Writhing Mire (using Malignant Hearts)
-
Tribute of Titans in Undercity of Kurast with the Tribute of Titans item
-
World Boss events across Sanctuary for supplementary farming
By focusing efforts on these locations and corresponding farming loops, players can efficiently gather Shards of Agony to unlock high-tier boss hoards and power their endgame progression in Diablo 4.