Ultimate D2R Hellfire Torch Farming Guide
14.07.2024 - 12:05:28
D2R Item Guides , Diablo 2: Resurrected , Game Guides
Do you play Diablo II: Resurrected? How is your progress thus far? If you have played for quite some time and you feel that your build could use a bit more oomph, then you probably need to get your hands on the Hellfire Torch. What exactly is it and how can this thing benefit you? Well, we’ve got all the answers right here!
In this article, we are going to talk about everything there is to know about this item. So, are you ready to embark on a quest for knowledge? If so, buckle up! This is our ultimate Hellfire Torch D2R guide!
D2R Hellfire Torch – What is It?
Hellfire Torch (Amazon)
If you are reading this guide, you probably do not have any idea what the Hellfire Torch is. Well, it is basically a unique large charm whose biggest feature is raising the level of class skills by three.
In Diablo II: Resurrected, any item that boosts the level of a particular skill, let alone every skill for a chosen class, is always welcome. That is because the said modifier improves skills in various ways, including increased duration, improved utility, and boosted effects.
Where to Farm Hellfire Torch in D2R?
The topic of our discussion can be farmed by completing the Pandemonium Event – a series of quests that have you enter Uber Tristam and defeat the “Uber” versions of the Prime Evils, these being Uber Mephisto, Uber Baal, and Uber Diablo.
Before you can even open up a portal toward Uber Tristram, you have to defeat the “Mini Ubers” to obtain keys, such as Mephisto’s Brain, Diablo’s Horn, and Baal’s Eye.
In the next sections, we will cover where you can get these keys and prepare yourself for the ensuing fights. We must warn you, that Uber Bosses in D2R are not the ones you want to mess with. Come unprepared and they will have no problems deleting you from the face of the Earth!
The Prelude – Key Farming
Each part of the quest is done in Hell Difficulty. Just by this fact alone, you already have an idea that this quest is not for the faint of heart.
Anyway, you do not have to talk to an NPC to initiate the Pandemonium Event. Instead, you can farm the “Minor Keys” to gain entry to the areas where the “Mini Ubers” reside.
Key of Hate
The Key of Hate is dropped by The Summoner. He can be found in the Arcane Sanctuary in Hell Difficulty.
The Summoner is relatively easy to defeat. Just be careful when he casts Weaken on you and then follows it up with a well-placed Fire Ball. Do not worry, his attacks are mostly telegraphed, well, at least the most damaging ones anyway.
Even though the boss himself is easy, the Arcane Sanctuary begs to differ. This place has a very complicated layout, so bring some extra patience with you if you are to farm the Key of Hate.
Key of Terror
This next boss you are going to face is actually much easier to find. The boss in question is none other than The Countess. She can be found at the Forgotten Tower in Black Marsh in Act 1, specifically at the fifth level of the Tower Cellar.
Anyway, The Countess is naturally immune to fire and cold damage. Unless you’re using a build that can deal any other damage type, you might want to bring Sunder Charms with you, namely Flame Rift (for fire damage) and Cold Rupture (for cold damage).
Key of Destruction
Head to the Halls of Vaught in Act 5 to find Uber Nihlathak. Normally, you’d have to search for him throughout the entire area, which can be time-consuming if you want a more efficient key farming run.
That said, did you know that you can actually determine where exactly he is located inside the Halls of Vaught? That’s right! After entering the dungeon, there are a few clues you can look at.
The first clue is the torch on the left side of the screen. If the torch has some grass and other things that make it look messy, Nihlathak is found in the upper parts of the dungeon. Conversely, if the area around the torch is clean, then the boss you are looking for is found somewhere in the lower paths.
For the second clue, you’d have to search for the “eyes” in your immediate right. If there are eyes on the wall, Nihlathak can be found in the southeast corner of the dungeon. If not, he’s likely in the southwest.
The third clue is found on the right side of the second clue. This is sometimes referred to as the bone snapper by the D2R community. This clue is a bit hard to see, so crank up the in-game brightness for now to get a much better view.
Anyway, the clue is the skeleton that can be found hanging on the wall. If the bones are scattered, this is the “bone snapper” that everyone is talking about. If you find this one, Nihlatak is most likely in the northwest corner of the area. On the other hand, if the bones are intact, he is in the northeast.
Nihlathak Clues
When you’ve finally discovered the disgraced citizen of Harrogath, he is relatively easy to kill. Just make sure that you obliterate him within seconds, otherwise, he might use Corpse Explosion, which deals an insane amount of damage. Playing the Uber Smiter Paladin or the Whirlwind Barbarian should make quick work of the boss. After defeating him, he will drop the Key of Destruction.
Meet the ‘Mini Ubers’
The portal to Uber Tristram can only be opened by farming three keys from the “Mini Ubers,” namely Lilith (Uber Andariel), Uber Duriel, and Uber Izual.
With the three keys from the Mini Ubers in your possession, you can open portals to where the Mini Ubers reside.
Take note, and we cannot stress this enough, you have to open three portals in quick succession because there is no way to open a portal to a specific area. This means that you have to farm The Countess, The Summoner, and Nihlathak three times in order to get a few keys from each boss.
On top of that, you have to move a few steps away from where you’ve opened the last portal. This is so that they won’t overlap with each other. Do keep these things in mind!
Lilith (Uber Andariel)
Lilith, aka Uber Andariel, is found in the Matron’s Den. The thing that you have to keep in mind when fighting her is that she can inflict potent poisons that can kill you within seconds, especially if you do not come prepared.
Make sure that you bring a healthy stock of Antidote Potions with you because they will certainly come in handy during the fight. Moreover, you must have a good amount of poison resistance. If you can, achieve the cap of 75%!
Lilith is immune to poison, so if you are planning to use a poison Necromancer build, you might want to use another character for this encounter.
After defeating the uber version of Andariel, she will drop Diablo’s Horn. Set this aside for now because you will need two more keys to enter Uber Tristram.
Uber Duriel
Uber Duriel needs no introduction. This formidable creature can be found in the Forgotten Sands. Do not worry, you will fight him instantly upon entering the new area.
Anyway, unlike Lilith, Uber Duriel is not immune to a certain damage type. Hence, you can use any build that you like as long as it is capable of dealing tons of damage.
Despite the lack of any damage immunity, Uber Duriel is no pushover. He can regenerate HP twice as much as the normal version, so if your damage cannot keep up, have someone help you in that department.
Uber Duriel’s attacks can knock you back, which can be annoying if you are using a melee build. As if that’s not enough to ruin your day, he also has the Holy Freeze aura. This offensive aura not only boosts Duriel’s attack, but slows you down as well.
After a long and arduous battle, Uber Duriel drops the next key – Baal’s Eye.
Uber Izual
Uber Izual resides in the Furnace of Pain. You will need to scour the area until you find him, which makes it problematic since enemies here are immune to certain damage types.
As for the boss himself, Uber Izual gains a couple of new abilities. The first is a powerful Frost Nova that deals enough damage to destroy those who do not have ample resistance to cold damage. The second is Chilling Armor, which can fire a damaging Ice Bolt to those who intend to fight him from a distance.
Another important thing to note is that he is immune to cold damage. For this reason, you must bring the Cold Rupture Sunder Charm with you to address this problem.
Now, if you think that attacking him from afar is the ideal way to defeat him, he can also teleport to close the gap, leaving this strategy a bit pointless. Therefore, you should bring a lot of Rejuvenation Potions to bring your HP back up to healthy levels.
If your character is not geared enough, you may want to have another player help you with the fight. Fortunately, a lot of people farm the Hellfire Torch all of the time, so you shouldn’t have any issues searching for someone to play with.
After defeating Uber Izual, he will drop Mephisto’s Brain.
Uber Prime Evils
With Mephisto’s Brain, Diablo’s Horns, and Baal’s Eye in your possession, head back to Harrogath, which is your main base of operations in Act 5, and then put all of the three keys into the Horadric Cube. Click “Transmute” and a portal to Uber Tristram should open shortly after.
Before entering this place, it is worth noting that you have to be fully equipped as Uber Tristram is unforgiving to those who are unprepared.
If you already had a hard time dealing with the Mini Ubers, then that should tell you to improve your damage somewhat, either by decking your character out with better gear or employing the help of other players who have the same objective as you.
Now, Uber Tristram pretty much has the same layout as that of the original version. However, the stark difference is that it is now a haven for hellish monsters that are incredibly tough to beat.
Ultimately, your main goal here is to defeat the “Uber” versions of the Prime Evils, namely Uber Mephisto, Uber Diablo, and Uber Baal.
Uber Mephisto
Considered by many as the “artillery” for his brothers, Uber Mephisto is exponentially harder than the last time you fought him. He is immune to both poison and lightning damage. If you are using a build that utilizes lightning-based skills or spells, bring the Sunder Charm, Crack of the Heavens, with you.
Uber Mephisto can be found in the middle of Uber Tristram. Before heading there, make sure to activate all of your buffs. It is also important to note that this boss has a powerful Conviction Aura that reduces your resistances by 125%!
For his skills, Uber Mephisto can unleash a deadly wave of Charged Bolts. Coupled with his Conviction Aura, you know that you’ll die quickly if you do not have your lightning resistance sorted out.
Aside from that, be on the lookout for Blizzard because this spell can instantly spell doom for you and your Mercenary if you are not careful.
Uber Diablo and Uber Baal
If you think that Uber Mephisto is problematic, wait until you battle with his brothers. For the purposes of this guide, we are going to refer to Diablo here as Uber Diablo even though this boss is entirely different.
You see, Uber Diablo is another boss that can be summoned if enough players have sold the Stone of Jordan unique ring to any vendor. For this reason, the one found in Uber Tristram is referred to as Pandemonium Diablo. However, since we are calling the other Prime Evils “Ubers,” it will be easier if we just call Diablo an Uber Boss as well.
Having said that, Uber Diablo and Uber Baal are often found close to each other, so it would be hard for you to separate them. Thankfully, this is not the case for Uber Mephisto, so it would be wise to defeat the Uber version of the Lord of Hate first.
For Uber Diablo, he does pretty much the same things as his Hell Difficulty variant. This includes encasing you in a Bone Prison occasionally, unleashing a red lightning hose that deals physical and lightning damage, as well as raining down damaging fireballs at you a la the Druid’s Armageddon.
The most annoying thing that Uber Diablo can do, however, is summoning Pit Lords. These enemies are immune to almost everything other than physical damage, so using the appropriate Sunder Charms here makes sense.
Despite being the “tank” for Uber Baal, Uber Diablo is surprisingly fragile. Apart from being immune to fire damage, you can eliminate him with certain builds like the Zealer Paladin, for example.
How about Uber Baal? This Prime Evil has a massive life pool, which makes casting Static Field a viable option when fighting him. Apart from that, he is immune to cold damage, so bringing Cold Rupture with you is crucial to your success. This is assuming that you’re playing a build that deals cold damage.
Uber Baal can cast Teleport as well, closing the gap for those who are fighting him from a distance. Arguably, the least annoying of the three brothers, to be honest.
Once you have defeated each of the Prime Evils, you will get an unidentified Hellfire Torch.
The Prize
The Hellfire Torch that can be obtained from defeating the Uber Prime Evils is unidentified. This is probably intended by the D2R developers, especially considering that this unique large charm raises the skills of all the six classes in the game.
To deterministically get your hands on the Hellfire Torch that is specifically for your chosen class, it is best that you trade the unidentified item to other players who have the Hellfire Torch you are looking for.
Hellfire Torch (Amazon)
Hellfire Torch (Assassin)
Hellfire Torch (Barbarian)
Hellfire Torch (Druid)
Hellfire Torch (Necromancer)
Hellfire Torch (Paladin)
Hellfire Torch (Sorceress)
Best Builds for Uber Tristram
Now that you know how to complete the Pandemonium Event, it is time to talk about the best builds for farming the Uber Bosses in Uber Tristram. In this section, we will cover only the cream of the crop. The good news is that there is plenty to choose from, so you can decide which build works best for your style of play.
Uber Smiter Paladin
Arguably, the best build against the Uber Bosses is the Uber Smiter Paladin. Although there is nothing particularly special about the build itself, the main skill here deserves a special mention.
On the surface, you might look at Smite as an uninteresting skill. But, it has a special property that makes it so that the attack always hits the intended target. Because of this, you do not have to invest in items that improve attack rating (aka accuracy) at all!
In addition, the Paladin has a whole host of offense and defensive auras at his disposal, which can be activated as the need arises. For the most part, you will use Fanaticism for that huge boost in damage and attack speed.
Phoenix Strike Assassin
If you want to use a character that is proficient at martial arts to deal with the Ubers, then the Phoenix Strike Assassin is the perfect one for the job. This build utilizes a couple of claws that have the Mosaic runeword on them. Why is that, you ask?
Well, Mosaic runeword has a unique property that basically gives a 50% chance for the Assassin’s finishing moves to not consume charges. That is why this build utilizes two Mosaic claws for the full 100%!
As far as martial arts Assassins are concerned, this build uses a charge-up skill (Phoenix Strike) and a finishing move (Dragon Talon) to utilize the charges that have been built up.
Lightning Fury Javazon
This build got its name from the weapon that it uses: the Javelin. The Lightning Fury Javazon is capable of melting even the toughest enemies in Diablo II: Resurrected, the ubers included!
The main skill here is the titular Lightning Fury. When used, the Amazon throws a lightning-infused javelin that splits into bolts of lightning upon impact, making it an incredible skill to use when clearing huge packs of monsters.
For single-target damage, this build has Charged Strike for that. If you play this build, we highly recommend that you have your Act 2 Mercenary equipped with Infinity for that powerful Conviction Aura. If you recall, Conviction Aura reduces the resistances of affected enemies by a considerable amount, which is why it is pretty much mandatory for the Lightning Fury Javazon.
Zeal Paladin
Also known as the “Zealer Paladin,” this build utilizes the aptly named skill, Zeal. What’s interesting about Zeal is that you can unleash up to five attacks on a single enemy in quick succession. What’s more, this skill cannot be interrupted by any means. So, even if the enemy somehow manages to stun you, you will still be able to land five hits before actually getting stunned.
To improve this build’s damage, the Zealer Paladin uses Fanaticism Aura for more attack speed and damage. Since this build deals physical damage, you might as well bring the Sunder Charm, Bone Break, with you for good measure.
Frenzy Barbarian
If you want a build that has a dynamic playstyle that also has the power to delete the Uber Bosses in Diablo II: Resurrected, then you might want to give the Frenzy Barbarian a try.
This build relies on three powerful skills, with the primary one being Frenzy. This skill allows you to gain “Frenzy Charges” that increase your attack speed and movement speed, thus enabling you to swing faster and move around much quicker.
When you have enough Frenzy Charges, you can use Double Swing to, well, swing at the enemy twice in quick succession. A fully frenzied Barbarian can kill the Ubers relatively quickly, making Double Swing a potent addition to the build.
Since you will encounter enemies that are immune to physical damage, the good news is that this build has an answer for that and it comes in the form of Berserk.
Berserk fully converts your physical damage to magic damage. Because of this, you no longer have to rely on the Bone Break Sunder Charm just to deal with enemies who have immunity to physical damage.
All in all, the Frenzy Barbarian is a powerhouse and one that you should consider when fighting against Uber Mephisto, Uber (Pandemonium) Diablo, and Uber Baal.
Lightning Sorceress
While builds that deal physical damage are leading the pack, you might not want their style of play. Maybe, you are more of the type of person who wants to unleash deadly spells from a relatively safe distance. If that is your thing, then you will surely love the Lightning Sorceress.
The Lightning Sorceress, like the Frenzy Barb, has three powerful spells at her disposal. The aptly named Lightning is your primary spell on this build. When cast, you create a bolt of lightning that travels in a straight line. Enemies unfortunate enough to be in its trajectory receive huge amounts of damage as a result.
When fighting the Uber Bosses, you have a potent combination of Static Field and Charged Bolt. The former takes a huge chunk of their HP, while the latter deals an insane amount of damage to a single target.
Thanks to items that give a huge increase in Faster Cast Rate (FCR), such as Griffon’s Eye, Skin of the Vipermagi, and Arachnid Mesh, the Lightning Sorceress will not have any problems achieving the optimal 117% FCR breakpoint.
Tesladin
Sometimes referred to as the Dream Paladin due to the specific runeword that makes the build work, the Tesladin utilizes the Holy Shock Aura to a much greater extent.
You see, the Dream runeword grants you the ability to activate a level 15 Holy Shock Aura. This effect stacks, so wearing two pieces of gear (Helmet and Shield) with the Dream runeword on them translates to having a level 30 Holy Shock Aura!
Holy Shock Aura, in this context, lets you destroy the minions of Hell with ease. You just have to bring Crack of the Heavens with you so that you can also eliminate lightning-immune monsters.
To complement the said aura, you will use Zeal as your active ability. Zeal, as you already know, enables you to unleash a quick flurry of attacks on a single target.
While the build is undoubtedly powerful enough to defeat the Uber Bosses, the Tesladin requires a huge investment given that the Dream runeword requires the Jah rune to make. But, if you do not have a problem with that, then the Dream Paladin is certainly a build you can use for Uber Tristram farming.
Meteor Sorceress
Rounding out the best builds for Uber Tristram in D2R is a fiery one. The build we are talking about is none other than the Meteor Sorceress!
As you can already tell by the name, this build is able to rain powerful Meteors down your foes. However, that is not the only spell you’re going to cast because you will supplement your attacks with Fire Ball as well.
The main skill rotation for this build involves using Meteor at a targeted location, presumably where the Uber Bosses are situated. The problem with Meteor is that there is a short delay before it actually lands. During this time, you will cast Fire Ball to deal with the enemy.
The Meteor Sorceress is relatively affordable, with the Phoenix runeword being the most expensive item given its rune requirements. Other than that, you might want to give this build a try!
Tips
Do you want to be able to defeat the bosses in Uber Tristram quickly and effectively? If so, read further to find out some useful tips!
Melee Builds Are Supreme
If you have noticed, most of the builds that we recommend for Uber Tristram farming are melee builds. The main reason is that these builds can utilize a certain mechanic called Crushing Blow.
Crushing Blow is very powerful because whenever it activates, you effectively stave off 12.5% damage against the Uber Bosses.
This powerful mechanic can be yours by equipping items that have the mod: “% Chance of Crushing Blow.”
To supplement that, melee builds are also capable of inflicting Open Wounds. This is another damage mechanic in Diablo II: Resurrected that makes affected enemies receive damage over time.
Then, you have Deadly Strike, which is essentially D2R’s version of double damage. All of these damage mechanics can only be utilized by builds that use weapons to strike enemies.
Bring a ‘Life Tap Wand’ With You
The Uber Bosses are no pushovers because they are not only immune to certain types of damage, but you cannot leech life or mana off of them as well. However, this does not mean that you cannot recover your HP more effectively because the powerful Life Tap spell still works on them.
For the uninitiated, Life Tap is a curse spell that heals the attacker equal to 50% of the damage dealt. This was exclusive only to the Necromancer, but the D2R developers now enable all other builds to cast this one using an appropriate item.
The magic wands that have Life Tap charges are sold by Drognan in Act 2. If he does not have one on offer, simply head out of town, and then come back again. Doing so refreshes the items he sells.
Magic Wand with Life Tap
If you ever run out of charges, you can repair the wand by interacting with the town’s Blacksmith.
Don’t Forget Your Pre-Buffs
Certain items in D2R provide you with powerful buffs that can aid you in your fight against the Prime Evils.
Treachery, for example, gives you a small chance of casting level 15 Fade when struck. This is often activated by standing in the surging flame in the River of Flames, though getting hit by enemies will also do the same thing.
Since the enemies you are fighting in Uber Tristram are difficult, always make sure that you have all of your buffs enabled before heading in.
Stock Up on Potions
It should go without saying that you should have a healthy stock of potions with you when fighting against Uber Bosses. This means that you should bring Full Rejuvenation Potions and Antidote Potions for good measure.
Sort Out Your Resistances
As part of the endgame content, you will encounter formidable enemies throughout the Pandemonium Event. From the “Key” bosses and Mini Ubers to the Uber Prime Evils, they can destroy you with ease if you are not well-prepared.
Aside from wearing the best gear you can get your hands on, make sure that your resistances are sorted out as well. Achieve 75% on all of your resistances, including fire, cold, lightning, and poison.
Final Thoughts
So, there you have it! We hope that you’ve found our Helltorch Farming guide in D2R very helpful!
Although acquiring the unique large charm is long and arduous, it is very much worth it given that it raises your skills by three, and gives you a whole host of other modifiers that can benefit your character in more ways than one.
Be sure to bookmark this page for future reference. While you’re at it, visit our D2R store if you want some help with itemization and gearing options. We have a wide assortment of items that can aid you in your fight against the Uber Bosses!
So, what are you waiting for? Visit our store today!