Mastering Infernal Hordes: The Power of Compass and Chaos Waves

[niubi]

Infernal Hordes are Diablo 4’s version of a horde shooter, with waves of demons charging at you, making it an adrenaline-fueled endgame activity. The key to success is using your Burning Aether wisely, selecting Infernal Offers that stack in your favor, and timing your moves around events that can double your rewards.

The activity starts simple enough: slay demons in the Burning Hells to accumulate Aether, then use that Aether to pick up special offers that provide boons. But what separates good players from great ones is the ability to leverage Compass to Carnage and Chaos Waves to turn these runs into profit.

Compass to Carnage is a mechanic that makes a huge difference. When activated, it effectively doubles your drop rates during these events. You can farm Helltide chests, open Tree caches, or complete Nightmare Dungeon ends to gather Pit rewards more efficiently. This added drop rate boosts your supply of Aether, while also increasing the chances of Chaos Armor and other powerful gear appearing in your loot table.

On top of that, Chaos Waves can appear more frequently, swapping out your current Infernal Offers and giving you a fresh round of bonuses to choose from. Often, you’ll get Goblins spitting out 25+ Aether at a time, meaning you can collect a lot more Aether per wave, pushing you toward those higher wave targets. These mechanics make farming the Fell Council and Bartuc even more rewarding.

The Rift Aether bonus also deserves special mention here. By sealing fiery rifts that appear during the event, you can collect 9-15 additional Aether for every rift, further amplifying your rewards [Please login or register to view this link].

Let’s take a look at the rewards per wave and how you can maximize your loot:

Wave 4 (Fleeting): This is the introductory wave. You need 200 Aether to clear it, and there’s no boss. The rewards are small, mostly basic mats and gold.

Wave 6: The stakes increase to 400 Aether, and you face the Fell Council. Here, you’ll get 1-2 Ancestral items and some useful Scrolls [Please login or register to view this link].

Wave 8: At 550 Aether, you’ll fight the Fell Council again, but now the loot pool gets even juicier, with the chance to get Uniques and Chaos Armor pieces.

Wave 10: The grand finale. With 666+ Aether, you’ll face off against Bartuc, and the rewards are insane: 4 Scrolls, a 75 Aether refund, 15M gold, and a treasure trove of gems.