So I’ve been grinding keys in Diablo 2 Resurrected like crazy this week. Wanted to unlock those damn Uber Tristram portals myself instead of trading. Figured I’d share how it went down step by step.
First Attempt Mess
Grabbed my 85-level Hammerdin – decent gear but nothing fancy. Stormed straight into Arcane Sanctuary for Summoner keys. Wasted hours clearing EVERY path like an idiot. Those winding platforms made me dizzy, kept missing the summoner’s spawn point. After 15 runs? ZERO keys. Realized I must be doing it wrong when my coffee got cold.
Switching Up Strategy
Changed two things next day:
- Targeted running – Learned Summoner always spawns near the right hut thingy
- Skipped trash mobs – Just teleported past ghosts straight to him
Boom! Got my first Hate Key on run #3. Felt like winning lottery tickets. Did 20 more runs stopping ONLY at correct spawn spots. Average? One key every 7 runs.
Finding Better Spots
Tried Countess for Terror Keys next. Her tower sucks – narrow stairs, archers stunning you nonstop. Died twice to stair traps. Screw that.
Moved to Nihlathak’s temple. Scary as hell with corpse explosions everywhere! Used my merc as bait near the stairs. Smart positioning let me hammer his minions safely. Dropped 2 Destruction Keys in 10 runs – way better than Countess dungeon.
Final Hotspots
After testing all week, here’s what actually worked for me:
- Summoner – Teleport directly to Arcane waypoint. Check ONLY four hut corners. Out immediately after kill.
- Nihlathak – Halls of Pain wp rush. Clear only his room using doorways as choke points.
- Countess – Only farm her when terror keys won’t drop elsewhere. Bring thaw potions!
Ended up with full 3×3 key set in two evenings. Still have nightmares about those snake dudes though.