Boss Locations and Summoning Items required (Season 7 - Diablo IV)

Bosses and Summoning Materials in Diablo IV

In Diablo IV, summoning endgame bosses requires specific materials, which are typically obtained through various activities like Helltides, Nightmare Dungeons, or defeating other bosses. As of March 10, 2025, the game has evolved through updates (notably with Season 6 and the Vessel of Hatred expansion), streamlining the summoning process by removing certain requirements like Stygian Stones and adjusting material costs. Below is a breakdown of the bosses and the materials needed to summon them, based on the current state of the game in Season 7: Season of Witchcraft. Note that all bosses are now their "Tormented" versions by default, offering enhanced rewards like Mythic Uniques.

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1. Echo of Varshan

• Location: Malignant Burrow, beneath the Tree of Whispers in Hawezar
• Materials Required:
  • 5 Malignant Hearts (for Tormented version)
• How to Obtain Materials:
  • Malignant Hearts drop from killing elites, Grotesque Debtors (spawned after events), and completing Grim Favors for the Tree of Whispers. They’re also more common during Blood Harvest events.
• Notes: Varshan is one of the easier Tormented bosses and a starting point on the "Boss Ladder." His drops include materials needed for summoning Duriel.

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2. Grigoire, the Galvanic Saint

• Location: Hall of the Penitent, south of Ked Bardu in the Dry Steppes
• Materials Required:
  • 5 Living Steel (for Tormented version)
• How to Obtain Materials:
  • Living Steel is primarily obtained from opening Tortured Gifts of Living Steel during Helltide events. The Chest of Living Steel drops the most, and additional steel can come from seasonal rewards or Helltide caches.
• Notes: Grigoire drops Shards of Agony, which are crucial for summoning Duriel. He’s accessible starting at Torment 1 difficulty.

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3. Lord Zir, the Dark Master

• Location: Ancient’s Seat, within The Darkened Way in Fractured Peaks
• Materials Required:
  • 9 Exquisite Blood (for Tormented version)
• How to Obtain Materials:
  • Exquisite Blood drops from World Bosses, Legion Events, and the Blood Maiden in Helltide (summoned with 3 Baneful Hearts at her altar). Legion Events are frequent, making this a reliable source.
• Notes: Lord Zir drops Sandscorched Shackles, used to summon Andariel. He’s a mid-tier boss in terms of difficulty.

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4. The Beast in Ice

• Location: Glacial Fissure (accessed via a Nightmare Sigil)
• Materials Required:
  • 9 Distilled Fear (for Tormented version)
• How to Obtain Materials:
  • Distilled Fear is collected by completing Nightmare Dungeons at Tier 30 or higher. The drop rate doesn’t seem to scale with dungeon tier, so faster clears at lower viable tiers are efficient.
• Notes: You craft a Glacial Fissure Nightmare Sigil at an Occultist using 9 Distilled Fear and 250 Sigil Powder (from salvaging Nightmare Sigils). This boss drops Pincushioned Dolls for summoning Andariel.

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5. Duriel, King of Maggots

• Location: Gaping Crevasse, east of Gea Kul in Kehjistan
• Materials Required:
  • 2 Mucus-Slick Eggs
  • 2 Shards of Agony (for Tormented version)
• How to Obtain Materials:
  • Mucus-Slick Eggs drop from defeating Echo of Varshan.
  • Shards of Agony drop from defeating Grigoire, the Galvanic Saint.
• Notes: Duriel is one of the top-tier bosses, alongside Andariel, with a shared loot table offering the highest chance for Mythic Uniques. Only the summoner receives these materials from Varshan and Grigoire, but they can trade them to party members.

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6. Andariel, Maiden of Anguish

• Location: Hanged Man’s Hall in Kehjistan
• Materials Required:
  • 2 Sandscorched Shackles
  • 2 Pincushioned Dolls (for Tormented version)
• How to Obtain Materials:
  • Sandscorched Shackles drop from defeating Lord Zir.
  • Pincushioned Dolls drop from defeating The Beast in Ice.
• Notes: Andariel shares Duriel’s loot table and is considered the hardest pinnacle boss. Tormented kills drop five times the loot, making her a prime target for farming.

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General Notes:

• Tormented Variants: Since Season 6, all boss encounters are Tormented by default, requiring more materials than their previous normal versions but offering better rewards (e.g., 5x loot and a ~7% Mythic Unique drop chance versus 1.5% for normal in earlier seasons).
• Material Farming Tips: Activities like Helltides, Nightmare Dungeons, and the Undercity (Tribute of Titans rotation) are efficient for gathering materials. Using Opals (e.g., Opal of Boss Materials) during these activities can boost drop rates.
• Transmutation: With Vessel of Hatred, you can transmute excess materials from lesser bosses into those needed for Duriel and Andariel at an Occultist, reducing grind time if you’re overstocked on, say, Living Steel but short on Mucus-Slick Eggs.

This structure reflects the "Boss Ladder," where defeating earlier bosses provides materials for the tougher ones (Duriel and Andariel). Adjustments in Season 6 and beyond have made farming more accessible, but the progression still rewards preparation and coordination, especially in groups where summoners can share materials. Let me know if you’d like specific farming strategies or loot details!

How to Calculate Damage Numbers in Diablo IV

Comprehensive Guide to Calculating Damage Numbers in Diablo IV

Understanding how damage is calculated in Diablo IV is essential for optimizing your character’s build and maximizing your effectiveness in combat. The game employs a complex system that combines base damage with various additive and multiplicative bonuses. This guide will walk you through the process step-by-step, providing a clear framework to calculate damage numbers for a single hit. Whether you’re a Barbarian cleaving through enemies or a Sorcerer hurling spells, this breakdown will help you grasp the mechanics behind your damage output.

Overview of Damage Calculation

In Diablo IV, damage is determined by starting with a base damage value, which is then modified by a series of additive bonuses and multiplicative bonuses. These bonuses come from your weapon, skills, attributes, gear affixes, and specific mechanics like critical strikes or vulnerable status. The general formula can be expressed as:

Total Damage = [Base Damage] × [1 + Sum of Additive Damage Bonuses] × [Multiplicative Bonuses]

The multiplicative bonuses typically include factors like your primary attribute, critical strike damage, vulnerable damage, and other global multipliers from unique items or legendary aspects. Below, we’ll break this down into manageable sections.

Step 1: Calculate Base Damage

The foundation of your damage calculation is the base damage, which depends on your weapon and the skill you’re using.

• Weapon Damage: Every weapon in Diablo IV has a damage range (e.g., 50–100 damage). For simplicity, you can use the average weapon damage when calculating. For dual-wielding classes like Barbarians or Rogues, the game typically uses the damage of the specific weapon tied to the skill’s hit. For a general guide, assume we’re calculating for a single hit with one weapon’s average damage.
• Skill Damage Percentage: Each skill has a damage percentage listed in its description (e.g., “Deals 100% weapon damage”). This percentage scales directly with your weapon damage. Even many spells in Diablo IV scale with weapon damage, unlike some other games where they might have independent values.

Formula for Base Damage:

Base Damage = Weapon Damage × Skill Damage %

Example:

- Weapon Damage: 50–100 (average = 75)
- Skill: “Deals 120% weapon damage”
- Base Damage = 75 × 1.2 = 90

Note: The damage shown in skill tooltips may already include some bonuses (like attributes), but for a precise manual calculation, start with weapon damage and skill percentage as the raw base.

Step 2: Apply Additive Damage Bonuses

Next, you add up all additive damage bonuses. These are percentage increases that stack together within the same “damage bucket” and are applied to the base damage. Additive bonuses are common and come from various sources, such as skills, passives, gear affixes, and paragon boards.

Common Sources of Additive Bonuses:

• Skill and Passive Bonuses: e.g., +20% damage with Core Skills
• Enemy-Specific Bonuses: e.g., +15% damage to Elites, +10% damage to Demons
• Conditional Bonuses: e.g., +25% damage to Close Enemies, +30% damage while Healthy
• General Bonuses: e.g., +10% damage from a gear affix

Sum all applicable additive bonuses to get the total additive damage percentage.

Formula:

Additive Damage Multiplier = 1 + Sum of Additive Bonuses

Example:

- +20% damage with Core Skills
- +15% damage to Close Enemies
- +10% damage to Elites
- Total Additive Bonus = 20% + 15% + 10% = 45% = 0.45
- Additive Damage Multiplier = 1 + 0.45 = 1.45

Damage So Far = Base Damage × Additive Damage Multiplier

Using the previous example:
- Base Damage = 90
- Damage with Additive Bonuses = 90 × 1.45 = 130.5

Step 3: Apply Multiplicative Bonuses

After additive bonuses, multiplicative bonuses are applied. These are separate “damage buckets” that multiply the damage further, making them more powerful than additive bonuses. In Diablo IV, the main multiplicative bonuses include the primary attribute, critical strike damage, vulnerable damage, and other global multipliers.

3.1 Primary Attribute Multiplier

Each class has a primary attribute that boosts damage:

• Barbarian: Strength
• Rogue: Dexterity
• Sorcerer: Intelligence
• Necromancer: Intelligence
• Druid: Willpower
• Spiritborn: Resolve

The exact scaling isn’t publicly detailed, but it’s commonly understood that the primary attribute provides a multiplicative bonus. For example, every 10 points of your primary stat might grant +1% damage, though this is an approximation.

Assumed Formula:

Primary Attribute Multiplier = 1 + (Primary Stat × Scaling Factor)

- Scaling Factor might be something like 0.001 (0.1% per point), but let’s assume 1000 Strength = +100% damage (2x) for simplicity.

Example:

- Primary Stat: 1000 Strength
- Multiplier = 1 + (1000 × 0.001) = 1 + 1 = 2

3.2 Critical Strike Multiplier

If the hit is a critical strike (based on your Critical Strike Chance), you apply the critical strike multiplier. The base critical damage is 50% (1.5x), increased by additional critical damage bonuses from gear or skills.

Formula:

Critical Multiplier = 1 + (Base Crit Damage + Additional Crit Damage %)

• Base Crit Damage = 0.5 (50%)
• Additional Crit Damage = e.g., +50% from gear

Example:

- Base Crit Damage = 50%
- +50% Critical Damage Bonus
- Critical Multiplier = 1 + (0.5 + 0.5) = 1 + 1 = 2 (if crit occurs)

If the hit isn’t a crit, this multiplier is 1 (no increase).

3.3 Vulnerable Damage Multiplier

When an enemy is Vulnerable (often triggered by skills or effects), they take increased damage. The base vulnerable bonus is 20% (1.2x), enhanced by additional vulnerable damage bonuses.

Formula:

Vulnerable Multiplier = 1 + (Base Vulnerable Damage + Additional Vulnerable Damage %)

• Base Vulnerable Damage = 0.2 (20%)
• Additional Vulnerable Damage = e.g., +30%

Example:

- Base Vulnerable Damage = 20%
- +30% Vulnerable Damage Bonus
- Vulnerable Multiplier = 1 + (0.2 + 0.3) = 1.5 (if enemy is vulnerable)

If the enemy isn’t vulnerable, this multiplier is 1.

3.4 Other Global Multipliers

Certain legendary aspects, unique items, or skills provide additional multiplicative bonuses (e.g., “x% increased damage”). These are rare but stack multiplicatively with the above.

Example:

- Unique Item: +50% increased damage
- Multiplier = 1 + 0.5 = 1.5

Total Multiplicative Bonus = Primary Attribute Multiplier × Critical Multiplier × Vulnerable Multiplier × Other Multipliers

Final Damage Formula

Putting it all together:

Total Damage = [Base Damage] × [1 + Sum of Additive Bonuses] × [Primary Attribute Multiplier] × [Critical Multiplier (if crit)] × [Vulnerable Multiplier (if vulnerable)] × [Other Global Multipliers]

Full Example:

- Weapon Damage: 75 (average)
- Skill Damage %: 120% (1.2)
- Additive Bonuses: +45% (1.45 multiplier)
- Primary Stat: 1000 Strength (2x multiplier)
- Critical Strike: Yes, with +50% bonus (2x multiplier)
- Vulnerable: Yes, with +30% bonus (1.5x multiplier)
- Other Multipliers: None (1x)

1. Base Damage = 75 × 1.2 = 90
2. With Additive Bonuses = 90 × 1.45 = 130.5
3. Primary Stat = 130.5 × 2 = 261
4. Critical Strike = 261 × 2 = 522
5. Vulnerable = 522 × 1.5 = 783

Total Damage = 783

Additional Considerations

Overpower Mechanic

Overpower is a separate mechanic with a base 3% chance to trigger, adding bonus damage equal to your total Life plus Fortify. This bonus can crit and is added to the total damage but calculated separately. For simplicity, it’s often excluded from per-hit calculations unless focusing on an Overpower build.

Attack Speed and DPS

Attack speed doesn’t affect damage per hit but increases your damage per second (DPS) by allowing more hits over time. To calculate DPS, multiply the damage per hit by your attacks per second.

Damage Variance

Weapon damage ranges mean your actual damage varies slightly per hit. Use average values for consistency.

Enemy Defenses

This guide focuses on your damage output before enemy damage reduction (e.g., armor or resistances), which would lower the final damage taken by enemies.

Summary

To calculate damage numbers in Diablo IV:

1. Base Damage: Multiply your weapon’s average damage by the skill’s damage percentage.
2. Additive Bonuses: Sum all +% damage bonuses and apply as a single multiplier (1 + total %).
3. Multiplicative Bonuses: Apply separate multipliers for primary attribute, critical strikes (if applicable), vulnerable status (if applicable), and other global effects.
4. Multiply all components together for the total damage per hit.

By understanding and balancing these “damage buckets,” you can optimize your gear and skills for maximum output.

Happy slaying, Nephalem!

10 Survival Tips for Beginners in Sons of the Forest

 

1. Prioritize Shelter: Build a shelter early on to protect yourself from the elements and enemies. Use leaves, sticks, and logs to construct a basic shelter or find a suitable location to set up camp.

2. Gather Resources: Collect resources such as sticks, rocks, and plants to craft weapons, tools, and traps. Explore your surroundings to find valuable items and materials to aid in your survival. 3. Manage Hunger and Thirst: Keep an eye on your hunger and thirst meters and consume food and water regularly to maintain your stamina and health. Hunt animals, gather berries, and collect water from natural sources to stay nourished. 4. Be Stealthy: Avoid attracting the attention of hostile creatures by moving quietly and staying hidden. Use stealth to evade enemies or set up ambushes to take them down silently. 5. Craft Weapons: Craft weapons like spears, axes, and bows to defend yourself against aggressive wildlife and hostile mutants. Upgrade your weapons whenever possible to increase their effectiveness in combat. 6. Build Defensive Structures: Construct defensive structures such as walls, traps, and lookout towers to fortify your base and fend off attacks from enemies. Strategically place defensive structures to cover vulnerable areas and prevent enemy incursions.

7. Explore Caves: Explore underground caves to discover valuable resources, hidden secrets, and potential shelter locations. Be prepared for encounters with dangerous creatures and plan your expeditions accordingly. 8. Stay Alert at Night: Be extra cautious at night as visibility decreases and hostile creatures become more active. Use torches, flares, or crafted light sources to illuminate your surroundings and keep threats at bay. 9. Save Often: Save your progress frequently to avoid losing valuable resources and progress in case of unexpected events or encounters. Establish multiple save points throughout the game world to ensure you always have a backup plan.

10. Team Up: Consider teaming up with other players in multiplayer mode to increase your chances of survival. Collaborate on building projects, share resources, and watch each other’s backs during encounters with enemies. (I play solo, but, online and with others is fun and greatly increases your chance of survival!)

Sons of the Forest on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/points/shop/

Favorite Sci-Fi Games

 

My top 10 favorite Sci-Fi games:

1. Alien: Isolation
2. Half-Life 2
3. Mass Effect 2
4. The Outer Worlds
5. The Callisto Protocol
6. Aliens: Fire Team Elite
7. Knights of the Old Republic II
8. No Man’s Sky
9. Prey
10. Returnal

These are my faves, not necessarily the best. pic.twitter.com/Bc6f1FNnhF

— crizzo (@crizzonet) January 27, 2023

The Callisto Protocol

Alien: Isolation

The Outer Worlds

Returnal

How to disable L3 in ELDEN RING on PS5 and Xbox

To re-enable, just go back to Controller Settings in game, and press Triangle for Default button layout. To hop off of Torrent, just press the same button (combo) you use to call Torrent, it will also hop off of Torrent as well. No need to re-enable L3, unless you want to sneak. 

Buy Elden Ring: https://amzn.to/3pmkGoq

The best 3rd Party keyboard for the iPad Pro

I have been using this IEGrow keyboard case for the 10.5" iPad Pro for about a week now, and in my opinion it is the best keyboard case I have used for the iPad Pro. That opinion includes my use of the Apple Smart Keyboard. What I like about it is the keyboard features a backlit keyboard, which has 7 colors to choose from, if that is something you are interested in. The backlights can be adjusted to 3 levels of brightness, including turning them completely off if you do not need backlighting on your keyboard.

The only negative that I can think of with this keyboard case is the weight, it does add a considerable amount of bulk/weight to the iPad. The keyboard case weighs 1.69 pounds, which double the weight the of the iPad; but, if you are wanting a laptop experience with an iPad this is not as big of an issue in the grand scheme of things.

Keyboard highlights:
- Backlit keyboard with 7 different colors of lighting
- 360º swivel design
- Convertible style keyboard case so you can flip the iPad back and use like a normal tablet
- Fully functioning keyboard
- Price, less than $60
- Battery life is around 100 hours
- Charge time is 1-2 hours
- Bluetooth 4.0

You can purchase the IEGrow F360 Keyboard case on Amazon for only $58.99: https://amzn.to/2IyHtWe

Alchemy Table for The Elder Scrolls Online

The following list are the ingredients used to craft the different potions in The Elder Scrolls Online. I will be updating this as I go, this is more or less just for my personal use, but if it helps a new player in knowing what ingredients to use then I am glad I could assist. If you have any questions, feel free to ask below.

The potions below are all positive effect potions;

Restore Health 

• Blue Entoloma
• Bugloss
• Columbine
• Luminous Russula
• Mountain Flower
• Water Hyacinth

Restore Magicka 

• Bugloss
• Columbine
• Corn Flower
• Lady's Smock

Restore Stamina 

• Blessed Thistle
• Columbine
• Dragonthorn
• Mountain Flower

Increase Spell Critical

• Lady's Smock
• Namira's Rot
• Water Hyacinth

Increase Weapon Critical

• Dragonthorn
• Water Hyacinth
• Wormwood

Increase Spell Power

• Corn Flower
• Lady's Smock
• Violet Coprinus

Increase Weapon Power

• Blessed Thistle
• Dragonthorn
• Stinkhorn

Increase Spell Resist

• Bugloss
• Whitecap

Increase Armor

• Imp Stool
• Mountain Flower

Detection

• Corn Flower
• Wormwood

Invisibility

• Blue Entoloma
• Namira's Rot
• Nirnroot

Increase Speed

• Blessed Thistle
• Namira's Rot

Unstoppable

• Columbine
• Namira's Rot
• Wormwood

The below potions are all negative effect potions;

Ravage Health

• Blessed Thistle
• Corn Flower
• Emetic Russula
• Nirnroot
• Stinkhorn
• Violet Coprinus

Ravage Magicka

• Blue Entoloma
• Emetic Russula
• Violet Coprinus
• Whitecap

Ravage Stamina

• Emetic Russula
• Imp Stool
• Luminous Russula
• Stinkhorn

Lower Spell Critical

• Nirnroot
• Whitecap

Lower Weapon Critical

• Imp Stool
• Nirnroot

Lower Spell Power

• Blue Entoloma
• Bugloss
• Whitecap

Lower Weapon Power

• Imp Stool
• Luminous Russula
• Mountain Flower

Lower Spell Power

• Blue Entoloma
• Bugloss
• Whitecap

Lower Armor

• Dragonthorn
• Stinkhorn

Lower Speed

• Luminous Russula
• Wormwood

Stun

• Emetic Russula
• Water Hyacinth