Abyssal Rift: green lava in the Maps
The endgame has a new mechanic: the Abyssal Rift, a rift of green lava that tears open across the ground in Maps.
A rift that opens as you go
In Maps (tier 1 and up, never in the campaign), the ground is sometimes cracked. The rift starts closed, with only a faint glow at its tip. Get close and it tears open along the ground, with green lava flowing inside and sparks rising from the crater. Walk away and it stops and waits.
- The chance is about 30% at tier 1 and grows with the tier. Sometimes a second rift shows up in the same map.
- While it opens, the rift releases five groups of Abyss monsters: the Crawler, the Stalker (which pounces on whoever is near) and the Seer (which opens pools of shadow where you are about to step). The last group brings a rare.
- Abyssal Ore veins appear along the way.
The end of the rift
When the rift finishes opening, an Abyssal Chest appears, with more items than a regular chest, Abyssal Ore and a chance of an abyssal rune. Sometimes, instead of the chest, a portal to the Abyssal Depths opens.
The Depths and the Abyssal Maw
The Depths are a small arena at the bottom of the rift, a little above the map's level. The Abyssal Maw lives there, a huge mouth that spits out its brood and brings the roof down in embers. Down there the town portal does not open: the way out is the portal at the end, which takes you back to the same map, right next to where you went in. Died down there? The map stays waiting in the town portal.
Abyssal runes
Abyssal Ore becomes Abyssal Ingot at the Smelting tab. With ingots and gold, Dravo (in Hell) and Dorin forge three runes that never drop and are never sold:
- Abyssal Shadow (weapon): more Shadow damage and Shadow resistance penetration.
- Abyssal Hunger (weapon, gloves, helmet): life and mana on kill.
- Abyssal Echo (helmet, body armour, boots): more chance of a Rift in the maps you open.
Only one abyssal rune fits per item.
In co-op
The whole group sees the rift open and fights the same monsters. The chest opens for everyone, and each player gets their own loot.