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'''Cruel''' difficulty is the moniker for the level-upscaled versions of [[Act 1]], [[Act 2]], and [[Act 3]] temporarily introduced during [[Early Access]] as a replacement for Acts 4 to Act 6, before a player can reach [[Endgame]]. Cruel difficulty will be removed once the remaining acts are released.
{{Historical content}}
'''Cruel''' difficulty was the moniker for the level-upscaled versions of [[Act 1]], [[Act 2]], and [[Act 3]] temporarily introduced during [[Early Access]] as a replacement for Acts 4 to Act 6, before a player can reach [[Endgame]].
 
Cruel difficulty was removed in [[Version 0.3.0]] and replaced with [[Act 4]] and three [[Act#Interludes|Interlude]]s.


__TOC__
__TOC__


After defeating the [[act boss]] of Act 3, the player will advance to [[Act 1]] at Cruel difficulty.
==Overview==
After defeating the [[act boss]] of Act 3 and being at least Level 25, the player will advance to [[Act 1]] at Cruel difficulty. The permanent -10% all resistance penalty will apply after the completion of each Cruel act as well.


Cruel difficulty contains the same [[area]]s, [[monster]]s, and [[quest]]s (with some minor differences). The difference between the default difficulty is primarily the increased [[area level]], consequentially increasing the local [[monster level]] and [[item level]] within these areas.
Cruel difficulty contains the same [[area]]s, [[monster]]s, and [[quest]]s (with some minor differences). The difference between the default difficulty is primarily the increased [[area level]], consequentially increasing the local [[monster level]] and [[item level]] within these areas.
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==Content differences from regular acts==
==Content differences from regular acts==
* Some areas may have new monster types.
* [[Quest reward]]s provide higher level or different rewards.
* [[Chest]]s and [[strongbox]]es innately have 50% more item rarity and quantity.
* The ending of [[Act 3]] is different.
===Changes by area===
The following is not an exhaustive list:


* [[The Riverbank]]
** No longer has tutorials or guaranteed item chests.
** Additional monsters: [[River Hag]], [[Drowned Crawler]]
* [[Clearfell Encampment]]
** The [[Salvage Bench]] and [[Reforging Bench]] are available in Clearfell Encampment and all other Cruel difficulty towns by default if previously unlocked.
* [[Clearfell]]
** [[Beira of the Rotten Pack]] drops an additional {{il|Head of the Winter Wolf}}.
** '''Mysterious Campsite''': Abandoned Stash contains a random {{c|rare|rare}} weapon.
* [[Mud Burrow]]
** [[The Devourer]] drops a Level 11 {{il|page=Uncut Skill Gem}}.
** Additional monsters: [[Plague Nymph]], [[Rotted Rat]]
* [[The Grelwood]]
** [[The Brambleghast]] drops a Level 11 {{il|page=Uncut Skill Gem}}.
** '''Areagne's Hut''': Cauldron chest contains a normal {{il|Gargantuan Life Flask}} and {{il|Gargantuan Mana Flask}}.
** Additional monsters: [[Skeleton Spriggan]], [[Cultivated Grove]], [[Fungal Proliferator]], [[Fungal Rattler]], [[Fungal Artillery]]
* [[The Red Vale]]
** The Ancient Ezomytes summoned by the Obelisk of Rust are all {{c|magic|magic}}.
** Additional monsters: [[Bloom Serpent]], [[Risen Arbalest]], [[Knight-Gaunt]]
* [[The Grim Tangle]]
** [[The Rotten Druid]] drops a Level 2 {{il|Uncut Support Gem}}.
* [[Cemetery of the Eternals]]
** [[Lachlann of Endless Lament]] drops a Level 2 {{il|Uncut Support Gem}}.
** '''Ancient Ruin''': The Sarcophagus drops a {{c|magic|magic}} ring instead.
* [[Tomb of the Consort]]
** '''Haunted Treasure''': The rare Eternal Knight drops a Level 2 {{il|Uncut Support Gem}}.
* [[Hunting Grounds]]
**  [[The Crowbell]] drops another {{il|Book of Specialisation}}.
**  '''Dryadic Ritual''': The rare [[Cultivated Grove]] drops a rare weapon.
**  '''Ritual Altar''': Drops a Level 12 {{il|page=Uncut Skill Gem}} on completing the Ritual.
* [[Ogham Farmlands]]
** [[Vargir the Feral Mutt]] drops a Level 12 {{il|page=Uncut Skill Gem}}.
** Additional monsters: [[Iron Thaumaturgist]], [[Werewolf Prowler]]
* [[Ogham Village]]
** [[The Executioner]] drops a Level 2 {{il|Uncut Support Gem}}.
* [[The Manor Ramparts]]
** The hanged man drops a Level 2 {{il|Uncut Support Gem}}.
** Additional monsters: [[Death Knight]]
* [[Ogham Manor]]
** [[Candlemass, the Living Rite]] drops {{il|page=Candlemass' Essence (Cruel)}}, which grants a different permanent stat bonus.
* [[Mawdun Quarry]]
** Additional monsters: [[Faridun Crawler]], [[Plague Harvester]]
* [[Mawdun Mine]]
** Additional monsters: [[Forgotten Crawler]]
** [[Rudja, the Dread Engineer]] does not have a guaranteed drop in Cruel difficulty. This is also reflected in the world map ({{key press|U}}), which lacks an icon for the boss, unlike the normal difficulty. The boss must still be killed in order to progress the storyline.
* [[Traitor's Passage]]
** [[Balbala, the Traitor]] drops an Area Level 52 {{il|Djinn Barya}} (instead of [[Balbala's Barya|the quest version]]) and a Level 12 {{il|page=Uncut Skill Gem}}. This drop is only a guaranteed drop for the first boss kill only. Afterwards the world map ({{key press|U}}) will crossed the boss.
* [[Keth]]
** '''Abandoned Shrine''': The chest drops a {{c|magic|magic}} [[amulet]].
* [[The Lost City]]
** [[The Ninth Treasure of Keth]] drops another {{c|magic|magic}} regular [[jewel]].
** '''Golden Tomb''': Drops a Level 13 {{il|Uncut Spirit Gem}}.
* [[Buried Shrines]]
** '''Suspicious Sarcophagus''':  The tomb contains a Level 13 {{il|page=Uncut Skill Gem}}.
** '''Elemental Offering''':  The three Offerings again grant a choice between a {{c|magic|magic}} {{il|Ruby Ring}}, {{il|Sapphire Ring}}, or {{il|Topaz Ring}}.
* [[Mastodon Badlands]]
** '''Fossilised Memorial''': The Bone Effigy drops a Level 13 {{il|page=Uncut Skill Gem}}.
* [[Valley of the Titans]]
** The Medallion in Cruel difficulty instead grants {{c|normal|30% increased Charm Charges gained}} or {{c|normal|15% increased Life Recovery from Flasks}}. This can be changed at any time by returning to the Medallion.
* [[Path of Mourning]]
** '''Hushed Urn''': Drops a Level 13 {{il|page=Uncut Skill Gem}}.
* [[The Spires of Deshar]]
** '''Sisters of Garukhan''': Grants an additional permanent {{c|mod|+10% to Lightning Resistance}}.
** [[Tor Gul, the Defiler]]: Drops a Level 14 {{il|page=Uncut Skill Gem}}.
* [[Sandswept Marsh]]
** '''Azak Campfire''': Contains a chest that drops a {{il|Lesser Jeweller's Orb}}.
** '''Hanging Tree''': A nearby corpse contains a {{c|magic|magic}} ring.
* [[Ziggurat Encampment]]
** Completing {{ql|The Slithering Dead}} grants one of {{il|Venom Draught of the Lost}}, {{il|Venom Draught of the Sky}}, or {{il|Venom Draught of the Marshes}}.
* [[Chimeral Wetlands]]
** [[Xyclucian, the Chimera]] does not drop [[Chimeral Inscribed Ultimatum|the quest version Inscribed Ultimatum]].
* [[Jiquani's Machinarium]]
** [[Blackjaw, the Remnant]] drops an additional {{il|The Flame Core}}.
* [[The Azak Bog]]
** [[Ignagduk, the Bog Witch]] drops {{il|Gemcrust Skull}} instead of {{il|Gemrot Skull}}.
* [[Apex of Filth]]
** '''Bubbling Respite''': Drops quality {{il|Ultimate Life Flask}} and {{il|Ultimate Mana Flask}}.
* [[Temple of Kopec]]
** [[Ketzuli, High Priest of the Sun]] drops a Level 14 {{il|page=Uncut Skill Gem}}.
* [[Utzaal]]
** [[Viper Napuatzi]] drops a Level 3 {{il|page=Uncut Support Gem}}.
** '''Trialmaster's Challenge''': Take the Ultimatum Key from the statue of the Trialmaster for an area level 62 {{il|Inscribed Ultimatum}}.
** '''Peculiar Fortunes''':
*** {{il|Golden Idol}} vendors for 875 Gold.
*** {{il|Grand Idol}} vendors for 1750 Gold.
*** {{il|Glorious Idol}} vendors for 2625 Gold.
** An additional {{il|Sacrificial Heart}} can drop from [[Vaal Goliath]]s either here or in Aggorat.
* [[Aggorat]]
** An additional {{il|Sacrificial Heart}} can drop from [[Vaal Goliath]]s either here or in Utzaal.
* [[The Black Chambers]]
** Defeating [[Doryani]] will cause the Vaal Cataclysm to occur, leading to the player being taken to [[The Ziggurat Refuge]] and the [[epilogue]] instead of returning to [[The Riverbank]].


==Version history==
==Version history==
{{Version history table header}}
{{Version history table header}}
{{Version history table row|0.3.0|
* The Third Edict also marks the removal of Cruel Difficulty. We've introduced three new temporary interludes, a set of side stories that will take you to level 65, where the Endgame begins.
}}
{{Version history table row|0.2.0|
* Characters are now required to be at least level 25 to enter Cruel difficulty areas and level 50 to enter Endgame areas.
}}
{{Version history table row|0.1.0|
{{Version history table row|0.1.0|
* Introduced to the game.
* Introduced to the game.

Latest revision as of 13:23, 23 August 2025

This article describes historical game content.

Cruel difficulty was the moniker for the level-upscaled versions of Act 1, Act 2, and Act 3 temporarily introduced during Early Access as a replacement for Acts 4 to Act 6, before a player can reach Endgame.

Cruel difficulty was removed in Version 0.3.0 and replaced with Act 4 and three Interludes.

Overview

After defeating the act boss of Act 3 and being at least Level 25, the player will advance to Act 1 at Cruel difficulty. The permanent -10% all resistance penalty will apply after the completion of each Cruel act as well.

Cruel difficulty contains the same areas, monsters, and quests (with some minor differences). The difference between the default difficulty is primarily the increased area level, consequentially increasing the local monster level and item level within these areas.

Higher level versions of some existing equipment base types will also begin to appear in these areas, usually designated by "Advanced" in the item name. These are placeholder base types as equipment is themed towards each act they begin appearing in.

Cruel acts will not repeat tutorials found in the earlier acts.

Content differences from regular acts

  • Some areas may have new monster types.
  • Quest rewards provide higher level or different rewards.
  • Chests and strongboxes innately have 50% more item rarity and quantity.
  • The ending of Act 3 is different.

Changes by area

The following is not an exhaustive list:

Version history

Version Changes
0.3.0
  • The Third Edict also marks the removal of Cruel Difficulty. We've introduced three new temporary interludes, a set of side stories that will take you to level 65, where the Endgame begins.
0.2.0
  • Characters are now required to be at least level 25 to enter Cruel difficulty areas and level 50 to enter Endgame areas.
0.1.0
  • Introduced to the game.
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