Season 11 has a different vibe in Diablo IV. You can still grind, sure, but you'll notice pretty fast that blind farming hits a wall. What actually moves your character forward is having a loop: push into Torment as soon as your build can stand up, then farm with purpose, then polish the drops you keep. If you're planning upgrades, it helps to think in terms of Diablo 4 Items you're hunting for, not just "more loot" in general.

1) Get Into Torment, Then Farm Fast

Don't waste hours trying to "perfect" gear in lower difficulties. It's a trap. Torment is where Ancestral gear starts showing up, and that's where your ceiling jumps. Once you're there, run Nightmare Dungeons like it's your day job, but pick tiers you can clear quickly. People love to flex by pushing too high, then they crawl through a dungeon for 15 minutes and wonder why upgrades feel rare. Speed runs mean more drops, steadier Glyph XP, and a smoother power curve.

2) Boss Runs Are for Specific Wins

Nightmares are great for volume, but they're not the whole story. When you're chasing build-defining Uniques or Mythic pieces, you've gotta target farm the endgame bosses. Duriel, Andariel, Belial—yeah, the mat grind can be annoying, but the payoff is real because you're rolling on the right loot tables. A good rhythm is simple: stock up through quick dungeon runs, then cash in materials with a boss streak. It keeps you from burning out, and it stops you from pretending random drops will eventually "just work out."

3) Helltides Feed Your Crafting Habit

Helltides aren't optional if you're serious. They're how you stay stocked on the stuff that makes crafting possible, especially if you're Tempering and Masterworking regularly. Focus on high-value chests and dense elite packs, not wandering around hoping something exciting happens. You're there for materials, period. And once you've got them, treat every promising drop like a project: Tempering to force in the kind of affix your build actually uses, then Masterworking to push the stats and chase those big breakpoints you can feel in combat.

4) Sanctification Is a One-Way Door

Sanctification is where people get sloppy. It's tempting to slam it on the first "pretty good" item, then regret it later. Don't. Use it only when the piece is already locked in: right base, right Greater Affixes, right Tempered rolls, and Masterworking that's landing where you need it. When it hits, it doesn't just add power—it changes how your whole setup plays, because you can build around that bonus with confidence. If you're chasing endgame strength without wasting weeks, you'll end up refining fewer pieces, but refining them harder, and that's how you land true diablo 4 gear without feeling like you're gambling every session.