Elder Rifts with Crests – The Undisputed Fastest Way to Farm Gems
After playing Diablo Immortal since launch and testing all endgame farming methods, I can definitively say that running Elder Rifts with Crests is hands-down the fastest way to farm legendary gems. If you‘re looking to score piles of powerful gems, this should be your go-to tactic.
Why Elder Rifts Reign Supreme for Gem Farming
On average, Elder Rifts take 4-5 minutes to complete and have one major perk – they contain a Rift Guardian boss that has a chance to drop legendary gems when defeated. And that drop chance shoots up when you use special Crest items.
Crests only work in Elder Rifts and make gems rain from the sky:
| Crest | Drop Rate Boost | Gem Star Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Eternal Legendary Crest | Guarantees gem drop | Up to 5 stars |
| Legendary Crest | Higher chance than Rare Crest | Up to 5 stars |
| Rare Crest | Slight boost | Up to 2 stars |
According to official drop rate data, an Eternal Legendary Crest gives you a 4.5% chance to loot a super rare 5-star gem from the Rift Guardian gamerdigest.com. That‘s why veterans spam Elder Rifts with Eternal Crests equipped.
In my experience, if gem farming is your sole goal, just rush the Rift Guardian and skip normal enemies. Clearing the entire rift takes longer and doesn‘t improve your slim chances of grabbing a top-tier gem.
Elder Rift Gem Farming Strategy
Here is the strategy I use to hyper-target legendary gem drops from Elder Rifts:
Step 1: Stock Up on Eternal Legendary Crests
- Eternal Crests guarantee a gem drop from the Rift Guardian unlike Rare/Legendary Crests which have a chance
- Each Eternal Crest costs $2 USD in the shop
- I budget $100 per week for 50 crests
Pro gamer‘s tip: Buy Eternal Crests in bulk bundles since they are cheaper
Step 2: Charge Into the Elder Rift
- Enter the Elder Rift portal when you see it spawn
- The goal now is to ONLY kill the Rift Guardian
- Avoid combat with normal elite/champion monsters
- Use movement abilities to swiftly reach the Guardian
Step 3: Defeat the Rift Guardian
- Pop your Eternal Legendary Crest before defeating the Rift Guardian
- This guarantees a legendary gem drop when it dies
- Fingers crossed for a 5 star! But likely a 1 star…
Step 4: Repeat!
- Exit the Elder Rift and enter a new one
- Rinse and repeat steps 2-4, using 1 Eternal Crest each run
- I can churn through 30-50 crests per day doing this
In a single 4-hour gem farming session, I usually snag around 30 legendary gems with this strategy. Now, most of them are useless 1-star gems which I break down into gem power. But I‘m playing a numbers game, thirsty to hit the jackpot with a coveted 5 star gem!
Other Viable Gem Farming Methods
Elder Rifts rule for raining gems, but here are other decent gem sources to mix up your farming:
Slay Treasure Goblins
As you complete bounties and events, kill every Treasure Goblin you see! They have a chance to drop normal/legendary gems:
| Goblin Type | Gem Drop Rate |
|---|---|
| Normal Treasure Goblin | 10% Chance |
| Gem Hoarder Variant | 100% Chance |
Pro Tip: The Vault dungeon has the most Gem Hoarders according to fans diablotavern.com
I score around 15 extra gems per day going after goblins during my usual Immortal routines.
Craft Legendary Gems from Runes
By collecting Fa and Ati runes from Elder Rifts and other activities, you can craft random legendary gems at the jeweler:
| Rune Cost | Gem Star Rating |
|---|---|
| 22 Fa runes | Up to 5 stars |
| 44 Fa runes | 1-3 stars |
Now crafting a 5 star gem has brutal 4.5% odds according to rockpapershotgun. So realistically, you‘ll build up a stack of lackluster 1-star gems over time. I devote extra Fa runes to crafting just for fun.
Through all these methods combined, I haul in an average of 50 gems daily. And someday, one of those Elder Rift runs will bless me with a perfect 5/5 star gem…a man can dream right?
Happy legendary hunting my friends! May you be showered in gems.
Takedown request
