Infernal Hordes stands out in Season 10 of Diablo 4 as one of the most rewarding and engaging farming activities, especially when combined with Legion events. The focus for many players is how to consistently maximize Aether gains, reaching 1,000 or more per run, so you can cash in for the best possible rewards. Here we are going to present the best Infernal Hordes choices and strategies for maximizing your Aether, providing an overview of mechanics, detailed boon and bane selection, and wave management tips for both solo players and groups.
Diablo 4 Season 10 Infernal Hordes Best Choices & Aether Max Guide
Infernal Hordes is a wave-based dungeon event. You’ll tackle either 6, 8, or 10 waves per run, with each wave presenting you with a choice between a boon (a benefit) or a bane (a drawback that makes things tougher). As you progress, you’ll collect Aether, a special currency used at the end of the run to unlock chests for loot, materials, and seasonal rewards like Chaos Armor.
To enter, you’ll need Infernal Horde Compasses, available in Magic (blue, 6-wave), Rare (yellow, 8-wave), and Legendary (orange, 10-wave) variants. The color simply indicates the number of waves, not the quality of loot. The best methods to obtain these compasses are:
Defeating Asteroth at the end of escalating Nightmare Dungeons, which drops multiple compasses.
Leveling up your Seasonal Reputation board, which grants caches containing compasses and Chaos items.
Completing Whisper Caches from Grim Favors, which guarantee three compasses per cache.
During each wave, you'll face a variety of enemies and events, including Bone, Bane, and Chaos Waves. Each presents unique opportunities for earning more Aether—selecting the right options as you progress is the core of maximizing your rewards.
Diablo 4 Infernal Hordes Best Choices - Boon/Bane Tier List (Season 10)
At the start of each wave, you’re presented with three options, each a mix of boons and banes. Boons benefit your run, often by spawning more valuable enemy types or increasing Aether drops, while banes generally increase difficulty. The choices you make at each stage stack, shaping the rest of your run.
S-Tier Boons (Top Priority Picks)
The Colossal Fiends:
Aether Fiends now spawn as Aether Lords and drop 3x Aether, Aether Lord cause hellfire to erupt around them
This is the most impactful boon for stacking Aether quickly. When available, always select it, especially if your build can handle the tougher mini-bosses.
The Ruthless Lords:
Aether Lords grant +5 Aether, Aether Lords gain health and damage for each spawn
Further amplifies the value of Ether Lords. Combine with Colossal Fiends for best results.
The Exalted Fiends:
Aether Fiends grant +2 Aether, Aether Fiends have greatly increased health
Boosts every Fiend kill, especially strong when paired with other Fiend/Lord spawns.
The Fiendish Legions:
Aether Fiends have a chance to spawn in place of Elites, Elites and Aether Fiends damage increased by +25%
Increases the number of Fiends on the battlefield, synergizing with all Fiend/Lord-related boons.
The Chaotic Offering:
Starts a random Chaos Wave. Pray for Goblins!
Chaos Waves can dramatically spike your Aether, most notably when Goblins or Lords appear.
The Exalted Hordes:
Aether events spawn 50% faster, Normal monster damage +25%
More events mean more opportunities for Aether and synching with other boon effects.
A-Tier Boons (Strong Choices, Especially with Synergy)
Teeming Masses:
Masses have a chance to spawn Aether Fiends on death.
Useful for extending your Fiend/Lord synergy and providing a steady stream of extra Aether.
The Bursting Masses:
Wave Start spawns two Aetheric Masses.
Good for early event progress and combos well with Masses-related boons.
The Aether Goblins:
Aether events can spawn Aether Goblins.
Goblins provide a random, but sometimes very high, amount of Aether.
The Draining Spires:
Soulspires grant +1 Aether on death.
Not as explosive as Fiend/Lord paths, but a solid supplement, especially if you can stack Spires multipliers.
B-Tier Boons (Situational or Filler Picks)
The Anchored Masses:
Aetheric Masses have a chance to spawn a Soulspire on death.
Use if you’re building into Spires or lack better options.
Precious/Treasured/Coveted Spires:
Soulspires grant additional Aether.
If you get several of these, Spires can become a strong path, but require a commitment to this synergy.
Burning Rain / Wrath of Hell (Hellfire):
At the end of each wave, spawn 9-24 Aether.
Flat Aether gain. Not the best, but dependable if synergy picks are missing.
C-Tier Boons (Less Consistent or Build-Dependent)
Ambushing/Exalted/Summoned Hellborne:
Hellborne now grant +1 Aether, can ambush, or spawn with events.
Theoretically stackable but underperforms compared to Fiend/Lord paths due to lower spawn rates and less synergistic potential.
Stalking Devil (Butcher):
Slay for +100 Aether.
Pick late in the run if you need to top up your Aether and no better synergy is available.
D-Tier Boons (Low Priority)
Diablo 4 Infernal Hordes Best Chaos Waves (Season 10)
When to Pick Chaos Waves?
Chaos Waves provide a random, high-reward event, including possibilities like fiends, lords, wisps, or goblins. Goblin Chaos Waves are especially lucrative, sometimes providing several thousand Aether in a single wave for optimized builds. However, Chaos Waves are best chosen later in the run when synergy picks are less available or when you need a last-minute boost to reach your Aether target. Early Chaos Waves may not be as efficient, as they can disrupt the stacking of more consistent synergies.
6, 8, or 10, Which Chaos Wave To Pick?
Fleeting Hordes (four waves) are excluded from tournament settings, leaving six, eight, and ten wave options. Many players favor eight waves for a solid balance between time investment and reliable Bartuk spawns. The goal during a run is to gather at least 1,000 Aether, spending 666 to fight Bartuk for major rewards and using the remainder on chests at the end. Ten-wave runs offer more opportunities to reach this target, especially if your build isn’t fully optimized, since they include two extra waves packed with potential bonuses. Six-wave runs are best suited for quick completions or Whisper objectives but often lack the synergy needed for top rewards.
Diablo 4 Easy Fast Aether Max Guide: How to Maximize Your Aether in Season 10?
Below, we present our strategies on how to maximize your Aether to make every run more rewarding:
1. Choose the Right Wave Count
6-wave runs: Fast but struggle to reach the Aether threshold for the best rewards. Good for quick Whisper completions but not for top Aether gains.
8-wave runs: Offer the best balance of time and reward, making it easier to hit 1,000+ Aether per run.
10-wave runs: Best for maximizing Aether, with more waves, more Chaos Waves (two per run), and more opportunities to stack synergistic boons.
2. Stack Synergistic Boons
The biggest Aether comes from stacking effects that multiply each other. Focus early picks on:
Anything that spawns more Aether Fiends
Boons that convert Fiends into Aether Lords
Boons increasing Aether dropped by Fiends or Lords
Boons that cause Masses to spawn Fiends
Once you start down a synergy path (Fiends/Lords or Spires), stick to it—multiplicative stacking is where the best results come from.
3. Don’t Sleep on Chaos Waves
Chaos Waves can be a huge boost, especially if you roll a Goblin, Fiend, or Lord wave. These can single-handedly carry your run to 2,000+ Aether if your build can clear quickly. However, early Chaos Waves can disrupt synergy stacking, so save them for later waves unless your current options are poor.
4. Use Fillers and Flat Rewards Wisely
If you’re missing synergy picks, look for filler Boons like:
Puffing Masses
Spire Aether boosts
Faster event spawns
Flat rewards like Butcher (+100 Aether) or end-of-wave Aether drops are best picked late (waves 7–10), when synergy stacking potential is almost done.
5. Avoid Hellborne Boons (Most of the Time)
Hellborne options have been heavily nerfed, rarely spawn, and seldom pay off compared to Fiend/Lord or Spire routes. Only pick them if forced or if you can stack several related boons.
6. Party Play & Key Efficiency
If you run out of keys, use party finder tools to join groups running Infernal Hordes. This stretches your remaining keys and allows for more efficient farming.
7. Spend Aether Smartly
Aim for 1,000+ Aether per run so you can pay 666 for Bartuk, grab his loot, and still have enough left for big chests (gold or equipment). Ten-wave runs nearly guarantee this, while eight-wave runs can do it with good synergy and some luck.
8. Build for Speed & AoE
If you’re unsure your build can handle Ether Lords, start with a 6-wave run. Once you’re confident, move up to 8 or 10 waves. Choose builds with excellent movement and area damage (e.g. Barbarians with Dust Devils and Earthquakes). Fast clearing is vital for keeping up with spawns and maximizing Aether before waves end.
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