This page requires the browser to support (enable) javascript

Diablo 4 Season 6 is here, and it's an exciting time with the launch of the Vessel of Hatred expansion. This new content has brought many players back to the game, diving deeper into the endgame than ever before. As players push further, item crafting and upgrading have become key aspects of progression. From tempering to enchanting to masterworking, players find themselves facing a significant demand for various crafting Diablo IV materials. This season, the hottest topic among endgame players is the shifting bottleneck for essential resources—especially Forgotten Souls, Iron Chunks, and Rawhide.

This article explores the state of endgame crafting in Season 6, details the current challenges, and provides efficient methods for farming those elusive crafting materials.

The Crafting Landscape: From Forgotten Souls to Iron Chunks & Rawhide

When Season 6 launched, many players found Forgotten Souls to be the biggest bottleneck in their crafting journey, especially when it came to rerolling and masterworking ancestral gear. A hotfix dropped right before the first weekend, significantly increasing the drop rate of Forgotten Souls. While this solved one problem, it gave rise to another: the scarcity of Iron Chunks and Rawhide.

These basic crafting materials are essential for nearly every piece of gear alteration in the game, from minor upgrades to major enchantments. With Forgotten Souls and Obsidianite now much easier to farm, many players find themselves struggling to gather enough Iron Chunks and Rawhide to keep up with the demand.

Top Methods for Farming Iron Chunks and Rawhide

To help you navigate this new crafting challenge, we’ve outlined the four best methods for farming Iron Chunks and Rawhide, ensuring you can keep upgrading your gear and pushing through the toughest content Diablo 4 has to offer.

1. Lair Boss Farming (Fast but Conditional)

The fastest way to farm Iron Chunks and Rawhide is to repeatedly farm Lair bosses on Torment IV difficulty. Lair bosses drop a significant amount of these materials upon defeat, especially if you can summon and defeat them quickly. Players with strong characters or those with an abundance of boss summoning materials can take full advantage of this method.

After defeating the Lair bosses, it’s highly recommended to salvage the gear that drops, particularly Ancestral Uniques, which yield high returns in Rawhide and Iron Chunks. While this method is highly efficient, it’s dependent on having a powerful build and enough boss materials to sustain the farming runs.

2. Nightmare Dungeons (Consistent and Accessible)

For those without the ability to crush Lair bosses quickly, Nightmare dungeons are the next best option. Running Nightmare dungeons back-to-back can yield hundreds of Iron Chunks and Rawhide per run, especially if you focus on dungeons with dense packs of elite enemies.

Elite enemies have better drop rates for crafting materials, making dungeons like Hauntu an ideal choice. When running Nightmare dungeons, prioritize exploring every room to hunt down elite enemies before moving on to the boss fight, as the final boss also drops extra crafting materials.

This method provides a more consistent stream of materials compared to Lair boss farming, making it an ideal choice for solo players or those still building up their strength.

3. Whispers of the Dead Caches (Reliability with a Trick)

Whispers of the Dead remains a reliable source for crafting materials, with caches offering around 300 Iron Chunks and Rawhide each, with even greater rewards from greater caches. A specific Crafting Materials Cache has been added this season, making Whispers objectives even more valuable for material farming.

A bonus trick involves collecting Grim Favors by completing Whispers objectives on a lower difficulty like Torment I, then switching to Torment IV to turn them in. This trick allows players to claim higher-tier cache rewards, potentially netting more crafting materials. While this method’s long-term viability is uncertain (as Blizzard may patch this), it’s currently a great way to maximize your efforts.

4. Seething Opals of Materials (Seasonal Mechanic)

One of the unique aspects of Season 6 is the introduction of Seething Opals, particularly the Seething Opal of Materials. This item provides a chance for enemies to drop extra crafting materials, including Rawhide and Iron Chunks, when active. Surprisingly, this effect extends to activities like Lair bosses and other high-end encounters.

While the drop rate boost isn't game-changing, combining the Seething Opal of Materials with activities like Helltide events or Nightmare dungeons can significantly enhance your material yield. This method shines in areas with dense monster packs, allowing players to farm more efficiently while stacking additional crafting drops.

Upcoming Patch Changes: What to Expect for Crafting

Blizzard has announced that Patch 2.0.3 is set to roll out, with a particular focus on increasing the rates at which automatic crafting materials are generated based on difficulty tier. This likely refers to the auto-salvage mechanic, where blue and yellow items collected in Torment difficulties are automatically converted into their respective salvage materials.

The patch could make Nightmare dungeons even more rewarding, as they are a prime source of blue and yellow item drops. Additionally, Lair boss farming may see further efficiency gains, making it even easier to gather crafting materials and Diablo 4 gold for those able to farm them quickly. Regardless of the changes, the methods outlined above will remain relevant, with potential shifts in efficiency levels depending on how much Blizzard increases drop rates.

Final Thoughts: Mastering the Crafting Meta in Season 6

The struggle for Iron Chunks and Rawhide is a significant part of Season 6’s endgame, but with the right strategies, players can efficiently gather what they need to progress. Whether you’re steamrolling through Lair bosses or meticulously clearing Nightmare dungeons, understanding the best ways to farm these materials is key to maintaining your character's power curve.

As the patch rolls out, we’ll see if these adjustments alleviate some of the crafting pressure. Regardless, knowing how to optimize your material farming can make a big difference, especially in those moments when you find yourself burning through your stockpile of materials in just a few rolls for the perfect enchantment.

Until next time, adventurers, may your drops be plentiful and your rolls favorable. Happy hunting in the dark dungeons of Diablo 4 Season 6!