How To Get Shards of Agony in Diablo 4

What Are Shards of Agony in Diablo 4?

If you're grinding for Uber bosses like Duriel in Diablo 4, you’ve probably run into a wall trying to get Shards of Agony. These rare summoning materials are required to fight Uber Duriel, one of the most sought-after bosses in the game thanks to his chance to drop unique Uber Uniques like Harlequin Crest or Doombringer.

Shards of Agony don’t drop from just anywhere—you’ll need to engage in specific boss encounters and grind some mid-to-late endgame content to reliably acquire them. Whether you're aiming to get your hands on BIS gear or simply want to complete your boss-slaying checklist, here’s exactly how to farm Shards of Agony in Diablo 4, step-by-step.

Where To Get Shards of Agony in Diablo 4

There are two main sources for acquiring Shards of Agony:

1. Defeating Grigoire, The Galvanic Saint

2. Opening Tribute of the Titans in the Kurast Underworld

Let’s break both down.

Method 1: Farm Grigoire, The Galvanic Saint

Who is Grigoire?

Grigoire is a powerful endgame boss in Diablo 4 that players can summon using Living Steel, a rare crafting resource primarily earned from Helltide chests. He’s housed in the Hall of the Penitent, found in Kehjistan.

Where to Summon Grigoire

You can find Grigoire at the Hall of the Penitent dungeon entrance. It’s located in Kehjistan, and you must be in World Tier 4 (Torment) to access this content and get Shards of Agony as a drop.

What You Need

To summon Grigoire, you’ll need:

• 5 Living Steel to spawn him on your first run

• 12 Living Steel for subsequent attempts if you want higher loot chances

Only the person who uses the materials to start the fight will be eligible to receive Shards of Agony from the drop pool—so keep that in mind if you're grouping up.

Fight Mechanics

Grigoire dishes out tons of Lightning and Shadow damage and spawns annoying minions that can overwhelm you if you’re not paying attention. Resistances and crowd control immunity go a long way here. Expect the fight to take a bit longer than your average world boss due to his hefty HP pool.

Drop Rate Info

The drop is not guaranteed—you might need to fight Grigoire multiple times before getting a Shard of Agony. Some players report getting 1 shard every 2–4 fights, depending on RNG.

Method 2: Tribute of the Titans (Kurast Underworld)

What Is Tribute of the Titans?

Tribute of the Titans is an offering chest found in the Kurast Underworld that provides Duriel summoning materials such as Shards of Agony and Mucus-Slick Eggs.

How to Unlock It

To open the Tribute of the Titans, you’ll need to defeat Echo of Varshan, the Malignant-themed boss, and collect 12 Malignant Hearts as a currency to unlock his treasure. Once opened, there’s a solid chance you’ll receive a Shard of Agony along with other valuable loot.

This method is slightly more efficient if you’re also trying to gather the Mucus-Slick Eggs needed for Duriel, saving you time if you’re on a boss-chaining spree.

Best Way to Farm Shards of Agony

If you're trying to efficiently farm Shards, here’s the recommended route:

1. Farm Helltides for Living Steel

Living Steel comes from Tortured Gift of Living Steel chests in Helltide zones. These chests cost 300 Aberrant Cinders to open and drop 1–2 Living Steel each. Aim to open multiple per Helltide event—many players average 20–40 per event with the right routes.

Tip: Focus on areas with multiple steel chests clustered together, like Dismal Foothills or Pallid Glade.

2. Defeat Grigoire

Once you have enough Living Steel, go to Hall of the Penitent and summon Grigoire. If you're strong enough to kill him fast, it’s possible to do multiple runs during a farming session. Remember—only you get the shard if you spent the Living Steel.

3. Supplement with Varshan Runs

Collect Malignant Hearts through Whispers and caches to unlock Varshan. Defeat him and open the Tribute of the Titans in Kurast Underworld. This route helps you target both Shards of Agony and Eggs, which you need to summon Uber Duriel.

Can You Buy Shards of Agony?

Technically, no—Shards aren’t tradable. But there is a workaround: you can buy Living Steel or Malignant Hearts from other players using in-game gold and then run the bosses yourself.

Many players on Diablo 4 trading communities recommend farming high-value yellows (like jewelry), flipping them for gold, and using that gold to buy the boss materials. It’s not the fastest way, but if you hate farming Helltides, it works.

If you're low on gold and still need to get powerful gear fast, some players choose to buy Diablo 4 items or gold from trustworthy sellers like SSEGold, which saves hours of grind.

Pro Tips From The Community

💬 “I do 2–3 Helltides a day and chain Grigoire runs. He’s RNG-heavy, so don’t burn out if you don’t get a shard right away.” — Reddit user u/DiabloSlasher

💬 “Varshan + Tribute is better overall if you want both eggs and shards, IMO. More effort, but higher output.” — Blizzard forums

💬 “I just buy gold, then trade for materials. No shame in skipping the grind when real life gets in the way.”

Summary: TL;DR