How Passive Skill Amulets Work in Season 11

Passive skill affixes on amulets are still among the most valuable upgrades in Diablo 4 Season 11 because they can add ranks to key passives that multiply damage, improve resource sustain, or shore up defenses. The catch is that they’re historically rare, and “good” versions (Ancestral, Legendary, with the right passive and usable supporting affixes) can feel like a long grind.

Season 11 makes this chase significantly more manageable thanks to two things: Tributes of Radiance being much more common, and opals being easier to generate in bulk if you set up your Seasonal Powers (Divine Gifts) correctly. The goal of this guide is to turn those systems into a repeatable loop that produces a steady stream of Ancestral Legendary amulets with passive skill affixes.

Overview: The Farming Loop (What You’re Actually Doing)

This method has three phases that feed into each other:

• Power setup: Level two Divine Gifts to rank 5 and slot them into Purified slots.
• Tribute acquisition: Farm Tributes of Radiance quickly (mainly via the outdoor Asmodan event and World Bosses).
• Amulet generation: Spend Tributes in Kurast Undercity with the correct bargain, then use the opals you generate to gamble more amulets at the Purveyor of Curiosities.

Step 1: Level the Two Required Divine Gifts to Rank 5

To make the loop work, you want two specific Divine Gifts maxed to level 5. This is the “slow” part up front, but it pays off by increasing both the number of tributes you can farm and the amount of opals you generate per Undercity run.

Essence of Sin (Rank 5) — Your Tribute Engine

Essence of Sin is the key to getting Tributes of Radiance quickly. Once you’ve leveled it to rank 5, place it into a Purified slot in your seasonal interface before you start tribute farming.

Best leveling approach from the source method: repeatedly farm the outdoor Asmodan event near Zarbins and kill Asmodan as often as possible on Normal difficulty. Normal is recommended here because the goal is repetition and speed rather than difficulty scaling.

Essence of Anguish (Rank 5) — Your Opal Generator

Essence of Anguish is what turns Kurast Undercity runs into a reliable opal source. Max it to rank 5, then slot it into a Purified slot alongside Essence of Sin when you transition into Undercity farming.

Best leveling approach from the source method: run Kurast Undercity repeatedly. You’re going to be doing this dungeon anyway for the amulet farm, so it’s efficient to build Anguish progress here.

Step 2: Farm Tributes of Radiance Fast

Once Essence of Sin is equipped in a Purified slot, your priority is stacking up a large supply of Tributes of Radiance. In Season 11, they’re common enough that you can build “multiple tens” relatively quickly if you focus on the right activities.

With Essence of Sin active, repeatedly clear the outdoor Asmodan event and open any of the available chests. The source strategy emphasizes that each chest can drop multiple Tributes of Radiance, which is what makes the loop feel so much faster than prior seasons.

• Focus on speed clears and fast resets.
• Open chests every time; don’t skip them even if the event itself feels routine.
• Stay consistent: tributes are a volume game, and the payoff is at the Undercity bargain step.

Secondary Source: World Bosses

When a World Boss is available, it’s worth diverting to kill it. The source method notes that World Bosses can also drop multiple Tributes of Radiance, helping you top up supplies without relying exclusively on the event loop.

Step 3: Spend Tributes in Kurast Undercity (Choose the Correct Bargain)

After you’ve banked a stack of Tributes of Radiance, head to the Kurast Undercity brazier and socket your tribute to start the run. This is where you convert tributes into targeted amulet attempts.

Take a look at: our Season 11 mythic farming guide for tributes and dungeon targeting

Always Take the Bargain That Guarantees a Passive Skill Affix

On the bargain selection, choose the option that guarantees your Legendary amulets roll with at least one passive skill affix. The source method calls out a cost of 50 million gold for this bargain, and also stresses that it’s worth paying because without it your odds of seeing passive skills on amulets drop sharply.

If you’re gold-limited, treat this bargain as the “gate” for serious amulet hunting: running Undercity without it can still drop amulets, but you’re no longer running a focused passive-skill farm.

Fill the Blue Progression Bar Every Run

Inside Kurast Undercity, your gameplay goal is simple: fill the blue progression bar on the right before finishing the run. You’re doing this for two reasons:

• End-of-run loot: completing progression improves the payoff at the boss/end reward.
• Opal bursts from Essence of Anguish: with Anguish active, you receive extra opals dropped on you as you complete each “tier” of the progression bar.

What to Expect at the End

When you complete the run properly (tribute socketed, correct bargain chosen, progression bar filled), you should commonly see multiple Ancestral Legendary items at the end, with the source method reporting that it’s typical to see one to two Ancestral Legendary amulets among them.

This is the core payoff: you’re repeatedly forcing the game to present you with more amulet rolls that are biased toward the affix type you actually care about.

The Undercity step doesn’t just drop amulets; it also fuels your next layer of attempts via opals.

Cap Opals in 2–3 Runs, Then Gamble

If you’re filling progression consistently with Essence of Anguish active, you can reach your opal cap quickly (the source suggests two or three runs in many cases). Once capped, go straight to the Purveyor of Curiosities and gamble specifically for amulets.

Important Limitation: Gambling Doesn’t Guarantee Passive Skills

Unlike the Undercity bargain, the Purveyor route does not guarantee passive skill affixes on the amulets you roll. Even so, it’s still valuable because it converts excess opals into additional Ancestral Legendary amulet chances rather than letting that resource sit unused.

Think of it as the “bonus rolls” layer: Undercity is your targeted method; gambling is your volume method.

Practical Tips to Make the Farm Feel Faster

Keep Your Setup Consistent

• Use Essence of Sin while you’re primarily farming Tributes of Radiance.
• Use Essence of Anguish when you’re focused on Kurast Undercity progression and opal generation.
• If you have enough Purified slots, run both once you transition into the Undercity phase so you don’t forget to swap later.

Take a look at: the full list of Resplendent Spark sources in Season 11

Don’t Skip the Blue Bar

It can be tempting to rush the boss, especially if your build is strong. However, the entire point of Anguish in this loop is the repeated opal bursts tied to progression. Skipping the bar usually means fewer opals, fewer gambles, and fewer total amulet attempts per hour.

The 50 million gold bargain is the “real” cost of making this farm consistently productive. If you’re short on gold, run your best gold-per-hour content between tribute sessions, then come back and do Undercity in batches so each tribute you spend is paired with the correct bargain.

How to Evaluate Passive Skill Amulets (Quick Checklist)

Getting a passive skill affix is step one; getting the right passive for your build is what makes the amulet a true upgrade. Use this quick checklist to decide whether to keep, reroll, or replace:

• Correct passive ranks: prioritize passives that scale your primary damage engine, resource loop, or key defenses.
• Amulet baseline value: Ancestral + Legendary is ideal for endgame longevity.
• Supporting affixes: look for stats that directly support your build’s needs (damage type synergy, survivability, resource, cooldown-related value if relevant).
• Opportunity cost: if equipping the amulet breaks critical caps or forces too many gear changes, it may not be worth it unless the passive is exceptional.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I really need both Essence of Sin and Essence of Anguish at rank 5?

For the full loop, yes. Sin accelerates Tribute of Radiance acquisition, while Anguish is what turns Kurast Undercity progression into a steady opal supply for extra amulet gambles.

Is the 50 million gold bargain mandatory for passive skill amulets?

If your goal is consistent passive-skill rolls, it’s strongly recommended. Without the guarantee, you’ll still get amulets, but far fewer will roll the affix type you’re targeting.

Should I farm Tributes of Radiance from World Bosses or the Asmodan event?

Do both. The Asmodan event is repeatable and steady, while World Bosses are excellent spike value when they’re up.

Because opals are otherwise wasted at cap. Gambling adds extra Ancestral Legendary amulet attempts on top of your targeted Undercity drops.

What’s the biggest mistake that slows this farm down?

Rushing Undercity without filling the blue progression bar. You lose a large portion of the opals generated by Essence of Anguish, which reduces your total amulet rolls per hour.