How to get Infernal Compasses in Diablo 4 Season 5

Diablo 4 Season 5, Season of the Infernal Hordes, is themed around the newest in-game feature of the same name. Infernal Hordes are wave-based events that pit you against the seemingly-neverending onslaught of demons, straight at the source. But you (or your party members) need a key to kick off the activity — namely, an Infernal Compass, “dark devices of occult knowledge that open the very gates of Hell itself.” Your first foray against the Infernal Hordes actually comes from a free Compass as part of your unlock activities during a World Tier 3 questline called “The Eyes of the Enemy.”

So how do you get additional Infernal Compasses to open new Infernal Hordes in Diablo 4 Season 5?

You’ll use that quest-issued Compass to open your first Tier 1 Infernal Horde and progress through the waves to complete the account-wide unlock. Following this, you’ll have two options for adding more Compasses to your stash — farming or crafting. Crafting is simple — the recipe requires Sigil Powder and Forgotten Souls, reagents that you should earn more of as you approach endgame. Farming Infernal Compasses will work much faster, although remember the PTR drop speed was significantly increased after the first two days solely for the purposes of testing. That said, certain Helltide activities are guaranteed to drop Infernal Compasses: killing Doomsayers and opening Chests of Mystery or Chests of Steel. Definitely a good choice for farming up your initial stash!

However, you’re not out of luck if you’re wholly burnt out on Helltides after Season 4. Infernal Compasses have a 75% chance to drop from Whisper caches — definitely not a bad rate for the relatively easy Whisper activities.

Additionally, you can earn Infernal Compasses of higher tiers in end-game activities like Nightmare Dungeons and The Pit of Artificers. Now, Infernal Compasses come in eight tier options (similar to Nightmare Dungeon keys) with each tier representing a significant jump in difficulty. During the PTR, only Tier 1-3 Compasses dropped in-game; then, to hit a higher tier Infernal Horde, you upgraded the Compass with an Abyssal Scroll. Once the season’s patch is live, you can earn higher tier keys but still use your Abyssal Scrolls to upgrade lower-tier Compasses that drop without returning to town.

Your Infernal Compass defines your entire experience during that particular Infernal Hordes — your number of allowed revives, monster levels, wave cap, and even rewards. It’s effectively the Nightmare Dungeon Sigil, but for a new permanent end-game feature coming in Season 5. Go unlock the Infernal Hordes (just once!), save up some Infernal Compasses of your own, and slaughter the endless denizens of the Burning Hells.