Farming for resources wasn't always a standard feature in an adventure role-playing game, but the addition of MMOs to the scene has made it common. Diablo 4 added a few interesting new features to one of Blizzard's most beloved IPs and the concept of a resource farm is one of them.
The game still lacks professions, so players don't have to be miners or train as blacksmiths or jewel crafters to farm resources. Iron is one of the most important materials that players need to stockpile. Luckily, they can gather as much of it as possible without worrying about bag space, mining skills, or character level.
Why Farm Iron?
Diablo 4 might be the first game in the franchise to have resource farming, but that doesn't mean it has the same wide variety as other games. There are only two types of ore that players will find in Sanctuary: iron and silver. These resources aren't used by the player, but are given to an NPC along with an amount of gold for a variety of uses.
It's not the most creative system, but at least it's simple, keeping with the spirit of Sanctuary. This is a game focused on hack and slash as opposed to cut and smelt, so resource gathering is an important endeavor, but it's not the only one. Players that keep their eyes open can find a fair amount of both iron and silver while slaying demons.
Uses For Iron
Ore Veins and Glittering Ore Veins are the nodes in the wilderness where players can pick up Chunks of Ore and Chunks of Silver. These are stockpiled in the Resource section of the character's inventory, and they can then be refined or used for upgrades.
- Refining: Alchemists can refine a variety of materials, mostly herbs, and plants, but they can also turn iron into silver if the character needs extra.
- Upgrading: Iron and silver are used for refining virtually every weapon and accessory, with some armor pieces also requiring some metal bits in addition to rare materials with magical properties.
Glittering Ore veins are always richer nodes that often contain gemstones. Bring these to a Jeweler to be cut, upgraded, and used to improve any piece of equipment that has a socket.
Where To Farm Iron
There are a few ways to find iron for players who don't mind staying in the wilderness for a while and can keep their eyes open. Some locations are better than others for finding nodes, while ore can also be found via quests or looted in specific locations.
For those players that prefer to travel on horseback, it's possible to empty a node without dismounting. However, the character does have to be at a standstill to do this.
- Salvaging: The easiest way to find iron is to bring equipment to the Blacksmith, who can salvage iron from the plethora of gear that players will inevitably pick up in the course of their travels. The only hitch is that inventory space is extremely limited, so there's only so much a character can haul back to town.
- Iron Nodes: Silver also comes from iron nodes if a character is exploring the wilderness to find precious resources. They're randomly placed throughout the wilderness of Sanctuary, but are more plentiful in mountainous or rocky areas, although swamplands seem to have more than average.
- Ore Caches: Rewards for quests often include a sum of gold and a cache of some type. These caches can be filled with supplies of gear, herbs, potions, or precious ore. A Debt Repaid, which can be found in Backwater, is one example.
- Cellars and Dungeons: Any Cellar or Dungeon that's underground or located in or near the ruins of a mine will contain nodes, caches, chests, and enemies that all have an increased potential to drop iron or silver chunks.
- Dead Miners: Loot any dead miners found while traveling in the wilderness. That means not only inside of mines, but near their entrances or trade connections as well at old campsites or ruined transport and trade vehicles.
- Chests, Travellers Caches, and Lockboxes: Players will find hidden treasures while exploring the wilderness, dungeons, and other diversions in Sanctuary. Any of these might contain iron or silver, with an increased chance for those found in mountains, ruined mines, or in former mining towns.