If you're chasing Vex, Ohm, Lo, or Ber, waiting for random drops can get old fast. Among the Diablo 4 Items worth planning around, these Runes deserve attention. The Cabochon Merchant offers another route through Kurast Undercity, though you'll need the right War Plan setup and enough resources to make those visits worthwhile.
Get the Merchant Setup Right
The key pairing is Gutter Filth and Bauble Day. Gutter Filth gives activated Beacons a chance to produce a Portal Prankster. Bauble Day supplies the payoff: defeat at least one Prankster, finish the boss, and the merchant can appear near the reward chests. Enable both before entering. Simply clearing the dungeon isn't enough for this route.
Once inside, keep checking Beacons rather than racing straight through. Spot a Prankster, take it down, then finish your run. A Tribute is optional, and Splinter of Destruction isn't essential for merchant access. After the boss, check around the chests. Browse first, then decide whether spending Forgotten Souls on another inventory refresh actually suits your remaining budget.
Keep the Loop Simple
The Meta: Repeat quick Undercity clears for more merchant visits.
The Snag: Refreshing stock burns through Forgotten Souls without promising your Rune.
The Fix: Set spending limits before entering and buy useful crafting components.
Reality check: That next refresh always looks tempting when you've already spent more gold than you meant to bring.
Buy for Your Recipe
Don't treat every expensive Rune as an automatic purchase. Use your target recipe to separate useful stock from something you'll leave sitting in storage.
Does Higher Difficulty Help
Those priorities usually lead to another question: should you push a harder Torment just to make each merchant visit feel worthwhile.
For repeated access, choose a difficulty you clear comfortably. Slower fights mean fewer visits, and this method still depends on finding and defeating a Prankster.
Leave With Something Useful
Keep a short shopping list before starting another session. Check the exact Cube recipe, count what you already own, and leave enough gold for other upgrades. More common components can be worth buying instead of waiting for Ber itself. Treat Diablo IV Items as part of your wider character plan, not a reason to empty every reserve. Mix these runs with your usual gold and Forgotten Souls farming so the routine stays sustainable.
Prepare the Undercity Before Entering
The setup depends on two War Plan nodes working together. Gutter Filth gives Beacon activations a chance to summon a Portal Prankster. Bauble Day connects that encounter to the merchant appearing after the final boss. Activate both before starting. This route suits players who already clear the dungeon comfortably and want a specific crafting target.
1. Activate both required nodes before entering the Undercity.
2. Use Beacons to create opportunities for a Portal Prankster encounter.
3. Defeat one Prankster before completing the final boss.
Keep the Merchant Run Focused
During actual runs, the important decision is whether to check another Beacon or head toward the boss. Missing the required encounter means missing the point of this farming route. Once you defeat a Prankster, finish efficiently and inspect the area around the reward chests. Splinter of Destruction can support the wider run, but it is not essential to merchant access.
Treat Refreshes as a Limited Resource
Reaching the merchant is only half the process. Before spending anything, compare the available stock with your recipe requirements and the resources you can afford to replace.
Forgotten Souls fund additional inventory refreshes, so an unsuccessful shopping visit still has a cost. Set a spending limit before opening the stock. A useful Ist, Vex, Ohm, or Lo may offer better progress than repeatedly searching for Ber, provided it fits a confirmed upgrade recipe. Gems and Soul Splinters deserve attention only when they serve another immediate goal.
Make Each Purchase Deliberate
1. Check your target recipe before purchasing any Rune.
2. Reserve enough gold for your other crafting needs.
3. Stop refreshing when the next attempt exceeds your spending limit.
Choose Consistency Over Difficulty
A slower clear is not automatically a better farming run. Choose a difficulty that lets you reach Beacons, defeat the required enemies, and finish without repeated setbacks. Between merchant visits, replenish gold and Forgotten Souls through your usual activities. Nightmare Dungeons and other Rune sources remain useful, especially when shopping consumes resources faster than you replace them.
