The rarest items in Diablo 4 are real, and one such drop has been confirmed by Blizzard. Since launch, players looking to perfect their Diablo 4 builds have become increasingly convinced that the Diablo 4 Harlequin Crest, or Shako, and a sword called The Grandfather might actually not be in the RPG game yet, because they seemed too elusive. However, they do exist, and now one player has managed to track one down.
The Harlequin Crest has been touted as perhaps the best Diablo 4 unique item in the game since it was first revealed prior to launch. The helm, which you’ll sometimes hear players refer to as ‘Shako’ (a nod to the item’s equivalent in Diablo 2), gives a heavy chunk of damage reduction, but more crucially also awards four additional ranks to all your skills, an astonishing power boost regardless of your build.
Alongside it is The Grandfather, a unique two-handed sword that promises to be essential to crafting the best Barbarian build thanks to its huge 60-100% increased critical strike damage and the ability for its other properties to roll higher than their normally allowed values. The pair have been entirely absent despite numerous players grinding past the Diablo 4 max level cap, leading some to wonder if they were actually in the game at all yet.
Now we have confirmation. “They are in the game,” lead designer for Diablo 4 classes Adam Jackson reports, “They’re intended to be that rare.” I suppose for items that are almost unquestionably best-in-slot once you get them, having them be incredibly elusive does make for a fun chase.
It appears a catch has been made, too. A low-quality photo of a druid wearing the Harlequin Crest has appeared online courtesy of a Korean player, in a manner that’s almost too perfectly positioned for players to contest its legitimacy. Fortunately, Blizzard has stepped in once again to save us from endless debates.
“Yes they drop in-game,” Diablo community manager Adam Fletcher says in response to a query about the image’s legitimacy. “Oh and can confirm they do indeed have a Harlequin Crest.” Fletcher even goes so far as to quote tweet the image with an animated gif reading, “I’m not jealous at all.”
Neither am I. Totally not. No way. This news does, however, pose the question – is this down to pure chance, or are there certain conditions that need to be fulfilled before these uniques can be claimed? Are they specific to a certain part of the Diablo 4 endgame? Do you need to be running tier 100 nightmare dungeons, farming the Tree of Whispers, or have beaten the game’s pinnacle boss following its changes in a recent Diablo 4 1.02 hotfix?
Blizzard’s keeping its lips sealed for now. Hopefully, there’s at least some trick to it, else you might find yourself passing entire Diablo 4 seasons without one. But then, perhaps that’s just the carrot we all need to chase.
Until these mythical treasures fall into your lap, take a look at Diablo 4 ancestral items to see how to get the game’s highest tier of gear. We’ve also got a detailed guide to just how the Diablo 4 battle pass will work, while those of you yet to start will want to browse our Diablo 4 system requirements to ensure your rig is up to the hellish task.