With the launch of the Lord of Hatred expansion, Diablo 4 introduced several new endgame systems, but only one truly brand-new activity arrived alongside them: Echoing Hatred. While many players have been exploring the updated War Plan system and other seasonal content, Echoing Hatred remains one of the game's most rewarding yet misunderstood endgame activities.

A common complaint among players is the rarity of Trace of Echoes keys, the items required to access Echoing Hatred. Some players report seeing only one or two keys after dozens of hours, while others have never found one at all. However, recent discoveries suggest there may be a much more reliable way to farm these valuable entries.

Why Echoing Hatred Is Worth Running

Before discussing how to access the activity, it's important to understand why Echoing Hatred is worth your time.

The primary rewards come in the form of Goblin Plunder Bags. Every Treasure Goblin killed during a run grants an additional bag at the end of the activity. These bags contain a wide range of valuable resources, including dungeon keys, charms, seals, and even Mythic Seals.

For players looking to stockpile endgame materials, Echoing Hatred can quickly become one of the most rewarding activities available.

Beyond the loot, there are also two exclusive cosmetic rewards tied to the activity.

The first is a unique pet affectionately known by players as the "Crab with a Knife." Unlocking this companion requires reaching Tier 60 during an Echoing Hatred run. The quirky crustacean has quickly become a fan favorite thanks to its hilarious animations and distinctive appearance.

The second reward is the Howling Mouth of Madness portal, a dark and ominous cosmetic portal effect that stands out from many of Diablo 4's brighter cosmetic options.

How to Unlock the Secret Portal Reward

Unlocking the Howling Mouth of Madness portal requires completing a hidden challenge during an Echoing Hatred run.

Four shrines always appear somewhere within the arena:

Protection Shrine

Artillery Shrine

Lethal Shrine

Channeling Shrine

To earn the portal, players must activate each shrine within a specific tier range:

Protection Shrine between Tiers 1-9

Artillery Shrine between Tiers 10-14

Lethal Shrine between Tiers 15-19

Channeling Shrine between Tiers 20-24

Successfully activating all four during the correct windows triggers an achievement and permanently unlocks the portal cosmetic.

Players with extremely powerful builds should be cautious. High-damage setups can advance through tiers so quickly that they accidentally miss the required timing windows.

The Best Way to Farm Trace of Echoes

The biggest mystery surrounding Echoing Hatred has always been obtaining Trace of Echoes keys.

After extensive testing, many players have noticed a strong pattern involving Corrupted Undercity runs, particularly those using Greater Tribute of Refinement.

Although Trace of Echoes can theoretically drop from several reward sources, Refinement Tributes appear to offer one of the highest drop rates currently available. Since most players focus on other tribute types, many have likely overlooked this farming method entirely.

The evidence suggests that running Greater Tribute of Refinement repeatedly may be the most efficient way to farm Echoing Hatred access.

To maximize efficiency, players should invest in the Portal Prankster War Plan node. This upgrade grants a chance for Portal Pranksters to spawn when activating beacons. Every defeated Portal Prankster adds an extra reward chest at the end of the run, creating additional opportunities for Trace of Echoes to drop.

The result is a significantly improved farming loop compared to standard Undercity runs.

A Strange Limitation You Need to Know

One unusual mechanic catches many players off guard.

Trace of Echoes does not function like a normal item. It does not occupy inventory space, nor does it behave like a currency. Instead, acquiring one automatically activates a priority quest in Temenos that grants access to Echoing Hatred.

The catch is that players can only possess one active Trace of Echoes at a time.

This means there is little reason to stockpile keys. If you already have access to an Echoing Hatred run, additional Trace of Echoes drops cannot be collected until the current one is used.

For that reason, players should generally run Echoing Hatred as soon as they receive access rather than saving it indefinitely.

How Echoing Hatred Works

Echoing Hatred is essentially a survival-based wave activity.

Enemies continuously spawn throughout the arena while a red progress bar tracks the encounter. As monsters appear, the bar fills. Killing enemies reduces it.

If the bar fills completely, the run ends.

Difficulty steadily increases through tiers that function similarly to Pit and Tower progression. As players advance, enemy strength scales upward and eventually reaches higher Torment levels.

Survival is important, but damage output is equally critical. Failing to eliminate enemies quickly enough will result in failure regardless of defensive strength.

Dying is even more punishing, as a solo death immediately ends the run.

Prioritizing Targets for Maximum Rewards

Success in Echoing Hatred depends heavily on target prioritization.

One of the most important objectives is destroying the large red portals that periodically appear around the arena. These portals dramatically increase enemy spawn rates, making it easier for the progress bar to overwhelm players.

Removing them should be the highest priority whenever they appear.

Treasure Goblins are the second-most important targets. Every goblin defeated translates directly into additional Goblin Plunder Bags at the end of the run, significantly increasing overall rewards.

Bosses, elite monsters, and standard enemies still require attention, but maximizing goblin kills is often the key to obtaining the best loot.

What Could Be Improved?

While Echoing Hatred offers excellent rewards and engaging gameplay, it still has some weaknesses.

The biggest issue remains key availability. Even with improved farming methods, access can feel unnecessarily restrictive compared to the rewards offered.

Blizzard has already announced increased Trace of Echoes drop rates in upcoming updates, which should help alleviate the problem.

Another concern is pacing. Highly geared players capable of clearing Torment 12 content often spend several minutes progressing through trivial early tiers before reaching meaningful difficulty. The first run can feel exciting, but repeated runs may become tedious.

A higher starting difficulty option or a tier-skipping system could significantly improve the experience for veteran players. Ample Diablo 4 Gold can provide an excellent gaming experience.

Despite these issues, Echoing Hatred remains one of Diablo 4's most rewarding endgame activities. Between the exclusive cosmetics, valuable Goblin Plunder Bags, and newly discovered farming methods, players looking to maximize their progression should strongly consider making it part of their regular endgame routine.