Farming Hellfire Torches in Diablo 2 Resurrected always comes back to the Uber bosses: Izual, Duriel, Lilith, Mephisto, and the Baal-Diablo pair. Which build handles all five safely, and how many runs does it realistically take to collect torches for every class? This guide walks through a proven single-player Uber smiter setup, a safe fight order, and the specific mistakes that slow farmers down the most. It's built for players who already have their keys and mini-Uber organs ready and want fewer wasted runs, whether the goal is one strong torch or a full set of eight class-specific torches.
What Gear and Skills Make an Uber Smiter Work
A dedicated Uber smiter paladin leans on a maxed block skill tree and the usual smite-focused stat spread. The weapon slot matters most: a crushing-blow flail like the Black runeword is a solid budget substitute when a Grief flail isn't available yet. Supporting pieces like Dracul's Grasp for life tap, Gore Riders, and an Enigma-equipped armor for teleport round out a kit capable of clearing all five Ubers without top-tier gear. This setup benefits players who don't yet have endgame runewords but still want reliable Uber clears.
Which Order to Fight the Uber Bosses In
Superstar Mode veterans get a clear map of exactly which quests gate the demand for a trade feature, saving them from guessing which skill points matter. Players stuck on a poor roster or bad offensive line learn that switching teams is a real, low-friction option once unlocked, without needing to grind trade value like in Franchise Mode. Cautious players get an early warning about a reported save-breaking bug tied to the feature, letting them weigh the risk before using it themselves, and even D2R Runes won't bypass the quest-gated progression.
How the Fade Trick Boosts Resistances First
Swapping into a Treachery-based setup to proc Fade before a run adds a temporary all-resistance buff that makes the harder fights noticeably safer. This can be done right at the start of a run or saved specifically for right before the Lilith fight, depending on how much time the run is expected to take. Players running budget gear benefit the most from this trick, since it offsets weaker resistance rolls elsewhere in the build.
What Mistakes Commonly Slow Down Torch Runs
Two gear mistakes stand out: forgetting to reapply Holy Shield before a Duriel fight, and accidentally leaving a Call to Arms weapon equipped instead of the crushing-blow flail during combat. The bigger issue is a name-lock bug tied to the "always show items" display option — leaving it on prevents locking onto a specific monster, which causes serious problems during add-heavy fights like Uber Diablo. Returning players are the most likely to be caught by this, since the bug is easy to miss if item-display habits haven't changed in years, and cheap D2R Runes are a handy backup for re-gearing after such oversights.
Uber Boss | Difficulty | Main Danger | Recommended Approach |
Izual / Duriel | Low | Minimal | Fight first, either order |
Lilith | Medium | Curses from adds | Isolate before engaging |
Mephisto | Medium-High | One-shot potential | Pull away from adds, fight alone |
Baal / Diablo | High | Add-heavy chaos | Separate fights unless build is strong |
The table shows Mephisto and the Baal-Diablo pair as the real risk points, which is where gear and positioning matter most.
How Many Uber Runs Does It Take to Get Every Class Torch?
Eight different class torches came out of nine total runs, with only one repeat along the way. Results vary by luck, but getting a near-full set within roughly ten runs is realistic for a build that can clear all five Ubers consistently without extended fights.
Why Can't You Name-Lock Monsters During Some Uber Fights?
Having the "always show items" display setting turned on blocks monster name-locking entirely. Turning that setting off restores normal targeting, which noticeably speeds up chaotic fights like Uber Diablo where multiple adds are on screen at once.
Is Uber Mephisto Still a Major Risk for Smiter Builds?
Yes, Uber Mephisto remains one of the more dangerous single fights due to burst damage that can drop a character in one hit. Keeping life tap active and pulling him away from other monsters reduces that risk significantly.
Quick Tips
· Turn off "always show items" before starting Uber runs to avoid name-lock issues.
· Reapply Holy Shield before every Duriel fight — don't assume it carried over.
· Proc Fade with a Treachery swap early or right before Lilith for extra resistances.
· Fight Mephisto and Baal/Diablo separately unless the build can safely handle both.
Who Benefits Most?
Beginners get a safe fight order and gear baseline before attempting their first Uber clears. Returning players avoid the name-lock trap that can quietly ruin add-heavy fights. Collectors chasing a full torch set get a realistic sense of how many runs a full class set actually takes.
Farming Ubers stays tedious no matter the build, but a clear fight order, a Fade-proc habit, and awareness of the name-lock setting turn wasted runs into consistent torch progress.
