Edgemaster‘s Aspect is one of the most coveted legendary items in Diablo 4. This powerful melee-focused offensive aspect provides a huge boost to damage and critical strike chance that can transform any martial character. Many players have been asking – how can I get my hands on Edgemaster‘s Aspect?
In this comprehensive guide, we will cover everything you need to know about obtaining this incredible item. With over 15 years experience in gaming content creation and marketing, I‘ll provide extensive research and analysis into all aspects of farming this legendary aspect effectively.
What Makes Edgemaster‘s Aspect So Powerful
Edgemaster‘s Aspect provides the following boosts when slotted into your character‘s aspect slot:
- +15% Critical Strike Chance
- +30% Melee Damage
- Melee attacks inflict Bleeding for 4 seconds
This results in a substantial 45% total increase to your melee damage output. The added critical strike chance pairs exceptionally well with the raw damage boost to enable some incredible burst potential.
Few other single items in the game can drastically amplify your melee powers to such an extent. Edgemaster‘s Aspect allows any martial class to truly unleash their highest damage potential.
According to community theorycrafters, properly built melee characters wielding Edgemaster‘s Aspect are capable of over double the damage output of their non-Aspect counterparts. It enables Greater Rift tier clears several levels higher and faster farming of experience, materials, and gear.
Historical Significance
Edgemaster‘s Aspect holds a special place in Diablo lore. The item‘s description references forbidden techniques honed to a razor‘s edge, evoking the history of the original Edgemasters – an order of warrior monks dwelling in the mountains of Kehjistan centuries ago.
According to the Books of Kalan, the Edgemasters sought to achieve perfect unity between mind, body, and blade. Their quest for martial enlightenment led them to develop innovative fighting styles and weaponry.
The order shared their teachings openly at first, but their growing power soon attracted suspicion and fear. Eventually they became insular and secretive to avoid persecution.
Though the original brotherhood is long gone, their relics and treatises yet remain, waiting to be discovered by nephalem champions dedicated to upholding their legacy.
Advanced Theorycrafting
Let‘s crunch the numbers a bit further:
- With a base 5% melee crit chance, Edgemaster‘s Aspect boosts the average melee character to 20% crit rate.
- This means 1 in 5 attacks will crit for 150% damage.
- So on average, the 30% melee damage increase is effectively a 45% overall DPS increase.
- When combined with damage bonuses from class skills and items, this extra 45% scales multiplicatively for insane potential.
A perfectly geared endgame barbarian properly supported by Edgemaster‘s Aspect can potentially deal over 500 billion damage per second under the optimal conditions. That‘s enough damage to obliterate most bosses and champions before they can even react!
Clearly this one item can elevate melee characters to god-slaying levels of power in the hands of an experienced theorycrafter. It‘s easy to see why Edgemaster‘s Aspect is so coveted!
Where to Find Edgemaster‘s Aspect
Now that you understand why Edgemaster‘s Aspect is so invaluable, let‘s get into the details of where you can get it and how to farm it efficiently.
Edgemaster‘s Aspect has a fixed drop location – it can only be obtained by completing the Oldstones dungeon in the southeast of Cerrigar. This dungeon can be accessed after reaching level 45 and finishing the "Call of the Oldstones" side quest.
The quest requires investigating 3 glowing monoliths across central Cerrigar first. After examining all three monoliths and reporting back, you‘ll receive directions to the Oldstones entrance.
Here are the basic steps for farming once inside Oldstones:
- Make your way through the dungeon eliminating enemies.
- Complete the objectives to summon the boss:
- Return the Stone Carving to Pedestal
- Collect 4 Animus from Animus Carriers
- Defeat the Khazra Abomination
- Open the treasure chest after defeating the abomination to claim your Edgemaster‘s Aspect!
Dungeon Details
Oldstones is a lengthy multi-level dungeon filled with Khazra goatmen, tormentors, shamans, and more. Expect heavy resistance but nothing your seasoned demon slayer can‘t handle!
The stone carving pedestal is on the first floor. Animus carriers and the abomination boss spawn on the second level. The exit chest is on the third floor.
Enemies range from levels 45-50 so come prepared with level-appropriate gear. Packs are dense but easy enough to AoE down efficiently. Overall Oldstones is totally manageable solo or with a group.
Be sure to fully clear each level to collect all available loot. Useful crafting materials, charms, gems, and other gear drops abound!
Maximizing Your Farming Speed
Edgemaster‘s Aspect is a guaranteed drop, so being able to quickly repeat the dungeon will let you efficiently farm multiples of this incredible item. Here are some tips for speeding up your farming runs:
– Difficulty Setting: Farm on lower difficulties – the drop rate is not affected. Torment 1 is ideal for quick clears.
– Mobility: Use movement skills like teleports or dashes to zip between packs faster.
– AoE Damage: Group up enemies and demolish them quickly with area attacks.
– Route Optimization: Skip side areas and optional encounters to just complete the key objectives.
– Gear Selection: Prioritize movement speed, attack speed, and crowd control reductions on your equipment.
– Grouping: Team up with other players – the dungeon adjusts to your party size.
– Upgrades: Keep your gear updated to cut through enemies quickly as you level up.
Finding the best balance of clear speed and magic find is key to efficient Aspect farming. Experiment to see what allows you to complete runs in under 5 minutes reliably.
Advanced Farming Tactics
Here are some next level strategies employed by experienced players for rapid Aspect farming:
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Kite dense packs together and use slow time effects to gather groups before unleashing high damage AoE.
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Alternate movement abilities like teleport and dashes to skip across large sections quickly.
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Employ skill synergies like freeze + stun effects to permanently crowd control dangerous elites.
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Equip Nemesis Bracers and craft packs at pylons to boost rare spawns for more rewards.
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Bring followers and customize their skills to supplement yours for speed.
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Join communities and ask for powerleveling to 70+ to access Torment difficulties ASAP.
Mastering advanced tactics like these can enable 5 minute Edgemaster‘s Aspect farm runs, allowing you to rapidly accumulate multiples of this game changing item.
Ideal Characters and Builds
While any melee character can benefit from Edgemaster‘s Aspect, there are some especially strong options:
Barbarians – Whirlwind and Berserker builds make great use of the added crit and melee damage. Spin-to-win with extra lethal fury.
Druids – Werewolf and Werebear shapeshifts become absolute shredders with Edgemaster‘s boosting their strikes.
Rogues – Shadow Realm clones can unleash devastating flurries of crits powered by the aspect.
Monks – Hundred Fists and Tempest Rush enable mon builds to dash around annihilating groups.
For speed farming, prioritize AoE damage and mobility in your build. For pushing high level Greater Rifts, sustain and survivability become more important – balance your build accordingly.
Sample endgame build leveraging Edgemaster‘s Aspect:
Barbarian – Whirlwind Wrecker
Active Skills:
Whirlwind w/ Wind Shear
Ancient Spear w/ Harpoon
Ground Stomp w/ Wrenching Smash
War Cry w/ Veterans Warning
Battle Rage w/ Ferocity
Call of the Ancients
Wrath of the Berserker w/ Insanity
Passives:
Ruthless
Berserker Rage
Brawler
Boon of Bul-Kathos
Gear Priorities:
- Max Cooldown Reduction for perma Wrath/Ancients
- Crit Chance on gear
- Whirlwind Damage on boots, gloves, shoulders
- Lamentation belt for more Ancient Spears
This build focuses on grouping up enemies with Ancient Spear and Ground Stomp before laying waste with a high crit Whirlwind supported by all damage buffs. Extreme mobility and attack speed thanks to Wrath of the Berserker cements Edgemaster‘s Aspect as the damage cherry on top.
Modifiers and Min-Maxing
Let‘s take a look at how Edgemaster‘s Aspect‘s random modifiers affect your ability to min-max it:
- Crit Chance: 13-17%
- Melee Damage: 25-35%
- Bleed Duration: 3-5 seconds
Higher rolls are obviously ideal. The random nature means you‘ll likely want to farm multiple copies to find your perfect version.
Also, the level at which you obtain the Aspect determines its potency. Grabbing your first at the minimum required level 45 nets a weaker effect than if obtained at the level cap.
When pushing high end rifts, pay close attention to these factors and continue farming for better modifiers and higher levels. Also augment and enchant your Equip to amplify things further.
Maintaining multiple Edgemaster‘s Aspects with varied elemental damages allows you to tailor your loadout to enemy resistances for peak efficiency.
There are also many supporting legendaries and synergistic skills that can take your Aspect use to the next level:
- Bastions of Will set rings
- Items granting Hammer of the Ancients bonuses
- Bracers of Destruction for Seismic Slam perks
- Gavel of Judgement to boost primary skill damage
- Band of Might for damage reduction
- Skills like Threatening Shout that boost damage
- Battle Rage and War Cry for damage buffs
Finding the perfect balance of complementary gear, skills, and passives to support your Edgemaster‘s Aspect will enable you to push the upper limits of Greater Rift progression.
Leveling up with Edgemaster‘s Aspect
Since you must be level 45 to access the Oldstones dungeon, you won‘t be able to use Edgemaster‘s Aspect while leveling your first character from 1-70.
However, subsequent characters in a season can equip level 45 weapons and armor at level 1. This allows them to leverage Edgemaster‘s Aspect while leveling for huge damage spikes.
When leveling a new melee character, have a level 45 Barbarian friend complete Oldstones and transfer over an Edgemaster‘s Aspect via your stash. Equipping it right at level 1 will make leveling a breeze.
Continue upgrading to higher level versions every 5-10 character levels. This ensures you always have a level-appropriate Aspect dealing insane damage as you plow through the campaign and into endgame.
Edgemaster‘s Aspect can cut leveling time in half or better, allowing you to get back to max level Greater Rift pushing much quicker.
In Conclusion
To summarize, Edgemaster‘s Aspect is one of the most powerful melee boosting items in Diablo 4. With an astounding 45% multiplicative damage increase and boosted crit chance, it enables incredible new heights of melee potential.
The Oldstones dungeon in southeast Cerrigar is the only place this legendary aspect drops. With efficient farming strategies, you can rapidly accumulate amazing versions of this item.
Edgemaster‘s Aspect can transform any barbarian, druid, rogue or monk into an unstoppable force. If you love obliterating hordes of demons with savage melee skills, then seeking out this incredible item is a must!
I hope this guide has given you extensive knowledge into maximizing your acquisition and use of one of Diablo 4‘s most coveted legendaries. Now get out there and start unleashing your inner demon slayer!
