Diablo 4's War Plans make the endgame feel a lot less like a fixed checklist and more like something you can bend around your own time. If you've only got half an hour, that matters. You don't want to spend it in a slow activity and walk away with three bits of scrap and a headache. The smart move is to pick content that pays in several ways at once: gear, gold, materials, keys, XP, or progress toward stronger builds. That's also why many players compare routes before chasing D4 items, because the wrong farm can waste an evening fast.

Start with the weaker farms

Infernal Hordes sit at the bottom for efficiency. They can be fun, sure, and they do hand out Obducite and gold in a steady way. The issue is time. Runs drag on, and the good stuff depends too much on luck. If you're short on resources, they're fine as a stopgap. If you're not, you'll usually do better elsewhere. Hoard Bosses are a step up, but they're not casual farming unless your build is already sharp. Bosses can drop excellent gear, especially at higher Torment levels, yet you need summoning materials, chest keys, and enough damage to survive the mechanics. In a group, they feel much better. Solo, they can be a wall.

Use Kurast and the Pit for focused progress

The Undercity of Kurast is one of those activities that feels average until you use it properly. With tributes, especially the stronger crafted ones, it turns into a fast and tidy farm. Runs are short, the layout is easy to read, and you can finish War Plan objectives without sweating every pull. Just be careful with upgrades that may burn tributes when you didn't mean to. The Pit has a different job. It's not really about flashy loot. It's about glyphs. Early on, that's huge. A few clean clears can push key glyphs to important breakpoints, and your build starts to feel less flimsy. Once your main glyphs are done, though, the Pit loses a lot of its shine.

Nightmare Dungeons are still dependable

Nightmare Dungeons are the safe, practical choice. They scale well, they don't ask for much setup, and they pay out in several useful currencies. Gold, Obols, crafting mats, and the odd surprise encounter all add up. With the right War Plan path, you can force more rare events and treasure goblins into the run, which makes the dungeon feel less empty. They're also good when you don't want to think too hard. Pick a dungeon, clear fast, grab the rewards, move on. Not glamorous, but it works.

Helltides give the best return for most players

Helltides are the activity I'd recommend first for most people. They stack rewards better than anything else. You farm cinders, open chests, collect boss keys, earn materials, grab Forgotten Souls, and often finish Whispers at the same time. That's the real trick. One Helltide can push several goals forward, so it rarely feels wasted. If your War Plan asks for chest openings, you can farm a pile of cinders and cash them in across repeated objectives. It's quick, messy in a good way, and packed with side rewards. Whispers make it even better, since they add another loot roll without pulling you away from what you were already doing.

Pick the route that fits your build

Efficiency changes once your character gets stronger. A boss-killer build may get more value from Hoard Bosses than someone still patching together gear. A fresh endgame character should usually lean on Helltides, Nightmare Dungeons, Kurast tribute runs, and early Pit clears. Watch the reward colours in the War Plan menu, don't blindly follow one farm, and swap when your needs change. If you're comparing upgrades or hunting D4 items cheap while planning your next session, the main thing is simple: spend your time where multiple rewards overlap, not where one lucky drop has to carry the whole run.