The Moo-stery Solved: What Does Killing The Cow King Do in Diablo II?
In the world of Diablo II and its resurrected counterpart, Diablo II: Resurrected, few things are as iconic and shrouded in as much (deliciously cheesy) mystery as the Secret Cow Level. And at the heart of this bovine battleground stands its formidable leader: The Cow King. So, what exactly happens when you finally manage to bring down this udderly powerful monarch? The answer, thankfully, is now quite straightforward: Killing The Cow King no longer permanently locks you out of accessing the Secret Cow Level on that difficulty.
In older iterations of Diablo II, eliminating the Cow King carried a significant penalty. Once he was slain, that character could never again open a portal to the Secret Cow Level on that particular difficulty. This made farming the level more strategic and completing the Cow King’s Leathers set a real challenge, limiting players to a mere three attempts (one per difficulty).
However, this restriction was lifted in later patches and carries over to Diablo II: Resurrected. Now, you can kill the Cow King as many times as your heart desires without fear of permanently closing the gate to moo-vellous loot. This change significantly improves the quality of life for players, allowing for endless farming opportunities in this popular zone. The Cow King will drop various Stamina Potions, a playful nod to the idea of milk, when slain. While killing the Cow King no longer carries a harsh penalty, it’s important to note that you can only open the Secret Cow Level once per game.
Understanding the Secret Cow Level
The Secret Cow Level is a fan-favorite area known for its high monster density, making it an excellent place to farm experience, runes, gems, and items. Accessing it requires a bit of work, but the rewards are often well worth the effort.
How to Open the Secret Cow Level
To open the portal to the Secret Cow Level, you’ll need to combine two items in the Horadric Cube:
- Wirt’s Leg: This can be found in Tristram (Act I) by interacting with Wirt’s body.
- A Tome of Town Portal: A common item easily purchased from vendors.
Crucially, you must have already defeated Baal on the difficulty you wish to access the Cow Level on. Transmute these items while standing in the Rogue Encampment (Act I) to open a red portal to the Secret Cow Level. If you hear a message like “I can’t do that,” double-check that you’ve met all the requirements.
Secret Cow Level: The Farming Paradise
The Secret Cow Level is a highly sought-after location in the game for various reasons:
- High Monster Density: The Cow Level is densely populated with numerous cows, providing ample opportunities for experience gain and item drops.
- Diverse Loot: The level offers a wide range of items, including set items, unique items, runes, jewels, and gems.
- Socketed Items: The Cow Level is particularly useful for farming socketed Normal items, which are essential for runewords. Crystal Swords and Broad Swords from Normal cows receive 4 sockets from Larzuk Quest in Act 5.
Why No Magic Find?
Interestingly, the Secret Cow Level is often farmed without high levels of Magic Find (MF). This is because players are typically looking for specific base items (like socketed Monarch shields or crystal swords), runes, jewels, and gems, rather than unique or set items which are the main beneficiaries of MF. Therefore, focusing on killing speed and clear rate is often more efficient than maximizing MF.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some frequently asked questions about the Cow King and the Secret Cow Level:
1. Is it OK to kill Cow King in Diablo 2 Resurrected?
Yes, it’s perfectly okay! There’s no penalty for killing the Cow King in Diablo II: Resurrected. You can still open the Secret Cow Level after killing him.
2. Can you only kill the Cow King once?
No, you can kill him repeatedly. This is a significant improvement over older versions of Diablo II.
3. Can you kill Cow King and still make cow level?
Absolutely. This is the most important point. You can kill him and continue to access the Secret Cow Level.
4. Why don’t you kill Cow King?
In the past, players avoided killing the Cow King to maintain access to the Secret Cow Level. That is no longer a concern.
5. What does The Cow King drop?
The Cow King drops various items, including stamina potions, as a playful reference to milk. The potions are not that special, but it is fun.
6. Can you win by killing the king?
This is a common misconception drawing from the game of chess. No, you do not “win” Diablo II by killing the Cow King. He’s just a mini-boss within the Secret Cow Level.
7. Is Cow level worth it?
Yes! The Secret Cow Level is an excellent place to farm in all difficulties. It’s great for experience, base items, charms, runes, jewels, and gems.
8. What game has the Secret Cow Level?
The Secret Cow Level is a level featured in the Diablo series, developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment.
9. How do you open secret cow level?
Combine Wirt’s Leg and a Tome of Town Portal in the Horadric Cube while standing in the Rogue Encampment in Act 1. You must have already defeated Baal on that difficulty.
10. Can you enter cow level without killing Baal?
No, you must defeat Baal on the difficulty you wish to access the Cow Level. This is a crucial requirement.
11. Can I repeat cow level?
Yes, you can repeat the Cow Level as often as you like, regardless of whether you kill the Cow King.
12. Does the Cow Level Portal stay open?
The portal stays open for the duration of the game session, even after the zone is fully cleared. However, you can only open it once per game.
13. What level is nightmare Cow Level?
The monsters in Nightmare Cow Level are a higher level than those in Normal, providing more experience and better drops. With some better gear you should be able to farm Nightmare Cows. After completing Baal in Hell, you should be around level 64-71.
14. Can the Cow Level be terrorized?
Yes, the Cow Level can be terrorized, increasing the monster level and drop rates, making it even more rewarding to farm. You only run cow level for drops, especially when it gets terrorized since it can drop high level items then such as griffon’s eye.
15. How do you get cow king’s leathers?
Cow King’s Leathers is an item set that drops in the Secret Cow Level. It can be obtained by killing any of the cows in the level, including (but not exclusively) the Cow King.
The Secret Cow Level remains one of the most enduring and enjoyable aspects of Diablo II. With the removal of the Cow King penalty, players can now freely explore this chaotic, bovine-filled zone without any lingering fear of locking themselves out. Happy hunting, and may your inventory be forever filled with runes and socketed items! To discover more about the intersection of gaming and learning, explore the resources available at the Games Learning Society website, https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/.