Shard of Agony outperforms most other Diablo 4 currencies in bang-for-time for dedicated endgame players chasing Uber Uniques, as its Grigoire hoard path delivers direct access to Duriel kits with higher loot ceilings than Living Steel or Malignant Hearts alone. While currencies like Forgotten Souls or Veiled Crystals flood from general activities, shards demand focused Helltide-to-boss loops but yield disproportionate progression value per hour once optimized.
Shard of Agony Efficiency Edge
Grigoire runs via Living Steel conversion net 1-3 shards per 20-30 minutes of Helltide grinding, scaling to 4+ per hour in groups, directly fueling Duriel's Mythic Unique hoard—a payout unmatched by flat mats like Runeshards or Baleful Fragments. This chain beats solo Nightmare Dungeon mats, where Sigil costs dilute returns compared to shards' boss-gated upside.
Living Steel and Malignant Hearts Comparison
Living Steel, farmed alongside shards in Helltides, ties directly into Grigoire but lacks standalone power; its 14-steel orange chests feel abundant yet loop back to the same shard economy without Duriel access. Malignant Hearts for Varshan offer similar shard chances but lower consistency, making them a weaker primary—use as supplement only, since Grigoire's Lightning-tuned clears outpace Varshan's randomness.
Mucus-Slick Eggs and Uber Alternatives
Mucus-Slick Eggs trade at half shard value (25M vs 50M gold) due to easier Grigoire/Varshan sourcing, but lack shards' scarcity premium and Duriel synergy—farming both together maximizes kits, yet shards dictate the bottleneck. Andariel mats like Sandscorched Shackles compete via faster clears but dilute Uber focus; shards win for pure Unique velocity in optimized rotations.
Broader Currency Benchmarks
Forgotten Souls/Obducite: Infinite supply from pits/dungeons, zero progression gating—shards eclipse for targeted endgame.
Tribute of Titans: Quick Undercity bursts rival shard hours but spread thin across keys; secondary to Grigoire spam.
Stygian Stones: Pit-exclusive, high-value but cooldown-locked; shards offer steadier daily throughput.
Prioritize shards for top returns, blending with steel/eggs; general mats fill gaps but never match the Duriel pipeline's ROI.