WIKI
Soul stones let you claim Act Boss rewards. There are four tiers (Normal, Nightmare, Hell, Torment) and you only spend one when you win — failing is free. Farm the fastest stage that drops your tier, or buy them on the Steam Market.
What soul stones do
Each of the game's three acts ends in an Act Boss, and challenging that boss costs a soul stone. Beating it awards a guaranteed red boss chest — the best loot pool available at your current difficulty — which makes soul stones one of the most important resources in the mid game. They are, in effect, the "ticket" to the highest-rarity gear and materials. Full boss mechanics live in the bosses & soul stones guide; this page is all about the stones themselves.
The four soul stone tiers
Soul stones come in four tiers, one per difficulty. You need the matching tier to challenge an Act Boss on that difficulty — a Normal stone won't open a Hell boss.
| Tier | Challenges | Rough enemy level |
|---|---|---|
| Normal | Act Bosses on Normal | ~20s |
| Nightmare | Act Bosses on Nightmare | ~40s |
| Hell | Act Bosses on Hell | ~60s |
| Torment | Act Bosses on Torment (top) | ~90s |
Higher tiers gate better rewards, so the long loop is: out-gear your difficulty, clear its bosses for red chests, then push the next difficulty with that gear.
The fail-free rule — never waste a stone
A soul stone is spent only when you clear the boss. Failing costs nothing. So never hoard stones out of fear — throw your party at a boss as many times as you like to test it, and you only "pay" when you actually collect the reward. The stone is the price of the chest, not the attempt.
How to get soul stones
There are two reliable sources:
- Farm them. Soul stones drop from specific stages. The trick most players miss: a fast lower stage you clear in seconds out-farms the hardest stage you can barely beat, because income scales with clears per hour. Pick the quickest stage that drops the tier you need and run it on repeat — ideally with Far North auto-open doing the work. Full method in the best farming stage guide.
- Buy them. Soul stones are tradeable on the Steam Market and one of the more liquid items in the economy, so if farming a tier is too slow you can simply purchase the stones you're short on.
Are soul stones worth money?
Yes — because every player who wants Act Boss loot needs them, soul stones hold steady demand on the Steam Market. That cuts both ways: if you're swimming in a tier you've out-levelled, selling the surplus is a clean way to earn Steam Wallet funds; if a tier is gating your progress, buying a stack is often cheaper than hours of farming. Note that, like other tradeable items, market funds are spendable on Steam only, not real cash.
Spending soul stones efficiently
- Don't hoard — you only pay on a win, so spend whenever you can clear a boss
- Attempt freely to test a boss; failing wastes nothing but time
- Gear to Legendary+ in the Cube before forcing a tier you keep losing
- Run a full tank + damage + Priest party (tier list) so clears are reliable
- Buy the tier you need on the market if it's the only thing walling you
FAQ
What are soul stones for?
They're the key to challenging Act Bosses. Spend one on a clear to claim the boss's red chest — the best loot at your difficulty.
How many tiers are there?
Four — Normal, Nightmare, Hell and Torment — matching the four difficulties. You need the matching tier for each boss.
Do I lose a stone if I fail the boss?
No. You only spend a soul stone on a successful clear. Failing is completely free, so attempt bosses as often as you like.
Where do soul stones drop?
From specific stages — farm the fastest stage that drops your tier, not the hardest. They're also buyable on the Steam Market.
Drop stages, tier level bands and market prices shift between patches; treat specifics as current-patch guidance. Unofficial fan resource, not official Nugem Studio data.