Learning how to get the Black River in Diablo 4 is vital for Necromancer players looking to make the most of their class, as it’s one of the best weapons in the game and a powerful tool in your arsenal.
Diablo 4 lets players increase the power of their build as they progress through World Tiers and earn much higher-quality gear. Black River is one of these higher-spec weapons in the game that’s worth chasing by anyone who can wield it.
So, take a look at what the Black River does and how to get it in Diablo 4.
- Check out our Diablo 4 Season 1 hub, which covers when we think it will end, what the Battle Pass features, and more.
What is the Black River in Diablo 4?
Image via Diablo 4 Fextralife Wiki
The Diablo 4 Black River is a Unique one-handed Scythe used by the Necromancer class.
One of the best parts of the Black River is its effect, which causes the Corpse Explosion skill to consume four additional corpses around the initial corpse – dealing increased damage with a larger radius per additional corpse.
There are also a number of useful Affixes available for the weapon. Check them out in the table below.
Affixes | Effects |
Equipment Affix | Life on Kill |
Affix 1 | Intelligence |
Affix 2 | Damage to distant enemies |
Affix 3 | Damage to healthy enemies |
Affix 4 | Rank to Fueled by Death |
Where to get the Black River Unique in Diablo 4

Image via YouTube: Contortia
To get the Black River Unique in Diablo 4, you will need to play the game in World Tier three (Nightmare difficulty), which you can access by completing the Cathedral of Light dungeon at World Tier 2, and then changing tiers.
As the Diablo 4 Black River is a Unique item, it has a low drop rate even once it becomes possible to earn. The only possible ways to earn it include killing enemies and opening chests.
The best way of ensuring success is by taking part in World Boss events, Gathering Legion events, or Nightmare Dungeons. These all have the best success chance for acquiring higher tier loot currently.
It may take a while as it largely comes down to RNG, but if you continue a gameplay loop consisting of the above three activities, you’ll eventually get the Black River to drop.
That’s our full primer on how to get the Black River in Diablo 4, along with what it is exactly and how it’s special compared to most Necromancer weapons.
For more guides, check out our Diablo 4 homepage.