Scourge

This article describes historical game content.

The Scourge mechanic has not been added to the core game after the end of Scourge league. Scourge monsters are now part of Beyond.

This page is about the game mechanic. For the unique item, see The Scourge.

For the current version of Scourge, see Beyond demon.

Scourge encounters were a game mechanic introduced in the Scourge leagues. After the challenge leagues ended, Scourge wasn't integrated in the core game. Instead, it was later merged into Beyond.

Overview

In the Scourge leagues, players encountered The Last to Die, who offered the character the Blood Crucible. The Blood Crucible fills with the blood of slain monsters. Once it reaches a threshold, the device can be activated, which transports the character into a parallel reality. This version of Wraeclast is inhabited by demons known as The Scourge. When the Blood Crucible's blood runs out, or if the player chooses to go back, the character is instantly shifted back to normal reality.

Equipment can be placed into the Blood Crucible. After killing enough Scourge Demons, the item can be transformed (Scourged). It becomes corrupted and gains two Scourge modifiers, which are in addition to the regular implicit and explicit mods. The Scourge modifiers will consist of one beneficial and one detrimental mod. A Scourged item can be put into the Blood Crucible a second time and third time, each increasing the power of the Scourged modifiers. The Blood Crucible works on already corrupted items.

Maps can also be placed into the Blood Crucible after certain upgrades.

Bosses

Three Unique boss enemies can spawn in the Nightmare realm. The boss encountered depends on the type of enemies in that map. When encountered, the Blood Gauge pauses for 5 seconds during the spawning animation, and every time the boss lost 5% of its life (refreshes each time; the time does not accumulate). By default, only up to one boss can spawn in a map, but a specific Scourged map modifier can allow spawning multiple of the same boss in that map. Defeating Scourge bosses will cause several Tainted currencies and Scourged items to drop, including Scourged Unique items with two positive and two negative modifiers. Defeating a Scourge boss also has a chance to drop a Viscera CauldronViscera CauldronFlesh can be as clay to the properly motivated artist., which granted a third equipment slot for the Crucible.

Name	K'tash, the Hate Shepherd	Ghorr, the Grasping Maw	Beidat, Archangel of Death
Minimap icon
Image
Zone indicator	K'tash indicator - orange flares light up for a briefly before a small meteor falls	Ghorr indicator - purple spores on ground that explode when approached	Beidat indicator - yellow lightning strikes the ground periodically

Scourge rewards

Scourge demons can drop Tainted currency. These items can modify corrupted items, which usually can't be altered with currency.

Note that although Tainted BlessingTainted BlessingStack Size: 10Can be placed in the Divine Font to allow enchantment of corrupted gloves, boots, helmets or belts. is introduced in the same patch, but it is a core drop.

Tainted currency

Item	Drop Level	Stack Size	Effect(s)
Tainted Armourer's ScrapTainted Armourer's ScrapStack Size: 40Randomises the quality of a corrupted armourRight click this item then left click a corrupted armour to apply it. The maximum random quality is 29%.	1	40	Randomises the quality of a corrupted armour
Tainted Blacksmith's WhetstoneTainted Blacksmith's WhetstoneStack Size: 20Randomises the quality of a corrupted weaponRight click this item then left click a corrupted weapon to apply it. The maximum random quality is 29%.	1	20	Randomises the quality of a corrupted weapon
Tainted Chaos OrbTainted Chaos OrbStack Size: 20Unpredictably either reforges a corrupted rare item with new random modifiers or removes all of its modifiersRight click this item then left click a corrupted rare item to apply it.	12	20	Unpredictably either reforges a corrupted rare item with new random modifiers or removes all of its modifiers
Tainted Chromatic OrbTainted Chromatic OrbStack Size: 20Unpredictably reforges the colour of sockets on a corrupted itemRight click this item then left click a corrupted socketed item to apply it.	2	20	Unpredictably reforges the colour of sockets on a corrupted item
Tainted Divine TeardropTainted Divine TeardropStack Size: 10Unpredictably raises or lowers the tier of each modifier on a corrupted rare itemRight click this item then left click a corrupted rare item to apply it.	68	10	Unpredictably raises or lowers the tier of each modifier on a corrupted rare item
Tainted Exalted OrbTainted Exalted OrbStack Size: 20Unpredictably adds or removes a modifier on a corrupted rare itemRight click this item then left click a corrupted rare item to apply it. Rare items can have up to six random modifiers.	35	20	Unpredictably adds or removes a modifier on a corrupted rare item
Tainted Jeweller's OrbTainted Jeweller's OrbStack Size: 20Unpredictably adds or removes a socket on a corrupted itemRight click this item then left click a corrupted socketed item to apply it.	8	20	Unpredictably adds or removes a socket on a corrupted item
Tainted Mythic OrbTainted Mythic OrbStack Size: 20Unpredictably either upgrades a corrupted item to unique rarity or destroys itRight click this item then left click a corrupted item to apply it. Cannot apply to Maps.	2	20	Unpredictably either upgrades a corrupted item to unique rarity or destroys it
Tainted Orb of FusingTainted Orb of FusingStack Size: 20Unpredictably adds or removes a link to the largest group of linked sockets on a corrupted itemRight click this item then left click a corrupted socketed item to apply it.	50	20	Unpredictably adds or removes a link to the largest group of linked sockets on a corrupted item

Version history

Version	Changes
3.17.0	Not integrated into the core game. [Undocumented This change was not documented by any official sources. It was discovered through player testing or datamining.] Existing Scourged Maps no longer mention any Scourge gameplay mechanics on the item, as they will now have no effect.
3.16.0b	Upon encountering a Boss in Nightmare, the drain of blood from the Crucible is now paused for 5 seconds. The damage of Ravenous Bloodshaper's Blood Orb and Spike Barrage skills has been decreased. The damage of Demon Herder's Vomit and Beam skill has been decreased. Reduced the number of Monsters with Proximity Shield that can spawn in some Scourge encounters. The Corruption Absorbed progress bar now displays underneath items stored in the Blood Crucible, without you having to hover over them.
3.16.0	Introduced to the game. Fixed a bug in Scourge League where the Blood Crucible could mistakenly upgrade an explicit mod on unique items. We also plan to fix existing items that were affected by this.