Diablo 2: Resurrected — How to play the Secret Cow Level

Diablo 2 Cows
Diablo 2 Cows (Image credit: Windows Central)

Diablo 2: Resurrected is here, providing players on all platforms the ability to experience the fight against the Prime Evils. Even though it's a remaster of the original game, Diablo 2: Resurrected might be one of the best Xbox RPGs available right now, proving that the grind for loot is as addictive as ever. There's plenty of secrets to find, including the iconic Secret Cow Level.

Whether you're a new player or a returning veteran seeking cows to slaughter, we've got you covered. Here's how to play the Secret Cow Level in Diablo 2: Resurrected.

How to play the Secret Cow Level in Diablo 2: Resurrected

Source: Windows Central (Image credit: Source: Windows Central)

First off, understand that the Cow Level isn't immediately accessible on a fresh playthrough. You'll need to have complete the game on a difficulty before the Cow Level can be accessed at that difficulty. As an example, if you want access the cow level in Hell, you need to have first beaten the game in Hell. Since Diablo 2: Resurrected includes the Lord of Destruction expansion pack, this means beating Baal in Act 5, unless you're playing without Lord of Destruction enabled, in which case you'll have to finish Act 4.

Regardless, once your playthrough and difficulty are ready, there are a few simple steps:

  1. Collect a Tome of Town Portal. It can be purchased from Akara.
  2. Collect Wirt's Leg. It can be found in ruined Tristram, accessible via the Cairn Stone portal in the Stony Field.

Source: Windows Central (Image credit: Source: Windows Central)
  1. Combine both aforementioned items in the Horadric Cube. Make sure you're in the Rogue Encampment in Act 1.
  2. Click Transmute on the Horadric Cube window.
  3. Go through the new red portal to the Secret Cow Level.

The Cow Level is not a bad place for farming experience thanks to the abundance of cows, referred to in-game as Hell Bovine. There's also the Cow King himself, who has a chance to drop the Cow King's Leathers set items among regular drops.

Diablo 2: Resurrected fixed the issue of not being able to re-open the portal once the Cow King was killed, so you can remake the same portal as many times as you'd like. This is a great place to farm for runeword bases and runes, but be warned that the cows can be deadly for players who are under-geared or under-leveled.

Fight the hordes of Hell

If you're finding difficulty getting started in Diablo 2: Resurrected, consider consulting our list of tips for beginners in Diablo 2: Resurrected. While the game is more and more stable now, some players are still encountering server problems and launch issues in Diablo 2: Resurrected, which we're continuing to track.

Diablo 2: Resurrected is currently available on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC, PS5, PS4 and Nintendo Switch.

Samuel Tolbert
Freelance Writer

Samuel Tolbert is a freelance writer covering gaming news, previews, reviews, interviews and different aspects of the gaming industry, specifically focusing on Xbox and PC gaming on Windows Central. You can find him on Twitter @SamuelTolbert.