Diablo 3: Darkening of Tristram – How to Unlock the Secret Cow Level | Easter Egg Guide

Remember Wirt’s Leg? It can be your’s in the Diablo 3 event ‘The Darkening of Tristram’ if you’re willing to go the extra mile and unlock the secrets of Old Tristram. Not only can you recollect the infamous item, you can unlock unlock a portal to the Secret Cow Level. It all leads to the best of the best rewards — your very own hellish bovine pet.

The legend of the Secret Cow Level was born in the original Diablo, but didn’t become reality until Diablo 2. In that game, you can visit the original town of Tristram and collect Wirt’s Leg, a bonus item that (when combined with a Tome of Town Portal) unlocks a red portal that leads into the Cow Level. The area is full of Hell Bovine, and is presided over by The Cow King. It’s an infamous Easter egg, and it’s returning in full form in Diablo 3.

More Diablo 3: Darkening of Tristram guides on Gameranx:

• Diablo 3: Darkening of Tristram – How to Get Started | Retro Event Guide
• Diablo 3: Darkening of Tristram – How to Unlock Every New Cosmetic | Pets, Banners & More

How to Unlock the Secret Cow Level | Easter Egg Guide

The Secret Cow Level is only available during ‘The Darkening of Tristram’ event that runs through Jan. 1st to Jan 30th. The “Not A Cow Level” already exists in Diablo 3, but that hidden area is even tougher to get into. Here, we’re all about the Secret Cow Level hidden in Old Tristram.

• To unlock the Secret Cow Level, first you’ll need to get the Wirt’s Leg Recipe.
  1. Reach Level 9 of the Old Tristram Labyrinth and search the mushrooms until you find the Rotten Mushroom item.
  2. Go to Adria’s Hut in the Ruins of Tristram and use the cauldron to get the Witch’s Brew item.
  3. At the Ruins of Tristram, click on the corpses. Each one will drop an  item if you search the bodies in this specific order.
     1. Farnham
     2. Ogden
     3. Pepin
     4. Griswold (Wirt’s Leg Recipe will drop here.)
  4. You can now craft Wirt’s Leg. Go to the Blacksmith and learn / craft Wirt’s Leg. It will cost 1,000,000 gold.

Now that you’ve crafted Wirt’s Leg, you can finally unlock the Secret Cow Level.

How to Unlock the Secret Cow Level

Once you have Wirt’s Leg, we can begin the process to unlock the portal to the Secret Cow Level.

1. Take Wirt’s Leg to the Blacksmith and Salvage it.
   • You’ll get the Map of the Stars item.
2. Return to Adria’s Hut in the Ruins of Tristram. There are three dead cows outside. Search them in order:
   1. Center
   2. Left
   3. Right
3. The path to the Secret Cow Level will now open!

Now you can enter the Secret Cow Level and blast Hell Bovine to your heart’s content. The area is swarming with enemies, but you’ll want to search carefully to find Wirt’s Stash. Inside, you can collect the Royal Calf pet.