The cow level has been a part of the Diablo series for over 25 years – and was originally a joke that got way too big. MeinMMO explains where this level, which doesn’t even exist, comes from and what makes it so special.
What is the cow level?
What makes the cow level so special? Traditionally, the cow level is a popular farming spot. The mob density here is above average and there are many elite enemies with increased drop chances.
In Diablo 2, for example, the cow level is the best farming spot for the base of the rune words. In Diablo 3, the non-cow level is a place where many legendaries can be found because there are guaranteed to be masses of elite enemies here.
However, the cow level became famous because it was born out of a joke and grew bigger and bigger. There are references to the level in almost every Blizzard game and even in other media, and in Diablo 4 there is a huge treasure hunt going on for the cow level.
No one has yet found a real cow level in Diablo 4. Maybe with Vessel of Hatred?
Trailer for Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred gives insight into the story of the expansion
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A joke becomes a meme that accompanies Diablo for over 25 years
The secret cow level has its origins in the original Diablo from 1997. There are a few cows standing around in Tristram and players are firmly convinced that if you click on them often enough, a portal to a secret level will open.
However, this cow level never existed (hence the saying today: “There is no cow level”). With the Hellfire expansion, the developers added a secret quest with an NPC in a cow costume who is supposed to pick up on this joke.
It wasn’t until Diablo 2 in 2000 that players were given access to the secret cow level, known there as “Moo-Moo Farm”. To enter this farm, you need two items:
If you place these items in the Horadric Cube after completing the final quest from Act 5 on the current difficulty, a red portal will open to a level full of cows carrying halberds.
Back then, you could only visit the level once; once the “Cow King” was killed, the portal for this difficulty closed. In Diablo 2: Resurrected, the level is repeatable.
In Diablo 3, the cow level made a comeback, in two versions. The base game has Whimsyshire as a secret level, a world full of teddy bears, rainbows and unicorns – the reason why players wanted a “dark” Diablo again. With Reaper of Souls, the “Not the Cow Level” was added, with the familiar cows and tons of loot.
The cow level in other games
Over the years, the cow level has even found its way into other games and media, primarily Blizzard stuff. Almost every Blizzard game since 1997 has some reference to the legendary level:
Even other games have references to the cow level. In Watch Dogs 2, an NPC compares the difficulty of a mission to the cow level. The “Diablo 2” edition of Dungeons & Dragons has official rules for a cow level and the cow enemies there. Final Fantasy VII has a secret cow level, albeit only in name (via YouTube).
The eternal search: Is there a cow level in Diablo 4?
Even before the release of Diablo 4, fans were asking if there was a secret cow level in the latest Diablo. The official answer is of course: No, there is no cow level. That would be totally absurd.
With each season, however, the clues to a cow level become more and more concentrated – starting with someone slaughtering 2,000 cows to find a first secret item. However, as we now know, 666 cows are enough.
The items can be purified at the Ox Well in Ked Bardu to receive a key. The key opens a cellar in Scosglen in an area that looks like a cow’s head on the map. There are heaps of cows in the cellar. If you kill them all, you get a stamina potion whose use is not yet known. The trail ends here for the moment.
Although Blizzard claims that there is no cow level, the boss says that it is better to keep these items. In the Discord “Not Finding a Cow Level” hundreds of fans are trying to solve the puzzle, but so far without success.
Another secret in the game is the wishing well, which is also located in Scosglen. Players suspect that the well and the cow level are somehow connected. At least with the wishing well there is even a real, new progression: players find a secret item for the first time, which is the rarest and worst in the game so far