Whimsydale and Whimsyshire are two secret zones built into the map of Diablo 3. The dev team created the two easter eggs in direct response to player complaints, mocking those who thought the game was too colorful compared to previous games. The two zones are a very bright and cheery area, in direct contrast to the rest of the game.
Getting access to these two zones can take some work. Both zones may resemble a childish drawing, but they’re not for children. The murderous unicorns and other foes will swarm and overwhelm a lesser adventurer. And much like the iconic Secret Cow Level, these zones are meant to be places you only visit when you get lucky. Or in the case of Whimsyshire
How to get access to Whimsydale and Whimsyshire in Diablo 3
The easier of the two zones to get access to is Whimsyshire, as it’s reliant on a few unique spawns that you can almost always reliably get. You need to collect a certain set of items and craft the Staff of Herding to gain access. You must collect these items yourself, as they are account-bound on pickup. You need to collect each of these items and then craft the Staff of Herding. This unique item will need to be held on the player — you don’t need to equip it — to make your way into the zone.
- Black Mushroom — Spawns on the first level of Tristram Cathedral in Act I.
- Leoric’s Shinbone (PC/Mac version only) — Is located randomly in the fireplace in Leoric’s Manor in Act I.
- Liquid Rainbow (PC/Mac version only) — Is found in a Mysterious Cave within Dahlgur Oasis. The cave is opened by Zaven the Alchemist after he has been saved from a pack of Deathly Haunts in Act II. The item is located within a Mysterious Chest. Neither Zaven nor the chest are guaranteed to appear.
- Wirt’s Bell — Sold by Squirt the Peddler in the Hidden Camp in Act II for 100,000 gold (25,000 on the console version).
- Gibbering Gemstone — Dropped by Chiltara in level 2 of the Caverns of Frost in Act III.
- Plan: Staff of Herding — Dropped randomly by Izual in Act IV.
So to clarify, only the Black Mushroom, Wirt’s Bell and Gibbering Gemstone are needed on the console versions. You also need the plans of course, but this makes it much easier to get to the zone on console. If you’re having trouble getting unique spawns like Zaven to appear, try resetting your game by quitting, changing to another Act, then returning to the Act they normally spawn in. This will reset the instance entirely and allow for a new shot at the NPC spawning.
To access the zone, head to The Old Ruins waypoint and head back northwest towards Cain’s house. On the Old Tristram Road hugging the south wall, you will see a rainbow-colored rift and there should be a Skeletal Corpse. The cow must be interacted with, then you can enter the rainbow rift. You can also return here and redo the run anytime you want.
What about Whimysdale?
Whimsydale has far better loot from the various clouds and other drops, so it’s a bit harder to find. You need to get lucky and find the bright blue Rainbow Goblin in a zone and kill them. Doing so will open a portal that leads to the zone. Rainbow Goblins never appear in Nephalem Rifts, but can appear in Story and Adventure Mode. Although it seems that their spawn is most common for level 70 characters. You know you’ve found one when you hear the distinct goblin laugh, and then see a bright blue one running around.
What kind of loot can you get?
The loot variety will vary a lot depending on which version of Whimsydale and Whimsyshire you’re in. Whimsydale is by far the better zone in terms of loot, as it’s much more random. Some players who get unlucky may never see it on some characters.
- Piñata: These glowing red Piñata drop multiple Death’s Breath and Forgotten Soul
- Lovely Gifts: dozens of items, including multiple Magic Items, Rare Items and Legendary Items
- Funny Shrooms: These colored mushrooms drop multiple Death’s Breath
- Pot o’ Gold: A large amount of gold, and a single highest quality gem (Imperial at level 70)
- Happy Cloud: Many gems of highest quality (Imperial at level 70) and sometimes a pile of gold
These clouds, presents and other loot sources can spawn dozens of Imperial Gems and millions of gold. For early game players who just got to level 70, this can be a huge boon. For this reason, it’s advisable to fully clear Whimsydale when you can find it. Take the time to check all the gear and gem sources. It’s usually best to ignore the Rares unless you need fodder for upgrades, focus on picking up any Legendaries that drop.