Changes

* Rifts require 5 keystones 1 keystone from each character to open, which must be farmed via Bounties. (Rifts required 5 keys prior to [[Patch 2.1]].

* There are no random [[Unique]]s in Rifts, other than the Rift Guardian, hence they offer few chances to score [[legendary materials]]. (Removed Leg mats were removed in [[Patch 2.0.6]].

An unlimited number of Rifts can be run in the same game, providing players have enough [[Rift Keystones]] to keep opening up a new Rift after completing the previous one. During the Reaper of Souls beta it was possible to abandon a Rift and open a new one, but that option is gone in the [[live]] game and a new Rift can only be opened once the Rift Guardian has been slain. Early in RoS that required just one character in the game to click on [[Orek]], but after player complaints about Rift Rifts closing before all the loot could be betheredgathered, Blizzard added a thirty-second timer.

Five One [[Rift KeystonesKeystone]] are is required from each character who wishes to open enter a Rift. These (Five keys required prior to Patch 2.1.) Rift Keys are granted for completing bounties and are also found in bounty bags ([[Horadric Caches]]). Running  Prior to Patch 2.10 it was much more efficient to run Bounties and/or Rifts works better in groups, since each Bounty and Bounty Bag rewards rewarded all characters who take took part with the 1 or more Rift Keystone(s), and only one player needs needed to spend 5 Rift Keystones to open a Rift, which all players in the game can could enter. Thus four players working together to clear an Act of Bounties will would get 5-7 rift keys each; enough Rift Keystones for to do four Rifts, while a solo player will only get enough for one. In Patch 2.1 and later each player entering the Rift requires a keystone, which makes it much easier for a solo player to rift, but doesn't lower the total cost much for multiplayer games; 4 rift keys for 4 players, vs. 5 for any number of players previously.

Clicking the Altar Nephalem Obelisk in town starts a five second loading bar (added in [[Patch 2.0.4]]), and then the Altar opens up to reveal a yellow portal that can be entered by all players in the game. In a Rift players must kill ~approximately 500 monsters to complete the progress bar to 100%. At that point a [[Rift Guardian]] will spawn nearby, and when defeated will drop a huge fountain of items, gems, materials, and a large stack of [[Blood Shards]] (20+ shards, increasing by [[difficulty ]] level).