Greater Rifts (GRsor GRifts, initially known as '''Tiered Rifts''') are a higher level of [[Nephalem Rift]], meant to provide a greater challenge and greater rewards for players geared well enough to take them on. Greater Rifts are timed, and *must* be completed within 15 minutes to earn rewards. All treasure in Greater Rifts, with usually a [[legendary ]] item or two, comes from the [[Greater Rift Guardians|Greater Rift Guardian]] (GRG) which is an upgraded version of the regular [[Rift Guardians]].

'''Difficulty: '''Greater Rifts are numbered as a measure of their difficulty. A level 1 Greater Rift is very easy, equivalent to [[Normal]] difficulty (or less.) Greater Rifts scale up quickly though, and will become challenging for any player ability. Level 8 is equivalent to about Torment 1, Level 15 is equivalent to about [[Torment 3]], and Level 25 is approximately the same as [[Torment 6]]. There Early in PTR testing there were 100 GR levels, though there should theoretically be an infinite number or Greater Rift levels since each one merely increases the hit points and damage of the monsters by some percentage.  '''No Respecs:''' Characters can reallocate their Paragon Points while in a Rift, but can not access their [[inventory]] or skill menus ([[respec]]) while in a Greater Rift. It is possible to return to town mid-GR, and players can respec and make repairs then, though it's not recommended since the GR is a timed race. This is a feature designed to limit exploits via equipment or skill changes, so players can't change gear or skills to be more effective against a single target before they reach the [[Greater Rift Guardian]] for instance.

'''No RespecsRewards:''' Characters can reallocate their Paragon Points while in a Rift, but can not access their inventory or skill menus (Items and [[respecgold]]) while do not drop in a Greater Rift. It is possible to return to town mid-GRRifts, and players can respec and make repairs thenthere are no chests or other clickables. All treasure comes from defeating the Greater Rift Guardian, though it's not recommended since the GR is who drops a timed race. This is huge amount of stuff, about double that of a feature designed to limit exploits via equipment or skill changesnormal Rift Guardian, so players can't change gear or skills to be more effective against and has a single target before they reach very high probability of dropping at least one legendary item. (Note that the lack of gold and chests hurts the effectiveness of legendary items such as [[Goldwrap]] and [[Greater Rift GuardianHarrington Waistguard]] for instancethat proc up in effectiveness via gold pickups or chest/clickables opening. )

'''Rewards[[Shrines]]: '''Items and gold do not drop There are very few [[shrines]] or [[pylons]] in Greater Rifts, and there . Pylons are no chests or other clickables. All treasure comes from defeating the Greater Rift Guardianseen occasionally, who drops a huge amount but their bonuses last only 15 seconds (instead of stuff, about double that of a normal Rift Guardian, the usual 30) and has a very high probability of dropping at least one legendary item. (Note Blizzard specifically said that the lack of gold and chests hurts the effectiveness of legendary items such as [[GoldwrapConduit]] and Pylons would not be found in Greater Rifts since they are so powerful they would skew the entire rift [[Harrington WaistguardLeaderboard]] that proc up in effectiveness via gold pickups or chest/clickables openingsystem.)

'''Shrines:''' There are virtually no [[shrines]] or [[pylonsTreasure Goblins]] ''': Early in Greater RiftsPTR testing Goblins dropped gold and items as usual. Pylons are seen occasionally, but their bonuses last This was soon patched to make them drop only 15 seconds (instead of the usual 30) and Blizzard specifically said orange orbs that [[Conduit]] Pylons would not boost completion percentage, which dead Elites also drop. Further changes may be found in Greater Rifts since they are so powerful they would skew the entire rift [[Leaderboard]] systemstore.

'''Progress Bar:'''The progress bar in a Greater Rift increases gradually from killing trash mobs, but jumps up by larger amounts for Elite kills. (Elites drop objects that look a bit like gooey orange health orbs, which count for big boosts in the progress bar when collected.) This is a feature designed to keep players from simply rushing past Elites to more quickly finish the rift by killing trash mobs, as can be done in normal Nephalem Rifts, and players will fill their progress bar more quickly by killing Elites than by skipping them, except in very rare long Elite battles.