The Goblins Event is nearly here in Diablo 4 Season 11, running from December 18 through January 6, 2026, and the smart part is what you do before it starts. I've learned the hard way that "I'll sort it on day one" really means you'll spend day one broke, disorganised, and annoyed. So I'm doing the dull prep now: quick Whisper loops, stash housekeeping, and a bit of route planning, the same way you'd stock up on Diablo 4 gold before a long grind so you're not constantly stopping to fix problems you could've avoided.

Whisper Caches: Bank Them, Don't Pop Them.

Start with Whispers, but don't treat them like a full-time job. Go straight for Boss Lairs that are marked as Whisper targets, because the math is simple: you drop the boss, you snag five Grim Favors, and you're already moving again. You can skip the little detours if you're short on time; the goal is speed and volume. The key move, though, is discipline: turn in at the Tree, take those Chaos/Whisper caches, and do not open them yet. Chuck them into your stash and forget they exist. People always crack them immediately, then wonder why their event week feels "unlucky." Save the rolls for when the event is actually live.

Alt Prep That Actually Feels Like Cheating.

If you've got even a tiny itch to roll an alt, prep now and you'll thank yourself later. Unopened caches are basically stored XP and gear, and they let you skip that sluggish early stretch where your build doesn't feel like itself. Clear space first (yeah, it's painful), then stack your caches by type so you're not sorting in a panic on the 18th. When the event kicks off, you just log in, open a bunch, and suddenly your new character isn't crawling anymore. It's not glamorous, but it works, and it beats begging your friends to carry you.

Sigils and "Treasure Breach" Hunting.

Next, start hoarding Nightmare Dungeon Sigils with the "Treasure Breach" modifier. You'll notice pretty fast that these runs tend to feel more "alive" during goblin-heavy periods, and that's the whole point. If your stash is light, craft sigils with powder, then top up from World Bosses when you can. Just play it safe: stay on your feet, don't get greedy, and don't throw away a kill by face-planting at the end. Looting your sigils and stashing them is the boring win condition.

Asbidan Encounters and Not Getting Robbed by Bugs.

Asbidan encounters can also feed your sigil pile, but I'd keep your head on a swivel, especially if you're in areas where PvP weirdness has been popping up and mercenaries start acting strange. The whole point of prep is to reduce friction, not invite it. Do the safe stuff now, bank the resources, and keep your routes simple so you're ready to sprint when the event starts. Then, if you want to round out your loadout without wasting prime farming hours, you can always buy Diablo 4 Items early in the run and get straight back to chasing goblins instead of fiddling with gear gaps.