Greater Rift Keystones (GRKs) are required to open enter [[Greater Rifts]], a special type of [[Nephalem Rift]] added to [[Reaper of Souls]] in [[Patch 2.1]]. These keys have a level number as part of their basic function, with from level one GKRs dropped randomly by normal [[Nephalem 1-100, corresponding to the Greater Rift Guardians]]Difficulty.
Higher lever GKRs can only be obtained [[File:Greater-rift-keys-ptr2.JPG|left|thumb|90px|GRKs.]][[File:Grk29-trials1.JPG|thumb|300px|Level 29 GRK earned from [[Realm of Trials]].]]Initially in Patch 2.1 testing, level 1 GRKs were dropped directly by completing Nephalem Rift Guardians. That system was changed to have those monsters drop [[Keystones of Trials]], which enable players to endure wave events in the Realm of Trials. Defeating more waves will earn higher level Greater RiftsRift Keys. If a character kills the A Greater Rift Key is also awarded by Greater Rift Guardian before Guardians, if players defeat it within the fifteen minute timer expires, another 15m time limit. That GRK will be awarded. The next key will always be at least one rift 1 level higherthan the Grift it was earned on, and every minute below the deadline a player finishes earns one level can jump up to 9 levels higher depending on how far ahead of greater rift keythe 15m timer players complete it.
For instanceLevel 25-27 is roughly equivalent to [[Torment 6]], if a player in a so advancing beyond level one Greater Rift finishes 30 takes an exceptionally well-geared character. Players found various exploits to clear up through GR 100 during PTR testing of Patch 2.1, but as Blizzard adjusted the rift difficulty and kills removed exploits, the maximum Grifts cleared came down. When Patch 2.1 went live Blizzard considered GR 30 about the Guardian highest a very-well geared softcore character could handle, with five minutes remaining, they would be awarded a level 6 Greater Rift keypre-Patch 2.1 gear. The level 6 rift design is harder than the level 1, and if they finished that rift with 4 minutes for GR 30-40 to spare they'd earn be a level 10 GRK. Finish that one considerable challenge, with just seconds only exceptionally well-geared chars or parties able to spare and they would earn a level 11 GRK, and so onadvance much beyond GR40.
Blizzard hasn't said what the maximum level of Greater Rift is, though there's no apparent reason there should be an upper level, since each higher level just increases monster hit points and damage by some percentage. Level 25-27 is roughly equivalent to [[Torment 6]], so advancing beyond level 30 takes an exceptionally well-geared character. Early in Patch 2.1 testing on the PTR the highest level GR that has been finished solo is 38, and no class other than a Demon Hunter has beaten one above level 31. * See the Greater Rifts article for much more detail about GRsGrifts.
==Greater Rift Key Appearance==
[[File:Greater-rift-keystone-l10.jpg|frame|Greater Rift Keystone, level 10.]]At the start of the Patch 2.1 PTR, Greater Rift Keys of every level used the same icon as regular Rift Keys. It's Players assumed that this is just was a temporary graphic and that sure enough, a new stone graphic will be added. The only way to tell with a GRK from a normal rift key is to hover big number on itwas being used by the time Patch 2.1 went live. That graphic is often derided as cartoonish, and every level of GRK looks identical as wellso it's possible the visual will change yet again.
Long term there will likely be no item graphic at all, as Rift Keys will be auto<gallery>File:Grk29-stored with just a number displayed on trials1.JPG|GRK rank 29 seen from late in the Inventory windowPTR.File:Greater-rift-keystone-l10.jpg|GRK first design, just as [[Gold]] and [[Blood Shards]] are alreadyreused Rift Key graphic.</gallery>
