Note: Updated for 0.2.0g including the location of all known Artificer's Orbs, but I am still exploring and adding things as they are discovered
This guide will help you find all optional and less obvious bonuses throughout the Campaign in Cruel Difficulty, as well as all Permanent Buffs. Many useful items such as Uncut Gems and Jeweller's Orbs can be found as guaranteed drops if you know where to look, and this guide will make sure you find all the most useful ones. Areas that haven't been listed do not have rewards that are worth spending the time to acquire.
Reward: Book of Specialisation (+2 Weapon Set Skill Points)
Complete Ritual Altar
Uncut Skill Gem (Level 12)
Ogham Farmlands
Una's Lute (inside Una's Lute Box in her hut)
Book of Specialisation (+2 Weapon Set Skill Points)
Crop Circle
Uncut Skill Gem (Level 12)
Ogham Village
BOSS -The Executioner
Uncut Support Gem (Level 2) Boss Drop
Uncut Skill Gem (Level 12) Quest Reward (Leitis)
An Artificer's Orb and a Blank Runecan also be found inside the house with a Checkpoint at the entrance in which you located Renly's Tools in Normal (hopefully, otherwise collect them now!)
The Manor Ramparts
The Gallows
Click the rope of the noose holding the hanging man
Uncut Support Gem (Level 2)
Ogham Manor
BOSS -Candlemass, the Living Rite
+5*% to Maximum Life (*Reduced from 8% in Patch 0.2.0)
Act 2 Cruel
ACT 2 CRUEL
Vastiri Outskirts
BOSS - Rathbreaker
Uncut Skill Gem (Level 13) - Quest Reward (Zarka)
Mawdun Quarry
Artificer's Orb - located in the Faridun War Cache beyond a bridge beside a Checkpoint
Keth
BOSS - Kabala, Constrictor Queen
Book of Specialisation (+2 Weapon Set Skill Points)
The Lost City
Golden Tomb (Environmental Object)
Uncut Spirit Gem (Level 13)
Buried Shrines
Suspicious Sarcophagus (Environmental Object)
Uncut Skill Gem (Level 13)
"City of the Seven Waters" Quest
Ignite the Goddess with the Everlasting Cinders and take The Essence of Water
Uncut Support Gem (Level 3)
Valley of the Titans
"Offering to Amrit" Quest
Place the Kabala Clan Relic and Sun Clan Relic
+30% increased Charm Charges Gained or 15% increased Life Recovery from Flasks
The Titan Grotto
Titan's Sword (Environmental Object)
Random Greater Rune
Mastodon Badlands
Fossilised Memorial (Environmental Object)
Uncut Skill Gem (Level 13)
The Bone Pits
BOSS - Iktab, the Deathlord and Ekbab, Ancient Steed
Uncut Spirit Gem (Level 13)(Reward for "A Theft of Ivory" Quest)
Deshar
"Tradition's Toll" Quest Reward
Find the body of the Rhoa rider beside the base of one of the burial towers and collect the Final Letter
Book of Specialisation (+2 Weapon Set Skill Points)
Artificer's Orb - Located by clicking The Unremembered (a skeleton) in a small area beyond a Checkpoint
Path of Mourning
Hushed Urn (Environmental Object)
Uncut Skill Gem (Level 13)
The Spires of Deshar
BOSS - Tor Gul, the Deflier
Uncut Skill Gem (Level 14) Quest Reward
Sisters of Garukhan (Environmental Object)
+10% to Lightning Resistance
Act 3 Cruel
ACT 3 CRUEL
Sandswept Marsh
Orok Campfire (Environmental Event)
Lesser Jeweller's Orb (there is a chest in this camp that will always drop this item)
Note: This area is named "Orok Campfire" but the actual object you need to click is the "Azak Campfire" and the monsters defending it are called Azakh.
Jungle Ruins
BOSS - Mighty Silverfist
Book of Specialisation (+2 Weapon Set Skill Points)
The Venom Crypts
This area is found within the Jungle Ruins
Corpse Snake Venom (Quest)
Choose One Permanent Buff
+10% to Chaos Resistance
+5 to All Attributes
+15% reduced Slowing Potency of Debuffs on You
Artificer's Orb - Servi will also give you an Artificer's Orb for completing this quest
The Azak Bog
This area is connected to The Infested Barrens.
BOSS - Ignagduk, the Bog Witch
+40 to Maximum Spirit
Jiquani's Machinarium
BOSS - Blackjaw, the Remnant
+10% to Fire Resistance
Paquate's Mechanism (Environmental Object)
Altar that provides the opportunity to Corrupt a single item in a way that is identical to a Vaal Orb
The Molten Vault
If you unlocked the Reforging Bench in Normal, skip this quest or do it in Normal so that it is easier
BOSS - Mektul, the Forgemaster
"Treasures of Utzaal" Quest Reward
Reforging Bench(return The Hammer of Kamasa to Oswald) This assumes you didn't do this quest in Normal Difficulty
Artificer's Orb
Utzaal
Note: The Sacrificial Heart for the "Blood Sacrifice" Quest can drop in this area from Vaal Goliaths
Aggorat
"Blood Sacrifice" Quest Reward
Place the Sacrificial Heart on the Sacrificial Altar and stab it to gain the reward. The Sacrificial Heart can be found as a random drop from Vaal Goliaths in either Utzaal and Aggorat
Book of Specialisation (+2 Weapon Set Skill Points)
Act 1 Rewards Cheat Sheet (Cruel)
ACT 1 Cruel
Clearfell:Boss (Beira)
+10% to Cold Resistance
Mud Burrow: Boss (The Devourer)
Uncut Skill Gem (Lvl 11)
Artificer's Orb (Reward)
The Grelwood: Boss (Brambleghast)
Uncut Skill Gem (Lvl 11)
Cemetery of the Eternals: Boss (Lachlann)
Uncut Support Gem (Lvl 2)
Tomb of the Consort: Haunted Treasure
Uncut Support Gem (Lvl 2)
The Hunting Grounds: Boss (The Crowbell)
Book of Specialisation (+2 Passive Points)
Ogham Famlands: Una's Lute
Book of Specialisation (+2 Passive Points)
Ogham Village: Blacksmith's Chest (Renly's House)
Blank Rune (Normal Rune)
Artificer's Orb
Ogham Village: Boss (The Executioner)
Uncut Support Gem (Lvl 2) - Drop
Uncut Skill Gem (Lvl 12) - Reward
The Manor Ramparts: The Gallows
Uncut Support Gem (Lvl 2)
Ogham Manor: Boss (Candlemass)
+5% to Maximum Life
Act 2 Rewards Cheat Sheet (Cruel)
ACT 2 Cruel
Mawdun Mine: Faridun War Cache
Artificer's Orb
Keth (Boss): Kabala
Book of Specialisation (+2 Passive Points)
The Lost City: Golden Tomb
Uncut Spirit Gem (Lvl 13)
Buried Shrines: Complete"The City of the Seven Waters" Quest
Uncut Support Gem (Lvl 3)
Valley of the Titans: Complete "Offering to Amrit" Quest
30% increased Charm Charges Gained or
15% increased Life Recovery from Flasks
Deshar: Locate Fallen Rhoa Rider
Book of Specialisation (+2 Passive Points)
Deshar: The Unremembered
Artificer's Orb
The Spires of Deshar: Sisters of Garukhan
+10% to Lightning Resistance
Act 3 Reward Cheat Sheet (Cruel)
ACT 3 Cruel
Sandswept Marsh: Azak Campfire
Lesser Jeweller's Orb
Jungle Ruins: Boss (Mighty Silverfist)
Book of Specialsation (+2 Passive Points)
Venom Crypts: Corpse Snake Venom
Permanent Buff (Choice of Three)
Artificer's Orb
The Azak Bog: Boss (Ignagduk)
+40 to Maximum Spirit
Jiquani's Machinarium: Boss (Blackjaw)
+10% to Fire Resistance
The Molten Vault
Unlocks Reforging Bench (if you didn't do it in Normal)