The new action RPG Diablo 4 was announced back in 2019. Since then, many new pieces of information about the game have been released, some of which have also changed. MeinMMO summarizes important content for you, of which you probably had no idea.
What are these things? A video by Diablo expert jessirocks made me aware that some information about Diablo 4 is not as widely known as one might assume.
That’s why I searched for details that have been rarely discussed, recently come to light, or have changed since the announcement in 2019. Those who have not followed Diablo 4 closely will at least not have known some of these things.
This knowledge can help you prepare for the upcoming open beta of Diablo 4, so you won’t look for missing features.
You can already find a summary of the content of Diablo 4 on MeinMMO. The video contains everything you need to know about the upcoming beta:
1. Runes are coming, but not at launch
The developers already mentioned at the 2019 announcement that runes are returning to Diablo 4. Runes are special gems that you insert into items to create powerful rune words like in Diablo 2: Resurrected.
Some rune words were among the most powerful items in the game in previous installments. However, Diablo 3 no longer had the system. Diablo 4 is supposed to get it back, just not at launch.
In December 2022, the developers talked about the fact that while runes are still planned, they will not be in the game at launch. They will presumably be added later with one of the seasons or an expansion.
By the way: this also applies to sets. Sets will not be in the game at the launch of Diablo 4 but are expected to come after release:
2. Loot depends on the area and the enemies
The most important feature in every Diablo game is the loot. Diablo 4 gets the loot system from Diablo 3. However, you have some influence over what you want to farm and even how it should look.
Certain enemy types are more likely to drop specific items. You are more likely to receive crossbows and clubs from bandits, and pants from drowned enemies. However, any item can drop anywhere.
The appearance of the items, however, differs depending on where you find an item. The region determines the skin. For example, an otherwise identical chest piece with the same stats looks different when it drops in Scosglen than when you find it in the steppe. The known regions are:
- Shattered Peaks: a rocky snowy mountain range
- Scosglen: wild forests and an important area for druids
- Kehjistan: ruins of many wars and demonic invasions
- Hawezar: a sickly swamp
- Withered Steppes: as the name says, a barren steppe area
- Hell: the home of demons, when and how we arrive here is still unknown
In the open beta, you will be able to explore the Shattered Peaks yourself. The other areas will be locked until the release on June 6.
The intro sequence already shows you a little of the Shattered Peaks:
3. Altars of Lilith permanently improve all your characters – Even new ones
While you are out and about in Diablo 4, you can find Altars of Lilith. These altars are located in every area. When you interact with them, one of your primary stats improves permanently. As it stands, you will receive one of the following stats:
- +2 Strength
- +2 Intelligence
- +2 Willpower
- +2 Dexterity
- +8 maximum life
These improvements are permanent and apply to every character on your account, even those that have not yet been created. So if you want to try out a new class, you already have a small advantage at the early levels.
The altars function similarly to the Paragon system in Diablo 3, except that you must seek them out in the corresponding areas. We cannot yet say how many there will be in the entire game.
Still unsure which class you want to play? Our quiz will tell you which class in Diablo 4 suits you. Here you can find gameplay of Druid, Sorceress, and Barbarian:
4. You can trade, but only limited
Diablo 4 aims to make trading with other players possible again. This is primarily to promote the multiplayer aspect and cooperative gameplay. However, there will be no auction house; you will trade directly with other players.
While there is no time limit like in Diablo 3, there are some other restrictions, as the Diablo expert Rhykker mentioned in an interview:
- Legendary and unique items are not tradable
- Legendary aspects for the Codex of Power are also bound to you
- If you enchant an item or add a socket, you can no longer trade it
- Cosmetic items from the shop are not tradable
Blizzard wants to ensure that the best loot still comes from monsters, and that everyone can find it, not just buy it. However, since you can transform rare items into Legendary items through aspects, particularly good items are likely to be worth something.
5. Diablo 4 has a Battle Pass that costs around 10 Euros
Diablo 4 is a live-service game that will be continuously developed and updated with new content after the release. Regular new seasons will be introduced, as in Diablo 3, along with a Battle Pass.
In the recently released information about the Battle Pass, Blizzard confirmed that the Battle Pass will have two paths: a free one and a paid one. The paid path is expected to cost 10 US dollars, which will likely also be 10 Euros.
A Battle Pass or season is currently planned for 3 months, although this was occasionally extended in Diablo 3. Completing the Battle Pass is expected to take around 75 hours.
Certain boosts in the Battle Pass require a certain character level, so you cannot just buy Battle Pass levels to advance faster. The first season, however, will only be released a few weeks after the launch.
If you want to know what else Diablo 4 has to offer, you can find more information on one of the most important aspects of the game here:
Diablo 4: Everything about the endgame and how Blizzard wants to keep you entertained
