With Season 11, Blizzard introduces some fundamental changes in Diablo 4. This also includes a new crafting system reminiscent of the competitor Path of Exile.
In a “Sanctuary Sitdown” with Diablo expert Rhykker, the developers of Diablo 4 discussed upcoming changes and content on October 16, 2025 on YouTube. Central topics include the crafting systems:
- In the hardening process, you can now specifically select the affix you want to imprint on your item using a recipe. Thus, the crafting result is no longer left to chance, which has caused frustration for months.
- The completion no longer increases the affix values of an item but improves the quality regarding base damage, armor, or resistance. There will be a total of 20 levels.
- Additionally, Blizzard is introducing a completely new system: the “Sanctification”.
This brings several changes in Season 11 that significantly shake up crafting but also other systems. The current season has already impressed with fresh content and is well-received in the community:
The “Sanctification” provides random effects on items
What is this new crafting system? With the sanctification, you get the opportunity to modify items in completely new ways. It basically represents the final step of your crafting journey, as after this, the item can no longer be changed. Therefore, it is the final enhancement you make to an item.
The following results are possible with sanctification:
- The item receives an additional legendary power,
- an affix is upgraded to a GA (greater affix),
- an additional affix from a pool of special sanctification affixes is added,
- an existing affix is replaced by a “holy” affix,
- the item becomes indestructible and no longer loses durability.
Where can I sanctify items? According to Blizzard, there should be several ways to sanctify items. Firstly, after defeating a “lesser evil” on the non-torment levels, there is a rare chance to sanctify an item at a “Heavenly Anvil”. These “lesser evils” include Duriel and Andariel, which you can encounter in Season 11 during the Hell Flood or in the Underbelly of Kurast.
Additionally, you can obtain so-called “heavenly seals”. These are materials that allow you to sanctify items at a “Heavenly Forge” at any time. You need these seals to sanctify ancestral items. You can only obtain them at torment levels.
Guaranteed sources for the seals are according to a YouTube video from Blizzard:
- Astaroth (Boss in the Escalating Nightmares)
- Bartuk (Boss in the Hellwaves)
- Belial
- With a small chance from Belial, who may appear randomly in the Pit
- With a small chance from elite enemies and nightmare dungeon bosses
“This is basically the Diablo 4 version of the Vaal Orbs”
What does the crafting system remind you of? Many players felt reminded of the sanctification and the heavenly seals to the Vaal Orbs from Path of Exile, with which items are also unpredictably altered. StrikingSpare100 writes on Reddit: “Yes, this is basically the Diablo 4 version of the Vaal Orbs. You can put the final nail in the coffin of your top item. Either you upgrade it massively or you make it completely useless.”
In another Reddit post, Starcade03 writes: “I totally celebrate the sanctification mechanic. It was about time for Diablo 4 to get an equivalent to the Vaal Orb.” And Tragedy_Boner says: “Yes, I also think it’s good. That you can “brick” items should be possible, but it’s not as punishing as in earlier seasons.”
In Path of Exile, Vaal Orbs are a special resource that corrupts an item, making it unpredictably changed. An item can gain powerful bonuses or become completely useless, as in the case of a player who relied on the Path of Exile community. Just like there, the sanctification in Diablo 4 will involve a certain risk in the future.
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