As all Diablo fans know, Vessel of Hatred will be the first expansion for Diablo 4, featuring an exciting new Spiritborn class and a campaign set in the lush and dangerous Nahantu jungle region.
The developers have actually been hard at work on this expansion since the game’s release in 2023, and their goal is to keep the expansion moving at a steady pace. In recent months, we’ve seen Diablo 4 undergo major changes in preparation for this DLC. Not only is loot now more powerful, but classes are also more balanced.
Compared to the state of Diablo 4 when it was originally released, the game feels almost brand new, and the main reason for the developers to do this is to make the base game easier to transition to when Vessel of Hatred DLC is released in October.
In this guide, we’ll dive into all the information about the highly anticipated Diablo 4 expansion, Vessel of Hatred, so get ready for new adventures, classes, and a campaign that will shake up Diablo 4! Before you jump into the game, don’t forget to buy Diablo 4 gold to get a better start in the early stages of the game. Without further ado, let’s get started!
Release Date
Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred will be officially launched on October 8, 2024, which also unveils the next chapter of Diablo 4 story. Players will continue to fight with the new Spiritborn class and summon mysterious Spirits to enhance their combat power, with the goal of thwarting Mephisto’s evil plot and surviving in Hell to the end!
New Features
So what’s new in a Vessel of Hatred? Here’s a brief introduction to the exciting features we can expect:
- New Region: We have a new region, and the campaign is set in Nahantu, a jungle located at the southern end of the map.
- New Class: Spiritborn will be the sixth class in Diablo 4, and can fight using Martial Arts and Spirit Animal Guardians.
- Mercenaries: You can recruit specialized Mercenaries companions to fight alongside you and provide you with unique buffs.
- Co-Op PvE Dungeon: Diablo 4 DLC introduces Dark Citadel, and this new PvE End-Game Co-Op Activity will give players multiple opportunities to engage in boss battles and earn unique rewards.
- Balance Changes: Each class will unlock new skills and a new Paragon Board, giving players more opportunities to raise the cap of their build.
- Runewords: Several new dungeon monsters and bosses will crawl out of hell and finally escape in Vessel of Hatred expansion, dropping more new Runewords in the process, which you can combine to create custom skills even from other classes.
Spiritborn
Next, let’s talk about the new Spiritborn class. This class will channel powerful Spirit Animals, allowing them to rush through dungeons and summon Guardians to conquer enemies specializing in different animated skills, providing unique advantages. For example, you can use Jaguar to increase attack speed or use Gorilla to enhance defense.
Mercenaries
Don’t forget Mercenaries, you can recruit NPC allies to fight alongside you. You can choose from four unique Mercenary companions, each with their own skills and abilities. As you build rapport, you’ll unlock more powers.
There are four Mercenaries to choose from, and they are:
- Raheir: This tall Shieldbearer can use his shield to deliver devastating blows to enemies and block incoming attacks, protecting you from enemies.
- Varyana: This is a Berserker Crone that gains power by killing multiple enemies in a row. She has a Massacre meter that increases in strength as the blood on her blade increases.
- Aldkin: He is a Cursed Child who can transform into a demon for powerful ranged and AOE attacks. As you level up and invest more and more Diablo 4 Gold, he can undergo a metamorphosis and transform into a powerful demon.
- Subo: This is a Drunken Archer who can shoot arrows at enemies from a distance. He is a Ranger who uses his bow to mark targets for damage and gains benefits from kills, such as reduced skill cooldowns.
You can choose a Mercenary to join your team, and another Mercenary to serve as your combat reinforcement.
Dark Citadel
Despite all the highlights of Diablo 4, the multiplayer part of it is a major flaw of the game. Especially when comparing single-player and co-op players, the difference is amazing.
Recently it was reported that 85% of Diablo 4 players prefer single-player to multiplayer. With these circumstances in mind, Diablo 4 redesigned the in-game events and allowed co-op, and it is clear that the developers want the game to bring a better online experience to players.
Therefore, the Diablo 4 DLC will introduce Dark Citadel, a must-try Co-Op PvE dungeon that requires teamwork to conquer.
There are powerful bosses and rich D4 Gold waiting for players to obtain, which promises to bring players an exciting challenge! What’s more, a Party Finder system will be added to Diablo 4 to help you find a team to join for Dark Citadel and many other activities.
Runewords
There are also Runewords, new Diablo 4 items that allow you to create your own skills! By combining Runes dropped by enemies, you can craft unique abilities that fuse elements of different classes.
Once you unlock a Runeword during Vessel of Hatred campaign, enemies will start dropping Runes. These Runes come in two types: Ritual Runes and Invocation Runes. When you combine two Runes in an item slot, they form a Runeword. Half of Runeword will cause you to do certain things to build a resource called an Offering, and the other half will trigger an effect that consumes the Offering.
Season 6 vs Vessel of Hatred DLC
You might be wondering if you have to own Vessel of Hatred DLC to continue playing Season 6? Actually, you don’t need to own Diablo 4 expansion to continue playing after it releases. Game updates will continue to be free for everyone, but you’ll need to own the base game to play it.
At least Rod Fergusson said in a recent interview that everyone will have access to Season 6 when it releases at the same time as a Vessel of Hatred. However, the developers have not yet explained what features you will miss if you don’t own Vessel of Hatred. However, we can assume that it will at least limit your use of the new class. It is expected that the developers will explain the difference between owning and not owning the extension before the release of the expansion.
That’s everything we know about Vessel of Hatred extension! Get this information and be ready to enter the new expansion and kill hell!