Blizzard Entertainment’s highly anticipated Diablo IV will soon be upon us after over 10 years since the previous numbered entry. The fourth installment in the acclaimed action RPG series releases in just a few months. We’ve been gearing up for the release by compiling everything we know about Diablo IV, including the release date, classes, endgame, and more.
As we prepare for another dive into the world of Sanctuary, we’ve learned tons of information about the game, such as story details and new and returning mechanics. Here’s everything we know about Diablo IV.
Diablo IV – Everything we know
Diablo IV – Release date
The first thing we know about Diablo IV is the release date: June 6th, 2023. The base game will cost $69.99 USD and releases simultaneously on all current- and last-gen platforms: the Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC.
Diablo IV – Open Beta
Pre-ordering Diablo IV grants access to the upcoming open beta, and Blizzard recently shared some details on how it’ll work. The open beta for those who pre-ordered will run from March 17 – 19, and another open beta for everyone will be held the following weekend, March 24 – 26. During both these weekends, players can explore the entirety of the game’s prologue and first act, the Fractured Peaks zone. Fractured Peaks contains the following areas of interest:
- Kyovashad – functions as the “town” Diablo players have known and loved for years.
- Several Main Questline quests
- A variety of side quests, notably the Woodsman of Nevesk found near the settlement of Nevesk.
- Altars of Lilith – spread throughout Sanctuary, provide permanent stat boosts.
- Random World Events – smaller, quicker experiences found throughout the world
- Legion Events – longer, more challenging experiences with better rewards than World Events
- Instanced Dungeons with recommended levels
- Ashava World Boss
The level cap during both betas is 25, and progress carries over from the first beta weekend to the second but not to the full release. If you pre-ordered Diablo IV, you automatically have access to the open beta on the platform you pre-ordered for.
Additionally, special rewards will be given to those who complete specific challenges during the beta. They are:
- Initial Casualty Title – Reach Kyovashad with one character
- Early Voyager Title – Reach level 20 with one character
- Beta Wolf Pack Cosmetic – Reach level 20 with one character
Beta Times
The Early Access beta for those who pre-ordered starts on March 17 at 9 AM PT and concludes on March 20 at noon PT. Early downloads begin March 15 at 9 AM PDT. Only the Barbarian, Sorcerer, and Rogue classes are playable during this beta. Pre-orders need to be in before March 11 for the Early Access Beta.
Subsequently, the Open Beta for everyone begins on March 24 at 9 AM PT and ends on March 27 at noon PT. Early downloads start March 22 at 9 AM PDT. All five classes will be playable during the Open Beta. Players create a maximum of 10 characters in these betas, and progress will wipe before the full release.
For players looking for a challenge, a World Boss (Ashava) will rampage about the world at certain times during both beta weekends. Players must band together to beat it, and a massive loot drop awaits those who do. Ashava appears at the following times during the betas:
- March 18 – 1 PM, 11 PM, and 1 AM Sunday March 19 PDT
- March 25 – 10 AM, 12 PM, 10 PM, midnight PDT
Finally, members of the dev team will gather on March 24 for a Community Play Livestream. During the stream, they’ll share tips and tricks as they play through the Open Beta’s content.
Diablo IV – Co-op
Players can participate in couch co-op on consoles that support it in Diablo IV. Only one player needs to have a Battle.net account when playing split-screen co-op. Additionally, players can join online parties of up to four. Playing online requires all four players to have Battle.net accounts unless playing couch co-op. In true Diablo fashion, enemies and encounters get harder with more players. Fighting demons while near other players grants a five percent bonus to experience, or ten percent if near other party members.
Diablo IV – Classes
Another important thing we know about Diablo IV is the five character classes available at launch. They are:
- Barbarian: A melee-based weapon master who stomps and bellows.
- Druid: A shapeshifter who wields natural magic.
- Necromancer: A conjurer of undead armies.
- Rogue: A versatile assassin with ranged and melee options.
- Sorcerer: A master of destructive elemental magic.
Class Mechanics
Additionally, each class has its unique mechanic:
- Barbarians can equip up to four weapons at a time. They can swap between weapons depending on what skill they use and can assign weapons to each skill.
- Druids can interact with four different spirit animals that provide bonuses; these interactions occur in the Scosglen region, which is not available in either beta, so not much is known about this.
- Necromancers use the new Book of the Dead mechanic for further specialization of their undead minions than ever seen before.
- Rogues can choose one of three specializations (Combo Points, Preparation, and Inner Sight) and freely swap between them.
- Sorcerers can slot specific abilities for passive offensive, defensive, utility, or resource-based effects.
Image via Blizzard Entertainment
Class Skills
Moreover, direct skills for each class have also been revealed:
Barbarian
- Basic Skills:
- Flay – deals damage, inflicts more bleeding damage over 5 seconds
- Frenzy – hits twice, increases attack speed if hitting an enemy
- Lunging Strike – lunges forward to strike an enemy
- Bash – deals damage; after four successful bashes, the next will stun
- Core Skills:
- Double Swing – deals damage in opposite directions, with more damage in the center
- Whirlwind – rapidly deals damage to surrounding enemies
- Upheaval – flings debris from the ground forward, dealing damage
- Rend – cleaves enemies in front, deals damage upfront and more bleeding damage over 5 seconds
- Hammer of the Ancients – slams down on targeted area for damage
- Defensive Skills:
- Iron Skin – a barrier that absorbs missing life for 5 seconds
- Ground Stomp – deals damage and stuns surrounding enemies
- Rallying Cry – grants allies increased movement speed and resource generation
- Challenging Shout – taunt nearby enemies and gain significant damage reduction
- Weapon Mastery Skills:
- Rupture – consumes bleeding stacks to deal their total amount at once
- Death Blow – attempts to execute an enemy; cooldown resets if successful
- Steel Grasp – throws out chains that deal damage and pull enemies in
- Ultimate Skills:
- Wrath of the Berserker – gains Berserking and Unstoppable buffs can be maintained by dealing damage with basic skills
- Iron Maelstrom – uses all equipped weapons to deal damage, stun, and bleed in an AoE
- Call of the Ancients – summons three powerful pets to deal damage and fight enemies
Rogue
- Basic Skills:
- Blade Shift – stabs enemies, then gain passability through enemies for a short duration
- Invigorating Strike – deals damage and increases Energy regeneration rate
- Forceful Arrow – shoots arrows; every third arrow makes the enemy vulnerable
- Heartseeker – fire a seeking arrow, grants crit chance against the enemy it hits
- Puncture – throws blades, every third throw slows enemies, and crits always slow
- Core Skills:
- Barrage – shoots several arrows, each has a chance to ricochet
- Twisting Blades – enemies take increased damage, blades return to you and deal piercing damage on their way back
- Rapid Fire – fires arrows, rapidly
- Penetrating Shot – fires an arrow that pierces all enemies in a line
- Flurry – multihit attack that damages enemies in front
- Agility Skills:
- Shadow Step – becomes Unstoppable, teleports to an enemy, and stabs them. Increases movement speed after a successful attack.
- Dash – dashes forward, dealing damage to enemies in the path
- Caltrops – jumps backward and leaves Caltrops. The Caltrops slow enemies and deal damage.
- Subterfuge Skills
- Smoke Grenade – Dazes enemies
- Poison Trap – places a trap that applies poison damage over time when triggered
- Dark Shroud – Surrounds you with protective shadows that grant damage reduction. Shadows are consumed on taking damage.
- Concealment – become invisible and Unstoppable, gain movement speed and passability through enemies
- Imbuement Skills
- Poison Imbuement – adds poison damage to weapons
- Cold Imbuement – adds cold damage to weapons
- Shadow Imbuement – adds shadow damage to weapons
- Ultimate Skills:
- Shadow Clone – summons a duplicate to perform all your moves twice
- Rain of Arrows – rains arrows over a large AoE
- Death Trap – places a trap that deals massive damage when triggered
Sorcerer
- Basic Skills:
- Frost Bolt – throws cold projectile, deals damage, and chill
- Fire Bolt – shoots fire projectile, deals direct damage and fire damage over time
- Spark – bolts of lightning shock enemies several times
- Arc Lash – shocks enemies in front, every 10th use stuns all enemies hit
- Core Skills:
- Ice Shards – shoots multiple projectiles, deals more damage to frozen enemies.
- Frozen Orb – chills enemies, then explodes for more chill and damage
- Fireball – shoots a fireball that explodes
- Incinerate – channels a fire beam that increases in damage per second
- Charged Bolts – shoot several bolts of lightning that travel along the ground
- Chain Lightning – shoots beams of lightning that chain between you and enemies, prioritizing enemies
- Defensive Skills:
- Frost Nova – freezes surrounding enemies
- Ice Armor – creates a barrier that absorbs a percentage of your base life
- Teleport – turns into lightning, becomes Unstoppable, and deals damage when arriving at the target location
- Flame Shield – burns nearby enemies for damage over time, grants Immunity
- Elemental Summons:
- Lightning Spear – seeks enemies to hit
- Ice Blades – rapidly slash enemies, have a chance to make enemies Vulnerable
- Hydra – summons a multi-headed Hydra, each head spits fire at enemies
- Mastery Skills:
- Blizzard – deals damage and chills in an AoE
- Firewall – conjures a wall of flames to burn enemies over time
- Meteor – summons a meteor to hit the target location and leaves burning damage over time
- Ball Lightning – summons a ball of lighting to zap enemies continuously
- Ultimate Skills:
- Deep Freeze – grants Immunity, freezes surrounding enemies, frozen enemies shatter at the end of the duration
- Inferno – deals massive burning damage, explodes at end of the duration
- Unstable Currents – casts another random, non-basic lightning skill whenever a lightning skill is cast
Druid
- Basic Skills:
- Maul – turns into a werebear and deals damage, grants Fortify
- Shred – turns into a werewolf and slashes enemies
- Earthspike – impales enemies on earth, increases chances for a Crushing Blow
- Storm Strike – zaps up to three additional targets with lightning
- Wind Shear – conjures piercing winds, increases movement speed
- Core Skills:
- Pulverize – shapeshift into werebear and slam the ground for an AoE
- Landslide – crush enemies between pillars of earth
- Tornado- summons a tornado that moves in a random direction, dealing damage
- Defensive Skills:
- Cyclone Armor – passively grants ranged damage reduction, gives a chance to knock enemies back from melee range
- Earthen Bulwark – rocks surround, granting damage reduction and Unstoppable. They deal damage on expiration
- Trample – shapeshift into werebear and rush forward, dealing damage and stunning
- Debilitating Roar – shapeshift into werebear and reduce enemy attack speed
- Ravenous Bite – shapeshift into werewolf and bite for damage and life steal
- Wrath Skills:
- Boulder – unearths a large boulder that damages and knocks back enemies
- Hurricane – deals damage over time to surrounding enemies
- Companion Skills:
- Wolf – summons two wolves; they have increased crit chance when commanded
- Vine Creeper – summons a vine creeper that poisons enemies and can be commanded to stun enemies and deal more poison damage in an area
- Ravens – summons ravens to attack enemies periodically, can be commanded to swarm and inflict vulnerability
- Ultimate Skills:
- Cataclysm – summons a massive storm with lightning and tornadoes that damage and knock enemies around
- Grizzly Rage – shapeshift into werebear with new werebear-specific abilities, Unstoppable buff, and increased spirit generation
- Petrify – stuns all nearby enemies; damaging enemies break this effect.
While the class mechanic for Necromancers has been revealed, details on specific Necromancer skills are still under wraps.
Diablo IV – Endgame details
The endgame of Diablo IV is also something you might be curious about. After all, most of the time spent in these games occurs after clearing the main campaign. Endgame details are scarce, and they likely will remain scarce until the game releases in June. However, the developer emphasizes the significant time and effort it’s put into creating an endgame full of engaging content. In fact, Blizzard is so confident in Diablo IV’s endgame that it held a closed endgame beta for top players of Diablo III: Reaper of Souls and Diablo II: Resurrection. They also stated the inclusion of a meta-leveling system similar to the Paragon levels in Diablo III, but further details have yet to be announced. Additionally, players can opt out of the main story’s content for all characters once they’ve cleared the story on one character.
The lead systems designer, David Kim, has commented on the endgame. According to Kim, Diablo IV will have “more depth and replayability than what Paragon currently offers Diablo III.”
Diablo IV – Story details
In terms of the story, a significant amount of time has passed since the end of Diablo III: Reaper of Souls. A definitive timeline has yet to be given, but it has been several decades. After many years, the world of Sanctuary has returned to darkness and the brink of apocalypse as a result of Malthael’s actions. About 90% of humanity was wiped out during the events of Reaper of Souls. Blizzard has teased that our player characters will rise to the occasion and act as beacons of light as they battle the demon Lilith, the game’s main antagonist. Story missions will only be available to players and their parties, so randoms can’t join and ruin the fun. The main campaign will also have a darker tone than previous installments and last roughly 35 hours.
Returning characters
Lilith is a returning character from Diablo II, where she was a minor boss, but this time around she’s the big bad. Lore-wise, the game will explore her character heavily, including her role in creating Sanctuary. While not exactly a character, the Sisterhood of the Sightless Eye from Diablo II also returns in Diablo IV. Several other characters have been teased to return, but Blizzard is keeping them under wraps for now. When we see these characters, they will have been reimagined for the time skip by a new art team.
Image via Blizzard Entertainment
Lorath Nahr from Diablo 3: Reaper of Souls also plays a prominent role in Diablo IV’s story, where he’ll find the player character, bring them to the Cathedral of Light, and further help them as the story progresses. Lilith’s angelic counterpart, and partner in creating Sanctuary, Inarius, also makes a return. The Cathedral of Light is a huge political power in Sanctuary and follows him feverishly. The fallen angel himself is physically in Sanctuary with the ultimate goal of killing Lilith so he can be let back into the High Heavens.
Open-world mechanics
Some more general things we know about Diablo IV’s campaign include that it is act-based, just like the previous games. However, the acts can be completed in any order since Diablo IV takes place in a persistent hub-style open world. This world is shared with other players and thus requires an always-online connection. Within this open world, players have complete freedom to roam around and kill enemies, who scale to the party’s levels. Players can also complete side objectives without engaging in the main story. Some of these side objectives include:
- Dungeons, which take place in separate instances and have difficulty settings
- Cellars, which are smaller dungeons with single mini-boss encounters
- Enemy strongholds
- World bosses
- World events
- Side quests
- Fields of Hatred, which are zones of corruption in which players engage in PvPvE combat to escape with their loot, similar to Escape from Tarkov or Modern Warfare II‘s DMZ mode
Image via Blizzard Entertainment
Blizzard stated the world of Diablo IV dwarfs the maps of previous games in size. It has introduced mounts to the game, so players can traverse it faster. The hub world comprises five separate biomes, each of which breaks down into several subregions. Each subregion acts as its own world instance, and players seamlessly transition through them as they travel the world. The biomes include:
- The mountainous Fractured Peaks.
- The deserts of the Dry Steppes.
- The swampland of Hawezar.
- The forests of Scosglen.
- The ruins of Kehjistan.
As mentioned above, each of these regions can be completed in any order.
Gameplay mechanics
In terms of gameplay mechanics, there will be multiple skill trees for each class. They split between passive and active skills. The developers decided to shift to more traditional skill trees to make Diablo IV more accessible to players new to the ARPG genre. Skill trees in Diablo IV are made up of many nodes, each of which splits outward into different abilities and upgrades for those abilities. Points spent in any of the nodes will go toward unlocking the next node. Additionally, players pay gold to refund their skill points right from the skill tree menu.
Image via Blizzard Entertainment
There will also be a new renown system. Players gain renown from completing various tasks related to exploring the world of Sanctuary. Renown carries across characters and can be redeemed for rewards like skill points, increases in the number of potions carried, and extra gold/experience. Old-school Diablo fans will also appreciate the inclusion of player vs. player combat in Diablo IV. We know that it will take place in the above-mentioned Fields of Hatred side activity.
Paragon System
Diablo III’s endgame Paragon system returns in Diablo IV, though it’s pretty different this time around. When players reach level 50, which is half the level cap of 100, the Paragon board unlocks. The board uses digital nodes that enable significant power boosts and character customization. Characters start in the middle of the board, and expand outward using nodes of various tiers. Normal, magic, rare and legendary nodes populate the board, each of which boost some aspect of players’ characters.
The Paragon board also includes sockets for glyphs found throughout the actual game, which provide specific benefits and bonuses when inserted. These benefits increase by levelling up the glyphs. Of course, players filling out their Paragon boards eventually reach the edges, but that’s not the end of the Paragon system. The edges of the board contain Gate Nodes, which connect to another Paragon board with its own different layout and assortment of nodes. There will be many Paragon boards in the game at launch, and Blizzard promises new Paragon boards and glyphs as post-launch content.
Post-launch support
Blizzard is keeping specific details under wraps for now, but it’s apparent Diablo IV will have significant post-launch support as a live service game. The game will have a Battle Pass. Of course, devs also announced they have years of support planned for the game, including seasonal content and future expansions. Diablo IV will have seasons, the first of which starts a few weeks after launch. Devs promise Diablo IV seasons to be “meatier” than those in Diablo III. More information on seasons and other post-launch content will come shortly after the launch.
PC system requirements
If you plan on fighting the demons, be aware of the PC system requirements for Diablo IV.
Minimum System Requirements
These settings run the Diablo IV Open Beta at 1080p native resolution/720p render resolution, low graphics settings, and 30 fps.
- Operating System: Windows 10 64-bit
- Processor: Intel Core i5-2500K or AMD FX-8100
- Memory: 8GB RAM
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 or AMD Radeon R9 280
- Directx 12
- Storage: 45GB SSD
- Broadband internet connection
Also, note Diablo IV will try its best to run on hardware below these minimum specs. However, the gameplay experience may suffer.
Recommended System Requirements
- Operating System: Windows 10 64-bit
- Processor: Intel Core i5-4670K or AMD R3-1300x
- Memory: 16GB RAM
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 or AMD Radeon RX 370
- Directx 12
- Storage: 45GB SSD
- Broadband internet connection
You can pre-order Diablo IV on Battle.net. Pre-ordering grants access to the upcoming open beta and the Light Bearer Mount.
Published: Feb 28, 2023 04:45 pm