Embarking on a journey through the depths of hell in Diablo 4 can be an exciting yet daunting endeavor. With its immersive world, diverse classes, and intricate gameplay mechanics, it’s crucial to equip yourself with essential tips and tricks to navigate the treacherous realms of Sanctuary.
In this guide, we will provide you with insights on class selection, skills respecs, itemization, and the importance of side quests. By incorporating these strategies into your gameplay, you can enhance your experience, optimize your character’s progression, and better understand the game if you’re new to the series.
Try out all five classes
Choosing the right class in Diablo 4 is a crucial decision that will shape your entire journey through the dark and treacherous realms of Sanctuary. With five distinct classes to choose from, each offering a unique playstyle and mechanics, finding the perfect adventurer to suit your preferences can be both exciting and daunting. If you prefer unleashing devastating attacks from a safe distance, the Rogue or Sorcerer might be your best bet. On the other hand, if you thrive on up-close and personal combat, the Barbarian’s brute strength may be calling to you.
Thankfully, Diablo 4 grants you up to ten character slots, giving you the freedom to experiment with multiple classes. Take advantage of this opportunity and try out each class for a quest or two. By experiencing the unique abilities and mechanics of each class firsthand, you’ll gain valuable insight into which class resonates with you the most. While it’s true that your first chosen class will serve as your main character during the initial campaign playthrough, don’t worry about being locked into that choice forever. Diablo 4 operates on a seasonal basis, allowing you to start fresh characters in new seasons without having to repeat the campaign.
However, it’s still essential to make an informed choice for your first playthrough. Consider your preferred combat style, whether you enjoy ranged attacks, melee prowess, spellcasting, or summoning minions. By taking the time to research and understand each class, you’ll be better equipped to make an informed decision that aligns with your preferences.
Softcore or hardcore?
After selecting your class and customizing your character, you’ll encounter another important decision – Softcore or Hardcore? In Softcore mode, dying simply leads to returning to a checkpoint with some item durability loss. On the other hand, Hardcore mode brings permanent consequences, as your character is completely erased upon death.
While Softcore is the recommended mode for most players, Hardcore is reserved for the brave and experienced. Hardcore characters offer a higher stakes experience, where every decision and encounter carries a greater sense of risk. Consider your level of experience and appetite for challenge when deciding between the two modes.
Understanding the itemization system
Affixes are additional attributes that can be found on items, allowing for even more customization and fine-tuning of your character’s abilities. These affixes can range from increasing damage output to improving survivability, providing endless possibilities for optimizing your character’s build.
An exciting addition to Diablo 4’s itemization system is the concept of “Artifacts.” Artifacts are powerful, legendary items with their own unique abilities and effects. These artifacts can greatly impact your playstyle and strategy, offering specialized bonuses that can turn the tide of battle in your favor. Acquiring and equipping these artifacts becomes a primary goal for players, driving them to explore the world, defeat challenging enemies, and conquer formidable dungeons.
Respec your skills
Up until level 15, you can respec your character’s class without any cost or penalty. This feature allows you to test out different skills and abilities, providing a risk-free environment to explore various playstyles.
This flexibility becomes particularly useful when navigating the skill tree. Let’s say you’re playing as a Sorcerer and want to explore different types of magic, such as ice, fire, and lightning. By swapping between these builds in the early stages, you can assess which type of magic resonates with you the most, helping you make an informed decision when committing to a particular playstyle.
Once you surpass level 15, there will be a nominal gold cost associated with respecing your character. However, the expense is not prohibitively high, ensuring that you still have the opportunity to adapt your build later in the game if you desire. This means that even if you have already made choices and invested in a specific playstyle, you can still make adjustments without breaking the bank.
Unlock your mount before diving into side content
Unlocking and utilizing a mount can greatly enhance the overall gameplay experience and streamline the exploration of the vast and diverse game world. Having a mount allows you to collect loot more efficiently. Instead of manually picking up items one by one, you can ride your mount and swiftly gather loot from fallen enemies or treasure chests without any interruption in exploration. This streamlines the looting process and ensures that you can focus more on the action and less on managing inventory.
Dismantle gear instead of selling it
By marking loot as junk and dismantling it at the blacksmith, you can benefit in multiple ways. While selling junk gear can earn you some gold, you’ll naturally accumulate enough currency through defeating enemies and looting chests. Dismantling, on the other hand, provides a more valuable reward.
When you dismantle an item for the first time, you unlock that item in your transmog wardrobe. This feature allows you to customize your character’s appearance by changing the visual appearance of your gear while retaining its stats. Therefore, by dismantling gear, you not only earn magical materials but also expand your options for future customization.
Do not shy away from side quests
As you traverse the dark and dangerous realms, keep an eye out for the unmistakable blue exclamation mark on your map, signaling the presence of side quests waiting to be discovered. These optional quests offer more than just additional content; they provide opportunities to uncover hidden treasures, earn valuable rewards, and enhance your character’s progression.
Side quests in Diablo 4 come in various forms, each presenting its own unique challenge or objective. The beauty of these quests lies in their flexibility, as they don’t force you into a specific path or interrupt your main story progression. Instead, they seamlessly integrate into your exploration of the world, giving you the chance to embark on thrilling adventures and delve deeper into the lore of Sanctuary.
By taking the time to pick up side quests, you open doors to a range of benefits. The rewards can include gold, loot, and the coveted Region Renown. Renown serves as a measure of your accomplishments within a specific region. You can increase it by completing challenges and objectives such as clearing Strongholds, tracking down Altars of Lilith, and, of course, completing side quests.
Keep an eye out for Altars of Lilith
The Altars of Lilith in Diablo 4 are unique collectibles scattered throughout the vast and treacherous landscapes of every region. These mysterious altars hold great significance and offer substantial benefits for every character on your account. While some players may choose to actively seek out and collect all of these altars in one go, a more organic approach is to acquire them passively as you progress through each region.
As you engage in various activities, keep an eye out for these altars. They are strategically placed across the map, waiting to be discovered. The altars serve as conduits of power and wisdom, granting passive boosts that can greatly enhance your character’s capabilities.
Prepare before you delve into Strongholds
These enigmatic locations stand as formidable points of interest, shrouded in darkness and overrun by the forces of evil. They hold their own distinct stories, objectives, puzzles, and powerful bosses. As you embark on your journey through Diablo 4, stumbling upon a Stronghold will present you with an opportunity to face off against hordes of enemies and cleanse the area from their malevolent presence.
Conquering a Stronghold is no easy task, as they are intentionally designed to be a few levels above your character’s current power. However, the rewards that await those who prove themselves worthy are well worth the effort. When you successfully clear a Stronghold, you’ll be rewarded with experience, valuable loot, and Renown—a measure of your achievements within the region.
As you delve into the dark and treacherous world of Diablo 4, armed with these tips and tricks, you’ll be better equipped to face the challenges that await you. Whether you’re experimenting with different classes, optimizing your loot, or strategizing your skill tree, these insights will guide you towards a successful and rewarding Diablo experience.
