Image: Blizzard Entertainment
Here are a few things you should check off your list before starting up Diablo 4: Season of the Malignant.
Diablo 4’s first season of content launches later this week, bringing all-new mechanics, loot and activities to the world of Sanctuary. Titled Season of the Malignant, this is the first of many upcoming seasonal updates that will expand upon Diablo 4’s gameplay loop, adding new story quests and changing up builds in a way that significantly affects its character classes.
Season 1 of Diablo 4 launches on July 20, but existing players will need to tick off a few boxes before jumping into it. Here’s everything you need to prepare for before Season 1 launches:
Finish the campaign and say goodbye to your old characters
Season 1’s content is set after the events of the main campaign, taking place in a different and slightly altered version of Sanctuary. That means you’ll have to beat the campaign before indulging in any of this season’s quests and loot - but don’t worry! You only have to do it once, after which you’ll be given the option to skip the campaign with new characters.
Once Season 1 drops (and only then), you’ll have to make an entirely new seasonal character while your old characters are transferred to the Eternal Realm. New characters will get access to Mounts immediately, but they won’t carry over any old items. You’re essentially starting from scratch in Season 1, and while your knowledge of existing character classes might come in handy, expect Blizzard to deliver skill tree and loot changes to shake things up. The main focus however, is on new mechanics like Malignant Hearts - these will change character builds more drastically than anything else.
Clear out the map and find all Altars of Lilith
Blizzard’s original plan was to have players start with a completely fogged-up map every new season, but the developer has thankfully changed its mind. Now, players will start Season 1 with their map progress intact - meaning that every little corner of Sanctuary you’ve discovered won’t have to be rediscovered this season. That’s a big deal, seeing as it allows you to not only know where every dungeon, side quest and Stronghold is easily, but it also gives you a whole lot of Renown from the jump.
Clearing out the map ahead of time will leave you ready to take on Season 1’s new content without having to do additional busywork. This includes finding every Altar of Lilith there is scattered across Sanctuary, another activity that grants you Renown. Not only do these Altars give you Renown, but finding all of them will give your character an immediate stat boost. We recommend consulting one of the many maps available online to find these statues, and ticking them off ahead of time. Chances are that you’ll end up uncovering the entire map in the process, making for a convenient two-for-one.
Pick a character class to play (again)
Diablo 4 has five character classes, and no new characters will be added to the game in Season 1. If you’ve already tried all five characters in the base game, now might be a good time to think about who you’re going to try playing in Season 1 - and what build you’re aiming for. Playing as classes like the Necromancer twice in a row might seem unexciting at first, but consider upcoming balance changes, loot additions and mechanics like the Malignant Hearts. The idea is that each season will give players new reasons to start fresh with each class, so expect them to play very differently in Season 1.
If you haven’t played every class in the game, congratulations - you have the best excuse to start fresh with Season 1. A whole bunch of overpowered builds are about to go out of style, but who knows what the new season will bring?
I think I got it, but what’s in Season 1 anyway?
Diablo 4: Season of the Malignant introduces a bunch of creepy-crawlies into Sanctuary called Malignant Monsters. This zombie-like enemy type is the focus of Season 1’s new story quests, which follow a character named Cormond who calls for the Wanderer’s help in vanquishing Sanctuary’s latest threat. These quests will get you acquainted with a new mechanic that impacts the game’s gear system: Malignant Hearts.
Partly Corrupted Malignant Monsters drop Malignant Hearts when they’re killed, and you’ll have to capture these items by performing a ritual. Unfortunately, the ritual also causes Partly Corrupted enemies to be reborn as Fully Corrupted enemies - so you’ll have to defeat them twice over to secure the hearts. These items are pretty worth the effort thankfully, because they add all sorts of new bonuses and build opportunities to the game.
When Season 1 starts, you’ll find new Infested sockets in your Jewelry where normal gems used to go. 32 Malignant Hearts can be socketed into these slots across four categories, creating a ton of new ways to build up your characters in the game. To find Malignant Hearts, Season 1 also adds new dungeon types called Malignant Tunnels which house the undead creatures - and a boss battle against Varshan the Consumed.
For a lot of people, the main reason to play Season 1 won’t be its loot and quests, but its battle pass. Season 1 adds the game’s first seasonal battle pass, containing Smoldering Ashes (which grant XP, Gold or Obols) and 63 paid-for tiers packed full of cosmetics for characters and mounts, and some platinum too. A Season Journey will also provide a list of in-game activities to check off as you progress through the battle pass.
Gear up
If you’ve done all of this already, then you’re pretty much set for Season 1. Take a break for the next few days and return to Sanctuary with fresh eyes when Diablo 4: Season of the Malignant drops on July 20, 2023.
