With the release of Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred is fast approaching, players can get a bit of a sneak peek at what's to come by participating in Season 12 right now. Even if Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred will be a massive expansion, complete with the new Warlock class, a reworked Skill Tree, and the new Skovos map region, the current season mechanics of Season of Slaughter lay the groundwork for many of these changes to come when the DLC launches. While it's not a perfect one-on-one, players interested in seeing how Warlock will play might want to dive into Diablo 4 Season 12 and experience the game's Butcher transformation mechanic firsthand.
It might not be as exciting as a brand new expansion, though Diablo 4 Season 12 experiments with both recurring and new mechanics. Back from Diablo 3 is the Killstreak feature, which, combined with the new Bloodied items, gives players helpful buffs based on their current Killstreak. The second heading features of Diablo 4 Season 12 is the new ability to transform into the iconic Butcher, which mechanically bears a striking resemblance to one of Warlock's key features.
One Diablo 4 Class gets the short end in Season 12
Diablo 4 players may want to avoid this class during the Season of Slaughter, as its playstyle does not mesh well with the seasonal mechanics.
Diablo 4 Season 12's Butcher Transformation Mechanic gives players a taste of the Warlock
To become the butcher in Diablo 4 Season 12 is pretty straightforward; players simply need to use a meaty offering obtained from sources such as Helltide chests at the Shrine of Slaughter. Players can also enter a slaughterhouse using a slaughterhouse key to play as the butcher throughout the dungeon. While transforming into the Butcher, the player's skill bar changes to Butcher-specific skills, including:
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Carve
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Killing
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Molten sludge
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Hail of hooks
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Hell charging
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Furnace blasting
As the Butcher, players can earn fresh meat from slain enemies. This currency can then be traded for bloody items at the vendor in Gea Khul. In addition to earning fresh meat and buying bloody items, become the butcher in Diablo 4 Season 12 is a great way to prepare for Warlock's release in Lord of Hatred, as one of the class's main playstyles involves turning into a demon.
Who is that character?
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
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Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Easy (7.5s) Medium (5.0s) Hard (2.5s) Permadeath (2.5s)
The Warlock's Vanguard Soul Shard allows players to transform into a demon
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Legion Soul Shard
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Vanguard Soul Shard
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Mastermind Soul Shard
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Ritualist Soul Shard
Although Warlock first debuted in the franchise in Diablo 2: Resurrected's Reign of the Warlock DLC, the class Diablo 4 incarnation will put a whole new spin on what Diablo 2 done with it. Instead of having the ability to bind any demon in the game and use it as a companion, the Warlock of Diablo 4 emphasizes four different Soul Shards that allow the class to summon different Greater Demons and largely dictate its playstyle. One of these Soul Shards is the Vanguard, which grants Warlock access to Abodian and empowers Warlock's Demonform transformation.
To activate the Warlock's Demonform, players must use the Metamorphosis Ultimate skill. While in Demonform, the Warlock will gain access to Demonform-specific skills that replace their current skills, much like the Druid's shapeshifting abilities in Diablo 4. Additionally, the Vanguard Souls Shard buffs the Warlock's Demon form with summoned Archfiend demons when the player casts an Archfiend skill. This temporary Demon form works much like the Butcher transformation of season 12, allowing players to harness the powers of Hell to unlock power demon-based skills while transforming.
Diablo 4 Season 12 and Lord of Hatred both break new ground for the franchise
The current era of Diablo is one of many firsts for the franchise. Not only is the Warlock a brand new class making its debut in the franchise in 2026, but Diablo 4 Season 12 also gives players their first chance to play as the Butcher, a demon that has been around since the very first Diablo game. What else is there Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred will allow players to explore the region of Skovos for the first time as well. With all series appearing in Diablo franchise right now, there's never been a better time to jump back in Diablo 4.
- Released
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June 5, 2023
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language, In-Game Purchases, User Interaction
