The Age of Hatred is coming to an end when Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred launched at the end of the month. As Diablo 4 players prepare for this climactic showdown with Mephisto, it's important to recognize all the ways Lord of Hatred will change the game upon release. Lord of Hatred will be an even bigger expansion than that Diablo 4: Ships of Hateand promises to deliver some highly anticipated features to Blizzard's ongoing ARPG.
As a Necromancer fan, Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred's Warlock might become my new favorite class [Hands-On Preview]
GameRant went hands-on with Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred's Warlock class for a preview of what to expect from the upcoming expansion.
Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred features at a glance
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New story campaign
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New map: Skovos
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Two new classes: Paladin and Warlock
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Skill Tree rework
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Level Cap increased to 70
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Horadric cube
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Charms and talismans
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War plans
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Echoes of hate
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Fishing
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Replacement filter
Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred brings a new story campaign to Sanctuary
The heading function of Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred is its brand new story that will conclude the current Age of Hatred arc. After the events of the Vessel of Hatred, Mephisto has returned to Sanctuary and is manipulating the followers of Akarat, the Zakarum Prophet, leaving corruption in his wake. Lord of Hatred also heralds the return of Lilith for the first time since then Diablo 4s base game campaign, who reluctantly teams up with Wanderer to stop her father's twisted plans.
Skovos debuts as a new playable region in Lord of Hatred
The Wanderer's quest to stop Mephisto takes players to the island region of Skovos for the first time in Diablo history of the series. Skovos is the ancient land where Lilith and Inarius created the nephalem, the precursor to humanity in Sanctuary, and the birthplace of the Askari civilization. The Mediterranean-inspired aesthetic of Skovos extends to its environments and major cities, with everything from lush forests to volcanic coasts.
Diablo 2 fans may recognize Skovos as the homeland of the Amazons, one of the two major factions of Askari.
Two new playable classes: Paladin and Warlock
Included in Lord of Hatred are the two new classes that join Diablo 4: Paladin and Warlock. Paladin can be accessed immediately by pre-purchasing the Lord of Hatred expansion, but Diablo 4 players will have access to both of the two new classes when the DLC is released. These two classes offer very different playstyles and represent a thematic mirror between the holy warrior of the Church of Light and the exiled demon summoner Vizjerei.
Diablo 4's Paladin Reimagine is the classic Diablo 2 class
Focus of the Paladin class i Diablo series is its Aura abilities, and although there are far fewer auras in the Diablo 4 than in Diablo 2the Paladin has greater customization of its four core playstyles based on the oath chosen, which can be repeated using the skill tree. The Juggernaut Oath emphasizes survivability, giving the Paladin access to shield-based attacks. Zealot Oath is ideal for a fast-paced playstyle, rewarding players for aggressive attack combinations. Judicator Oath scales Holy damage and allows the Paladin to explode enemies by stacking Judgment. The Disciple Oath gives the Paladin the power to transform into their Arbiter form, giving them increased movement speed and damage.
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Diablo 4's Warlock is a demonic summoner
The Warlock is based on the summoner archetype of Diablo 4s Necromancer, but takes its gameplay in a completely different direction. Instead of using summons as allies, the demons called off Diablo 4's Warlock is used as a tool to be sacrificed in battle. To this end, the Warlock can use one of four different Soul Shards to center his build on. Legion Shard focuses on repeatedly summoning demons to send into battle, including the Greater Demon Ae'gron. The Vanguard Shard allows Warlock to transform into his demon form and ride into battle alongside the Greater Demon Abodian. Mastermind Shard emphasizes attacking enemies from the shadows, with Greater Demon Laalish lurking and attacking enemies from below. The Ritualist Shard allows the Warlock to access Hellfire skills and summon the Greater Demon Vollach to increase his maximum overpower.
Gameplay changes are coming in Lord of Hatred
Lord of Hatred reworks skill tree and increases level cap
In addition to the new story, map and classes that are coming Diablo 4 with the release of Lord of Hatred, players can also expect a host of other gameplay changes. Skill Trees are getting a major overhaul in Lord of Hatred, expanding the number of skill nodes available while removing Key Passives altogether. Along with raising the level cap to 70, these changes should allow Diablo 4 players to gain even greater control over their customization than ever before.
Diablo 4Skill Tree changes will be a free update affecting all classes, not just Warlock and Paladin.
The Horadric Cube returns
Diablo 2s fan favorite Horadric Cube makes a comeback Diablo 4: Lord of Hatredand it appears to be a very useful quality of life feature. In Lord of Hatred, the Horadric Cube will allow players to tweak aspects of their gear, such as adding or removing affixes, improving stats, or transforming it into a stronger version. These features should make it much easier to hone the perfect gear, without leaving gear progression up to the randomness that comes with farming drops.
Charms and talismans offer set bonuses
Another returner Diablo 2 feature in Lord of Hatred is the set bonus mechanic. Instead of having to collect specific gear to complete a set, bonuses are earned by placing the Charms of a set into a Talisman. Individual Charms will offer their own benefits from being placed in the Talisman, but completing a set provides an even more desirable effect.
New endgame activities are coming in Lord of Hatred
War plans provide new endgame direction
One of the battles for Diablo 4s current endgame determines which activities are most relevant to the player's needs. Lord of Hatred's War Plans feature aims to help streamline the endgame process by giving players a structure of activities to follow, complete with various modifiers that can affect the rewards they earn from those activities. The goal of War Plans is to give Diablo 4s endgame more direction for players unsure of how to navigate all of the game's activities, while rewarding them for sticking to the plan.
Eka hat offers a new challenge
Echoing Hatred is a new, incredibly rare event created by the rare Trace of Echoes item. Players who find this item can delve into Echoing Hatred to face an endless onslaught of enemy waves, with a wide variety of potential enemies including Diablo 4 managers. The longer the player survives these echoes, the greater the rewards.
Fishing lets Lord of Hatred players find respite
Although the world of Sanctuary doesn't feel like it has time for relaxation, Lord of Hatred offers players a short break from their demonic hordes with the addition of fishing. Blizzard hasn't gone too deep into what players can expect Diablo 4s fishing mechanic, but it sounds like it will be a quaint mini-game for players to engage in while waiting for a friend to come online or for the next Helltide to spawn.
- 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
