Diablo 4 enthusiasts, season 2 is upon us and with it comes the challenge of navigating the evolving nightmare dungeons. In this guide, I break down the intricacies of the new season, so whether you're a seasoned Diablo 4 player or a newbie, here's what you need to know.

 

• The Assumptions Behind the Tier List
• Dungeon Rankings
• - Top Tier
• - Surprise Contender
• - Avoid
• Solo XP Tier List
• Glyph Leveling Tier List
• Strategy
• Significance of This Guide

↖ The Assumptions Behind the Tier List

• No PTR for Season 2: I ran the regular dungeon rather than the nightmare version. Historically, regular dungeons usually scale to nightmare dungeons but there's no guarantee.
• Layout Changes: Blizzard announced they're revamping dungeons to be more linear. Though I've managed non-linear layouts, significant changes could shake up the ranking.
• Dungeon Density: Blizzard is known for adjusting dungeon mob density. We might see such changes this season as well.
• Reduced Objectives: Blizzard plans to reduce or even remove certain objectives (like freeing prisoners). This guide is based on the original objective setup.

 

↖ Dungeon Rankings

↖ - Top Tier

Sirocco Caverns remains the champion. I predicted its superiority due to my experiences from early speed running days.

 

↖ - Surprise Contender

Flooded Depths, locked behind Hope's Light Stronghold. Ensure you clear the stronghold early to unlock this key dungeon.

 

↖ - Avoid

Sepulture of the Forsworn. It's locked behind the Altar of Ruin and doesn't offer much value unless you need the Codex power.

 

↖ Solo XP Tier List

This tier list serves as a guideline for players to understand the potential XP gains from each Nightmare Dungeon. The dungeons are ranked based on their XP per hour rate and further categorized into four tiers from S to B, with S-tier dungeons offering the highest XP rate. Make sure to strategize your playtime in these dungeons to maximize your XP gains in Diablo 4.

Rank	NM Dungeon	XP/h	Tier
1	Sirocco Caverns	2.04	S
2	Flooded Depths	1.93	S
3	Lights Watch	1.85	S
4	Belfry Zakara	1.76	S
5	Jalals Vigil	1.75	S
6	Ghoa Ruins	1.75	S
7	Carrion Fields	1.59	A
8	Buried Halls	1.59	A
9	Vault of the Forsaken	1.52	A
10	Sanguine Chapel	1.50	A
11	Grinning Labyrinth	1.41	A
12	Deserted Underpass	1.38	A
13	Forbidden City	1.35	B
14	Steadfast Barracks	1.33	B
15	Broken Bulwark	1.31	B
16	Lubans Rest	1.30	B
17	Conclave	1.30	B
18	Tormented Ruins	1.30	B

 

↖ Glyph Leveling Tier List

This tier list is designed to guide players through the most efficient Nightmare Dungeons for Glyph leveling in Diablo 4. The dungeons are ranked based on the time required to complete them, with a shorter time indicating quicker leveling potential. The dungeons are then categorized into tiers, ranging from S to B. An S-tier dungeon represents the fastest glyph leveling experience, while a B-tier dungeon is comparatively slower. Players can use this tier list to prioritize their dungeon runs for efficient glyph leveling.

Rank	NM Dungeon	Time	Tier
1	Ghoa Ruins	171	S
2	Tormented Ruins	175	S
3	Sirocco Caverns	180	S
4	Hallowed Ossuary	196	S
5	Belfry Zakara	200	S
6	Lights Watch	216	A
7	Deserted Underpass	216	A
8	Flooded Depths	216	A
9	Crusaders Cathedral	219	A
10	Forbidden City	224	A
11	Heathens Keep	236	B
12	Jalals Vigil	238	B
13	Broken Bulwark	240	B
14	Sanguine Chapel	243	B
15	Inferno	253	B
16	Vault of the Forsaken	265	B
17	Renegades Retreat	267	B
18	Fetid Mausoleum	271	B
19	Whispering Vault	275	B

 

↖ Strategy

• To efficiently level, focus on dungeons ranked in tiers S, A, and B. Salvage the lower-ranked ones to make Diablo 4 Gold or recraft better keys.
• With the XP requirement increased by 40% to level 100, it's more crucial than ever to optimize your dungeon runs.
• This season Blizzard has normalized many affixes which were previously troublesome. This should make dungeon navigation smoother.

 

↖ Significance of This Guide

This guide's importance has grown given that XP to 100 has increased by 40%, with glyph XP seeing a less significant bump. With many outdoor events being promoted this season—World bosses, Helltide, Legion Events, and others - maximizing nightmare dungeon efficiency becomes even more critical for rapid leveling.