Diablo 4's highly anticipated Season 1 is just around the corner, starting on July 20th. In a recent developer update stream, the Diablo team shared some exciting information about the upcoming season. In this guide, we'll provide a quick breakdown of all the important details discussed during the stream. Whether you missed the update or want a concise summary, this article has got you covered.

• Patch Release and New Feature
• Season 1: The Season of the Malignant
• Main Mechanic: Malignant Hearts
• Malignant Enemies and Malignant Tunnels
• New Bosses, Legendaries, and Uniques
• Season Journey and Battle Pass
• Enhancements and Smoldering Ashes
• Altar of Lila's Progress, Alts, and More
• Stability and Future Patches

↖ Patch Release and New Feature

Before diving into Season 1, it's worth mentioning that a patch will be released today. While details are scarce, one significant change is the addition of unique item drops for the Hell type of enemies. This update addresses a reported issue and aims to enhance the gameplay experience.

↖ Season 1: The Season of the Malignant

Season 1, officially known as the Season of the Malignant, commences on July 20th. Along with the season's start, a patch will introduce various balance changes, as well as new legendary and unique items to the Eternal Realm. A trailer released on July 18th offered a glimpse of the season's concept, generating much excitement among players.

↖ Main Mechanic: Malignant Hearts

The season's story revolves around a spreading plague of malignancies affecting all of Sanctuary. Players will encounter a new character named Corman, an ex-priest dedicated to resolving the malignancy issue. To combat this threat, players can utilize a new mechanic called Malignant Hearts. These bonus legendary powers can be socketed into jewelry, granting additional abilities and making characters more potent than their Eternal Realm counterparts.

↖ Malignant Enemies and Malignant Tunnels

Any elite enemy that spawns in the Seasonal World, be it in dungeons or outdoor areas, has a chance to appear as a malignant version. Malignant enemies are stronger, more menacing, and possess greater power than regular elites. When defeated, they leave behind Malignant Growth on the ground. Interacting with it spawns an even more formidable version of that elite, which drops a Malignant Heart upon defeat.

To farm these Malignant Hearts, players can explore Malignant Tunnels, which are mini-dungeons scattered throughout the map. Malignant Tunnels offer a higher chance of encountering malignant monsters and thus obtaining Malignant Hearts. At the end of each Malignant Tunnel, players will find Malignant Growth with different colors corresponding to specific types of Malignant Hearts. By using an item called an Invoker, players can choose which Malignant Elite to spawn, enabling them to farm specific colors of Malignant Hearts.

↖ New Bosses, Legendaries, and Uniques

Season 1 introduces new big bosses that players will encounter in the seasonal storyline. Additionally, players can look forward to acquiring new legendaries and unique items. Some of these items will be part of the Codex of Power, a collection of legendary powers specific to the season. Completing objectives within the Season Journey, tied to the Battle Pass, will unlock these new powers, offering further customization and increased character strength.

↖ Season Journey and Battle Pass

The Season Journey is a book of objectives divided into seven chapters. Progressing through these chapters unlocks various rewards, including Battle Pass favor, caches with herbs and crafting materials, and new legendary powers for the Codex of Power. The Season Journey is accessible to both free and paid Battle Pass users. Completing objectives within each chapter grants rewards and progresses the player through the seasonal storyline.

↖ Enhancements and Smoldering Ashes

Throughout the Battle Pass, players can earn smoldering ashes, which can be spent to enhance certain aspects of gameplay. These enhancements include increased XP gain, gold gain, material rewards, elixir duration, and enhanced drop rates for rare Malignant Hearts. Players can strategically allocate their smoldering ashes to suit their playstyle and goals.

↖ Altar of Lila's Progress, Alts, and More

When the season begins, players will retain their Altar of Lila's progress and the areas they have discovered, while the fog of war will be reset on all alts. Starting the season with renowned progress from previous activities will grant players five bonus skill points and five bonus max potions. This allows players to kickstart their progress in Season 1.

↖ Stability and Future Patches

During the Q&A session, the developers emphasized their intention to maintain stability within seasons. They stated that unless something is severely imbalanced, they aim to minimize changes during an active season to ensure a healthy gameplay environment.

Conclusion:

With Diablo 4 Season 1, the Season of the Malignant, just around the corner, players can look forward to exciting new features and challenges. The introduction of Malignant Hearts, Malignant Enemies, and the enhanced Codex of Power provides an immersive and powerful gameplay experience. By completing objectives in the Season Journey and utilizing the Battle Pass, players can unlock a variety of rewards and customize their characters to reach new heights of power.