In the ever-evolving world of Diablo 4, seasons breathe fresh life into the gameplay, inviting players to embark on new adventures every three months. Each season introduces unique themes, mechanics, and a chance to create seasonal characters that transition seamlessly into the Eternal Realm upon completion. With a structured Battle Pass offering rewards and a Season Journey filled with objectives, players can explore rich narratives while honing their skills and strategies. As the latest season unfolds, discover how these elements work together to keep the thrill of the hunt alive in Sanctuary.
What are seasons?
Seasons are distinct periods of the year characterized by specific weather patterns, temperatures, and daylight hours. The four primary seasons—spring, summer, autumn (fall), and winter—occur due to the Earth’s axial tilt and its orbit around the Sun. This tilt causes different parts of the Earth to receive varying amounts of sunlight throughout the year, leading to the cyclical changes in climate and environment. In the Northern Hemisphere, for instance, winter begins around December 21 with the shortest day of the year, while summer starts around June 21 with the longest day. Conversely, in the Southern Hemisphere, these seasons are reversed, highlighting how geographical location influences seasonal experiences.
Seasons in Diablo IV work very similarly to seasons in Diablo 3. These are 3 month-long special events in which every owner of the game may take part.
- Each season has its own theme and introduces new stories toDiablo IV. For example, Season of the Malignant focused on Lilith’s new corruption that took over Sanctuary, while Season of Blood focuses on vampires.
- Seasons add a lot of new content to the game – events, consumables, cosmetic items, powers, quests, as well as new enemies and bosses. After a season ends, you cannot face the monsters or get items that were unique to the season.
Battle Pass
Each season in Diablo 4 features a Battle Pass designed to enhance the gameplay experience. Players can progress through a 100-tier system that includes both free and premium tracks, unlocking various rewards along the way. The Battle Pass not only offers cosmetic items but also grants Smoldering Ashes, a currency used to unlock powerful seasonal bonuses known as Season Blessings. Engaging with the Season Journey, which consists of a series of objectives related to the seasonal content, is crucial for advancing through the Battle Pass and earning additional rewards. This structure encourages players to dive into new challenges and explore fresh content every three months, ensuring a dynamic and evolving gameplay experience.
When a season starts, you can and must get a Battle Pass. There are free and premium options available.
- Free Battle Pass has less progression rewards, but among those available you can find weapons or Smoldering Ashes.
- Premium Battle Pass has to be bought by spending Platinum, which is the premium currency of the game. Rewards from this Pass greatly surpass that of the Free Battle Pass – you can receive, among others, various Emotes, Transmogs and Platinum.
- Nevertheless, Premium Battle Pass doesn’t make gameplay or progression easier – the rewards only encompass cosmetic items.
- Finally, you can decide on Accelerated Battle Pass, which is the most costly version. It includes everything that is found in the Premium Battle Pass, and more importantly, offers Tier Skips, which makes reaching new ranks of the Battle Pass much faster.
- During a season, the players receive access to special challenges, with a number of them available per Chapter. By completing these tasks, you make progress in the Battle Pass.
- Additionally, there are be bonus rewards for completing each Chapter.
Smoldering Ashes
In Diablo 4, Smoldering Ashes serve as a crucial currency within the seasonal framework, allowing players to unlock and enhance Seasonal Blessings—temporary boosts that enhance gameplay during each season. As players progress through the season’s content and challenges, they automatically earn these ashes, which can be redeemed for various benefits, such as increased experience gain and improved loot drop rates. This system not only incentivizes participation in seasonal activities but also adds a layer of strategy as players decide how best to utilize their ashes for optimal character development and progression throughout the season.
- Smoldering Ashes is a special currency obtained during seasons. To receive a share of Smoldering Ashes, you need to reach the adequate player level – if you are still below a level that reaching is rewarded with Ashes, you need to continue gathering experience points e.g. by completing season challenges.
- Smoldering Ashes can be spent on new levels of Seasonal Blessings. These are special, permanent bonuses that only work during their respective season.
How to begin playing in new season?
To begin playing in a new season of Diablo 4, players should first ensure they have completed the main campaign at least once. This allows them to create a seasonal character right at the start, bypassing the campaign and diving directly into the new seasonal content. Each season introduces unique questlines and gameplay mechanics tied to its theme, providing fresh challenges and experiences. Players can also benefit from previously unlocked mounts and areas, enhancing their initial gameplay. As they progress, completing objectives within the Season Journey will help them earn rewards, including experience boosts and cosmetic items through the Battle Pass. Engaging with these features not only enriches the gameplay but also maximizes the enjoyment of the seasonal experience.
- To take part in season adventures, you need to complete the campaign ofDiablo IV first.
- After the ending cut-scenes, you’re going to have to create a brand new character. At the final stage of the character creation wizard, choose “Skip Campaign”.
- Then click on “Season Phase” This will give you access to rewards and challenges from the ongoing season. Eternal Realm is a way to play the vanilla campaign again.
- If you finished the campaign at least once and started a new Seasonal character, all Altars of Lilith and Waypoints will be unlocked. Quest and dungeon progression starts from scratch.
- All your seasonal characters share the Battle Pass rewards.
Will my seasonal character get deleted after the season ends?
At the end of each season in Diablo 4, your seasonal character will not be deleted; instead, they are converted into an Eternal character. This means that all progress, items, and achievements earned during the season are preserved and transferred to the Eternal Realm, allowing you to continue playing with that character indefinitely. This system enables players to experience new seasonal content while retaining their accomplishments from previous seasons, ensuring that the game remains engaging and rewarding over time.
- Your character is not deleted after the season ends. However, it is moved to Eternal Realm, which means it cannot be chosen for a new season. If you want to access the content from a new season, create a new seasonal character.
- Whether a hero is in Eternal Realm or is a seasonal character is shown in the starting menu of the game (below character name).
- If you haven’t claimed all of the rewards from the current/previous Battle Pass, you’ll still be able to claim them, as they will be added to your account automatically.
- Items you’ve stored in the stash during the season will be taken to the Eternal Realm after it ends. You can claim them from a special, interim tab, but you can do so only until the next season begins – so if you want to claim items from a stash that you’ve used during Season 1, you can only do so until Season 3 begins.
What are the main differences between seasonal and eternal characters
The differences between Seasonal and Eternal characters in Diablo 4 are significant and cater to different player experiences:
Key Differences
| Feature | Seasonal Characters | Eternal Characters |
|---|---|---|
| Content Access | Exclusive access to seasonal content and challenges. | No seasonal content; only base game content. |
| Character Lifespan | Temporary; characters transition to Eternal after the season ends. | Permanent; characters persist indefinitely. |
| Progression | Faster leveling and unique rewards through the Battle Pass. | Consistent progression without seasonal resets. |
| Gameplay Mechanics | Introduces new mechanics and themes each season. | No new mechanics introduced; relies on existing gameplay. |
| Campaign Requirement | Can skip the campaign if previously completed. | Must complete the campaign to access new content. |
| Stash Sharing | Stash is separate from Eternal realm stash. | Stash is permanent and not affected by seasons. |
| Community Engagement | More players engage in seasonal play, enhancing multiplayer experience. | Less community activity as most players opt for seasonal play. |
Summary of Features
- Seasonal Realm: Players create new characters to experience fresh content every season, including unique quests and rewards. These characters are temporary, transitioning to the Eternal realm after the season concludes, carrying over most progress but leaving behind season-specific features.
- Eternal Realm: This realm allows players to maintain their characters without the seasonal changes, providing a more stable progression experience. However, it lacks the exclusive content and rapid leveling associated with seasonal play.
Ultimately, the choice between Seasonal and Eternal realms depends on whether players prefer engaging with new content regularly or maintaining a consistent character experience over time.
Which type of character is better for new players
For new players in Diablo 4, starting with a Seasonal character is generally the better choice compared to an Eternal character. Here are the main reasons:
Advantages of Seasonal Characters
- Exclusive Content: Seasonal characters have access to unique seasonal content, quests, and mechanics that enhance gameplay. For instance, in previous seasons, players could engage in special quests and utilize new items like Malignant Hearts, which are not available to Eternal characters.
- Rewards and Progression: By playing a Seasonal character, new players can earn rewards through the Season Journey and Battle Pass, providing incentives to engage with the game and level up quickly. This structured progression can make the game feel more rewarding and engaging right from the start.
- Skip Campaign: New players can skip the campaign if they have completed it previously, allowing them to dive straight into the seasonal content without having to replay earlier story elements.
- Familiarization with Mechanics: Seasonal play introduces new mechanics each season, helping players learn and adapt to various gameplay styles, which can be beneficial for skill development.
- Transition to Eternal Realm: Once a season ends, all progress made on a Seasonal character transfers to the Eternal realm, allowing players to continue their journey with a well-developed character while retaining most of their achievements.
In summary, for newcomers looking to maximize their experience in Diablo 4, opting for a Seasonal character provides a rich and rewarding introduction to the game’s mechanics and content.
