Diablo 4has revealed the Season of the Malignant as the game’s first season, bringing with it new Legendary Aspects, Uniques, and a brand-new mechanic inspired by a feature fromReaper of Soulson July 20. WithDiablo Immortalofficially announcing the new Blood Knight class, Blizzard shifted focus towardsDiablo 4in the latest developer livestream, confirming the release date, theme, and content coming in thefirst season ofDiablo 4.
Season of the Malignant is slated to launch on July 20, andDiablo 4players will be able to enjoy a hefty seasonal questline, in addition to the new gameplay features coming with it. Though the community hasn’t exactly been a fan of sockets inDiablo 4, the new season is bringing Malignant Hearts, which can best be described asDiablo 4’s take on Legendary Gems fromReaper of Souls. Malignant Hearts will be the main gimmick for Season 1, and players will be able to socket them into gear to earn powerful bonuses.
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Unlike Legendary Gems, Malignant Hearts cannot be removed, but they can be replaced, and theendgame inDiablo 4will feature 32 Malignant Hearts to collect. Players will be able to farm specific Malignant Hearts by doing Malignant Tunnels spread throughout the open world inDiablo 4, and Elite enemies bearing the Malignant affix will also have a chance to drop them. Only Infested jewelry will be able to hold a Malignant Heart, so players will have to farm those too if they wish to make the most of the new mechanic.
When Does Diablo 4 Season 1 Start?
Though the Legendary Aspects from the Codex of Power will carry over into the new season,Diablo 4players will have to unlock them again by completing their Season Journey. While many objectives can be done by playing through the story, Malignant Hearts and Infested items will only start to drop for players who finish the campaign on at least one character. TheBattle Pass forDiablo 4will feature 27 free levels that will give crafting materials and cosmetics (usable by all classes), with the premium levels only giving out additional cosmetics.
As opposed to the Codex of Power,Renown inDiablo 4will completely carry overinto Season of the Malignant, and players will only need to log in on a character on patch day to claim all eligible Renown bosses, area exploration, and Altars of Lilith for their seasonal heroes. In order to remove the hassle of resetting a character’s Paragon Board, Skills, and Passives, a Scroll of Amnesia will also be introduced at an undisclosed date after Season 1.
Lastly,Helltides inDiablo 4will also receive a major buff, as Uniques will now be able to drop from Helltide Chests. While Malignant Hearts sound exciting on paper, players aren’t too keen on them being restricted to Infested items, as opposed to being restricted to any jewelry. The developers have stated that should the community enjoy a seasonal mechanic, it may find its way to the Eternal Realm inDiablo 4.
Diablo 4is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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