The official release ofDiablo 4is just around the corner. While fans had ample opportunity to get their hands on the game between the beta periods and server slam, they have yet to have a chance to experience the endgame content ofDiablo 4in full.
Since Blizzard estimates it will take players around100 hours to reach max level inDiablo 4, the most dedicated players will likely be hitting the long-anticipated endgame content only a few days after launch. As players progress throughDiablo 4and challenge themselves with ever-increasing difficulty, they will unlock the Paragon Board system upon hitting level 50.
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What is the Paragon Board System in Diablo 4
TheParagon Board system inDiablo 4, is an improvement on the system as it was introduced inDiablo 3. InDiablo 3, players could continue to grind on their maximum-level characters and unlock bonuses that applied to all of their characters. This was meant as a system to provide meaningful bonuses to players that had already completed the game’s core content. The Paragon Board, as it’s presented inDiablo 4, is a twist on the previous Paragon system.
At level 50,Diablo 4players will unlock the Paragon Board. The Paragon Board is a set of interconnected tiles that each provide a small boost to characters. The majority of the board is made up of Common Tiles, which offer small boosts but are largely insignificant on their own. As players unlock Common Tiles, they will eventually connect to more powerful boosts contained on Magic, Rare, and Legendary Tiles. Since the Paragon System can be explored in any direction, and players can choose whether to connect to adjacent boards or not, or even flip the Paragon Board, the system should usher in a degree of build diversity that is unprecedented in theDiablofranchise.
With over 220 points available to characters at max level,Diablo 4’s Paragon loadoutsare intended to primarily be about exploration and experimentation. While players will likely find a meta path through the Paragon Board relatively quickly, the sheer number of combinations available is mind-boggling and should lead to exciting niche builds.
How the Paragon Board’s Progression is Tied to Endgame Content
A major component of the Paragon Board is tied toDiablo 4’s Nightmare Dungeons. Beyond the set of normal tiles—Common, Magic, Rare, and Legendary—players will also unlock special Socket Tiles. Each Socket Tile can be imbued with a Glyph that is found throughout players' time exploring Sanctuary. This means that while the majority of tiles will offer standard bonuses, the benefit of Socket Tiles will be left up to individual player choice. Furthermore, each Socket Tile will be able to be upgraded by players' progression through Nightmare Dungeons.
As players battle throughdungeons inDiablo 4, they will be able to upgrade their Glyphs. As Glyphs increase in level, their bonuses will increase as well, and at major level milestones, each Glyph may also increase its radius of effect. As players grind through Nightmare Dungeons, they will not only increase the benefit of each Glyph, but that Glyph will also further influence its surrounding tiles.
The result should be that players will have a plethora of content to explore upon reaching the endgame as they continue to grind for the best Glyphs and to level said Glyphs to their maximum potential. The Paragon Board system should also offer enough complexity that players will have a tough time discerning an obvious best build duringthe first season ofDiablo 4, meaning the fanbase should see a huge amount of diversity as they play through the game.
Diablo 4will be available June 6 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
