Welcome to the cursed realm of Sanctuary in Diablo 4 Season 1, the “Season of the Malignant.” As a malevolent curse sweeps through the world, transforming beings into bloodthirsty fiends, prepare to embark on a thrilling journey. This article will be your ultimate guide to mastering the Season 1 questline, discovering powerful builds fueled by Malignant Hearts, and summoning the fearsome Invoker of Varshan. Delve into the dark depths of Sanctuary, claim victory over the malevolence, and emerge triumphant with epic loot and unimaginable power. Are you ready to embrace the curse and face the shadows that lurk within? Let the adventure begin!
The Curse of Diablo 4 Season 1 – A World of Malignant Adventures
Get ready for an action-packed journey into the dark and cursed world of Sanctuary in Diablo 4 Season 1, also known as the “Season of the Malignant.” Brace yourself, as a malevolent curse is sweeping through the realm, transforming both humans and demons into ferocious fiends. But don’t worry; this dreadful season brings a thrilling twist to the game, allowing you to harness the power of “Malignant Hearts” and craft some truly broken builds, courtesy of Blizzard.
When Does Diablo 4 Season 1 Begin?
Diablo 4 Season 1 commenced on July 20 at 10 am PT and will last for approximately three months. This exciting event introduces a new questline, gripping storytelling, seasonal mechanics, and, for the first time, the highly anticipated Diablo 4 battle pass, offering both free and premium rewards.
A World Consumed by the Festering Curse
Prepare yourself for the festering curse that now plagues Sanctuary, infecting all living beings and turning them into bloodthirsty creatures. Dive into the intriguing side story quest led by the enigmatic Cormund, taking place after the main Diablo 4 storyline. If you’ve already completed the campaign, you can jump right into the action with your seasonal character; otherwise, embark on an epic journey to confront this malevolence and reap the rewards.
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Gameplay Changes Unleashed in Season 1
Throughout the seasonal realm, you’ll encounter Elite level monsters that might spawn as a fearsome “Partly Corrupted” variant. Defeat them to obtain a Malignant Heart, which will summon an even more powerful “Fully Corrupted” version of the enemy. Collect up to 32 distinct Malignant Hearts with extraordinary powers, akin to gems that slot into your jewelry and enable innovative and powerful builds.
The adventure gets even more intense with Malignant Tunnels scattered across the world, providing a fertile ground to harvest Malignant Hearts at a higher rate. Discover 6 new Unique Items and 7 Legendary Aspects, each with unique abilities to enhance your gameplay.
Malignant Hearts and Their Powers
The Malignant Hearts come in four types, each granting distinct powers:
1. Vicious Heart (red): Offensive might
2. Brutal Heart (blue): Enhanced defense
3. Devious Heart (pink): Utility and versatility
4. Wrathful Heart (white/gray): Unleashing supreme power
Craft your strategy by choosing the right corrupted monsters to seek out or, alternatively, create gems at Cormund’s wagon.
Diablo 4 Season 1
Unlike other games, Diablo 4’s seasons require you to create a fresh character in the seasonal realm. Fear not, veterans! If you’ve completed the campaign in the eternal realm, you can skip it and delve straight into the new seasonal questline and mechanics. Remember, when Season 1 concludes, your characters will be transferred to the eternal realm, but without their special seasonal powers.
Unveiling Diablo 4’s Battle Pass
Introducing the first-ever Diablo 4 battle pass, boasting 27 enticing free tiers and 63 premium tiers. For a mere 1,000 Platinum ($10), you unlock the premium track, offering a plethora of cosmetic items and Platinum, the in-game currency for purchasing fabulous cosmetics in the Shop. Even the free tiers grant you access to cosmetic items and Smoldering Ashes, which enable you to purchase Season Blessings like gold, XP, or Obol boosters.
Get ready to embrace the curse and embark on an unforgettable journey through the wickedly enchanting world of Diablo 4 Season 1. With new mechanics, thrilling quests, and the power of Malignant Hearts, there’s no shortage of excitement and adventure awaiting you in Sanctuary. Will you rise to the challenge and claim victory over the malevolence that taints this realm? Let’s find out!
Secrets of Diablo 4 Cellar Locations
So, you’ve found yourself on the “Holding Back the Flood” step of the Diablo 4 season questline and are seeking the elusive cellar locations. Fear not, for I’ve got you covered! Let’s dive into the dark depths of Sanctuary and discover the mysteries of these mini-dungeons.
Diablo 4’s first season has introduced a malevolent curse that has infected the realm, transforming enemies and humans into formidable foes, dropping precious Malignant Hearts upon defeat. As you progress through the new questline, designed to combat this wicked curse, you’ll encounter the need to explore cellars as part of your Season Journey objectives.
Cellars are scattered throughout the map of Sanctuary, but they won’t appear on the big map until you’re close to their entrance. Unlike dungeons, these cellars remain hidden until you’re within proximity. However, there is an exception when a specific cellar is an objective for the Tree of Whispers, which rewards you with Grim Favors upon completion.
Now, here’s the good news: cellars are relatively quick and straightforward to conquer. Each one typically consists of a main room where you’ll face a boss and find a treasure chest to loot. They are like mini-dungeons, perfect for a quick escapade. While exploring the realm, you might have disregarded these cellars in the past, but now, as you hunt for them to complete the quest, they seem to hide from you at every turn.
But fret not! To aid your search for these elusive cellars, interactive maps like Mapgenie come to the rescue. These helpful tools can guide you to the exact locations of the cellars you need for your chapter objectives. No more aimless wandering or frustration—just a clear path to success.
So, embrace the challenge, let the adventure unfold, and uncover the enigmatic Diablo 4 cellar locations. With the power of knowledge at your fingertips, you’re sure to conquer each one in no time. Good luck, and may the treasures of Sanctuary be yours to claim! Happy hunting, brave souls!
Diablo 4 A Prayer for Salvation Quest Guide
In Diablo 4’s new seasonal storyline, you are on a quest called A Prayer for Salvation. Cormond asks you to find three important items in the region The Crusader Missives, The Paladin Prayer Book, and a Tithe Ledger.Fear not, for I am here to guide you through these puzzling challenges and help you triumph over the shadows of Hawezar.
Finding the Crusader Missives
To locate the Crusader Missives, venture to the Crusader’s Monument stronghold in the western part of Hawezar. Head down the northernmost staircase until you stumble upon a Worn Gravestone adorned with candles. Behind this grave, resting on the left side of the altar, you’ll find the valuable Crusader Missives. Be cautious, for the stronghold may awaken, but you can snatch the missives before it truly challenges you.
Discovering the Paladin Prayer Book
The Paladin Prayer Book awaits you in the Eriman’s Pyre stronghold, nestled in the northern region of Hawezar. This one requires a bit more finesse to obtain. Unlock the north-west passage, leading towards the location of the Oblivion dungeon entrance. There, amidst partially buried cages, you’ll discover a chest containing the sacred Paladin Prayer Book.
Unearthing the Tithe Ledger
Prepare yourself for a visit to the Belfry Zakara dungeon entrance in the eastern part of Hawezar, close to the coastline. You’ll find the Tithe Ledger adjacent to the entrance, placed near a wooden pillar-like structure. The absence of a stronghold makes acquiring the ledger a breeze—simply head to the location and claim your prize.
Completing the Quest
Armed with the Crusader Missives, the Paladin Prayer Book, and the Tithe Ledger, return triumphantly to Cormond to complete this stage of the seasonal quest. Your determination and resourcefulness will surely be rewarded!
Malignant Hearts – Unleash Their Power
Remember, if you seek the potent Malignant Hearts for your journey, consider confronting the Wrathful Invoker or battling the Echo of Varshan repeatedly.
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Now, embrace the challenge, explore the realm of Hawezar, and uncover the secrets that lie in the A Prayer for Salvation quest. Your bravery and cunning will pave the way to victory and the elusive Malignant Hearts. Good luck, adventurers, and may the blessings of Sanctuary be with you!
Holding Back the Flood Season Quest in Diablo 4
Greetings, brave souls! In Diablo 4’s first season, the malevolent corruption has intensified, making the monsters of Sanctuary even more powerful and their hearts valuable items that can enhance your jewelry with mighty bonuses. Prepare to embark on the Holding Back the Flood season quest, where you must conquer the initial two chapters of the Season Journey and unlock the secrets of Malignant Hearts.
How to Complete Holding Back the Flood
If you are new to Diablo’s Season Journey, you may be perplexed by a quest that you will encounter after unlocking Cormund’s workbench and gaining the ability to craft Malignant Hearts. Don’t be alarmed! This quest is a series of objectives that you will complete as you progress through the game, divided into distinct chapters.
To tackle the Holding Back the Flood quest, you need to finish the first two chapters of the Season Journey. Access the list of objectives by opening the map and pressing “U” to bring up the Season screen. Locate the “Season Journey” button on the left side and click on it to reveal the chapters. While many of the activities will come naturally as you play, I’ll provide the objectives for the first two chapters to fast-track your progress.
Season Journey Chapter One Objectives (complete seven out of nine):
1. Collect 15 Gallowvine.
2. Obtain a Malignant Heart.
3. Complete any dungeon found on your map.
4. Accomplish a world event.
5. Conquer three dungeons in Fractured Peaks.
6. Finish a cellar.
7. Complete five priority or side quests.
8. Collect a Whispering Key.
9. Salvage normal items at the blacksmith.
Season Journey Chapter Two Objectives (complete nine out of 11):
1. Conquer 10 cellars.
2. Collect three Malignant Hearts.
3. Overcome a stronghold.
4. A chipped gem can be crafted at the jeweler’s shop.
5. Complete five Malignant Tunnels.
6. Reach level 25.
7. Obtain 15 Demon Hearts.
8. Change your appearance in the Wardrobe five times.
9. Interact with 10 Waypoints.
10. Upgrade two items at the blacksmith or jeweler.
11. You may upgrade your potion to Minor at the alchemist’s shop.
Upon completing a chapter in the Season Journey, a green tick will appear next to it, allowing you to claim your hard-earned rewards and conquer the Holding Back the Flood quest.
Embrace the Challenge and Claim Victory
Armed with this knowledge, venture forth into the corrupted world of Diablo 4, master the Holding Back the Flood quest, and unleash the power of Malignant Hearts to vanquish the darkness that plagues Sanctuary. The rewards await you, brave adventurers.I wish you a journey replete with triumph and glory!
Unleashing the Power: The Infinimist Build – Diablo 4’s Strongest Necro Skill
Have you ever wondered which Necro skill reigns supreme in Diablo 4? Before the pre-season patch, many would have pointed to Bone Spear, but it faced a significant nerf due to its overwhelming damage against bosses. Now, let me introduce you to the true powerhouse: Blood Mist, especially when combined with Decrepify. This deadly duo transforms you into an unstoppable cloud of gore that generates precious corpses and curses your foes, while also offering a Lucky Hit chance to reduce ability cooldowns on each strike.
Embracing this straightforward synergy forms the foundation of the formidable Infinimist build. However, the real magic happens when you add Aspect of Explosive Mist to the mix. With this addition, you’ll detonate the corpses you produce, earning a further reduction in Blood Mist’s cooldown for each explosion. This means you can keep using Blood Mist relentlessly, without worrying about cooldowns, providing astounding survivability in the dreaded Nightmare Dungeons and other challenging activities.
But the best part? Infinimist not only retains its strength in Diablo 4’s first season but has become even more accessible, thanks to two incredible Malignant Hearts and their unique functionalities:
1. Decrepit Aura: An aura automatically curses surrounding foes with Decrepify for 7-19 seconds when you are near 1-5 enemies.
2. The Sacrilegious: When in proximity to a corpse, an equipped corpse skill is activated every second, dealing 38-28% reduced damage.
Believe me when I say that these two Hearts are game-changers. The Decrepit Aura’s constant casting of Decrepify ensures you are always surrounded by curses, triggering Abhorrent Decrepify’s cooldown reduction even in Blood Mist form. And here’s the best part: you don’t even need to have Decrepify on your skill bar. This mind-blowing combination enables you to remain in mist form while swiftly recharging your ultimate ability.
Now, don’t underestimate The Sacrilegious. This Heart may sound gimmicky, but it plays a crucial role in the Infinimist build for three significant reasons:
1. It follows a priority order for using corpse skills.
2. It activates corpse skills even in Blood Mist form.
3. It bypasses ability cooldowns altogether.
With Raise Minion, Corpse Tendrils, and Corpse Explosion in place, The Sacrilegious prioritizes using these skills. Whether you need to summon a new minion, produce corpses, or deal damage, this Heart has you covered. The constant use of corpses also aids in essence regeneration, particularly with the Grim Harvest passive. Moreover, it enables you to employ three different Corpse Skills while safely cloaked in Blood Mist form, providing unparalleled versatility.
This robust combination allowed me to reach Nightmare World Tier at level 40 and face Helltides ten levels below, all thanks to the ability to stay in mist form while tactically utilizing Corpse Tendrils, summoning minions, and causing explosions for substantial damage. To maximize the build’s potential, focus on Blighted Corpse Explosion and shadow/darkness damage, especially after the significant shadow DoT buff in the season one patch.
What’s even more exciting is that I no longer need to dedicate skill slots to Decrepify or corpse-producing abilities like Reap, which freed me to embrace the Cold Mages. With boosted damage to Frozen enemies and Coldbringer’s Aspect in the season’s patch, I’ve been able to capitalize on the cooldown reduction, continually activating Army of the Dead. This build easily outperforms the solo shadow build I relied on last season, thanks to the invincibility granted by constant Blood Mist usage, especially after the nerfs to other survivability aspects.
Now, here’s a little secret: I have a hunch that the Malignant Hearts will prove exceptionally potent when paired with Blood Surge, Deathspeaker’s Pendant, Ring of Mendeln, Aspect of the Embalmer, and Fast-Blood Aspect. This combination would produce Blood Orbs from corpses and further reduce ultimate cooldowns when collecting a Blood Orb. The AoE effect of Blood Surge complements the Decrepify field you cast around yourself, making it easier to keep everyone alive, particularly with the buffs to Blood Surge, Blood Orb minion healing, and minions in general.
The Power of the Diablo 4 Invoker of Varshan
Today, I’m here to spill the beans on how you can summon the fearsome big bad boss of the Season of the Malignant in Diablo 4, the Invoker of Varshan. Not only will I guide you on how to craft it, but I’ll also reveal the secrets to obtaining its upgraded variants for each World Tier. So, let’s dive in and unearth the path to immense power and rewards!
How to Obtain the Invoker of Varshan
To get your hands on the formidable Invoker of Varshan, you’ll first have to face the Varshan boss alongside Cormond during the seasonal questline. After you’ve triumphed over this challenging adversary and completed the questline, Cormond will reward you with a cache containing the recipe for the Invoker. Just consume the recipe to unlock its secrets and then head over to Cormond’s workbench to craft it using the following ingredients:
- One Vicious Malignant Invoker
- One Devious Malignant Invoker
- One Brutal Malignant Invoker
- One Demon Heart
With the Invoker of Varshan in your arsenal, the next step is to find a Malignant Tunnel dungeon that houses Varshan’s boss door. Seek out The Boiling Wound in the Fractured Peaks for this dungeon. Complete it with determination, dispel the barrier, and reveal Varshan’s boss door. Enter the door and use your newly crafted Invoker of Varshan on the node to summon the fearsome boss. Be prepared to face a challenging battle, but the rewards will be worth it. Not only does this boss have a chance to drop Wrathful Hearts, but it may also grant you new recipes for invokers.
Unveiling the Foul Invoker of Varshan
For those seeking even more power, the Foul Invoker of Varshan awaits you. The recipe for this potent invoker can only be acquired by defeating the first Echo of Varshan on Adventurer or Veteran World Tier. Keep in mind that the Foul Invoker is specifically tied to the Nightmare World Tier, so you’ll be able to wield its might there. Gather the following ingredients to craft it:
- One Invoker of Varshan
- 50 Sigil Powder
To obtain Sigil Powder, you’ll need to scrap Nightmare Dungeon sigils. This might require a bit of time and effort to gather enough spare sigils by running the dungeons. Remember, you need to complete a tier three Nightmare Dungeon to unlock sigil crafting at the Occultist and scrap the sigils for powder. Once you’ve successfully crafted the Foul Invoker, return to The Boiling Wound and face the tougher version of Varshan for even greater rewards, although he’ll be level 60, so prepare for a fierce fight!
The Apex: Tormented Invoker of Varshan
If you’re after the pinnacle of power, the Tormented Invoker of Varshan is what you seek. This invoker summons the most formidable version of Varshan, presenting an epic challenge. To obtain its recipe, you must first defeat Varshan using the Foul Invoker. Then, for the crafting process, gather these items:
- Five Forgotten Souls
- Five Fiend Roses
- One Invoker of Varshan
Forgotten Souls and Fiend Roses can be found by opening chests and exploring Helltide events. This means you can still craft the Tormented Invoker in the Nightmare World Tier, but it can only be utilized once you reach the Torment World Tier. I haven’t personally reached Torment in the new season yet, but rumor has it that it holds the potential to drop the most powerful Wrathful Hearts ever seen!
Armed with the Invoker of Varshan and its upgraded variants, you’re now equipped to face the toughest challenges and reap the rewards that await you in the dark and treacherous world of Diablo 4. Good luck on your journey, and may your path be filled with epic loot and triumphant victories! Happy hunting.
