Diablo 4 with Season 1 introduced the new seasonal mechanic: the Malignant Hearts. Let’s see how it works with some tips to start or better face this new adventure.
Diablo 4 Season, allowing players to start a new character. During the character’s creation we should choose precisely between the eternal realm or the season. From now on there will be past and future choices that can help you with character progress. In the following paragraphs we will give some simple advice and explain the seasonal mechanics. In addition, some tips to follow in order not to go crazy during the game. Make yourself comfortable!
Before Diablo 4 Season
Those who may not have started a seasonal character yet, or have just started, need to know some things. Some bad, some good.
Let’s start with the good ones.
There is a link between the eternal and seasonal realms. Provided that certain steps have been taken with your eternal character.
Completing the campaign will allow you to choose the skip campaign option when creating your seasonal character. In addition, you will already have the mount at your disposal. Not to mention the possibility of being able to immediately interact with the Whispering Tree and immediately start with the Grim Favors.
Discovering the whole map will allow your seasonal character to have the whole game world at his disposal. Be careful though! Crossroads need to be activated by the character and will not be active immediately.
Another fundamental thing are the altars of Lilith. If you have unlocked all of them, the character will inherit any stat bonuses they give. In addition, the first two levels of the regions’ reputation will be unlocked, giving you 5 skill points and 5 more potions right from the start.
Let’s move on to the bad news.
Bank, objects storage and materials are not shared. In addition to farming these from the salvage option, you will have to recover the aspects necessary for your class build. This translates into redoing the dungeons necessary to unlock aspects that are useful to your character.
The Malignant Hearts
The Seasonal mechanic is all about Malignant Hearts. A new quest line will introduce you to this new mechanic. Sanctuary is haunted by a new threat: some creatures are infected and once defeated we should interact with their hearts. An even stronger creature will emerge from it and once defeated it will leave us an Caged Heart as a drop.
These hearts are nothing more than particular gems of three different colors. They can only be set in slots with the same color. Obviously, the more we level up, the more powerful the gems will be. This mechanic promises to break the current meta and revolutionize the already known builds.
However, the gems can only be replaced with others of the same color and, once done, they will be destroyed.
Obviously to farm the hearts we will find special dungeons, full of enemies to kill in order to get the necessary materials. At the end of these dungeons we can summon more Malignants through Malignant Invokers. Thanks to these craftable tools, we can target-farm specific Malignant Hearts.
Season Pass and Character Progression
Most important! The Premium Pass is not a pay to win. The only items you can buy are cosmetics only and have no influence on the season’s gameplay. To be honest the free cosmetic items are really disappointing and uninspired, but then again, the game experience is the same for everyone.
For those who have purchased the premium pass, remember that it is not activated automatically. So if you don’t have time to play the season you can always activate it for the next one.
If you’ve done your homework with in Diablo 4, you already have a good leveling advantage. It’s advisable to start from the Fractured Peaks’ region and then move on to the Scosglen area. Then also begin to free the fortresses in order to raise reputations and get the last 5 remaining skill points. Do even the whispering tree until you get to unlock the tier 3 of the world. Once you reach tier 3, the usual Nightmare Dungeons and Infernal Tides are recommended. For more tips, check out this guide.
Season Objectives
Remember to follow the new season quest line, and then follow the seasonal objectives which are divided into 7 chapters. As a reward for each chapter, we will receive favors that will make us progress in the season pass, items and new aspects for the imprinting of the equipment. The objectives are quite well placed and are consistent with the steps to take to character’s leveling, so they are convenient to fulfill for many reasons.
The most important and available object for everyone is the smoldering ashes. Starting from level 40 we will be able to use ashes and put them in certain urns to get different bonuses. For now the best ones are the experience boost and the drop rate of the malignant hearts.
Last important thing. At the end of the season your character will pass to the eternal realm. The new unique items and skins will also be available, except for hearts. These gems will only be usable within the season.
So, have you started the season?
Which character did you choose?
See you in Sanctuary!
