Welcome back to yet another exciting installment of the Chicks Gold blog series; in this article, we will be taking a look at the long-awaited Vessel of Hatred in Diablo 4. We’ll walk you through the new content, areas, gear, and more to ensure you’re ready to take on all aspects that the game has to offer. So, without further delay, let’s get into it!
What is Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred?
Vessel of Hatred is the new paid expansion for Diablo 4, bringing players new ways to play the game and new enemies to slay. Amongst the new content, you’ll find a new region, Spirirtborn class, dungeons, cellars, and strongholds. Plus, there are new gems and updates, as well as tons of other exciting content. Let's get started with the content and deep dive into the new region:
Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred - Nahantu Region
There’s a new land to traverse in this expansion, known by the locals as Nahantu and to those further afield Torajan. This new land is stated to be “very distinct” as opposed to the rest of the regions you’ve come to know and love. All thanks to the dark and menacing atmosphere and the blood soaked jungle that you’re about the enter.
Within this new region, you’ll find a new land called Kurast Bazaar, which is the capital city. This is set to be the main hub for the expansion, and unlike others in Diablo 4, this will have some unique points of interest. Here, you’ll find training grounds and a world-tier statue, which in previous instances have only been found in Kyovashad.
There will, of course, be some familiar aspects in this new region of Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred, such as dungeons, cellars, local events, strongholds, etc. While traversing the land, you’ll also encounter monsters, some new and some more familiar to you, but we’ll touch on that shortly.
Stories and Campaigns in Vessel of Hatred
The story of this expansion will continue where the Diablo 4 storyline left off. Focusing on Neyrelle’s journey across Sanctuary with the soul stone in her possession. Fortunately for new players, they won’t need to play through the entirety of the original story, and there will be somewhat of a recap of the story before you begin. Though, you will be required to complete the Vessel of Hatred campaign once in order to unlock the “Skip Campaign” feature for the subsequent characters.
Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred - New Class
As always, when a new expansion comes to light, there are new aspects, such as classes, that come with it. In the case of Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred, it’s Spiritborn. This class will be similar to the Monk in Diablo 3 but will tie in with the jungle theme of the expansion. This class is known for its furtive agility and having a mystical bond with the nature surrounding the jungle. That's not to say it’s a peaceful class, though, as it comes with a heavy focus on weapon-based attacks and is classed as an apex predator of the Nahantu region.
The Spiritborn class centers around the four Spirit Guardians: the Centipede, Eagle, Gorilla, and Jaguar. Each of these focuses on a different aspect of the class. For instance, the Jaguar’s focus is on Attack Speed and fast-paced, High APM play. whereas the Gorilla turns toward the defensive aspect, combining Dodges, Bariers, and high health.
Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred - Dungeons
Players will be glad to know there will be more than one new Dungeoneering experience to take on with the latest expansion. The first we’ll touch on is the Dark Citadel, which will feature group mechanics, as well as some team-based challenges requiring at least two players for completion. So, let’s take a closer look:
The Dark Citadel
This area of the expansion sits at the bottom of a crater, with the Khazra channeling the crater’s power in an attempt to summon their dark lord. As they approach success, it will become the job of you and your fellow players to prevent the evil beings from rising. When taking on the challenge of preventing evil from seeping into Sanctuary, you must face some brutal encounters and more than challenging tasks. There will be some complex mechanics like boss abilities, which require player interaction with objects to reflect projectiles.
In addition to all this, this encounter in Vessel of Hatred Diablo 4 will introduce new currencies, which players can use to purchase themed cosmetics.
Dark Citadel Rewards
To keep things fresh once you’ve acquainted yourself with these new bosses and mechanics, Blizzard will be updating rewards weekly. The hopes are to entice more players into returning to the Citadel and regularly take on the challenge of preventing the unleash of evil.
In addition to the regular loot gained from these endeavors, you have a chance to obtain a new “Scroll of Retempering,” which resets the Tempering Durability on items in your possession. These are single-use items that you’ll be glad to know carry a slight chance of being received outside of the walls of the Citadel.
You can also hope to earn those aforementioned currencies, the Citadel Coin and Khazra Horn. The former is gained from killing Elites or Bosses and can be used to buy cosmetics, and the latter can be used at the Alchemist for new Transmutation.
Party Finder at the Citadel
While the Dark Citadel encounter can be completed by as little as two players, it’s recommended for four players to take on the challenge. This is where the new Diablo 4 Party Finder feature comes into play. The use of this finder will mean that you’re better matched with players who can help you take down the foes more easily. It also means you’ll no longer have to rely on outside sources to find suitable groups or wait around for your friends to take on these new challenges.
Kurast Undercity
Another introduction to this expansion is the Kurast Undercity, which is said to be an “intense new multistage, time-attack dungeon” that allows players control over the challenge, as well as the loot they can obtain. Tributes will be used to determine and adjust the difficulty and intensity of the Kurast Undercity, which will, in turn increase or decrease the potential loot rewards.
Take a look at the impressive new thirteen dungeons that will make up this new space:
- Betrayed Tomb
- Feeding Grounds
- Forge of Malice
- Hallowed Stones
- Hierophant Pyre
- Iron Cenotaph
- Murmuring Spiral
- Putrescent Larder
- Razak’s Descent
- Remnants of Rage
- Seething Underpass
- Ularian Sepulcher
- Vile Hive
It’s worth noting before you begin this adventure that the Betrayed Tomb dungeon is locked until the completion of Festering Dark Stronghold.
New Skills, Paragon Boards, and Much More
Class Changes
As well as the new Spiritborn class, there will be changes to the existing classes, bringing new skills, passives, glyphs, unique and legendary aspects, and temper manuals. Given the expansion is brand new, it’s not clear which changes have been made exactly, but we do know that there will be changes to the following classes:
- Barbarian
- Druid
- Necromancer
- Rogue
- Sorcerer
In addition to this, the new patch 2.0 will see a new level cap in Vessel of Hatred, bringing players to 60. In addition, the Paragon levels will be separated from the standard leveling system, just like in Diablo 3. They will now be account-wide and have a level cap of 300, allowing for more diverse gameplay.
Gem Changes
There will be a new Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred tier list when it comes to gems. With the introduction of “Grand” tier gems. As well as this, some Gems have received updates to their effects; for instance, Rubies no longer grant % Maximum Life when socketed in armor. Below is the list of Grand gems available:
- Grand Amethyst
- Grand Diamond
- Grand Emerald
- Grand Ruby
- Grand Sapphire
- Grand Skull
- Grand Topaz
Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred - New Strongholds
Within Vessel of Hatred in Diablo 4, there will be two new Strongholds: The Festering Dark and Chakhir. So, let’s take a closer look at what these entail:
The Festering Dark
This new challenge is sure to bring some confusion and frustration when you enter its doors, as in order to navigate the space, you’ll need to work through a strange mechanic. The Festering Dark is not just a title; it’s, in fact, pretty literal, and you’ll need to navigate it using a Reliquary Lantern to light your way. That's not all, though, as issuing attacks will mean you have to drop the lantern.
The light and dark elements at play will see players using Warding Braziers as checkpoints as they explore the rest of the area. Additionally, the use of the Reliquary Lantern changes your Skill Bar interface, meaning each button will cause you to drop the lantern. The path is also littered with walls and other obstacles to slow your progression, so it’s recommended that you try to traverse the whole path beforehand to gain a better footing.
The final Boss encounter here will use the darkness as an immunity effect that will require you to fight in small pools of light that the enemy creates during the encounter. The Festering will also unlock a new Waypoint once completed.
Chakhir
This Stronghold is a far more straightforward encounter and holds many similarities to other Strongholds introduced in Diablo 4. You will be required to investigate the ancient ruins, clear maggots, and slay Cauldron Keepers. This poison-themed encounter will see you taking on two Bosses titled Blaze and Bile, so it’s safe to say you’ll have plenty of challenges and adrenaline-inducing encounters on your journey.
Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred FAQ
As with all our guides, we provide our users with the most frequently asked questions to ensure they’re well-prepared for the upcoming adventure. In the case of this guide, it’s no different, so let’s take a look at those burning questions and put any doubts to rest:
What is the Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred release date?
This long-awaited adventure hit the scene on October 7th or 8th, depending on your region, but you’ll be glad to know it’s readily available for you to sink your teeth into!
How much gameplay is in Vessel of Hatred in Diablo 4?
If you focus solely on the main quest line of this expansion, you’ll be looking at around 12 hours of continuous gameplay, however, there is much more to be explored if you choose to take your time. So in terms of completionist level dedication, that is yet to be determined.
Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred - Dive Into Animistic Action
So, now that you know the ins and outs of this long-awaited and highly anticipated expansion, go forth and take Sanctuary by storm! We can tell you every fine detail, but the experience itself will surely far surpass your expectations, so don’t delay and go take on a dungeon or two. If you’re still looking for further gaming content, check out our blog section and find some more exciting reads on WoW, RS3, OSRS, Valorant, and many more. You can also find some exquisite accounts on our platform to help you get your journey underway without a tiring grind. That’s all from us for this installment, but we’ll be back in no time with the latest and greatest in the gaming world.
