With the upcoming release of Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred, this ARPG has implemented a number of significant changes. These changes involve a reconfiguration of the level system, with the level cap for all characters adjusted and a new realm-wide Paragon level system introduced, similar to Diablo 3 and Diablo Immortal.

These new difficulties will be available on October 8, 2024, regardless of whether you decide to get the expansion. Below, we’ll introduce the level changes and how the new Paragon levels work.

Character Level Squish

The maximum character level that players can reach in Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred has been set at level 60, rather than 100. Players will earn an additional 10 Skill Points as they progress from level 1 to level 60. After reaching level 60, players will begin accumulating Paragon Nodes, which can be unlocked. When Diablo 4 patch 2.0 is released, existing XP-based Paragon Points will be converted to Paragon levels for characters above level 50 in Eternal Realm, regardless of whether they own the expansion.

For example, if a player’s character is currently level 100, after the update, that character’s level will be adjusted to level 50, and the 200 Paragon Points previously earned will be converted to Realm-wide Paragon Levels. Characters at level 50 or below will not be affected.

These leveling system adjustments are intended to help players participate in the game’s endgame activities and equipment collection more quickly, while also making it easier for players to train more powerful new characters, which is the purpose of introducing Realm-wide Paragon levels.

Speeding Up The Leveling Process

In previous versions, the process of players going from level 1 to level 100 was long and arduous, and was likened to a 40-hour marathon. In an interview, the game designer said that the original upgrade journey was intended to provide a fun experience, but the actual player experience did not meet expectations.

Therefore, the new version will reduce the upgrade time to about 10 hours, so that players can quickly reach the new level cap of 60. The purpose of this adjustment is to make the early and mid-game more attractive to players, while reducing some repetitive tasks that do not require much effort.

All Four New Difficulty Levels

World Tiers will no longer appear in Diablo 4 update 2.0. Instead, Difficulty Levels will be replaced, with the first four levels classified as standard difficulties, mainly for players who want to gain game experience through upgrading. These standard difficulties include Normal, Hard, Expert, and Penitent, and players can choose according to personal preference.

Normal is a relatively easy mode for players who don’t want to be under too much pressure. Hard and Expert are more suitable for players who are looking for greater challenges and faster game progress. Penitent is prepared for brave and adventurous players, with extremely high challenges and needs to be chosen carefully.

Diablo 4 Gold and EXP obtained in the game will also increase with the selected difficulty level. Initially, you can only choose Normal and Hard, and to unlock Expert difficulty, you need to complete the prologue of Diablo 4. Penitent is only unlocked after the character reaches level 50.

One of the major motivations for these changes is to provide a more interesting game experience by adjusting the game difficulty and reward distribution through the use of Profane Mindcages and Tormented versions of bosses. In Diablo 4, choosing the right difficulty level really has a big impact on the game experience.

Many Diablo 4 loyal players want more difficult options, not just World Tiers, because this would cause players must get used to playing ARPG differently, using a level 70 Sorcerer and a glass canon build, otherwise they will basically get no rewards in the lower World Tiers.

Realm Wide-Paragon Levels

Paragon Points function has been redesigned. Now, Paragon Points are tied to Realm, not the character level. This means that all Paragon levels a player gains in a realm will apply to all characters in that realm. This change also applies to players who do not obtain the expansion.

Diablo 4 is committed to making the gaming experience more enjoyable and accessible by shortening the upgrade time and removing the world tier system. The new difficulty settings and features are expected to bring continued freshness and excitement to the game.

For players who can’t wait to see what the new update will bring, they can download and enter Diablo 4 Public Test Realm (PTR) to test it. If you are missing any equipment or items you want during the test, you can follow Giveaway channel in IGGM discord and stay active in discord group, where product giveaway information is frequently posted.

Because of the number of changes tested in Diablo 4, it is divided into two parts. From September 4th to September 6th, players will only test the new upgrade system. From September 6th to September 11th, they will test everything else. With these changes, Diablo 4 promises to provide a more vivid and attractive game world for new and old players.