The dark realm of Sanctuary in Diablo IV has been plagued by corruption in the first season, known as the Season of the Malignant. The season begins on July 20 at 10 a.m. PDT, bringing a new Season Journey, Questline, Boss, Dungeons, Battle Pass, and more. A subsequent article will be released by Blizzard on July 18, offering further insights into the new Season and unveiling 6 new Unique Items and 7 Legendary Aspects.
The season theme revolves around a deviant manifestation of Lilith’s sinister plans, which have unleashed a new threat: Malignant Monsters. These decaying abominations roam Sanctuary, mindlessly attacking anyone within their range. Players, referred to as “wanderers”, will investigate this mysterious plague with the assistance of Cormond, a former priest of the Cathedral of Light. Cormond also guides players to capture the Malignant Hearts that power these vile creatures and convert them into build-altering powers.
Players will need to stay on top of the constant aggression of Malignant Monsters by using their Hearts against them. Slaying Partly Corrupted enemies, a variety of Malignant Monster, will yield a Malignant Heart. These Hearts can be captured by conducting a ritual with the Cage of Binding, an item obtained during the Season’s Questline. Attempting to capture the Heart will trigger the Partly Corrupted enemy to resurrect as a Fully Corrupted enemy. If defeated, these rotting conglomerates will drop a version of the Malignant Heart that can be inserted into specific Infested sockets in your Jewelry instead of a Normal Gem.
To partake in the seasons, players must create a new character on the Seasonal Realm. After completing the campaign on either the Eternal or Seasonal Realm with at least one character, seasonal characters will start the game with options to skip the Campaign and immediately available Mount. All previously discovered Altars of Lilith and areas of the map will be unlocked and revealed, respectively.
As players chase down Malignant Monsters and partner with Cormond to uncover the source of the corruption, they’ll earn rewards from the Season Journey and Battle Pass. The Season Journey is divided into Chapters with tasks to complete, earning rewards such as new Legendary Aspects, a Mastery Title, and a Scroll of Amnesia.
The Season of the Malignant Battle Pass, starting on July 20 at 10 a.m. PDT, features 90 Tiers, including 27 Free Tiers and 63 Premium Tiers. Premium Battle Pass rewards include Awoken Armor Sets, Mount and Mount Armor, Platinum, and more.
Players who purchased the digital Deluxe or Ultimate Edition of Diablo IV can redeem their Battle Pass for this Season in the Seasons section of the Shop. Players can also choose to skip Tiers by spending 200 Platinum per Tier skip.
Starting on July 20, the Shop will have new Equipment, Armor, Accessories, Mount and Mount Armor bundles. Tejal, the in-game shopkeeper, will update her stock throughout Season of the Malignant.
This news was announced in the Diablo Developer Update Livestream on July 6, where developers from both Diablo IV and Diablo Immortal shared what’s coming for each game and answered community questions.
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