New Difficulties System
Standard Difficulties
Developer’s Note: Much of what drove these changes was noticing that it was more fun to be able to control your difficulty and reward pacing using Profane Mindcages and Tormented versions of bosses.
World Tiers have been changed to Difficulties, a new way to control your challenge and reward. The first 4 Difficulties—known as Standard Difficulties—are Normal, Hard, Expert, and Penitent. The purpose of Standard Difficulties tiers is to temper your character while you strive to hit character Level 60, the new maximum.
- Normal is a slower-paced mode suited for those looking for a lighter challenge.
- Hard and Expert offer an increased challenge for those looking to test their mettle and play at a faster pace.
- Penitent isn’t for the faint of heart. Those looking to pave a path to the new Torment Difficulties will face off against heightened danger. Play at your own peril!
As you accelerate in Difficulty, the amount of Gold and experience you earn will rise too. Here’s how to unlock each Difficulty:
- Normal and Hard are unlocked by default.
- Expert is unlocked after completing Diablo IV’s prologue.
- Penitent is unlocked upon reaching Level 50.
Your Gateway to Hell: Torment Difficulties
Making it to the new Torment Difficulties is the mark of a veteran warrior—this is where the endgame truly begins. In Torment Difficulties, your progression is directly linked to the Pit. As you strive to higher Pit Tiers, the Torment Difficulty you have access to will also increase. The higher the Torment Difficulty, the more likely you are to encounter Legendary and Ancestral item drops. Here’s the breakdown of how to unlock each Torment Difficulty:
- Reaching Level 60 unlocks the Pit and Tiers 1–20 of it. Beating Pit Tier 20 unlocks Torment Tier I.
- Beating Pit Tier 35 unlocks Torment II.
- Beating Pit Tier 50 unlocks Torment III.
- Beating Pit 65 unlocks Torment IV.
As if danger wasn’t abundant enough in Sanctuary, Torment Difficulties foster a new hazard: Curses. While playing in Torment Difficulties, your armor and Resistances are reduced as follows:
- Torment 1: -250 Armor and -25% All Resist
- Torment 2: -500 Armor and -50% All Resist
- Torment 3: -750 Armor and -75% All Resist
- Torment 4: -1000 Armor and -100% All Resist
By adding more Difficulties and separating them out in this way, players now have increased choice in how they engage with the risk and reward style of Diablo IV going forward.
