How Big Are the Changes Coming in Diablo IV Season 11?

Diablo 4 Season 11 brings one of the most significant changes to date. From the return of the four "Lesser Evils" to a complete overhaul of the gear crafting system and a brand-new enchanting system, this season will offer a fresh experience for both casual and hardcore players.

The core content of Diablo 4 Season 11 revolves around the return of the four Lesser Evils and a complete overhaul of the gear system. The Lesser Evils are invading Sanctuary, and defeating them will reward players with Corrupted Essence, which can be used to redeem rewards. The revamped gear system allows players to freely choose affixes through tempering, improve gear quality and unlock more powerful advanced affixes through masterworking, and also adds a new enchanting system that injects powerful enchanting energy into equipment, but also prevents further modifications.

The Four "Lesser Evils" Return

The central theme of Season 11 is the return of the "Lesser Evils" to Sanctuary, with Azmodan, the Lord of Sin, becoming a new world boss, offering players a brand-new endgame challenge.

The four Lesser Evils will be distributed across different modes and areas. For example:

Duriel will appear in the Helltide, further increasing the difficulty of that area;

Andariel will appear in the Kurast Dungeons;

Belial and Azmodan will appear in other specific content.

Defeating these powerful demons will reward players with the season-exclusive resource "Corrupted Essence," which can be used to redeem various rewards, making hunting the Lesser Evils a crucial part of the gameplay experience this season.

Major Gear System Overhaul

Season 11 features a complete upgrade to the gear crafting system, including tempering, masterworking, and gear affix mechanics.

Tempering System: Reduced Randomness, Increased Control

The tempering system is no longer completely random; players can choose suitable affixes from a recipe library to inject into their equipment. This significantly reduces the previous randomness and improves the precision of character builds.

However, each piece of equipment can still only have one tempered affix, preventing excessive stacking. Furthermore, tempering can be reset infinitely, allowing players to experiment with different combinations without worrying about irreversible losses from failure. Masterworking System: Attribute Enhancement Becomes Core

The masterworking system has been completely revamped, shifting from simply "increasing the number of specific affixes" to "improving the overall attributes of the equipment." The higher the quality, the stronger the base attributes of weapons, armor, and resistances.

Equipment quality can reach up to level 20 (Quality 20). Upon reaching this level, the equipment unlocks "Pinnacle Rewards," upgrading a regular affix to a more powerful "Advanced Affix." Players can use specific resources (such as Odium Stone and Nether Iron) to repeatedly reforge this advanced affix without reducing quality, making it easier to craft perfect equipment.

Additionally, the number of base affixes on regular equipment increases from 3 to 4, providing more diverse build possibilities.

Sanctification System: Powerful Divine Power, but at a High Cost

Season 11 introduces a brand-new Sanctification system, allowing players to imbue equipment with "Divine Power." The Sanctification system offers several advantages, including:

New Legendary abilities

Upgrading affixes to more powerful versions

Obtaining Sanctification-exclusive affixes

Special effects, such as making equipment indestructible

However, the Sanctification system also comes with significant drawbacks: once equipment is sanctified, it can no longer be modified through methods such as tempering or reforging. This means that sanctification should be prioritized for core equipment intended for long-term use.

Sanctification requires "Heavenly Marks," a resource obtained through various in-game activities. These resources are relatively scarce, making sanctification a critical decision that requires careful planning.

Diablo 4 Season 11 brings significant innovations in game depth, equipment build freedom, and endgame challenges. Whether challenging demons, crafting top-tier equipment, or exploring the new Divine Power system, players will experience unprecedented richness and strategic content. Season 11 is undoubtedly one of the most groundbreaking seasons in Diablo 4.