Diablo 4's Lord of Hatred is a game-changer, here's everything you need to know

Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred is the second major expansion for the game, and it's out later today with servers, new campaign content, and Season 13 set to kick off at 4:00 PM PDT, April 27. Ahead of the launch, we were able to go hands-on with the new campaign on a pre-release server, while also getting a first-hand feel for the new endgame and all of the big changes. As someone who has been playing since launch, it's safe to say that Lord of Hatred is a game-changer.

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Not only in terms of presenting an engaging story that actually adds closure to all of the background Mephisto stuff from the main game, but also the cranking up of the stakes of the first Vessel of Hatred expansion, but in terms of where Diablo 4 might be headed next. Ultimately, the big stuff here plays off the new story campaign, which is set in the new region of Skovos, home to the Amazons.

This backdrop, inspired by Greek myth, introduces a new major city and hub called Temis. For Diablo 4 fans, it's the best locale and hub to date, offering quick access to all of the game's existing and new features. From the return of Kanai's Cube to Talismans, the Pitt, Undericty, and War Plans, there's a lot, so here's a quick breakdown of what's in store in Lord of Hatred.

New Story and Campaign

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With the story shifting to Skovos, the campaign sees the return of familiar faces like Lorath and Lilith as the final battle and stand against Mephisto, the Lord of Hatred approaches. The campaign takes roughly eight or so hours to complete, and it's easily the best-paced and most engaging Diablo 4 story to date, with plenty of action and stakes.

Two New Classes: Paladin and Warlock

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Lord of Hatred introduces two new classes, the Paladin and Warlock. The former is the return of a fan favorite and is already available to those who pre-ordered the expansion. The fast-paced "sword and board" mechanics of the Paladin are well executed, and with angelic abilities and spells, it's a fun class to play, and one that supports multiple playstyles.

The Warlock is similar in that it supports multiple playstyles, with the hook here being the ability to summon demons and fire off demonic abilities with a touch of Hellfire. Warlocks are experts in Demonology, and in Diablo 4, they're a versatile class that can support melee, ranged, stealth, and summoning-style builds.

Skill Tree Rework

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Blizzard has completely changed the Skill Tree system in Diablo 4, with a focus on skills and skill variations. Passive abilities are gone, and as this revamp covers all classes, every playable class in the game now has a very different leveling experience, with multiple new ways to alter skills and abilities. With over 40 reworks per class and over 80 additional skill modifiers, it's a massive overhaul to the core Diablo 4 experience. And to accommodate the expanded Skill Tree, the Level cap has been increased to 70.

The Talisman

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The Talisman, which is introduced during Lord of Hatred's campaign, is a new key item in the game with its own tiered loot system covering Seals and Charms. Essentially, Talismans allow Blizzard to bring Set Items and Set Bonuses to the game, with each class getting its very own Legendary and Unique gear to chase. With passive bonuses and even transformative Charms updating skill behavior, the Talisman greatly expands the build potential of every class.

War Plans are the New Endgame

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Once you complete the Lord of Hatred campaign, the new War Plans table and system open up in the main city of Skovos, with the simplest way to explain how it works being to compare it to a playlist. With Diablo 4's many activities covering Nightmare Dungeons, Whispers, Helltide, Infernal Hordes, The Pitt, The Undercity, Lair Bosses, and more, you can now pick and choose what you want to do, where, after completing a War Plan, you're rewarded with loot. War Plans aren't simply a way to add structure to the endgame, but you can further customize each run as each activity has its own skill tree and progression system that can dramatically alter the experience. From summoning bosses during a dungeon run to choosing what loot you want to get, it's a fantastic addition to the game that also serves as a foundation for future seasonal updates.

Kanai's Cube

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A Diablo 2 and Diablo 3 staple, the Kanai Cube's addition to Diablo IV might just be its most in-depth to date, as it adds a detailed and rewarding crafting system to the game. From new crafting materials that open the door to targeted rerolls to Transmuting items, there's a lot. There's even a fascinating option called Transfiguration that reintroduces the sanctification system from a recent season as a permanent addition to the endgame. Transfiguration lets you add a permanent secondary affix to a powerful item, and with rare crafting materials, this can go from random to targeted, adding a new layer to the loot chase that isn't simply about waiting for the right drop.

Everything Else You Need to Know

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There's so much coming with Lord of Hatred, so here's a list of the rest of the major updates.

• Lord of Hatred introduces new Torment Difficulties, bringing the total up to 12. Torment 12 is the equivalent of level 100 in The Pitt.
• The Pitt has been overhauled with new monsters, rooms, and more variety.
• Echoing Hatred is a new endgame activity that is an endless horde-style mode designed to test even the strongest builds.
• Lord of Hatred introduces new Legendary and Unique items, and it also reworks just about every single one already in the game.
• You can now Temper and modify Unique and Mythic items, and they now roll from a bigger pool of stats.
• Damage Affixes have been reworked, moving away from Additive damage to Multiplicative damage bonuses.
• Gems have also been overhauled to give them stronger bonuses, with new Gem tiers also being introduced.
• The game now has a detailed Loot Filter.
• Additional quality-of-life additions include improved pathfinding, lair boss keys now coming in two flavors, and a map overlay.
• Fishing is now available, and a new cozy way to kill some time in Sanctuary.