More players will be joining Sanctuary on 28 March thanks to Gamepass. So where do you start if you’re new to the game? What should you look out for? Here are a few Diablo 4 tips to set you on your way.
1. Classes
Choose wisely. Your character is going to be with you for quite some time if you intend to play through the different World Tiers (see below). Pick a class you are comfortable with based on whether you prefer melee or ranged or perhaps a bit of both in the case of the Rogue. If you’re completely new to Diablo, then the Barbarian is a good place to start. Shouting and smashing are quick to get to grips with and he’s capable from the get go.
2. World Tiers
Before you start the game after creating your new character, you will be asked which World Tier you want to join. I suggest you skip World Tier 1 and go straight for World Tier 2. The early game is not hard and World Tier 2 will be enough of a challenge for any seasoned gamer.
3. The Game Map
Starting for the first time the map is shrouded in a fog of war. You’ll be guided through the world via the main questline and the map opens up as you do so. There’s also the Diablo 4 Interactive Map which can be a great help if you get a little lost.
Also, don’t forget you can drop a pin on the map to mark a route to follow to a destination.
4. Waypoints
Get waypoints as soon as you can. This helps you hop around the map and move between main settlements which also means better access to vendors. If you want to know where they are, they can all be found on the Diablo 4 Interactive Map. You don’t need to be at a waypoint to use the waypoint system, just bring up your map and click on the waypoint you want to jump to.
5. Quests
It’s easy to get sidetracked in Diablo 4 thanks to the plethora of side quests. That said, you will probably get more enjoyment from the game if you stick to the main questline as much as possible. This allows the story to flow. As for sidequests, one approach is to tackle those when you have the storyline done and you move to the next World Tier. At least when you make that leap, you have more quests to undertake.
6. Skills and Respeccing
As players level up they get skill points. Once slotted in place they are there for good unless you respec. Respeccing costs gold and it’s cheap to do early on in the game. Respeccing gets more expensive the higher the level so if you mess up your build early on, fear not, respec before you get further down the line with your character.
If you want to tinker with your skill tree and build then check the Diablo 4 Build Planner. If you have a build you want to share you can also add it to the Builds section which was recently added to PureDiablo.
7. Vendors & Gear
You’ll be spending quite a bit of time with Vendors. The main ones are the Blacksmith to repair and break down weapons for materials, the Occultist to extract Legendary Aspect powers from weapons, and eventually the Alchemist.
In the early game, decent items will be hard to find, most drops will be Magic (blue) and Rare (yellow). Fear not it doesn’t take too long for the orange Legendary items to drop but don’t be too worried about using Rares for a while when you start out.
8. Aspects
Aspects are the Legendary powers (orange text) on your legendary items. Think of them as a way to augment your build. These can be found in Dungeons and on other legendary weapons that drop. If something drops and you like the Aspect, you can head to the occultist to extract it and then imprint it on another legendary item or even a rare item.
Pay attention to these Aspects, some work better with certain classes than others and it all depends on what kind of character you are building.
You can find a full list and how they are obtained on our Aspects page.
9. Salvage Weapons
There is plenty of gold to be found as you progress, so if you have a weapon you don’t want anymore, salvage it for materials. There’s not much point in selling it to a vendor.
10. Altars of Lilith
Find these and boost your stats. They are small statues of Lilith that need to be clicked. Some are well hidden but you can always use the Diablo 4 Interactive Map if you get stuck.
11. Mounts
If you see players riding around and you want that mount, you’re going to have to finish Act 3 and undertake the Mount: Donan’s Favor quest. There’s no shortcut to getting the horsey.
12. Renown
Each zone has Renown points. Undertaking tasks in each of the zones increases your Renown in that zone. There’s a great video on this on our Renown page. It’s worth trying to max these out to gain all the benefits including extra skill points.
13. Level at Story completion
Completing the storyline will happen around early to mid 30s and the game really only gets going when you move on to World Tier 3. That’s when the better item drops start kicking in and there are certainly more things to do.
14. Events
Don’t worry too much about world events when you start but once you move on to World Tier 3, start tackling events you find around the map such as Helltides and Legion events. These can speed up your leveling.
15. Tree of Whispers
Once the campaign is complete the Tree of Whispers will unlock. In World Tier 3, use the Tree of Whispers to help with your leveling and it can also help with crafting materials as rewards.
16. Dungeons
Dungeons start to play a more important role as you head into World Tier 3. They give you the chance to obtain Legendary Aspects that are added to your Codex of Power (note this section has been updated already for the next patch) on completing the dungeon. Once you have the Aspect in your Codex, you can add it to a Rare weapon or switch it into another Legendary weapon you already have.
Nightmare Dungeons in World Tier 3 and World Tier 4 are going to be a good source of XP and you should try and do these to level faster.
17. Enjoy it. Don’t Rush it
The most important thing to remember is to enjoy the experience. Don’t try and rush through it to the endgame. Take in everything the main questline has to offer and do the side quests.
Things are changing
While these tips are relevant now, a lot is going to change when Season 4 launches thanks to a huge overhaul of the itemisation, classes, and more. The Diablo 4 you are playing now is not the Diablo 4 you will be playing in a few weeks. You can read more about all the changes that are coming right here. Gamepass players are going to see the end of what could be described as the launch version of the game.
More Diablo 4 Tips
If you want to find more Diablo 4 tips and guides, head to our Diablo 4 wiki section, it’s a great resource and is constantly updated.
Finally, welcome Gamepass players. If you have any questions you can drop them in the forums and we would be happy to answer any of your queries.