Belial's Return in Season 8

A wave of deception has swept over the sanctuary—has Belial truly come back, or is it merely an illusion?

The answer lies within the enigmatic Lord of Lies, and it’s up to you, the wanderer, to uncover the reality in Season 8: Belial's Return.

Starting April 29 at 10 a.m. PDT , you'll join forces with new allies, tap into the powers of formidable bosses, and tackle bizarre apparition creatures in your quest for clarity.

We extend our gratitude to all who contributed in the 2.2.0 Public Test Realm (PTR).

Your valuable feedback has been incorporated into this article, and any changes made post-PTR are noted in blue.

Belial's return has sparked chaos in Sanctuary, summoning enigmatic monster apparitions that threaten the land.

The inhabitants refuse to let this invasion go unnoticed.

Among them are two unlikely allies: Sayeena, a seasoned Vizjerei mage, and Jarius, who asserts his allegiance to the Cathedral of Light as a knight.

Initially cautious of one another, they soon unite with a shared purpose—to uncover the truth behind the source of these menacing creatures.

Together, they will venture into the heart of Belial's schemes, seeking to dismantle his plans and gain powerful new abilities in the process.

The fate of Sanctuary rests on their shoulders, and they cannot afford to fail.

To initiate the Lord of Lies quest, locate the stranger in the center of Kyovashad, right next to the waypoint.

Ensure you have completed the base game campaign of Diablo IV and created a new character in the seasonal realm to begin this journey.

With the introduction of illusory magic, players can now harness the powers once wielded by their enemies, sending their characters to the infamous “you have died” screen. This season introduces boss powers, allowing players to enhance their builds with abilities extracted from fallen world, event, and lair bosses. Throughout Sanctuary, there are 24 bosses to defeat, each providing unique powers that can be integrated into your gameplay.

Each boss power comes with two distinct effects: a main effect and a modifier. Players can equip one main power and up to three modifiers, tailoring their gameplay experience. The main power represents the highlight of your build, while modifiers serve to amplify the effects of the main power, encouraging experimentation with various combinations to align with your desired playstyle.

To acquire these boss powers, players must take down targeted bosses for the first time this season. The lineup includes various world bosses, new apparition incursion bosses, and the formidable Lilith herself.

Here’s a brief overview of some of the exciting boss powers available:

• Wandering Death's Chest Beam : Spawns a damaging frostbite beam while channeling skills, enhancing damage taken by enemies.
  
• Ashava's Poison Breath : Unleashes waves of acid when hitting poisoned foes, inflicting additional damage based on the target's health.
  
• Avarice's Explosive Ore : Generates explosive ore pieces that deal fire damage after a delay when gaining excessive primary resources.
  
• Allek's Talons : Inflicts sparking damage through basic skills, enhancing movement speed based on cooldown reduction.
  
• Beastmaster's Training : Stuns surrounding enemies when summoning allies, providing significant damage reduction.
  
• Blackmailer's Sabotage : Knocks down foes while casting core skills, providing barriers when gaining fortify.
  
• Flesh Reaper's Disruption : Stuns vulnerable enemies and applies additional stagger effects to bosses.
  
• Hatred's Embrace's Haste : Grants increased movement speed from shadow or fire skills, along with boosting critical strike chances.
  
• Kirma's Sparks : Applies sparking damage when evading, while also reducing evade cooldowns.
  
• Outlaw Sharpshooter's Eye : Slows distant enemies and increases damage based on their distance from you.
  
• Sinerat's Flames : Deals burning damage when using mobility skills, while enhancing elemental damage based on resistances.
  
• Skerg's Toxins : Punishes attackers with poisoning damage and provides a chance to heal from damage over time effects.
  
• Torusk's Rage : Grants increased damage and speed when damaging crowd-controlled enemies.
  
• Belial's Crystal Decoy : Creates a decoy that taunts foes and explodes, dealing shadow damage.
  
• Lilith's Wind of Hate : Attacks enemies with a damaging wave that increases their vulnerability with each hit.
  
• Duriel's Burrow : Allows players to burrow underground when evading, immobilizing enemies and dealing damage.
  
• Belial's Eye Beams : Summons damaging beams after using a healing potion, offering a temporary damage reduction.
  
• Andariel's Flaming Skull : Summons a fire-breathing skull that rotates and inflicts burning damage on nearby enemies.
  

These boss powers not only enhance combat capabilities but also encourage players to explore new strategies and synergies within their builds. As players experiment with these formidable abilities, they can create truly unique and powerful character builds that reflect their playstyle.After successfully employing three skills that induce crowd control or stagger effects, unleash a burst of sleet spikes causing a significant 800% cold damage and freezing adversaries for a duration of 2 seconds.

Your primary boss ability now inflicts a chilling effect, reducing enemy mobility by 2.5%[x] with each strike.

Defeating the initiate lair boss Grigoire unlocks Grigoire's Lightning Square, which allows you to cast a core skill. This triggers a lightning surge for 1.2 seconds, resulting in 250% lightning damage per strike.

When you activate this power, any enemy struck will experience a stunning effect for 0.25 seconds, but only once per activation.

Upon conquering the initiate lair boss Lord Zir, you gain access to Lord Zir's Blood Pool. After inflicting damage, a blood pool is created that deals 400% bleeding damage every second for a total of 4 seconds, with a maximum of three pools active simultaneously.

Moreover, using your main boss power will heal you for 17% of your total life over a 3-second period.

By defeating Varshan, the initiate lair boss, you will acquire Varshan's Life Steal. This ability allows you to attach a leeching beam to the nearest enemy every second, inflicting them with 700% corrupting damage while simultaneously restoring 15% of your maximum health.

Additionally, when you activate your main boss power, nearby foes will suffer 200% corrupting damage over a span of 2 seconds.

Acquiring Urivar's Lobbed Bombs requires defeating the initiate lair boss Urivar and the Vessel of Hatred expansion. After casting an ultimate skill, you can launch four bombs dealing 400% fire damage, also granting a 15% reduction in cooldowns.

Furthermore, eliminating an enemy with your primary boss skill will shorten your ultimate skill's cooldown by 0.2 seconds.

Finally, vanquishing the greater lair boss, the Harbinger of Hatred, provides you with the Harbinger of Hatred's Volley (available with the Vessel of Hatred expansion). After hitting a vulnerable enemy, you can fire piercing projectiles for 1.3 seconds dealing 250% fire damage while applying vulnerability. These projectiles will inflict a 40%[x] increase in damage against vulnerable foes.

Casting a basic skill at maximum resource will spend it entirely, rendering all nearby enemies vulnerable. Additionally, activating your main boss power enhances vulnerable damage by 11%[x] for 5 seconds.

Belial has returned to Sanctuary, seeking to reclaim his influence following Lilith's downfall.

His deceptive apparition monsters, which manifest as illusory soldiers, are now roaming the land, spreading his treachery.

To combat this threat, players are invited to join the newly launched apparition incursion event.

This event is accessible to all characters, regardless of the difficulty level they are playing on.

Be vigilant, as the incursion takes place in various locations across Sanctuary's wilderness, changing every few minutes.

Keep your map handy to track where the action is happening next!

Facing Belial’s deceptive minions is a formidable challenge.

To conquer the illusions, players must engage with Belial’s tricksters, complete various apparition incursion events, and defeat powerful bosses across Sanctuary to build their reputation.

This reputation can be traded for rare caches, which may contain valuable items like the resplendent spark and hoard keys.

Bosses have been categorized into three distinct tiers to better illustrate their difficulty and potential rewards:

• Initiate Lair Bosses : These include the Beast in the Ice, Grigoire, Lord Zir, Varshan, and Urivar (only available to holders of the Vessel of Hatred).
  
• Greater Lair Bosses : This tier consists of Andariel, Duriel, and the Harbinger of Hatred (also exclusive to Vessel of Hatred owners).
  
• Exalted Lair Bosses : At the top of the hierarchy is Belial, the Lord of Lies.
  

To challenge any lair boss, players must be on Torment Difficulty I or higher.

Lair Boss Loot Mechanics :

Lair bosses no longer need specific materials for summoning and provide a notably lower reward upon defeat. Instead, when a boss is vanquished, a hoard chest appears, containing its loot. Each player is required to use their own lair boss keys to access their hoard.

The first unique item dropped by a lair boss comes from its unique item pool, while subsequent drops have a 50% chance of being sourced from the general pool. In Torment Difficulty III, an extra unique item from the item pool is guaranteed to drop.

In parties, the drop rate for unique items increases by 33% for each additional member.

Lair bosses will now yield more loot, dropping seven unique items in Torment IV, an increase from six.

Lair Boss Key Requirements :

Each boss demands a specific number of lair boss keys to unlock their hoard:

• Initiate : Requires 12 keys.
  
• Greater : Needs 3 keys.
  
• Exalted : Only 2 keys are needed.
  

Each boss has a specific item associated with it, such as the Malignant Heart for Varshan or the Betrayer’s Husk for Belial.

Additionally, defeating any initiate lair boss provides a chance to acquire a Stygian Stone, which can be exchanged for a key of a greater lair boss of your choosing.

Lair boss keys can be stacked up to a maximum of 99.

Furthermore, the acquisition of lair boss keys has been enhanced:

• Helltide chests offer more Living Steel.
  
• Nightmare dungeons yield increased Distilled Fear.
  
• Blood Maiden events drop additional Exquisite Blood for each contributed Baneful Heart.
  
• Legion events also provide more Exquisite Blood.
  
• World bosses are more generous with Exquisite Blood as well.
  
• Random boss keys now have a higher chance of being something other than Malignant Heart.
  

Locating Boss Lairs :

Each boss lair is marked with a special map icon for easy identification. Once found, players can teleport directly to a boss lair using the new teleport feature. The description of each boss lair on the map will indicate the required keys and whether you possess enough to enter.

New and powerful unique items and legendary aspects have emerged, enhancing your ability to combat demons:

Bane of Ahjed-Den (unique gloves) :

• Affixes: Ranging from +4-6 ranks of Mighty Throw to +114-150% critical strike damage.
  
• Unique Power: Every 12 seconds, your next Mighty Throw unleashes an instant fire damage explosion, dealing 400-600% more damage.
  

Gathlen’s Birthright (unique helm) :

• Affixes: Grants 15% attack speed and increases willpower.
  
• Unique Power: In human form, striking enemies with nature magic fills you with Anima of the Forest.
  

Sanquivor, Blade of Zir (unique two-hand sword) :

• Affixes: Increases summoning damage and boosts your maximum life significantly.
  
• Unique Power: Your summons inflict a vampiric curse on enemies, which can stack and amplify damage.
  

Band of Ichorous Rose (unique gloves) :

• Affixes: Increases maximum poison traps and boosts attack speed.
  
• Unique Power: Poison traps deal full damage over a period and benefit from all upgrades.
  

Sunbird’s Gorget (unique amulet) :

• Affixes: Offers resistance to all elements and boosts movement speed.
  
• Unique Power: Collecting storm feathers creates a damaging firestorm around you.
  

A new reward system called Reliquaries has been introduced, allowing players to choose the order in which they earn rewards. Access to most reliquaries requires purchasing them with platinum, offering a fresh take on the battle pass experience.

New Reliquaries System Overview

The new reliquaries system introduces two types of reliquaries: battle pass and event reliquaries.

The battle pass category features four distinct reliquaries from which players can earn rewards. In the upcoming season titled Belial’s Return, these options include:

• Belial’s Return
  
• Weapons
  
• Beasts
  
• Armor
  

Among these, Belial’s Return is notable as it is a free battle pass reliquary, allowing players to access it without spending any platinum. It also provides a few hundred platinum for players to utilize. The other three reliquaries—Weapons, Beasts, and Armor—are premium options. Players can buy these individually for 200, 500, and 800 platinum respectively, or opt for a complete bundle for 1,000 platinum. Players will be able to view the contents of each reliquary starting April 29, which will help them decide how to allocate their platinum wisely.

Battle pass reliquaries will be available throughout the entire season they are released in, offering ample time for players to collect rewards.

On the other hand, event reliquaries will be tied to specific milestone events and collaborations. These will typically be available for a limited time, so players should regularly check for updates. Despite their temporary nature, event reliquaries will operate similarly to battle pass reliquaries.

Each reliquary is designed to provide cosmetic rewards that enhance the customization options for your wanderer. A significant change from the previous battle pass system is that players now have the freedom to choose the sequence in which they unlock rewards. Some reliquaries will follow a particular theme, influencing the types of cosmetic items available. Players can claim items from any reliquary they have access to, in any order they prefer, during the period it remains active.

To unlock items from a reliquary, players will utilize favor tokens, represented as red circular tokens. These tokens can only be acquired by defeating monsters and completing quests. A progress bar at the top of the reliquaries system menu will indicate how close players are to earning their next favor token. Players can accumulate up to 99 favor tokens, but they must spend some before they can earn more. Additionally, players are allowed to save up to 99 favor tokens for future seasons.

In the current season, rewards are more enticing than ever, especially with the introduction of bonus items.

If you spot an item marked with a star in the reliquary, congratulations! This signifies a bonus reward, which becomes available after you unlock all other items in that reliquary using favor tokens.

Remember, these bonus rewards do not require any favor tokens for you to claim them, so be sure to collect them promptly!

This season's bonus reward across all reliquaries features pieces from the legendary guise of the deceiver armor set. By completing all four battle pass reliquaries, you can obtain this eye-catching set. Notably, each premium battle pass reliquary also offers one non-premium weapon cosmetic, which can be accessed without spending platinum, although favor tokens will still be necessary for unlocking.

Belial Returns:

This mixed bag includes a variety of items such as town portal cosmetics, various weapon cosmetics, horse cosmetics, and some platinum. The gloves from the guise of the deceiver armor transmog set serve as the bonus reward here.

Weapons:

True to its name, this reliquary offers weapon cosmetics tailored to fit diverse class fantasies. The boots of the guise of the deceiver armor set are the bonus reward in this category.

Beasts:

Treat your loyal animal companion with something special for all the adventures they’ve shared with you across sanctuary. This reliquary allows you to earn mounts, mount cosmetics, and even a pet. The legs of the guise of the deceiver armor set are the bonus reward.

Armor:

In a land filled with grotesque beasts, having armor is essential for survival. This reliquary provides cosmetic armor sets for each class, along with a town portal cosmetic. The chest and helm pieces of the guise of the deceiver armor set are the bonus rewards here.

Completing each reliquary presents a significant challenge, and earning the guise of the deceiver armor set can serve as a testament to your achievements. Strike fear into the hearts of the denizens of the burning hells, showcasing your prowess as a radiant warrior of sanctuary.

For those seeking an even grander experience, the deluxe battle pass bundle priced at 2,800 platinum offers a slew of additional perks:

• The complete guise of the deceiver armor set, ready for immediate class unlocks.
  
• Wings themed around the deceiver's final form for each class.
  
• Orinocta the owl pet.
  
• Access to the various reliquaries for weapons, beasts, and armor.
  

Changes to Season Blessings:

The season blessings, including the smoldering ashes previously used for unlocking, have now transitioned to the season journey menu, but their functionality remains the same.

Battle Pass Tokens:

Any unspent battle pass tokens you currently possess will automatically convert on April 28 into new items. Depending on the type of token, you will receive either:

• A premium battle pass token converting to a reliquary premium battle pass token.
  
• An accelerated battle pass upgrade token converting to 1,800 platinum.
  

All exchanges maintain equivalent value within the new reliquary system. For more details, refer to the customer service article.

Unclaimed Rewards:

Be mindful that any unclaimed rewards from reliquaries will vanish once the reliquary expires. Check the countdown timer above each reliquary in the feature menu, or find expiration information in the details panel at the top-left corner of the respective reliquary menu.

Eternal realm players should be particularly vigilant, as battle pass reliquaries will conclude with the season's end.

As the release of reliquaries approaches, the vessel of hatred bundles, containing battle pass tokens, will not be available for purchase in the in-game shop from April 25 to April 29 . This restriction also applies to platforms like battle.net, Steam, the Microsoft Store, and the PlayStation Store for a few hours on April 25.

While you purge sanctuary of its demonic filth, rewards await you in the season journey. Progression through this journey will yield prizes appropriate for a defender, such as a resplendent spark. Completing the journey will reward you with Iris the cat as a pet, who will assist you in your demon-slaying endeavors.

With the introduction of reliquaries, season blessings and smoldering ashes have shifted to the season journey, where ashes can now be earned as chapter rewards or for accomplishing objectives. Once collected, you can utilize these ashes for the following season 8: Belial’s Return blessings:

• Urn of Oaths: Increases the amount of unveiler's oath reputation you earn.
  
• Urn of Masterworking: Enhances the likelihood of nightmare dungeons and infernal hordes dropping extra obducite.
  
• Urn of Lies: Increases the chance of Belial appearing after defeating a lair boss.
  
• Urn of Ancestral Whispers: Boosts the chance for an ancestral cache when turning in whispers.
  
• Urn of Glyphs: Provides a chance for extra upgrades when enhancing glyphs.
  

Mark your calendars for April 29 at 12 p.m. PDT, as new equipment, armor, accessories, mounts, and mount armor bundles will be available in the shop. Be sure to visit Tejal frequently, as her inventory will be refreshed throughout season 8: Belial's Return.

One notable item from afar is the fetters of the nether lion bundle, featuring the sha'lawai, the nether lion mount, plus the shadelight lantern and nether lion’s fangs mount trophies, available for 2,800 platinum.

"Oh, sha'lawai, once so strong and sure of foot, fell below the darkness! Out she comes to haunt our nights. We hide from her. We weep for her." - Umbaru folk song.

Lastly, don’t forget about the upcoming developer update livestream scheduled for April 24th, just a few days away!

Anticipation for Season 8

Is the excitement building for Season 8?

We trust you had a thrilling experience during the witchcraft season, thanks to our updates from Season 7.

Our attention now shifts to the upcoming 2.2.0 patch alongside Season 8, as we gather insights to equip you with top-notch build guides and resources.

Don’t forget to join our Discord community to keep abreast of the latest developments in our content!

Authored by: ** ** chewingnom ** **

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