Hey folks, this is Librarian Husky. Exciting new details about Diablo 4’s first expansion, “Vessel of Hatred,” were just revealed during the Xbox Games Showcase. They unveiled the cinematic opening for the expansion and announced a release date. Additionally, another video dropped on the Diablo YouTube channel, offering a deeper dive into some aspects. Although not exhaustive, the new video confirmed several key points, including the new class’s name and past leaks about Pets and various Mounts. Let’s break down everything right now.

New Class Reveal

On July 18th, we’re set to get the full reveal of the New Class, named the Spirit Born. As previously leaked, we’ll be seeing gameplay for this class soon. The artwork they showcased describes the Spirit Born as apex predators designed for jungle warfare.

New Features in Diablo 4 Expansion

The Spirit Born appear to wield polearms. Pets, reminiscent of those in Diablo I, will also be introduced. These Pets will follow players, collecting gold and materials. This long-requested feature will be included in the expansion. Log into the game now, and you’ll find a faithful companion awaiting you in Kyovashad.

Special Pets and Mounts

Pre-purchasing the Ultimate Edition of the expansion unlocks three special Pets, each named after Diablo I NPCs: Alor the snow leopard, Haral the canine pet, and Natalia the tiger pet. Additionally, pre-ordering the Ultimate Edition grants access to the War Cat mount. This addition is in response to player requests for Mounts beyond horses, aligning with the jungle theme of the expansion.

Expansion Details

The YouTube description for the cinematic reads: “The battle against hatred has only just begun.” Although Lilith, the daughter of Hatred, has been defeated, the real threat comes from Mesto, the true Lord of Hatred. Players will journey into the new region of Nantu in search of Narel, who struggles with the burden of imprisoning the Primeval Mesto while seeking a way to destroy him.

Spirit Born Class and Co-op Activity

The all-new Spirit Born class allows you to become the apex predator of the jungle. Players can recruit mercenaries to assist in combat, participating in a new PvE co-op activity that could resemble raids. Rumors have circulated that Blizzard was exploring the idea of raids, and this might be the realization of those plans.

Spirit Born Class and New Features

Leaked surveys and a blog post have shed more light on the Spirit Born. This New Class is unique to the Diablo series, characterized by battle-hardened warriors with mystical powers awakened in the jungles of Nantu. Embrace the ethereal spirits tied to this ancient civilization and become one of the Spirit Born.

Mercenaries

Artwork in the blog post showcases mercenaries who can join your quest and fight alongside you in Nantu’s dense undergrowth and beyond. These powerful allies gain strength over time and have unique abilities to support you in combat. Examples include a barbarian from Mount Arreat, a ranger, a seer or harpy, and a shield bearer.

New PvE Co-op Activity

The new PvE endgame co-op activity promises a significant challenge lurking in the shadows, filled with powerful tribulations and enticing rewards. As the first of its kind in Diablo, this dungeon requires players to team up and face various dangers together, suggesting a raid-like experience.

Class Upgrades

Every class will receive new skills, updated Paragon boards, legendary glyphs, new dungeon types, and additional activities. Rewards from the Tree of Whispers and other updates will also be available. Logging in now unlocks a quest in-game that grants Pets upon completion.

Cinematic Analysis

Brent Gibson describes the story as one of isolation, focusing on the effects it has as you strive to protect what matters most. The scene begins with Nurel arriving in Nantu by boat, praying to Akarat for strength and guidance. She holds the Soul Stone of Misto, with black ichor seeping from its cracks, symbolizing corruption.

Nurel’s Struggle

Nurel becomes an unreliable narrator, seeing the Soul Stone morph into her deceased mother, who speaks to her in a heart-wrenching moment. Struggling to discern reality, she faces Misto’s relentless corruption. This scene powerfully illustrates the struggle against a Prime Evil’s corruption and its toll on a mortal.

Imagery and Symbolism

Nurel tells her mother she’s seeking the Tomb of Akarat, the figure who gave rise to the Zakarum Church. We see imagery of the struggle between her and Misto, reminiscent of the sequences from the last Stranger Things season. As we zoom out, Nurel is at the heart of hatred in Misto’s chest, with air sacs inflating around her as he grows in power. This scene portrays horror executed well, promising an intriguing story in the next chapter.

Upcoming Reveals

With all the details taken together, we have a lot of disparate information to piece together about “Vessel of Hatred.” On July 18th, we’ll get more details on the Spirit Born class and see some gameplay.

Co-op Activity Speculation

We’ve discussed raids a lot over the years. People have been asking me what I think about raids coming to Diablo. Some people are very much for it, while others are against it. My understanding of raids, as they are in MMOs, is that they are inherently not soloable due to mechanics that must be executed simultaneously in different places.

Scaling Raids Concept

What I envision is a way to bring the concept of raids to Diablo that could still be soloed by scaling with the number of players. For example, with four players, there could be four objectives, giving the full raid experience. With only two players, two objectives wouldn’t spawn, and if solo, only one objective appears. This scalable challenge would retain the interesting aspects of raids while keeping them accessible to solo players.

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