Diablo 4 Season 1 starts on July 21

Diablo 4's first season, known as the Season of the Malignant, is set to launch on July 20th. This is a significant development in the Diablo 4 universe, introducing a host of new mechanics for players to explore and engage with. However, to fully enjoy and take advantage of these new features, there are several preparatory steps players should take.

The first and most crucial task is to complete the main campaign. This is a non-negotiable requirement as it's necessary to access the new seasonal content. The narrative for this season unfolds after the events of the main campaign. Therefore, players who haven't completed the campaign might encounter spoilers that could potentially disrupt their gaming experience. Moreover, completing the campaign has an additional benefit. Once a player finishes the campaign with any character, they gain the ability to instantly skip the campaign on all subsequent characters. This includes seasonal characters, allowing players to dive straight into the new content right from level 1 when Season of the Malignant begins.

Next on the list is unlocking the horse. For players who have already completed the Diablo 4 campaign, this is likely a task they've already accomplished. However, it's worth noting that while the horse quest is part of the campaign, it's technically a side quest. This means players can miss it if they aren't paying close attention. The horse serves as a rapid mode of transportation around Sanctuary, which will be invaluable when leveling up in the new season. Similar to the campaign, unlocking the horse on one character grants the ability to use the horse at level 1 on all subsequent characters.

Another important task is to uncover the entire map. Blizzard has made significant changes to the region-wide Renown system, and some aspects of the Diablo world will carry over from the Eternal Realm (the non-seasonal part of the game) to the seasons. The most significant of these is the map. At the start of Diablo 4, players spend a considerable amount of time riding around the map, uncovering every area to make the map functional and collect a significant amount of Renown. Starting with the Season of the Malignant, map progress will carry over to seasonal characters. Therefore, if there are any unexplored areas on the map, players can uncover these before the season starts to make navigation more convenient and earn a significant Renown boost on July 20.

In addition to the map, any Altars of Lilith discovered will carry over into the following season. This is a significant change from Blizzard, as the permanent buffs to stats from the altars will propagate to the entire account. Starting in season 1, all Altars of Lilith will remain unlocked when starting a new character. This means that players can find all of them now to ensure that they start out with a massive chunk of Renown for their seasonal character on day one. These altars are must-have collectibles for any serious Diablo 4 players, as they increase the character's power.

Lastly, players should decide on the class they want to play in the new season. This decision is not something that can be made in-game, but it's equally important as everything else on this list. The seasonal reset and the creation of a new character every three months provide an opportunity to explore a different class or playstyle. Having a clear idea of what class to play before July 20 can help avoid indecision on the launch day. For those who prefer sticking to the same class every season, it might be a fun idea to theory craft some different builds for the chosen class to shake up the gaming experience.