The Vessel of Hatred expansion significantly enhances the content available in Diablo 4, introducing the game’s most thrilling class and innovative twists to the classic dungeon-crawling experience.
By Alessandro Barbosa on October 4, 2024 at 9:00AM PDT
Unlike the divisive launch of its predecessor, Diablo 4 made its debut last year with a solid groundwork that Blizzard has carefully enhanced over the months, allowing the first expansion to focus less on convincing players. Although the game doesn’t strictly need a transformation, it certainly feels rejuvenated with the arrival of its most substantial content yet. While you can enjoy many exciting updates without owning Vessel of Hatred, missing out on the new dynamic class it introduces would be a disappointment, as it brings a thrilling experience to the game.
If you’ve been away from Diablo 4 for a while, you’ll be pleased to find that Vessel of Hatred caters not just to those who have consistently engaged with the game since its launch. Newcomers can dive straight into the expansion’s campaign with a fresh character, provided they have completed at least the prologue of the base game. The updates that have taken place since the launch of Diablo 4, alongside the comprehensive changes that accompany the expansion, make this quick entry possible, speeding up the leveling process so players can reach the endgame content quickly. The revamped difficulty settings eliminate monotonous grinding, enabling players to choose their preferred level of challenge while having all enemies and areas match the selected difficulty. These adjustments, together with refined metrics for damage, health, and resources, along with a reduced level cap, all contribute to a revitalized Diablo 4 experience—especially for those who haven’t kept up with changes over the past year.
The story of Vessel of Hatred resumes after the events of Diablo 4, set long after the defeat of Lilith and the subsequent confinement of her father, Mephisto. Neyrelle, a central companion, has been bearing the torment inflicted by Mephisto’s twisted mind as she journeys through the new region of Nahantu in search of a suitable prison for him. Concurrently, the Cathedral of Light faces its own turmoil due to a flawed mission in hell, led by a new figure whose emphasis on punishment threatens its very foundation, especially following the deaths of numerous followers. This scenario presents a dual antagonist situation: the Cathedral, seeking to place blame on Neyrelle, and the growing menace posed by the Prime Evil she carries. Interestingly, neither of the primary villains in Vessel of Hatred features prominently throughout the campaign, only making an appearance when you’re finally prepared to confront them. This contrasts sharply with Lilith’s ongoing menace in the original Diablo 4, whose influence was palpable as you navigated the region to thwart her schemes.
Vessel of Hatred continues the storyline, but Lilith’s absence is notably felt. The campaign largely serves as an introductory experience for the newly introduced Spiritborn class. These fierce warriors have the ability to access a unique realm where the spirits of all entities, past and present, reside, allowing them to draw upon these powers to safeguard their tranquil refuge. A significant portion of the narrative is devoted to developing this new lore and connecting essential characters to previous events, adding gravity to the present conflict. However, this in-depth exploration detracts from the pressing higher-stakes threat surrounding you, relegating much of the actual progression to the final moments of the campaign. Ultimately, this leads to a disappointing conclusion that relies on an unexpected twist that feels unearned, merely setting the stage for future conflicts just as the narrative becomes captivating. As a result, Vessel of Hatred appears to function as an awkward intermediary chapter in a larger tale, primarily serving to wrap up loose ends from the previous installment while paving the way for a climax, failing to deliver its own compelling story.
Fortunately, the experience of playing as a Spiritborn is anything but disappointing. This new class merges swift and fluid melee combat with the powers of four distinct spirit animals: the Eagle, Jaguar, Gorilla, and Centipede. Each spirit offers varying playstyles; for instance, Eagle attacks inflict lightning damage and synergize well with the Vulnerable status effect, while Centipede allows for rapid poison damage application across enemy groups before enabling devastating chained attacks. Initially, it may be tempting to focus on a single affinity within the skill tree, honing in on pure Centipede or Jaguar builds. However, once players start combining abilities, the true versatility of the Spiritborn class becomes apparent, revealing a depth that surpasses former classes.
I found a great deal of enjoyment with the Centipede abilities, particularly those that transformed poison damage into an infectious effect that would leap between affected foes as they attacked or fell. It reminded me of my early experiences with the Necromancer class in Diablo 4, where crowd control was crucial. Eventually, my Spiritborn evolved into a build that entirely forwent Centipede skills, opting instead for a blend of abilities from the Eagle, Jaguar, and Gorilla. Each spirit contributed an essential aspect to the build, with Eagle’s powerful quill attacks serving as the core of the damage output, Jaguar’s speed enhancements allowing for rapid damage delivery, and Gorilla’s defensive capabilities ensuring my survival while negating debuffs.
This, combined with an evasion skill that often felt like it dealt more damage than anything else, resulted in a fast-paced Spiritborn capable of swiftly annihilating large groups of enemies and holding its ground in the expansion’s numerous and wonderfully diverse boss battles. Yet, I believe this is merely scratching the surface. There are several entirely new variations that I’m eager to explore, particularly those that effectively utilize specific gear, making even basic-attack builds viable once again. If you’re not overly concerned about the ongoing narrative of Diablo 4 and think the new class alone will justify the Vessel of Hatred expansion, the Spiritborn certainly delivers.
Vessel of Hatred benefits from numerous changes available to all Diablo 4 players, especially enhancements aimed at improving single-player experiences. The new difficulty settings take the place of the original World Tiers, ensuring a smoother progression throughout the game and eliminating some of the more frustrating obstacles. Additionally, the pace at which characters level up has been notably improved, providing a more gratifying experience.
Exclusive to the expansion is the introduction of Mercenaries. After completing a brief introductory mission to unlock each one, these NPCs will accompany you into battle when you venture out on your own, bringing unique abilities that complement your playstyle. You can opt for mercenaries that absorb damage on your behalf and counter deadly threats through crowd control, or choose a more offense-oriented ally to amplify your damage output. If you prefer solo play, you can select one mercenary to accompany you, along with a second, supportive one (referred to as a reinforcement) who only engages when you indicate specific actions. When playing in a group, you still retain access to your reinforcement, ensuring that your mercenary’s individual growth remains relevant regardless of your gaming style in Diablo 4. Their role is particularly significant when playing solo, mirroring the dynamics of a traditional party and introducing an additional layer to consider in combat.
Along with the Spiritborn class and the new region of Nahantu (which is roughly comparable in size to a single area from the base game), Vessel of Hatred unveils two new methods for rapidly leveling your character and engaging with fresh takes on the classical dungeon-crawling format. The first of these is the Kurast Undercity, which echoes the Nephalem Rifts introduced in the Reaper of Souls expansion of Diablo 3. Each expedition into the Undercity presents a unique experience, featuring randomly generated enemies scattered throughout these environments, with each session consisting of three levels that must be cleared before facing off against a boss. The twist here is the time constraint: players are initially granted only 100 seconds, and the run concludes once that timer runs out. Various enemies present on each level can grant time extensions, encouraging strategic target selection alongside a focus on quickly dealing substantial damage. Additionally, optional objectives on each level contribute to the rewards received upon completion, challenging players to juggle their time between advancing through each level and seizing opportunities to boost their bounty at the end.
This leads to a highly engaging and rewarding adventure, encapsulating the excitement of dungeon clearing within a brief, adrenaline-packed skirmish. Even in cases where my run didn’t succeed, I never felt that my time was wasted, particularly since loot is granted even during unsuccessful attempts. As you move through Vessel of Hatred, you’ll acquire items that enable you to heighten the difficulty and apply combat modifiers to gain specific types of loot, bringing a sense of novelty while also giving you another means for effective grinding.
The second feature is the Dark Citadel, a new raid-like endeavor that gives players a weekly motivation to return and take on some of the toughest challenges that Diablo 4 presents. This activity becomes available only after you unlock Torment I, and it’s not something you’ll likely encounter unless you’re a player who is dedicated to spending countless hours fine-tuning your character once you reach the level cap. It’s easy to understand that the Dark Citadel is designed to challenge your fundamental grasp of both your own build and those of fellow players, but it’s still unfortunate that many players may miss out on this aspect of the expansion due to its requirements.
This event is divided into three unique dungeons, with each section of the citadel consisting of different floors filled with enemies to combat and puzzles to solve. The dungeons, which necessitate cooperation among 2-4 players, often separate members to complete objectives independently, affecting the group’s overall progress. This means that each player must contribute effectively. Boss encounters at the conclusion of each section intensify the challenge, featuring multi-stage battles that require you to discern various puzzle components and execute solutions with speed and accuracy. It’s a genuine test of your proficiency with your character build and its synergy with your teammates, making it a commendable enhancement to the existing endgame content that has developed positively since Diablo 4’s initial launch.
Vessel of Hatred serves as an excellent return point for former Diablo 4 players seeking an additional dose of dungeon-crawling mayhem that the original version introduced so skillfully. The Spiritborn class is as gratifying to wield in combat as it is to experiment with, exhibiting a depth that surpasses all previous classes. Both the Kurast Undercity and the Dark Citadel are enthralling new additions to the current (and significantly enhanced) endgame content. The expansion, however, is somewhat hindered by a lackluster storyline that fails to engage with the premise set in the base game, concluding with little more than a hint at the potentially more significant conflict ahead. Regardless, Diablo 4 didn’t require an expansion to enhance it, but Vessel of Hatred certainly succeeds in refreshing the overall experience.
