With a Diablo 4 DLC just around the corner, let’s take a look at the brand new areas we can explore in this new expansion. In Vessel of Hatred, we’ll be heading south to Nahantu, the last of the lands in the eastern region of Sanctuary. This region has both deep ancient jungles and vast plains, providing a rich experience for every type of player.

There’s a lot to explore in Nahantu. Nahantu is the southernmost region of the eastern continent that Diablo 4 is set in, and it’s the last region we haven’t visited in the game so far. There are a total of six new areas here, four of which are Jungle-themed and two are Red Rock Canyon, but each has its own unique identity.

How To Explore Nahantu?

When you first arrive in Nahantu, you come to a place called Lingering Hatred. These are towering treetops, and you’re almost walking between branches above the jungle floor.

Imagine the light barely making it through the thick canopy. The entire area is infected with something called Hollows infestation. Hollows are new enemies related to Mephisto, and they themselves are like a creature born straight from the depths of Hell.

The area itself is pretty sick. However, humans have ventured into the deep jungle, and it’s full of poisonous plants and plants. Dregs actually started trying to consume these hallucinogens, which sent them into this aggressive mental rage.

Dregs are really interesting because this allows for more variation within the monster family. If you have a tall Dreg, you can control it and tell it where to go, and it throws poisonous bombs at other players. It’s pretty memorable when you run into it.

Then we also have Teganze area, which has Teganze Plateau, and Red Rock Plateau and Canyon everywhere. Imagine standing above the land. There are pockets inside those giant walls where monsters can live. It opens up a lot of opportunities to bring back monster families like Lacuni.

There’s also a little area here called Skittering Earth. I guess the name alone should give you the creeps. There are swarms of bugs there, and you can see how the bugs are destroying the jungle and affecting it to some extent.

In Field of Giants, you’ll see the giant corpses of these long-dead demons, and humans have begun to mine them for resources. While these corpses have many uses, be aware that they can also poison the surrounding land.

Mercenaries

Mercenaries in a Vessel of Hatred are a group of ordinary people with extraordinary skills. They share the same will to fight against the demons of Hell. Over the course of the campaign, you can collect four Mercenaries. Investing in Diablo 4 Gold to upgrade these Mercenaries will give you a better gaming experience.

Raheir

First up is Raheir, a Blacksmith and Shieldbearer who is more of a defensive fighter. He can go in there and absorb damage, using his shield as a bulwark against enemies. You meet him early in the campaign, and he introduces you to Mercenary network. You’ll eventually find fetch quests for three more Mercenaries to be found during the story.

Subo

For Subo, the Drunken Archer, perfect for those who want a melee fighter who stays away from the major battle and provides utility and ranged support in the back.

Varyana

Then we have Varyana, the Berserker Crone, who is a melee fighter who can do close combat. She has a really cool combat meter that is also a kind of massacre meter, and you need to keep killing enemies to fill the meter. On top of that, she has a bunch of really fun utility skills that you can incorporate into the game.

Aldkin

Finally, we have Aldkin, the Cursed Child, who is a magic user who can change from human form to demon form and join the fight. He also has a really cool power-up ability where you can attach one of Mercenary skills to one of your powers so that when you use that skill, it summons them to perform a specific skill.

Mercenary System Changes

For Mercenaries in a Vessel of Hatred, one thing the developers are focusing on expanding is Skill Trees.

Before Diablo 3, you had a very basic Mercenary type, but this time around, you can actually go a little deeper into Skill Tree and shape Mercenary the way you want. You can go through the growth line of each Mercenary and equip their Skill Tree to complement your character build. I have to say, this is where the real fun of Mercenary system comes in.

New Endgame: Dark Citadel

Dark Citadel is a new endgame feature coming soon in Vessel of Hatred DLC. It’s a fully cooperative player experience where all the mechanics revolve around you and your teammates working together to solve challenges and face the first Khazra hordes within it.

One of the results of Mage Clan Wars is this giant crater, and all the souls that were lost in it during those wars.

The target of the first Khazra, the original Khazra, was to use the power of Citadel within this crater to experiment in an attempt to resurrect their dark god. Only recently, people started going missing. They enter Khazra region and then disappear, never to be seen again. So it’s clear that whatever they’re planning is about to happen, and your job as the player is to get in there and stop it.

Dark Citadel’s combat mechanics are the most noteworthy of Diablo 4 DLC, and you have to build on that with managed co-op mechanics. For example, the boss attacks, and as the player, you have to collect a Diablo 4 item that allows you to reflect the attack back at him. However, you have to time your reaction shot.

What’s interesting is that when you have multiple people tasked with reflecting that shot at the same time, they all have to time their moves. You can’t do that without teamwork, and that’s a prime example of how Citadel gameplay works.

In addition, we have a currency specifically for Dark Citadel. During the game, you can interact with vendors to get custom cosmetics that are unique to Citadel.

You can play Citadel with two people, but the ideal experience is with four people. To make this happen, the developers have also built a brand new Party Finder feature. The community has been very eager to make this happen for a long time, and pairing it with the new Citadel mode makes a lot of sense for all players.

All in all, this is truly an activity for people who enjoy playing with friends or strangers and enjoying cooperative games. I can’t wait to get into this world and explore all the hidden little story elements. Looking forward to exploring Nahantu will bring us a really great experience!