Diablo 4 has joined July 2025's PlayStation Plus lineup as one of the games that subscribers can access at no additional cost. This addition couldn't be more perfectly timed as it coincides with the start of Diablo 4 Season 9, allowing new players jumping in from PS Plus to experience the full seasonal experience from the start. However, there are some unwritten rules for Diablo 4 that longtime players have created to help newcomers in their demon-slaying journey through Sanctuary, and keeping these tips in mind can help players have the most successful Diablo 4 experience possible.
For most new Diablo 4 players joining in Season 9, the new Sins of the Horadrim content, like Horadric Spells and Strongrooms, will be secondary to Diablo 4's main campaign. However, it's still important to get a playthrough off on the right foot, since new players experiencing the main campaign on Diablo 4 's Seasonal Realm can then take advantage of the seasonal content in the endgame. In general, these tips are meant to guide new players through their Diablo 4 journey, but aren't a requirement by any means.
One Diablo 4 Necromancer Build is Rated E for Everyone
Newcomers and veteran Diablo 4 players can make the most of the Necromancer's most versatile Season 9 build, which works for leveling and the endgame.
Important Unwritten Rules That New Diablo 4 Players Should Follow
Exploring the World and Activating Altars of Lilith is a Must
As new Diablo 4 players start their journey through Sanctuary, there will be the temptation to stick to the strict path laid out by Diablo 4's main campaign. However, Diablo 4's open world allows players the freedom to explore to their heart's content, and rewards them for doing so with hidden Altars of Lilith. Finding and activating these altars grants players permanent stat increases that apply across all characters on that Realm, so players are very encouraged to stray from the beaten path and uncover all of these altars as they play.
Don't Spend Gold on New Gear
Loot is plentiful in Diablo 4, and players can find new gear from a variety of places, including drops from monsters and in-game chests. While vendors in Diablo 4's major hubs offer weapons and armor for sale, players would be wise to avoid purchasing these items. With how often players find new loot—and how quickly pieces of gear become outdated as players level up—it's better to save gold for the endgame, as important features for optimizing endgame builds like Tempering and Masterworking Diablo 4's gear can get very expensive.
For many players, the best way to make gold in Diablo 4's endgame is to sell unwanted Uniques to other players. Otherwise, simply running Nightmare Dungeons and completing seasonal quests are the best ways to earn gold.
Consider Gear Carefully, But It Isn't the End-All-Be-All for a Build
Along these same lines, Diablo 4 players should pay careful attention to the gear they plan to use, since it's not as simple as looking for pieces with green numbers indicating a more powerful item. More important are the affixes a piece of gear has, especially when players start getting Legendaries or imprinting Legendary Aspects on their gear. The strength of a Diablo 4 build is more often determined by how well the player's skill investments synergize with Legendary Aspects on their gear than simply the number next to the armor or damage stat.
Increase Diablo 4's Difficulty Setting Periodically
For brand-new players, starting Diablo 4 on Normal Difficulty will provide enough of a challenge on its own. As players become more comfortable with the game and begin leveling up, it's a good idea to increase the difficulty because of the increase in XP and gold dropped from defeated monsters at higher difficulty levels. Increasing the difficulty every 15–20 levels or so is a good way to gauge the effectiveness of a build while also making leveling go by quicker, since it can start to drastically slow down at higher levels on lower difficulties.
Almost Any Build Can Be Viable for Most Diablo 4 Content
It's easy to get hung up on which class or build to play when starting a new seasonal character in Diablo 4, and discussions of the game's meta tend to overwhelm new players. However, it's important to note that Diablo 4's meta builds are only really applicable to players looking to optimize their endgame runs of the Pit or Tormented Bosses—the game's hardest content. For most Diablo 4 players, just playing the class or build that is most appealing to them will allow them to make it through the majority of Diablo 4's content just fine, so there's no need to stress too much about meta builds until players are ready to take the game's challenge to the next level.
Diablo 4
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 88 /100 Critics Rec: 93%
WHERE TO PLAY
- Engine
- Proprietary Engine
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, Hack and Slash
