Diablo 4 Season 4 was a great reason for me to return to the world of Sanctuary
In some games, it is the thrill of competition that provides kicks. In others, it is the intrigue of gazing into a new world. As for other games, they feed the grind-set. Diablo 4 is one such game, a legendary series at that.
Diablo 4 has been holding my attention for some time now. One day, I randomly happened across a YT video of someone fighting the most difficult boss in the game solo — Uber Lilith. I’ve always been fascinated by video game challenges. So, I reinstalled Diablo 4 and dove into Season 4.
Hitting Estuar Running
Like a new awakening, I went to try a new path. Normally, in class-based RPGs, I don’t use magic classes. In Diablo 3, I played a Demon Hunter. However, this time around, I wanted novelty. So, I chose Sorcerer. This was probably the best decision I made this Season.
Now, I’m no stranger to Diablo 4 nor top-down dungeon crawlers. I was, however, new to Diablo Seasons. Season 4 hooked me immediately. Perhaps it’s novelty or some sort of dopamine rush but, all the unlocks and numbers satisfied me. Like the lights of Las Vegas nights, I was coerced.
I used a YouTube guide to give me an approach to optimal leveling. So, levels 1 through 60-ish went by pretty quickly (approx. 6hrs in-game time). This was an old trick; I should’ve saw it from the start. Reel ’em in with the flashy lights and fluid progression, then make ’em commit.
The Mid-Late Game Grind
I did not choose a meta-build for the same reason I did not choose to be stubborn. If I was going to do this, I had to do it my way. So, my character began as a Pyromaniac Sorcerer. He only used pyromancy until level 70-ish. This build worked extremely well.
The “Flamethrower’s Aspect,” which splits incinerate into three beams, was my favorite aspect up to this point. That alongside the Hydra conjuration, made me feel like an absolute terror. The first capstone dungeon was wiped easily. The Hell-tide swarms melted all the way through, even with the Profane Mindcage.
At this point, not only was my Sorcerer powerful but he looked the part also. But the name of the game is experimentation. The Pyromancer was not broke but I wanted to try something else. What I did next was shocking.
The Quiet Before the Storm
Heading into late game, I had a change of heart. Instead of burning demons with the flames they were borne from, I wanted to attack them from the heavens. Shortly before attempting the second Capstone dungeon, I decided to my build. I traded in Pyromancy for Electromancy.
Truth be told, it felt better. It felt right. I preferred the sound of lightning damage and spells. I fell in love with the speed and Crackling Energy mechanic of Shock spells. But it was unfamiliar to me. Pyromancy was home for more than half of these levels. Now, with 35 levels left to max level, I’ve made a build change with no guide.
The switch was mildly difficult at this stage. Likewise, the second Capstone dungeon gave me a true run for my money. The Hell-tide swarms did not fall as easily. In fact, I began to fall more often. However, I remained dedicated to my decision. In time, I adapted to this change.
However, the journey was not done. I still had not attained level 100 yet.
‘Tis But a Side Quest
After adapting to the change in build, I began to rival my Pyromaniac past self. Now that I was in World Tier IV, I needed to construct a build. I could no longer go on with no rhyme or reason. I was creeping up on level 100, but I felt like a phony.
The thing is, I was beginning to understand what would make this character excel. This is the deepest I’ve ever went into a Diablo game; however, I was no rookie to build-crafting. Though not a master, I knew that this character would excel with attack speed, critical strike chance and lucky hit chance.
Before long, I began to handle Nightmare Dungeons and Hell-tide swarms with much less resistance. With 4 Iron Clan levels left and 3 regions left to earn renown from, I attained level 100. At this point, I already had multiple item level 925 pieces and 4 tiers of The Pit down. It was a long journey, but this was just a side quest.
The End-Game March
When I started Season 4, my Diablo 4 had less than 10hrs on my PS5. Now, however, it sits at 131hrs.
So, the level 100 grind was a great effort. While that is true, it was never the goal. Level 100 was merely an obstacle to overcome. It was necessary to give myself the dream of a fighting chance. The truth of the matter is that I want to solo Uber Lilith.
I’ve always been a gamer who likes challenges. Whether those challenges be developer-made or community-borne. I heard that solo Uber Lilith was one of the game’s greatest challenges, if not the greatest.
Truth be told, I have no idea what I’m doing moving forward. I’ve never played a Diablo game with this much intent. I feel that it has been worth it up to this point. I view that as a good thing, especially because my main quest has not been completed.
Still, I will march forward. Uber Lilith will fall. Lilith will feel the ground rumble as the Heavens come crashing down into her layer. For now, I’ll continue finetuning my unique and ancestral gear as I delve deeper into The Pit.
Diablo 4 is currently available for the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X and S, and Microsoft Windows.
