Diablo 4 – Season 8: Belial’s Return launches today, April 29, 2025, at 10 a.m. PDT (April 30, 2025, 1:30 a.m. in Colombo, Sri Lanka). This season introduces significant updates to the game’s endgame content, class balance, and progression systems.Sportskeeda+2Polygon+2YouTube+2
🧟♂️ New Endgame Content
- Belial Returns: The Lord of Lies returns as a formidable endgame boss with enhanced health, damage, and new abilities, offering a challenging encounter for players. GameSpot+1Polygon+1
- Boss Powers: Players can now acquire and equip Boss Powers, granting abilities inspired by endgame bosses. However, equipping these powers reduces experience gains by 10% per power, encouraging strategic selection. GameSpot
- Lair Boss Reworks: Lair Bosses from the “Vessel of Hatred” expansion have been reworked to provide increased loot and a more challenging experience for expansion owners. IGN+4Polygon+4Gamerant+4
⚔️ Class Balance Adjustments
Season 8 includes numerous balance changes across all classes to enhance gameplay:
- Barbarian: All non-channeled skills are now classified as Shout skills, with each stacked shout reducing the effective duration by 15%. Blizzard Forums
- Druid: Adjustments have been made to various skills and aspects to improve balance and performance. Blizzard News
- Necromancer: Fixes have been applied to issues affecting minion damage display and aspect interactions.
- Sorcerer: Corrections have been made to aspects and skill descriptions to ensure accurate functionality. Blizzard News+1Polygon+1
🎮 Battle Pass Overhaul
- Reliquary System: The traditional linear battle pass has been replaced with the Reliquary system, allowing players to choose themed reward categories such as weapons or beasts. This change aims to provide more tailored progression and player choice. Polygon+1Polygon+1
- Event Reliquary: A limited-time “Event Reliquary” tied to Berserk content will run from May 6 to June 3, offering exclusive rewards. Polygon+1Polygon+1
🐉 Seasonal Storyline
Players will team up with a retired Vizjerei mage named Sayeena and a man named Jarius, who claims to be a knight of the Cathedral of Light, to uncover Belial’s plans and attempt to thwart him to save Sanctuary. IGN
🧩 Additional Updates
- Conduit Shrines Disabled: Conduit shrines have been temporarily disabled until further notice as Blizzard undertakes a rework for these shrines based on player feedback. GameSpot
- Loot Adjustments: Increased drop rates for Exquisite Blood, Distilled Fear, and Living Steel from various activities, enhancing the loot experience.
