Diablo 4 Season 8, dubbed Belial’s Return, is nearly here, and Blizzard’s recent developer stream shared last-minute details, including class balance updates, a revamped Lair Boss system, and a new Reliquary rewards structure.
Officially titled Belial’s Return but nicknamed ‘Season of the Bosses,’ Season 8 emphasizes Diablo 4’s boss battles. Belial headlines as the new pinnacle of the Lair Boss ladder, with his challenging ‘Supreme Form’ awaiting players when the season launches next week. A weaker Belial may also randomly appear after other boss fights, with a small chance to spawn and drop the Lair Key needed to summon his Supreme Form. The streamlined Lair Boss system now uses Lair Keys to summon bosses at no cost, with new additions like the Harbinger of Hatred and Urivar joining Belial on the ladder.
Diablo 4 Season 8: A graphic detailing the updated Lair Boss system
The livestream highlighted key balance changes, including buffs to Barbarian’s Whirlwind, a significant boost to Druid’s Earthen Might, and a complete rework of Sorcerer’s Avalanche skill.
Season 8 replaces the traditional battle pass with the Reliquary system, organizing rewards into ‘catalogs.’ The first is free, while premium catalogs unlock with an upgrade. Players can purchase items in any order using Favor Tokens, earned through seasonal quests and monster slaying. Completing a catalog unlocks a bonus reward, but players can hold only 99 Favor Tokens at a time, with leftovers carrying over to the next season.
For more details, watch the full livestream or review the Season 8 patch notes.
Diablo 4 Season 8: Belial’s Return launches Tuesday, April 29.
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