Season of the Infernal Hordes

Diablo 4 strikes again with season 5 : Season of the Infernal Hordes! Seasons within Diablo IV bear their mark on Sanctuary in the Seasonal Realm similarly to late Diablo 3 seasons, unearthing new quests and fresh mechanics to explore and master.

Discover another chapter of what Lilith’s return to Sanctuary has wrought on the land. Create unlikely alliances and discover what imminent threat the Realm of Hatred poses to Sanctuary. On both Seasonal and Eternal Realms, beat back Hell’s legions in the Infernal Hordes, a wave-based feature that pits you against seemingly endless monsters. Read on for everything you need to know to descend into Hell and fight against the legions that await you.

Season of the Infernal Hordes Overview

Available on both Seasonal and Eternal realms starting in World Tier III after completing a Questline, the Infernal Hordes is a wave-based feature that you can slay through solo or with friends. Select tempting Infernal Offerings—a boon and a bane to augment your run—between waves to optionally increase your enemy’s potency and final rewards. Legions of Infernal demons are densely packed, their numbers increasing in size within the Realm of Hatred. You’ll have limited revives to see your way through the Infernal Hordes, lose all of them and you will be consumed by Hell’s minions.

Throughout the Infernal Hordes, collect Burning Aether to use at the end of your run to unlock bountiful rewards. Upon completing the final wave, rage against the Fell Council—formidable corrupted Priests each with unique attacks. Finally, use your Burning Aether to unlock tantalizing Spoils of Hell that grant you summoning materials, items with a guaranteed Greater Affix, and a chance at earning the new Uniques and Legendaries.

Hell breeds fierce opponents, Aether Fiends lurk in every corner to stymy your valiant efforts. Fear Aether Lords who may arrive within the Infernal Hordes and burn with a determination yet unseen. Cries of fresh meat seep with increased terror—a hellish variant of The Butcher has a chance to appear and sow destruction.

Earn or craft Infernal Compasses to access the Infernal Hordes, which drop from various end-game content throughout Sanctuary. Infernal Compasses scale by Tier to increase relative intensity within the Infernal Hordes.

Infernal Offers

The Infernal Hordes have time-limited 60 second waves—manage to survive and you’ll be taunted with an Infernal Offer. These temptations give you the choice between three different Boons and Banes to augment the Infernal Hordes and crank up the intensity, making your run far more challenging (and rewarding) if you can withstand the difficulty. Be warned and choose wisely—Infernal Offers will stack across the duration of your Infernal Hordes run. Many will be active at the same time!

These nuanced boons and banes will even apply to your showdown with the Fell Council—their potency could be your undoing… or your immense profit.

Burning Aether

While masses of infernal enemies attempt to crush you at every angle, look for Burning Aether, your most precious commodity in the Realm of Hatred. Earn Burning Aether by slaying Aether Fiends and Aether Lords or by smashing Soulspires and Aetheric Masses. Destroying any of these provides 2 Burning Aether for your efforts. Burning Aether is earned individually, regardless of playing solo or in a group, however your trusted Pet will aid you in collecting these. Though you don’t lose any Burning Aether on death, should you run out of limited revives you will be removed from this ungodly arena and unable to unlock any Spoils of Hell.

Spoils of Hell

If you survive the endless Hordes and defeat the Fell Council, you’ll be greeted with Spoils of Hell, which contain Materials for masterworking, Gold, and items that contain coveted Greater Affixes. These resplendent coffers also have the best chance to contain new Uniques that look as though they are forged of Hell itself. These chests are filled with Legendary and Unique items, Summoning Materials, and Gold. Spoils of Hell cost 20 Aether, but slay enough infernal enemies to spare 60 Aether and unlock the Spoils of Greater Equipment which guarantees an item with a Greater Affix!

Infernal Compass

The key to unlocking the Infernal Hordes lies in Infernal Compasses, dark devices of occult knowledge that open the very gates of Hell itself. These fiendish keys scale from Tier 1-8 and can be crafted at the Occultist with Sigil Power and Forgotten Souls. Infernal Compass Tiers increase the starting difficulty of monsters and the potency of your rewards, while decreasing your number of revives.

Earn Infernal Compasses by opening Chests of Mystery, Chests of Steel, and slaying Doomsayers in Helltides where they are guaranteed to drop. These also have a 75% chance to drop from Whisper Caches. Infernal Compasses of higher tiers will also drop in end-game activities such as Nightmare Dungeons and The Pit.

Fell Council

Unseen since the events of Diablo II, these acolytes of hatred have risen to become Champions of the very demon they swore to oppose. At the end of every Infernal Hordes run, the Fell Council requests your presence.

There are 5 Fell Council Members in total, each equipped with different unique abilities. Every time you face the Fell Council, 3 different members will be selected at random to fight you. Be wary of their unique abilities in the various combinations you’ll encounter them.

Once you inflict enough damage on the Fell Council, the Priests will become more frenzied in their attacks. Stay on your guard if you wish to live. Upon defeating the Fell Council, they will grant you Burning Aether, with the total amount scaling by World Tier. Spoils of Hell will materialize within their chambers, spend your Burning Aether to unlock the rewards within.

Season 5 Only : Hellbreach Dungeons

New Hellbreach Dungeons are found within the Seasonal Realm and provide your first taste of what to expect within the Infernal Hordes feature. Look for these grim passages scattered throughout the land.

Within Hellbreach Dungeons, you’ll encounter one of the events you’ll be met with when playing Infernal Hordes. Destroy what lays before you and you’ll be given the choice of an optional Infernal Offering before facing the final boss. Increase the difficulty and you will be rewarded with increased Burning Aether in kind. Weigh your choices wisely, wanderer, for your increased strife will be met with filled coffers or a swift demise.

Spend your Burning Aether on Chests at the end of the Hellbreach Dungeon, as that coveted currency disappear upon leaving.

New Questlines

Across both Realms, you’ll unlock a new Questline in World Tier III that introduces the Infernal Hordes feature. On the Seasonal Realm, you’ll experience an earlier Questline in World Tier I and II that guides you through the Seasonal Progression and seasonal content. Continue the Seasonal Progression while advancing to World Tier III to unlock the Infernal Hordes Questline which intertwines with the Seasonal Progression to help you earn more seasonal rewards.

Video Guide

Summary

• Season of the Infernal Hordes introduces a wave-based progression system available both in Eternal and Seasonal Gamemodes at the same time.
• Hellbreach Dungeons are only available in Seasonal Mode.
• The Infernal Hordes mechanic will remain after Season 5 ends.

Credits

Written by Chewingnom