Diablo 4 Season 2 Guide - Season of Blood Overview

Season of Blood for Diablo 4 was released on October 17, 2023, offering players a plethora of new in-game activities. This includes new progression systems, fresh objectives in the Battle Pass, formidable new adversaries, and, of course, a new storyline. In this guide, we have compiled the most comprehensive information with answers to all your questions, so read on.

Season of Blood Storyline

As the dead rise from their graves and the vampire curse spreads like wildfire, Erys, a seasoned vampire hunter who has fought tirelessly, comes to a grim realization. The battle against this menace will require a different breed of hero, those who can confront the vampires on their own terms. Heroes who won't succumb to the plague that's sweeping through Sanctuary. Heroes like us.

Long before humanity, Sanctuary was inhabited by the Ancients, the firstborn children of Inarius and Lilith. However, when Inarius' actions led to the withdrawal of the Ancients' powers, some of them, who couldn't truly die, were locked away in the City of the Ancients, doomed to an eternal slumber. Recent events have stirred these dormant Ancients, led by Lord Zir, with ambitions to conquer Sanctuary and reshape it into a new age of vampires.

We, the players, find ourselves cursed with Vampirism and the abilities of vampires. But due to Lilith's blood running in our veins, we are not bound to Lord Zir and his dark will. Erys, a Vampire Hunter who has spent years battling the undead even before Lilith's return, seeks our assistance in facing this new, old breed of vampires and their newly turned followers. Erys recruits us to join the fight against Lord Zir, marking the beginning of the Season of Blood.

What is Season of Blood 

As the plot suggests, the theme that Diablo 4 Season 2 will be entirely devoted to is the vampiric powers with which we will confront vampiric enemies. For this purpose, Season of Blood introduces a number of intriguing new mechanics.

For the progression of your character you will receive Vampiric Powers, which can be leveled with a new reagent obtained from enemies - Potent Blood. But that's not all, because it's not enough just to get and play with the new powers. In order to "install" a new Vampiric Power, you'll need to collect the necessary Pact Armor for them. In turn, the Pact Armor you get as you progress through the Season 2 content can be customized to fit the Vampiric Power you need. This is done by using other reagents, also obtained during the Blood Harvest event.

As players gain new powers for their characters and upgrade their equipment, they will progress through the new season's storyline, which will eventually lead them to battles with five new Bosses that will be the final test of players' skills and readiness to face them.

Finally, players have access to the new Battle Pass, which includes vampire themed costumes, new mounts and more.

What is Blood Harvest Event

Blood Harvest is a new world event that takes place during the second season in D4. The event involves an army of vampires attacking one of three locations in Sanctuary which lasts for 60 minutes before moving on to another location. Unlike last season, players will not have to wait for the start, as now the event is continuous, with the only variation being the change of locations. The Event is available to players from level 1, so you can take part in it as soon as you want.

During a Blood Harvest, you'll have the opportunity to gather Blood Lures and Seeker Keys. The Lures serve the purpose of summoning Blood Seeker enemies, who, in turn, drop valuable seasonal materials. Meanwhile, Seeker Keys grant access to Seeker Caches, which are akin to the Tortured Gift chests in the Blood Harvest event. The good news is that both Lures and Keys can be saved and used across multiple Blood Harvests, so there's no rush to expend them all at once.

In the midst of battling elites, rescuing villagers, demolishing vampire structures, and taking part in various events within a Blood Harvest zone, players earn Hunter's Acclaim. This special currency reflects the player character's reputation as a skilled vampire hunter. Accumulate enough Acclaim, and you can advance your rank at the Hunter's Acclaim Board in Ked Bardu, where you'll be rewarded for your accomplishments.

The Blood Harvest zones serve as prime locations for gathering Potent Blood, the novel seasonal currency required for unlocking Vampiric Powers. However, it's important to note that players don't have the liberty to select which powers they want to unlock. Instead, spending 25 Potent Blood in the seasonal section of the inventory screen provides players with three randomly generated power choices to pick from.

Where does Blood Harvest happen?

The Blood Harvest event may start in the regions of Dry Steppes, Hawezar, and Scosglen within the world of Sanctuary. To reach these zones, players can use waypoints already available in the area or ride there with their mounts. Upon arrival, players will encounter numerous vampiric foes and unfortunate captives confined within cages.

Vampiric Powers Explained

Your introduction into Vampiric Powers begins during The Hunter's Chase quest. This quest takes you and Hunter Erys to investigate the Magistrate's secretive blood shrine in Ken Bardu. To harness your Vampiric Powers, open your character sheet by pressing 'C.' Then, navigate to the 'Vampiric Powers' tab next to your equipment. You'll find your powers listed there.

To activate a Vampiric Power, simply drag it from your list and place it into the Sanguine Circle. It's essential to have the appropriate Pact capacity available on your armor to activate a specific power. Think of Pacts as your Vampiric Power limit, and you can see your current Pacts displayed above the Sanguine Circle. This will show how much capacity you have for each of the three Pacts and how much capacity your equipped powers use in the circle.

Should you equip a Vampiric Power for which you lack the necessary Pact capacity, it will appear as inactive in the center of the circle and won't function. Therefore, plan your ability and Pact setup thoughtfully. It's also worth noting that you have the flexibility to change or remove Pacts from your armor.

Potent Blood – How to Get

To acquire new Vampiric Powers, you'll need to invest your Potent Blood resource. The ways to obtain it include defeating Seekers in the Blood Harvest event by summoning them using Blood Lures or you can meet Seekers in dungeons. Also you can unlock Seeker's Caches with Seeker’s Keys, which you obtain from various elite vampire monsters during the event, or from Seekers themselves.

After collecting 25 Potent Blood, go to the button at the bottom of the Vampiric Powers tab. Click it, and you'll see three power choices. You can either get a new power or make an existing one stronger. It's a good idea to start by unlocking as many powers as you can to have more abilities to use.

Pact Armor in Diablo 4

Pact Armor is a special type of equipment that you can get in the season 2 of Diablo 4. It differs from regular armor in that it carries a certain number of Pacts, which can be one of three types: Ferocity, Divinity, and Eternity.

To use a Vampiric Power, you must meet its Pact requirements. Each piece of head, chest, hand, leg, and foot armor you discover during the Season of Blood has specific Pacts attached to it. These Pacts are like labels indicating what types and how many Pacts are needed. The labels can be for Ferocity, Divinity, or Eternity.

Vampiric Powers come in two variations: Minor and Major. Minor Vampiric Powers need just 1 to 3 Pacts to activate, while Major Vampiric Powers require 6 Pacts.

How do I Remove or Add Pacts to Armor

Since Pacts are closely tied to vampiric powers, each armor piece has specific pacts – they indicate the type and quantity of pacts linked to it. To activate a vampiric power on the Sanguine Circle, a certain number of each pact type is required. The total of each pact type on equipped armor pieces must meet or exceed the combined pact requirements of the five powers on the circle. These requirements can be found above the Sanguine Circle in the vampiric powers tab.

Modifying or completely changing the pacts on a piece of armor can be done using consumable items found in the blood harvest area. To make a change, one can switch Pacts, such as from Divinity to Ferocity, by employing a Cleansing Acid item. Both Pacts and Cleansing Acid items are typically located within Seeker's Caches scattered throughout the Blood Harvest areas.

Season of Blood Battle Pass Overview

The Season 2 Battle Pass in Diablo 4 includes a total of 90 tiers of rewards. Out of these, 28 tiers are accessible for free. It's worth noting that 20 of these free tiers offer valuable season-long buffs, not just cosmetic items. For those looking for premium content, there's a paid version of the battle pass available for 1,000 Silver. 

This premium pass provides two complete armor sets, 19 weapon cosmetics, 10 emotes, and 7 mount cosmetics. It also includes 700 Silver as an added bonus. And if a player prefers a faster progression, there's an Accelerated version for 2,800 Silver that offers 20 tier skips and an exclusive Vampire's Repose emote in addition to the premium battle pass. So, there are options to suit different playstyles!

As usual, you can progress your Battle Pass either by purchasing the tiers you need, or by actually playing the game, which includes killing mobs, completing dungeons and partaking in Season Journey Objectives.

Endgame Bosses of Season of Blood

Certainly, summoning the five bosses - Echo of Varshan, Grigoire, the Galvanic Saint, the Beast in Ice, Lord Zir, the Dark Master, and Zuriel, the King of Maggots - involves unique requirements for each. It's worth noting that these bosses are also accessible in the Eternal Realm too.

These bosses will be available in both World Tier 3 and World Tier 4. To summon a particular boss, you must meet specific criteria, and each boss will have a predefined loot table featuring unique items and cosmetics. In the case of Uber Duriel, there's even a slight chance of obtaining Uber Uniques. This short guide will explain what is needed to summon each boss.

F.A.Q.

What is Season of Blood in Diablo 4?

The Season of Blood is a new season in Diablo 4, marking the second season in the game. As usual, it offers players a plethora of content to keep them engaged for the coming months. The central theme of this second season revolves around vampires, with the storyline, new abilities, and rewards all tied to these bloodthirsty creatures.

How do I access Season of Blood?

To embark on the new season, you'll need a fresh seasonal character. Once you've created one, you can either play through or skip the main storyline and talk to Oren in Ked Bardu. This initiates the Blood Money quest, setting you on your path for the second season.

What is Blood Harvest in Diablo 4?

Blood Harvest is a new world event introduced in the game with the Season of Blood. It serves as one of the primary sources for obtaining consumables required for character progression during the season.

When did Diablo 4 Season 2 start?

Diablo 4's Season of Blood was released on October 17, 2023. The release experienced a slight delay by a few hours due to some last-minute technical issues faced by the developers. This could be attributed to the simultaneous release of Diablo 4 on the Steam platform with the launch of the second season.

Who is Erys in Diablo 4?

Erys is a new character introduced in the world of Diablo 4, coinciding with the release of the new season. She is an experienced vampire hunter who assists the player throughout the storyline, opposing the main antagonist of the new season, Lord Zir.

Who is Lord Zir in Diablo 4?

Lord Zir, the Dark Master, serves as the main antagonist in Diablo 4's Season of Blood. He is a Nephalem firstborn who later became the lord of vampires. During the events of Season 2, he was awoken and unleashed an army of vampires on the Sanctuary.

Conclusion

Apparently, the developers of the game have paid attention to the feedback received from the players during Season 1 of Diablo 4 and have brought a lot of innovations with the second season, which will be interesting for both new and experienced players of D4. Of course, there is also more Endgame content, which is something that players have also been asking the developers for especially hard.

Anyway, we will be glad to see more players in the world of Sanctuary, and if you would like to advance in the world of Diablo 4 as soon as possible, we advise you to pay attention to our section here, where we offer you the best products for a quick start and progression in Diablo 4.