Get ready for a significant increase in challenge when Diablo 4 Season 11 arrives, bringing a comprehensive overhaul to monster behavior and overall difficulty.
Blizzard’s primary objective for Season 11 is to ensure that monsters consistently test players’ defensive capabilities and compel them to engage in combat using innovative tactics. Expect enemy creatures to exhibit less predictable movements, with each monster type gaining a distinct role and identity in battles. Additionally, monster packs will gather less frequently, making it harder for players to effortlessly clear large groups.
A major component of this monster update is the introduction of over 20 new affixes for players to contend with. Elite monsters will now summon minions that inherit some of their formidable affixes, and affixes across the board will be more potent. This means players will need to prioritize dealing with these dangerous modifiers before tackling weaker enemies. Blizzard emphasizes that these new monster affixes will have less overlap in their design, be more visually distinct, and ultimately offer more engaging encounters.
These changes, combined with other Season 11 updates such as adjustments to potion charges and item progression, are poised to make Diablo 4 significantly more challenging. However, increased monster lethality isn’t the only new threat. Season 11 also introduces a new world boss and new opportunities to face endgame Lesser Evil bosses like Duriel, Andariel, and Belial during activities such as Helltide, The Pit, and Kurast Undercity. The upcoming world boss, the first since Diablo 4’s launch over two years ago, will be Azmodan, the Lord of Sin—a familiar face to fans of Diablo 3. Azmodan can randomly appear in the open world or be summoned intentionally at a special altar located south of Zarbinzet.
The exact mechanics surrounding the summoning of these Lesser Evils—whether it’s a permanent feature or exclusive to the seasonal server—remain to be confirmed. Nonetheless, defeating these bosses will grant Divine Favor, a resource used to advance a seasonal Divine Gifts mechanic and boost players’ Season Rank (a new system for the seasonal server that merges the current Renown and Season Journey systems).
Beyond more formidable monsters and the arrival of Azmodan, Season 11 is shaping up to be Diablo 4’s most extensive rework yet. It will also feature a complete overhaul of item progression, with sweeping changes to Masterworking and Tempering, and the reintroduction of leaderboards. Diablo 4 Season 11 is scheduled to launch on December 9, with Public Test Realm (PTR) testing commencing on October 21. Players can also anticipate Diablo 4’s second expansion, slated for release in 2026.
