Diablo IV Season 8: Belial's Return – Complete Guide

Diablo IV's Season 8 – Belial's Return launches on April 29, 2025. This season introduces Belial, the Lord of Lies, as a major antagonist, along with a redesigned boss system, powerful boss abilities, an overhaul of the battle pass, and an exclusive collaboration with Berserk.

New Boss System: Lair Bosses

Season 8 revamps the boss mechanics, replacing the old system with the Lair Boss system:

• No more summoning materials – bosses can be fought at any time without requiring resources.
• Bosses are categorized into three tiers:

• Initiate Bosses: Entry-level fights with basic rewards.
• Greater Bosses: Tougher encounters, offering better loot.
• Exalted Bosses: The most difficult fights, dropping rare gear and unique items.
• Loot system changes:
• Bosses now drop reward chests that require Lair Keys to open.
• This ensures more targeted loot farming for specific gear.
• Difficulty Scaling:
• Higher Torment difficulty levels now provide better loot and increased challenge.
  
  

Boss Powers: Unlock Powerful Abilities

A key feature of Season 8 is unlocking special abilities by defeating bosses, allowing players to enhance their character builds:

• Example – Whirlwind Beam:

• Creates rotating energy beams around the player while channeling Whirlwind.
• Enemies within range suffer 50% increased damage and take 300% weapon damage per second.
• Endariel's Flaming Skull Power:
• Previously overpowered, this ability has been nerfed by about 33%, yet remains viable.
• Boss Power Balance:
• PTR data showed that Boss Powers were the dominant damage source, leading to significant nerfs in the final version.
• Blizzard is expected to announce class balance buffs in the April 24 developer live stream.
  
  

Battle Pass Overhaul: Reliquary System

The battle pass system has undergone a major transformation, introducing the Reliquary System:

• Players can now choose their own rewards, allowing for greater flexibility.
• This change ensures that rewards better align with individual playstyles and preferences.
  
  

Berserk Collaboration

Starting May 6, Season 8 will feature a Berserk-themed crossover:

• Exclusive skins based on:

• Guts
• Griffith
• Skull Knight
• Additional Berserk-inspired in-game elements may be introduced.
  
  

Developer Livestream: Balance & Final Adjustments

Blizzard will host a developer livestream on April 24 (11:00 AM PT) to discuss:

• Boss power nerfs and potential class buffs.
• Changes to game difficulty scaling – endgame challenges will be tougher but more rewarding.
• Battle pass details to clarify progression and customization.
  
  

Class Adjustments & New Gear

All classes will receive significant adjustments:

• Barbarian: Introduces the "Mighty Thrower" build, emphasizing long-range combat.
• Druid: Summon-based builds strengthened with new poison synergy.
• Necromancer: Threat abilities improved, enhancing control mechanics.
• Rogue: Potion explosion build refined for more dynamic combat.
• Sorcerer: Ice Shards are expected to receive buffs for better survivability.

New D4 Legendary & Unique Items will enable innovative playstyles, creating fresh opportunities for meta builds.

Conclusion

Key takeaways from Season 8:

✅ Lair Boss system revamps boss fights, offering more strategic encounters.

✅ Boss Powers introduces a new progression layer, providing exciting build opportunities.

✅ Battle Pass overhaul gives players control over their rewards, leading to a more personalized experience.

✅ Berserk crossover adds legendary skins, appealing to fans of the anime.

✅ Class balance changes ensure fair gameplay, preventing excessive reliance on Boss Powers.

If you're excited about challenging boss fights, new builds, and epic rewards, Diablo 4 Season 8 is a must-play update!