Blizzard has just released a developer update video chockful of updates coming to Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred, one of which changes World Tiers in a way some may not have expected. Throughout the video, the developers discuss the changes coming which are based on player , but the most eye-catching change is the removal of World Tiers, a system added with Diablo IV that required players to unlock higher difficulty levels before bringing their characters into them.

Players will still have to unlock the highest difficulty tiers, Torment 1-4, but the first four difficulty tiers will now always be playable on any character. Also featured were major adjustments to Paragon progression, which is now completely separate from character level and shared across all of a player's characters on a given server. Other changes include moving the leveling of Glyphs from Nightmare Dungeons to The Pit of the Artificier, and a guaranteed Legendary item every time you kill a Loot Goblin or The Butcher!

Splitting and Streamlining Player Progression in Diablo IV

How These Changes Affect Leveling Up in Vessel of Hatred

The World Tier system, added at Diablo IV's launch, required players to reach certain levels and clear "capstone" dungeons to unlock World Tiers beyond Tier 2. In the patch, however, all characters can now move freely between the first four difficulties; Normal, Hard, Expert, and Penitent.

Previously, characters earned Skill Points to use in their class tree up to level 50, receiving a Paragon Point every 25% of a level as they progressed past that to level 100. Now, a player's Paragon Level will be separate from the character level and shared across all characters on the same realm, be it Seasonal, Eternal, Hardcore, or Normal. Players will now earn character Skill points from levels 1-60, and receive Paragon levels for any progress they make beyond the new level cap.

For any current players with Eternal characters higher than level 50, Paragon levels will be rewarded retroactively to make up for the level squish, giving them a head start to explore the other new changes to Paragon Boards featured in the developer update.

Blizzard is Finding the Fun Based on Player

Some of These Changes May Feel Familiar to Diablo 3 Fans

Long time Diablo fans will note that more than one of these changes brings Diablo IV back in line with the previous entry in the franchise. The more accessible difficulty tiers should feel very familiar to anyone who has played Diablo 3, as should Glyph Rank progression's movement from Diablo IV's Nightmare Dungeons to the new Pit of the Artificier.

Many of the more complicated new systems and features in Diablo IV were d as a Diablo II. While recapturing the franchise's true glory days isn't a bad idea, I believe these new changes that streamline systems and get players to the fun faster is healthier for the game than chasing that hardcore, old-school feeling. Be sure to check out our article with all the information you need to prepare for the launch of Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred next week!

- Source: Blizzard Entertainment