Diablo III v2.1.0 Patch Preview: Seasons

To give us a better idea of what to expect from the “Seasons” addition in the forthcoming v2.1.0 patch for Diablo III, Blizzard Entertainment has penned a new blog entry that covers the mechanics, rewards, achievements, and more that will be part of the update.

Just like any new character, your first Seasonal hero will start their journey in the hero creation menu. Select your hero class, gender, and name as usual, then select the “Seasons” checkbox on the lower left of the screen, and BAM! You’ll have a brand new level one nephalem ready for Seasonal action!

You’ll be able to create both Hardcore and Normal Seasonal heroes just check the “Hardcore” box in addition to the Season box if it strikes your fancy.

Seasonal heroes are completely separate from your existing ones. This means they start from scratch, without access to your existing gold, blood shards, shared stash, Paragon levels, Artisan levels, crafting patterns, or items. Just as your Normal and Hardcore mode heroes have separately tracked progression, Seasons stand entirely on their own.

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Climbing Leaderboards might not be your thing, so you may find yourself asking “What’s in it for me?” There are incentives for everyone to try their hand in Seasons, including getting first crack at brand new Legendaries and a shiny new Transmogrification set that is exclusive to Season participants.

With Season 1, we’re introducing 10 new Legendaries. These items will initially only be available to Seasonal players until the end of the Season, at which point they’ll be rolled into the regular loot pool for all game modes. In addition, even more handfuls of exclusive Legendaries will be introduced each Season, and will only be available to Season participants until that Season ends.