How Helltide Works in Diablo 4 Season 4

Diablo 4 Helltide Event
Screenshot by Insider Gaming

One of the most significant and exciting changes made in Diablo 4 Season 4 is the ability for anyone, even a low-level player, to join a Helltide. You must, of course, complete the campaign beforehand. But once that requirement is out of the way, you can harm the demons of hell without faltering. Here is how Helltides work in Diablo 4 Season 4!

How the Helltide Event Works in Diablo 4 Season 4

As mentioned, you must complete the game’s story mode before delving into the Helltide event in Diablo 4 Season 4. If you have previously completed the campaign and create a seasonal character, you’ll have a chance to endure the chaos of Helltides from the get-go. That’s right; you can join a Helltide from World Tier 1 if you want to farm experience points and level quickly this season. It’s no longer locked behind World Tier 4, as previously.

To participate in the actual event mechanics, wander the zone and clear the various objectives, like demonic structures and ritual sites. Eventually, you’ll collect enough Aberrant Cinders to unlock Tortured Gifts, the chests scattered throughout the Helltide.

Aberrant Cinders are a Helltide-specific currency only usable within the event zone to unlock the aforementioned Tortured Gifts chests. If you die in a Helltide, you lose half of your Aberrant Cinders. Once the event concludes, you’ll lose all of your acquired Cinders in your inventory. It’s best to use them on a chest before the timer runs out.

You should know that a Helltide lasts for 55 minutes and then enters a cooldown period of five minutes before infecting a new zone on the hour.

Diablo 4 Helltide Boss
Screenshot by Insider Gaming

As you slay monsters and unlock chests, you’ll acquire Helltide Threat, which you’ll note is in the top-right corner of your HUD next to the map and below your Aberrant Cinders counter. The higher your threat level, the more enemies will spawn around you and attack. Eventually, you’ll deal with a Hellborn—a challenging boss-type enemy surrounded by low-level mobs—that drops a Baneful Heart. Once you have three Baneful Hearts, you can summon the Blood Maiden.

Trust me when I say you want to farm Baneful Hearts to defeat the Blood Maiden, as she’ll drop some of the best loot in Helltides and Exquisite Blood!

Where to Find Helltide

Diablo 4 The Helltide Rises
Screenshot by Insider Gaming

If you open up your map and scan Sanctuary, you’ll note one region covered in a red hue with brilliant red icons dotting the landscape. This is the Helltide area, similar to the vampiric Blood Harvest event from Season 2.

Once you enter the zone, you’ll encounter hordes of demons, blood raining from the sky, and the occasional demonic worm emerging from the ground to spew a bloody mess and a handful of enemies on your position.

How to Join a Helltide Event

To join a Helltide, wait for the zone to appear on the map, then walk, ride, or teleport to the area. Once you enter, you’re part of the event. You can tackle most of the objectives solo, especially at World Tier 1 or 2 difficulty. Still, it’s faster to farm enemies and events with a group—even one additional player helps!


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