Hey there, Diablo fans! With all the confusion around the new expansion and multiple editions floating around, I've put together this comprehensive guide to help you figure out exactly what you need to purchase, and for those looking to boost their gameplay, you can also buy Diablo 4 Gold to help gear up your characters faster. Whether you're a returning player or completely new to Diablo 4, I'll break down the editions, what content you get, and whether the expansion is worth your money.

The Short Answer (TL;DR)

If you've never played Diablo 4: Do NOT buy the base game and expansion separately. You want the AGE OF HATRED edition. This includes:

· Diablo 4 base game

· Vessel of Hatred expansion

· Lord of Hatred expansion

If you already own Diablo 4: You want the LORD OF HATRED Standard Edition. This gives you both expansions (Vessel of Hatred + Lord of Hatred) at a lower price since you already own the base game.

· Critical Note: Do not buy Vessel of Hatred by itself! Lord of Hatred includes it for free, and you'll want the new content anyway.

Edition Breakdown

For New Players: Age of Hatred

This is the complete package. You get:

· Diablo 4 base game

· Vessel of Hatred expansion

· Lord of Hatred expansion (the new one)

For Existing Players: Lord of Hatred Standard Edition

If you already own Diablo 4, this is your entry point. It includes:

· Vessel of Hatred

· Lord of Hatred

Deluxe & Ultimate Editions

These exist if you want cosmetics, but remember:

· No gameplay advantages – mounts don't go faster, pets don't pick up items quicker

· You get platinum (in-game currency like V-Bucks or COD points)

· Cosmetic items only

What You Actually Get With the Expansions

New Classes

You'll get access to three classes (though one releases later):

1. Warlock – Coming in Season 13 (soon!)

· Play as a summoner

· Melee or short-range options

· Caster playstyle available

· True jack-of-all-trades class

2. Paladin

· Primarily melee-focused

· "Orian" build lets you literally walk through enemies

· Blessed hammers spin projectiles everywhere

· Incredibly satisfying class

3. Spearorn

· Fast-paced, nature-themed

· Animal-inspired abilities

· Dexterity-based gameplay

· Very mobile playstyle

Campaign Content

· Base Game Campaign: 10+ hours (excellent 8-9/10 experience)

· Vessel of Hatred Campaign: 10+ hours

· Lord of Hatred Campaign: Length TBD (not released yet)

· Pro Tip: If you're new and do all side quests without skipping dialogue, you can easily get 20+ hours per campaign. The side stories are genuinely interesting with some funny moments!

· Total for new players: 30+ hours of campaign content minimum

Endgame Features You'll Miss Without the Expansion

Runewords (CRITICAL)

This is the biggest gameplay impact. Runewords provide:

· 10-15% character power per runeword (damage, defense, or utility)

· Socketable stones for armor/weapons

· Combine two runes for special effects

· Example: Travel 60 meters → trigger War Cry for bonus effects

· Damage buffs

· Resource generation

· Cooldown reduction

· Critical for certain builds

· Real talk: Some builds literally don't function properly without specific runewords. For example, Spiritborn builds need barriers they can't generate naturally – runewords provide these conditions.

The Undercity

· Access via Vessel of Hatred

· Use "tributes" to enter and get rewards

· Mythic tribute can drop the rarest items in Diablo 4

· Endgame loot farming matters here

Boss Access

Certain bosses are locked behind expansion areas. While trading exists, you won't have access to:

· Specific unique drops from expansion bosses

· Boss materials from expansion zones

· New area-specific loot tables

Citadel Raids

· Multiplayer ONLY (no solo play)

· Amazing experience the first time

· Full of gimmicks – one player can "brick" the whole run

· Very little loot (mostly cosmetics)

· Not a reason to buy the expansion, but a fun one-time experience

Mercenaries

Four mercenaries available, but honestly:

The Reality Check:

· They do ZERO damage at higher difficulties

· Only useful for conditional buffs

· Not like Diablo 2 mercenaries (no exciting auras)

· Except for Subo – If you play solo, Subo is a GAME CHANGER:

· Shows map objectives

· Helps with Grim Favors

· Makes solo play infinitely better

· Other mercenaries offer:

· Extra armor

· Enemy slows

· Resistances

· Conditional damage multipliers

· Brief tag-in abilities (like fighting game assists)

· You also get Pale Marks for bartering, but drop rates are terrible compared to just playing the game.

Easter Eggs

· Cow Level – Yes, it exists! Requires Vessel of Hatred

· Super difficult to access

· Cosmetic rewards only

· Cool for completionists

Quality of Life

· Extra stash tab

· Additional character slots

What's FREE for Everyone

Good news! Some major updates come free to all players:

New Skill Tree System

· Completely revamped for all classes

· Three modifications per skill instead of one

· Available to everyone regardless of expansion ownership

Higher Difficulty

· Torment 5 coming

· Meta builds should handle it fine without expansion

· Expansion just makes it easier

What We're GUESSING Is Expansion-Locked

Based on previews and logic:

Herodric Cube

· Previously an inventory item

· Now rooted in the ground (permanently placed)

· Located in specific town (likely expansion area)

· New crafting system attached to it

War Plans

· New endgame system

· Tied to specific regions

· Scoville Isles (new area) likely locked

· Nightmare dungeon applications per region

Should You Buy?

For New Players: YES

· 30+ hours of campaign minimum

· Hundreds/thousands of hours of endgame potential

· Three full classes

· Two full expansions worth of content

· Worth every penny even at full price

For Existing Players: DEPENDS

Buy it if:

· You want the new classes

· You care about min-maxing (runewords matter)

· You want access to all endgame systems

· You play solo and want Subo

· You enjoy having more content

Skip it if:

· You only play one class casually

· You don't care about max difficulty

· You're happy with current endgame

· You never play multiplayer (Citadel raids locked)

About Sales

· No sale expected before launch

· Possibly Black Friday later

· Current price is standard

· Still worth full price for content volume

Bottom Line

The expansion is absolutely worth it for the content volume alone. Runewords actually matter for power, the Undercity provides mythic farming, and Subo alone is worth it for solo players. If you're looking to maximize your build without endless grinding, you can visit MMOEXP and buy cheap Diablo IV Items to get a head start on gearing up. You're getting 10-15% power per runeword, new classes with unique playstyles, and dozens of hours of campaign content. If you've never played Diablo 4, Age of Hatred is a complete package that'll keep you busy for hundreds of hours. If you're already playing, Lord of Hatred Standard gives you everything you need without rebuying the base game.

One last thing: Remember there's no offline mode, no mod support, and you must be online 24/7 to play. But for the content you're getting? Still worth it.