Diablo 4 Strongholds are a new and very promising mechanic. The latest title in the ARPG series features an open world, with Strongholds being an important part of that. We will show you everything you need to know.
Unlike the previous games in the series, Diablo 4 features a full-fledged and huge open world, filled with all kinds of exciting and fun activities. Next to familiar affairs like side quests and dungeons, one new feature really shines: Strongholds. These are brand-new in Diablo and they are amazing.
But what exactly are Strongholds? We will tell you everything you need to know about them.
Diablo 4 Strongholds Explained
Strongholds are sort of a mixture between side quests and Dungeons. Sounds weird, but that’s the most apt way to describe it. These strongholds offer boss fights, like dungeons, but they are always tied to a unique quest or activity. And they’re always two levels above your character’s current level, so they offer an extra challenge as well.
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These Strongholds can be found in the open world and are marked by a red skull on the map. There won’t be a ton of them in the game, as they are so special and unique. So far, it looks like each region in Diablo 4 will have three Strongholds. And if you’re not into the shared world aspect of the game, don’t worry: Strongholds are instanced dungeons, you will only play them with your party.
One (spoiler-free) example to showcase how cool these are: While exploring the Fractured Peaks region, we stumbled across the place where you find the Nostrava Stronghold. At first, this just looks like an abandoned settlement. Upon further exploration, you find a priestess. Talking to her leading you to a multi-part quest surrounding Lilith and the village, ending on a really cool boss fight. Loving it.
What Do You Get For Completing Strongholds?
Of course, you won’t just play the Strongholds for fun, you’ll want nice rewards. This is still Diablo, after all. Strongholds got you covered here as well, as you get some awesome rewards for finishing a Stronghold. You obviously get gold and XP, but also some unique content, like special gear and renown points. If you are looking for how to complete all Strongholds and what you can get from them, we already have a guide for all Strongholds in Fractured Peaks:
Another cool bit about Strongholds is that completing them changes the world. You basically free these areas from demonic corruption, leading to NPCs and merchants populating these areas again. Sometimes, these new towns even have waypoints, which is always very useful.
If you're still unsure about Diablo 4, or want to get a friend into the game, check out this video: