Discover the Terrifying World of Diablo 4's Sinister Foes

Diablo 4's Season of the Malignant introduces players to Varshan the Consumed and a multitude of Malignant creatures. Over the course of three months, players can create new characters on the seasonal realm and progress through 90 tiers of Battle Pass content, earning cosmetic rewards and discovering Legendary Aspects. Additionally, this season introduces Malignant Hearts, powerful items that can be fitted into jewelry gem slots to enhance builds. Prior to the launch of Season 1, Game Rant interviewed Associate Game Director Joseph Piepiora, Dungeon Designer Michelle Piña, and Quest Designer Madeleine James to delve into the details of Season of the Malignant, including the mechanics of interacting with Malignant enemies and obtaining Malignant Hearts, as well as the new boss, Varshan the Consumed.

Diablo 4's New Malignant Enemies Can Be Anywhere

In Diablo 4's Season of the Malignant, the standout feature is the introduction of Malignant Heart items. These valuable items can be obtained by defeating Malignant creatures found throughout Sanctuary and in the exclusive Malignant Tunnel dungeons. There are four distinct categories of Malignant Heart that players can aim to obtain. Thankfully, identifying the specific type of Malignant Heart carried by a creature is made easy through special affixes and color coding. Whether it's a humble quill rat or a terrifying demonic monster, any creature has the potential to be Malignant.

When Malignant creatures appear, they will be associated with one of the four Malignant Heart types. Each Malignant creature is identifiable through a unique color. The creature's Malignant type grants it a bonus affix during combat. For example, a quill rat or a mega demon will possess an affix based on their Malignant type. Once you defeat a creature, it will present its Malignant Heart to you. To capture it, you must use a Cage of Binding. This process unleashes the heart's corruption. If you choose to proceed, you will face a significantly stronger creature. This creature has the ability to summon additional enemies from the vicinity, enhance their abilities, and perform other formidable actions.

Once the Cage of Binding is used on a Malignant Heart, the Malignant creature will undergo a dramatic transformation, assuming its "final form" as a formidable creature with enhanced abilities. These upgraded Malignant adversaries possess the ability to summon assistance from nearby creatures, making them a formidable challenge that warrants the valuable rewards they guard. To progress in Diablo 4's Battle Pass and complete specific objectives within the season journey, players must collect Malignant Hearts or engage in combat with these evolved Malignant foes. Therefore, players keen on advancing through the Battle Pass should swiftly acquaint themselves with these mechanics.

Season of the Malignant Enemies Will Grow Stronger Over Time

Introducing the latest addition to Diablo 4's roster of bosses, Varshan the Consumed, during the Season of the Malignant. Varshan holds the key to the rampant Malignant corruption plaguing Sanctuary and presents a formidable challenge for seasonal adventurers. Seek him out within the depths of the new Malignant Tunnel dungeons, where you will encounter a host of fresh mechanics intricately tied to the season's overarching theme.

We will also introduce Varshan, our seasonal boss, which will bring a brand new boss fight featuring various new mechanics that interact differently with Malignant mechanics. As you progress through the season, you will have the opportunity to face more challenging versions of this boss fight, allowing you to obtain more powerful Malignant Hearts. These enhanced bosses can be encountered in specific malignant tunnels.

However, the journey does not end once players have defeated Varshan and obtained their new Malignant Hearts. Malignant enemies, as well as Varshan himself, will increase in power as players continue their progression, offering even greater rewards and Malignant Hearts. This encourages players to continuously hunt down Malignant enemies and take on more difficult versions of Varshan, in order to maximize their power level later in the season. It serves as an excellent incentive for players to keep playing throughout the season, even after they have assembled their new builds.

Diablo 4 is now available for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.