How to Change World Tiers and Difficulty in Diablo 4

Diablo 4 introduces a new difficulty system for players to get used to and that is the World Tiers. These not only set the tone of the battle and how hard it will be to kill an enemy, but they also act as the main progressive aspect of the Diablo 4. As you complete the Campaign and enter the end game, adjusting your World Tier to the appropriate setting so that you can climb the difficulty ladder to receive bonus content, all of which improve your Class Build.

If Diablo 4 appears too easy or too hard, you can adjust the difficulty to your preference. However, it is important to note that if you are finding the game too easy on Tier 2, you will not be able to ascend in World Tiers until you complete the Campaign. This is our guide on how to change World Tiers and difficulty in Diablo 4.

What are World Tiers in Diablo?

World Tiers act as the Difficulty System in Diablo 4. These can be chosen at the beginning of the game to determine what challenges await you in this RPG. Similar to other RPGs, you will pick your World Tier upon creating your character, where you can only access Tier 1 or Tier 2. Keep in mind that both options are recommended for players levelled 1-50. This is because these represent Easy to Normal Mode, with Tier 1 letting you defeat enemies with ease, and Tier 2 appearing more as a challenge, typically seen with Normal Mode. The enemies killed in Tier 2 offer higher loot but a higher difficulty to take down.

How to Unlock World Tier 3

World Tier 3 is the first locked Tier for players needing to grind their way through in order to gain access to this higher difficulty of game. The natural way of progressing through your Level is by killing all enemies you come across, beating Dungeons which can be reset after completion and completing Questlines. Upon reaching Level 50, World Tier 3 becomes available for unlock. Keep in mind that this can only be unlocked if you reach both Level 50 and on the Tier 2 difficulty: Veteran. If you happen to reach Level 50 on Tier 1: Adventurer, you will not have access to Tier 3: Nightmare.

Level 50-70 should make their switch to Tier 3: Nightmare, however, the shift is not compulsory. If players are used to the difficulty set in Tier 2, you can up the ante by making your move onto Tier 3 as you are approaching the end game. Tier 3 offers increased chances of Sacred and Unique loot drops. Whilst the enemies are far tougher, the increased drop of XP and Gold makes the battle worth your time. Tier 3 arrives upon completing the Campaign and a specific, although longer endured Dungeon of the Cathedral of Light Capstone Dungeon. What Tier 3 offers compared to Tier 1 and 2 is the ability to obtain rarer gear and loot that will greatly improve your Build or create an entire new Build based on what you pick up along the way through defeating harder foes in the end game.

Related: Where to Find All Diablo 4 Dungeons – Location Guide.

How to Unlock World Tier 4

The final World Tier available and the hardest difficulty of all is World Tier 4: Hell. In order to unlock this final difficulty in Diablo 4, you will need to first be on Tier 3 and playing through the game on this current highest difficulty that you have unlocked. World Tier 4 however is unlocked through a specific action which is completing the Fallen Temple Capstone Dungeon. Whilst this Dungeon can be completed on lower difficulty, you will not get World Tier 4 as a reward as completion. It may be smart to complete this on a lower difficulty first to learn of the layout and the enemies within.

Diablo 4 recommends you to reach Level 70, however this, just like unlocking Tier 3 is not a necessity. The big change with this one is that with the hardest enemies in the game you can now receive Ancestral Items. With every Tier you will gain lower resistance to the enemies’ attacks, therefore, the priority shifts onto defending your life against the creatures instead of simply maxing out your damage.

How to Change World Tiers and Difficulty in Diablo 4

After you have created your character and perhaps exited the game to make another, whether that means you have successfully completed the Campaign with one Class or you want to run two Classes simultaneously through multiple playthroughs, you will get the opportunity to change your World Tier difficulty via the Character Selection screen. If you have completed the Campaign with a single character but have multiple characters/Classes ready to go, you can select the Skip Campaign option for any character to go straight into the end game portion of Diablo 4.

Whilst the World Tier difficulties can be seen in your Character Selection Menu, you can also change this within the open-world setting itself. To do this, you need to locate the World Tier Statue inside Towns such as Kyovashad. This appears as a circle with a cross in the middle as its Map Icon and can be found in Kyovashad in the top-right corner of the Town where on the Map, it appears as a circular structure much like an English roundabout. Interact with the Statue directly to change the World Tier in your game. The ability to change difficulty can only be done at the World Tier Statue or within the Main Menu itself so that Dungeons can adjust to the change before you enter.

That was our guide on how World Tiers work and how to change the difficulty in Diablo 4. For more Diablo content feel free to see our related articles at Gamer Journalist here. Thank you for reading this guide.