Hardcore runs of Diablo 4 are always a challenge and not something for the faint of heart, as one death means players lose that character forever. Diablo 4 Season 10 makes Hardcore playthroughs even more difficult with the improvements made to Infernal Hordes and the addition of the new boss, Bartuc, Lord of Chaos. However, even if Hardcore players avoid some of the toughest Diablo 4 content until later, they may get tripped up on an early game activity in Season 10 that can have dire consequences if they are unprepared.
The standard rule of thumb for a Hardcore Diablo 4 run is to avoid any unnecessary risks, especially in the early game when players likely won’t have the gear to survive unexpected threats. Players do get a Scroll of Escape in Hardcore mode if they need to bail out of a situation and retreat to safety, but should not use it unless truly necessary. In Diablo 4 Season 10, one early-game task that the game encourages players to undertake could lead them right to their doom if they’re not prepared with a Scroll of Escape or the right build setup to handle it.
Diablo 4 Season 10 Hardcore Players Have a New Threat to Their Run
Some of the most infamous run-killers in Diablo 4‘s Hardcore mode are Elites that leave pools of Poison or explode upon death, as well as the obvious threats like World Bosses and Blood Maidens in Helltides. By and large, though, players can avoid these types of enemies early in their run if they play smart and cautiously. However, Diablo 4 Season 10’s latest run-killer is the Chaos Rift, which the game guides players toward via the seasonal questline.
Chaos Rifts Are Deceptively Hard in Diablo 4 Season 10
On the surface, Chaos Rifts seem like any other Diablo 4 overworld event—players fight the enemies that are spawned in order to close the rift and earn rewards. However, the monsters that come from these Chaos Rifts are far more challenging than the standard mobs players will find roaming around Sanctuary. They take much longer to kill and come equipped with stronger attacks than their standard variants, meaning players unprepared for the fight can be walking right into a death trap.
Even after defeating all the Chaos Monsters, players will need to destroy the portal itself to fully close the Chaos Rift and earn rewards like Chaos Armor, Chaos Warps, and Infernal Compasses.
Chaos Rifts Can Be a Run-Killer for Hardcore Diablo 4 Players
The best course of action for Hardcorde players in Diablo 4 Season 10 is to avoid Chaos Rifts until they are much further in the season and have a more complete build capable of handling stronger enemies. While the seasonal questline points players in the direction of Chaos Rifts in order to farm Infernal Warps, these items are only needed to upgrade Chaos Perks, so players can hold off on farming them until they have unlocked all of their desired perks. Earning Viz-Jaq’taar Veneration and progressing the seasonal questline can also be put off until players have a stronger build to avoid losing a Hardcore character to a Chaos Rift.
It’s better to wait until reaching Torment 1 difficulty before attempting Chaos Rifts, since Chaos Armor doesn’t start dropping from these rifts until the Torment tiers. Waiting until players are ready for the Torment difficulty tiers also gives them enough time to get a competent gear setup with Legendary and Unique items that synergize well to have the best shot of surviving a Chaos Rift. Hardcore mode in Diablo 4 is all about weighing the risks and rewards when engaging in combat, so holding off on the challenge of Chaos Rifts until the rewards outweigh the risks only makes sense.