You will play Vessel of Hatred without finishing the base game. How to start DLC for Diablo 4?

As a seasoned gamer with decades of dungeon-crawling under my belt, I must say that the Vessel of Hatred DLC for Diablo 4 is a breath of fresh air! The ability to start the expansion’s campaign without slogging through the base game first is a godsend. It’s like getting a fast pass to the best rollercoaster in the park, bypassing the lines and long wait times.


One of the perks of the “Vessel of Hatred” expansion for Diablo 4 is that you can initiate the DLC’s storyline without completing the main game initially. This means you can instantly transport yourself to Nahantu and delve into a fresh, unexplored territory right away. In this tutorial, we show you how to activate the DLC during character creation, allowing you to embark on the seventh act of the campaign immediately.

Vessel of Hatred DLC as act 7

You will play Vessel of Hatred without finishing the base game. How to start DLC for Diablo 4?

As a gamer, I consider the Vessel of Hatred expansion as my seventh adventure within this game. Normally, I kick off this new chapter only after vanquishing the final boss in Act 6.

As a thrilled enthusiast, I’m eager to share that you’ll embark on the DLC right from the main map within the base game. However, upon wrapping up the connected missions, you’ll uncover a new and exciting terrain called Nahantu. Herein lies the ancient city of Kurast, ready for exploration!

Starting the Vessel of Hatred expansion campaign right away

You will play Vessel of Hatred without finishing the base game. How to start DLC for Diablo 4?

A more interesting solution is to jump straight to the add-on’s campaign, and this is possible when creating a new character in the main game menu. This is a recommended move if you already know the basics well and if you want to create a character using the new Spiritborn class.

Once you’ve figured out the character’s gender and looks, instead of starting a new game right away, click the “Modify Campaign Status” button instead.

You will play Vessel of Hatred without finishing the base game. How to start DLC for Diablo 4?

Two options will appear in the new window:

  1. Start with the original campaign – You will start from act 1. You must complete acts 1-6 for the Vessel of Hatred DLC content to become available.
  2. Start with the Vessel of Hatred campaign – This variant will allow you to skip acts 1-6 and start directly from act 7, and thus begin playing the expansion.

Pros and cons of skipping acts 1-6

You will play Vessel of Hatred without finishing the base game. How to start DLC for Diablo 4?

As a fan, I’m thrilled to share that by choosing the option we discussed, you’ll dive straight into the opening scene of the alternate storyline, the gripping prologue of “Vessel of Hatred”. Instead of embarking on the main campaign, this exciting detour will kick off act 7 right away. This nifty trick will significantly cut down on your playtime, but it’s important to note that there are some constraints associated with this route.

  1. Your character will start the DLC at level 1 – you will not receive a pre-made high-level hero. You don’t have to worry about a tough journey, though, because the enemy level scales to yours and you won’t encounter strong bosses right from the beginning. By playing the entire expansion, you should easily advance from level 1 to the maximum level 60.
  2. You start with basic equipment. Your inventory won’t have rewards for, among others, defeating the main bosses from the base campaign. However, you will have access to the stash known from the base game.
  3. You’ll need to replay some of the quests to unlock new mechanics. This includes tasks such as unlocking access to animal companions, unique merchants and service providers, or increasing the number of healing potions.

More about Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred:

  1. How to reveal the expansion map?
  2. Interactive map for both base game and the DLC
  3. Our guide to Diablo 4

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2024-10-08 11:01