Diablo 4 Season 5 reputation system finally gives Strongholds meaning again

Upon being introduced, Strongholds arguably became one of the most novel and enjoyable features in Diablo 4—at least for the first few seasons. But like any gameplay element that doesn’t undergo any significant changes, these massive enemy camps eventually became an afterthought in the constantly undulating landscape of Sanctuary. However, Diablo 4 Season 5 is bringing back meaning to Strongholds in a big way thanks to its upcoming reputation system.

As part of Blizzard’s latest developer update livestream, Lead Seasons Designer Daniel Tanguay gave players a preview of the Diablo 4 Season 5 reputation system, which will be similar to the Iron Wolves reward system currently in place in Season 4. This time, instead of only being tied to certain events like Helltides or the seasonal questline, you can earn reputation progression in more ways, including completing Strongholds, finishing runs in the new roguelite Infernal Hordes mode, and more.

Tanguay also revealed that seasonal quests will be tied to the reputation system, meaning you can only progress through the questline upon reaching a particular tier (which you’ll be able to see below). Like always, you can redeem a number of rewards throughout your progression, including class-specific Uniques, crafting materials, and the grand prize, a Resplendent Spark that you can use to craft the all-important Mythic Unique item you’re looking for.

Earning reputation also provides a small experience boost, meaning you’ll be able to reach level 100 in Season 5 even faster. Reaching the level cap in the upcoming season is especially important because Legendary item drop rates will improve in Helltides, Nightmare Dungeons, and Infernal Hordes will be boosted post-level 100.

Of course, before you can experience all these exciting new changes, you’ll need to wait until the Diablo 4 Season 5 release date, which is in a few days. If you’re more excited for the launch of the expansion, check out when the Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred DLC release date will be instead so you know when it drops.