Ladder play is finally coming to Diablo 2: Resurrected. Since being introduced three years after the initial release of Diablo 2, ladder seasons have become a core part of the competitive multiplayer side of the game. New and returning fans have been eagerly awaiting the introduction of ladders to the Resurrected experience, and, after being absent from the initial release and delayed due to bugs, ladders are finally coming. Here’s what you need to know and how to get ready.
What are ladder seasons?
Ladder seasons are limited-time events where players create new characters and seek to rise through the rankings (the ladder) as quickly as possible. The gameplay and content remain the same, but players will be racing others worldwide to level up — adding a new twist to the experience. When a ladder season ends, everything is reset. A new season begins, new characters are created, and the race up the ladder begins again.
When does this season begin?
Blizzard has announced the first ladder season for Resurrected will begin on April 28 at 8 PM (EST). At this time, you’ll be able to load up Diablo 2: Resurrected and create a new character for the ladder season.
What players need to know about Diablo 2 ladder seasons
All the standard options are available for ladder characters. Players can partake in a regular or hardcore (die and you lose the character) game, play original (just the first four acts) or the expansion content and each version comes along with its own ladder — so players can compete in whatever version of the game they enjoy.
Though players will be starting from square one, successes will carry over to regular online modes. It’s worth remembering that ladder characters are separated from non-ladder characters, meaning these newly created personalities won’t be able to share loot with any other more traditional characters. So that big stash of hoarded loot won’t be of any use here. Ladder characters will become regular online characters when the season ends, and interactions with non-ladder characters will become possible.
Since the introduction of ladder seasons, Blizzard has ensured some unique offerings were available to ladder characters. While gameplay and content remain largely the same, ladder characters do get access to some fun extras. For example, some Runewords previously only worked in ladder games and some endgame content like Uber Tristram could only be accessed by ladder characters. While this content is now available outside of ladder games via Resurrected, Blizzard has also indicated that new Runewords, never before seen in Diablo 2, will be added for the reintroduction of ladder seasons. While we don’t yet know what these will be, it’ll be worth trying out ladder games to discover them.Â
| -Stephen Michaels |