Ultimate Day 1 Strategy: Diablo 4 Lord of Hatred Season 13 1-70 Fast Leveling

The Lord of Hatred expansion, released with Patch 3.0.1 and Season of Reckoning, introduces the new Skovos Isles, raises the level cap to 70, and delivers major skill tree overhauls for all classes along with the return of the Horadric Cube.

Leveling to 70 takes noticeably longer than recent seasons because the campaign is mandatory the first time, but the new zone is excellent and the progression feels more rewarding once you follow the right sequence. Here's the most efficient path that works across every class right now.

Getting Your Seasonal Character Set Up Right

Create a seasonal character and select the Lord of Hatred campaign — the third option in the selector (usually shown as Recommended at launch). Choosing the base game or Vessel of Hatred will lock you out of the new Skovos content.

Start on Normal difficulty. Bosses hit noticeably harder on higher difficulties early on, while the XP gains from quests don't improve enough to justify the extra friction. Equip your pet right away for passive gold and material pickup. Grab a mercenary as soon as you reach the den — they provide more value than many players realize in the opening hours.

For Warlock players, the class quest is especially worth prioritizing. It unlocks demon summons and legion shards that give a strong early power spike.

Running the Skovos Campaign

Follow the main yellow quest line from Hawezar through to the Skovos Isles. Most players finish in 5–10 hours depending on how many cutscenes they watch. The new zone looks outstanding, and Blizzard's cinematics in this expansion are worth experiencing at least once.

You'll typically land around level 45–52 by the end of the narrative. Keep in mind that the Lord of Hatred campaign is mandatory for first-time players to access Skovos and the new endgame systems — there's no skipping it.

Capstones, Helltides, and the Real Acceleration

After finishing the campaign, shift your focus to capstones and open-world farming. Progression is split: 1–60 serves as your base leveling phase, while 60–70 focuses on the newly reworked Paragon progression.

Clear the first capstone in upper Hawezar on Hard while you're overleveled. It grants useful skill points and seasonal rewards with minimal effort. Then move into Helltides on Hard difficulty. Hard difficulty provides a substantial XP bonus on monster kills, and pairing it with Grim Favors (Whispers) keeps the momentum high.

You can track active Helltides and their status in real time on Helltides.com.

Around level 60, tackle the second capstone (Hellish Ascent in upper Scosglen) on Penitent difficulty. This is a massive milestone as it unlocks the Pit and starts your Paragon 300 journey. Many players wait too long for this step, but clearing it near level 60 strikes a good balance between safety and speed.

Here's the simple capstone roadmap:

Reaching Level 70 and Moving into Endgame

With the second capstone complete, the Pit becomes your primary XP engine to bridge the gap from 60 to 70. Located in the Skovos city area, it offers dense monster packs that make leveling efficient. Push tiers gradually as your gear improves.

At level 70, complete Pit Tier 10 to unlock Torment 1. Reaching this new cap is essential as it maximizes your Paragon point potential (up to 300) and allows you to make heavy use of the Horadric Cube for targeted crafting while farming bosses and refining your build.

The Lord of Hatred update brought major skill tree overhauls to all classes, and they feel noticeably stronger overall. The Dread Claws playstyle stands out for Warlock leveling thanks to excellent AoE and demon synergy. For detailed builds, check Maxroll's Diablo 4 Wiki and their Warlock leveling guides. Other strong starters include Hydra Sorcerer, Companion Druid, or Bleed Barbarian. Pick what feels fun to you — most builds scale well into Torment.

Diablo 4 Lord of Hatred Season 13 Leveling FAQs

What is the maximum level in Diablo 4 Season 13?

The level cap is 70. Players complete their base skill point progression by level 60 and then focus on Paragon levels from 60 to 70, with the total earnable Paragon points increasing to 300.

How do I make sure I start the correct campaign when creating my seasonal character?

Choose the third campaign option labeled Lord of Hatred (often marked Recommended). Selecting the base game or Vessel of Hatred will prevent access to Skovos and Season of Reckoning progression.

What difficulty should I play the Skovos campaign on?

Normal remains the safest and most efficient choice for most players. Bosses become significantly tankier on Hard while quest XP gains remain roughly the same. Raise difficulty after the first capstone when you want faster monster experience.

When should I do the capstone dungeons?

Complete the first one immediately after the campaign while overleveled. Aim for the second capstone around level 60 to unlock the Pit and begin the Paragon 60-70 phase without excessive risk.

Is the Warlock class quest actually important during leveling?

Yes. It unlocks demon summons and legion shards that deliver a strong early damage boost. Do it as soon as it appears — the difference in campaign flow is noticeable.

Are Helltides and the Pit still the fastest way to level 70?

They are. Helltides on Hard combined with Whispers carry you efficiently to level 60. After the second capstone, the Pit takes over as the best XP source to reach the new cap of 70 and unlock Torment 1.

What should I focus on right after hitting level 70?

Run Pit Tier 10 to unlock Torment 1, begin using the Horadric Cube for gear upgrades, and start farming seasonal activities and boss loot tables. Wowhead's Diablo 4 database is still one of the best places to check item and boss drop information. You can also review the full official patch notes here.

Thanks for Reading

In short: create the right seasonal character, complete the Lord of Hatred campaign, do the capstones in order, farm Hard Helltides, then push the Pit to 70. Simple, effective, and leaves you well prepared for Torment.

Stay tuned to MMOJUGG for ongoing Diablo 4 Lord of Hatred and Season of Reckoning coverage. If you need gear to speed things up, feel free to check out our Diablo 4 Shop for Lair Boss Keys, Crafting Mythics, BiS 4GA Legendaries, Uniques, and more. Enjoy Skovos — see you in Sanctuary.