Diablo 4 brings popular Malignant powers back as new rings

Diablo IV is drawing new fans in through the gates of Sanctuary as the second season continues to unfold and Blizzard sees the game’s release on new platforms such as Steam. With the Season of Blood underway and the Malignant now in the past, many fans have pondered whether or not we’ll see the return of the first season’s more powerful features. At BlizzCon 2023, the developer reveals new Malignant rings that do just that.

Blizzard packs BlizzCon full to the brim with exciting Diablo 4 reveals. We can look forward to the RPG game‘s first-ever expansion, Vessel of Hatred, but that isn’t the only worthy news of note from the developer’s showcase. New Malignant rings are underway, containing some of the best powers from the game’s first season.

What’s even better about this news is that the rings will be in our hands long before the Vessel of Hatred release date. Blizzard says the items, of which there are five total, are dropping sometime next week. Each ring should come with its own unique Malignant Heart-related power, with the developer revealing more details about an especially big one.

Necromancers may remember the highly impactful Caged Heart of the Sacrilegious power from the first season, and how it affected their builds. If you’re not familiar with the Sacrilegious effects, they essentially make a Necromancer’s Corpse Skills, such as its explosions and tendrils, go off automatically. All a Necromancer needs to do is walk near a Corpse.

The Sacrilegious power is coming to just one of the five rings, though, which leaves four others up in the air as to what effects they may contain. Each of the new rings could contain one of the most popular Malignant powers per class from the previous season, just like the Necromancer one does.

While you wait to get your hands on the shiny new rings, be sure to check out some of our current favorite Diablo 4 builds for a better understanding of how to slay your way through Sanctuary. If you’re looking for specific details on the game’s most powerful characters, browse through our in-depth guide on the Diablo 4 classes instead.