Should You Use Aspects While Leveling in Diablo 4? A Comprehensive Guide
The short answer? Yes, absolutely you should use aspects while leveling in Diablo 4. However, it’s not quite as simple as slapping any aspect onto any piece of gear. The real question isn’t if you should use them, but when and how. The intelligent application of Legendary Aspects is paramount to a smooth and efficient leveling experience in Diablo 4. Ignoring them means missing out on significant power boosts, making your journey to the endgame much more challenging and time-consuming. This guide will break down when to imprint aspects, when to wait, and how to optimize their use during your leveling process.
Understanding the Importance of Aspects
Legendary Aspects are special affixes that provide powerful bonuses, often drastically altering how your skills function or bolstering specific stats. They can be found on Legendary items or unlocked through completing dungeons and adding to the Codex of Power. These bonuses are crucial for creating a functional and powerful build. While your Skill Tree provides the foundation of your character, Aspects add the synergistic elements that truly allow you to shine.
When Not To Imprint Aspects
The general rule of thumb is that you shouldn’t be imprinting aspects on every single piece of gear you come across. Early game gear is designed to be easily replaced, and if you’re imprinting aspects onto every piece, you’ll quickly find yourself running short on resources and needing to redo it often. This is especially true in the early levels and before reaching World Tier 3. It’s generally wasteful to imprint aspects on anything but a few key items in the early game.
When To Imprint Aspects
Despite the early game gear churn, there are times you should absolutely be using aspects while leveling. The best times include:
- Significant Power Boosts: If you find an aspect that gives your core build a substantial upgrade, don’t hesitate. For example, if you get an aspect that significantly increases the damage of your main skill or improves its resource generation, it’s usually worth imprinting. Look for aspects that fundamentally alter your playstyle in a beneficial way.
- Decent Gear: If you find a rare item with the stats you need, and it also happens to be a decent base item for an aspect, then you should absolutely go for it. You do not need a perfect item, only a decent enough one to get the aspect on it.
- Aspects that Enable a Build: Some builds can be completely non-functional without a particular aspect. If you find one of these, get it on a suitable item as soon as possible.
- Early Codex Power Aspects: Many dungeon-unlocked Codex Aspects are beneficial throughout the leveling process. These have the advantage of always being available so you can keep using them when they become relevant again.
- Upgraded Gear: If you’ve found a decent piece of gear that applies to your build, it’s a great candidate for an aspect, especially if you’ve upgraded it at the Blacksmith, giving it more durability and longevity.
The Leveling Sweet Spot
As you progress through the leveling process, you’ll reach a point where gear starts to stay with you a bit longer. This is typically when you start transitioning into World Tier 3 and begin to see Sacred items. At this point, your gearing becomes more important, and you can be less shy about using aspects. Focus on finding well-rolled items that synergize with your build and then imprint powerful aspects on these pieces. Do note that once you move to World Tier 4 you will see Ancestral items. These are generally the best base items to use to imprint your best rolled aspects onto.
Don’t Sit on Resources
One of the biggest mistakes players make is hoarding resources “just in case” they need them later. While it’s true that you shouldn’t be careless with your resources, it’s even worse to hold onto them instead of using them to become stronger. Remember that increased damage means you can kill enemies faster, which in turn means more loot and more experience. The game progression is generally exponential, meaning the faster you level, the easier it is to level more.
The Endgame Considerations
It is tempting to imprint the best rolled version of an aspect onto a piece of gear. It is however better to save these good rolls of aspects for Ancestral gear that you obtain on World Tier 4 when you are level 70+. This is where you will need the best rolled aspects to truly survive. As stated before, your Sacred items from World Tier 3 are important for gearing up and helping you obtain Ancestral items, and do not hold your aspects back here. It’s better to use good rolls here and re-imprint the aspects once you obtain the proper end-game gear.
Maximizing Your Leveling Experience
Beyond judicious aspect usage, there are other ways to optimize your leveling in Diablo 4. Some include:
- Power Leveling: If possible, get a higher-level friend to assist you by running you through dungeons. This can significantly speed up your leveling.
- World Tier Selection: The game recommends starting at World Tier 1 but it’s often worth going straight to World Tier 2 for increased experience and gold. The damage increase is marginal, and you will level much faster.
- Farming Efficient Dungeons: Certain dungeons, such as Anica’s Claim early on and Dead Man’s Dredge, Mercy’s Reach, Sarat’s Lair, and Uldur’s Cave later, are known to have high mob density and can help you level up quickly.
- Helltides: Participating in Helltides is a great way to get good gear as well as resources. Public events and Helltide chests have an increased chance to drop Legendary items.
Conclusion
Using aspects while leveling in Diablo 4 is crucial. Don’t be afraid to imprint aspects when you find significant power boosts or synergizing gear. Avoid imprinting on every piece of gear in the early game and save the best rolled aspects for your end-game items on World Tier 4. The key is to balance resource conservation with power boosts. By strategically using aspects and understanding the mechanics of Diablo 4, you’ll have a much smoother, faster, and more enjoyable leveling experience.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Do Legendary Aspects Stack in Diablo 4?
No, Legendary Aspects do not stack in Diablo 4. You can only benefit from a specific aspect once, and equipping multiple items with the same aspect will not enhance its effect.
2. How Do I Get Legendary Aspects?
You can obtain Legendary Aspects by extracting them from Legendary items or by completing dungeons which unlocks them in your Codex of Power. Codex aspects can be re-used endlessly as they don’t get consumed upon use.
3. Can I Use Aspects From My Codex on All My Characters?
Yes, Aspects added to your Codex of Power are available for use by every character on your account within that realm. This means that it does not matter which class you use to obtain the aspect, every other character on that realm will be able to use it.
4. Should I Salvage Legendary Items?
Yes, it’s generally best to salvage legendary items, particularly those with aspects you don’t need. Salvaging provides important crafting resources used in upgrading and imprinting aspects.
5. Does Difficulty Affect Loot?
Yes, higher difficulty settings grant you the chance to earn more XP, more gold, and better loot drops. However, the increased challenge may make this inefficient compared to an easier setting that you clear quicker.
6. What are Sacred and Ancestral Items?
Sacred items are a higher tier than normal gear and drop on World Tier 3. Ancestral items are a higher tier than sacred items and drop on World Tier 4. Both are far more powerful than their counterparts and often are the best base items for aspect imprinting, especially for end game.
7. Can I use Aspects From My Inventory on All My Characters?
Yes. Extracted Aspects from legendary items within your inventory can be used by all characters within the same realm.
8. How Does Enemy Scaling Work in Diablo 4?
Enemies in Diablo 4 scale to your level. Therefore, enemies will always pose a challenge. However, your goal is to increase your own power faster than the game scales enemies up, which is why aspects are important.
9. What is the Best Way to Level Up Fast?
Power leveling with higher-level friends, skipping the campaign, starting on World Tier 2, and farming efficient dungeons are the best ways to level quickly.
10. What are Helltides?
Helltides are world events with increased enemy density, allowing for good loot, experience, and Obol and Aberrant Cinders. These are generally a great way to level.
11. What Are Nightmare Dungeons?
Nightmare Dungeons are challenging end-game content. It’s recommended to do this once you are on World Tier 3+ and have a good build established. These dungeons provide good experience and loot.
12. Is There a Level Cap in Diablo 4?
Yes, the level cap in Diablo 4 is 100. Once you hit 100, leveling stops, and the focus shifts towards end-game loot and content.
13. How Long Does it Take to Reach Level 100?
It takes an average player around 150 hours to reach level 100 in Diablo 4. This of course can be sped up by optimized play.
14. What is the Easiest Class to Level in Diablo 4?
The Necromancer and Barbarian are generally considered the easiest classes to level for beginners. However, all classes are viable options.
15. What are the Best Dungeons to Farm for XP?
Early on, Anica’s Claim is often cited as a good leveling spot. Later on, Dead Man’s Dredge, Mercy’s Reach, Sarat’s Lair, and Uldur’s Cave are great for high XP yields due to their high monster density.