DIABLO IV · FIELD MANUAL

SYSTEMS OF SANCTUARY

THE COMPLETE BEGINNER SYSTEMS MANUAL

A plain-language guide to the systems Diablo IV does not explain clearly.

CURRENT SEASON

SEASON 14 · DEATH AWAKENING

CURRENT PATCH

3.1.3 · AUG 12, 2026

LAST VERIFIED

AUG 18, 2026

You already know the loop that matters — kill monsters, gain levels, spend points, wear the better item. This manual is for everything AROUND that loop: what each system is, why it exists, when it unlocks, what goes in, what comes out, and how it connects to the others. Chapters I, II and XIV are already open; the rest wait until you need them.

HOME Systems of Sanctuary

XIV CHAPTERS · S14 · 3.1.3

▶ CHAPTER I What Are All These Systems For? START HERE · OPEN

SHORT ANSWER

Character power comes from layers stacked on the basic loop, and almost every "extra" system exists to feed one of them. None of it is homework: each layer switches on at a known moment, and this chapter tells you which five to learn first and which to ignore until the level cap.

THE ONE MAP THAT EXPLAINS THE GAME

▼

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Every chapter on this page is one stop on this map — and each chapter's HOW IT CONNECTS line tells you which stop you are at.

THE LAYERS OF CHARACTER POWER

WHEN IT MATTERS · {{l.when}}

AUTOMATIC? · {{l.auto}}

HOW IT CONNECTS · {{m.name}}

▼

THE FIVE THINGS TO LEARN FIRST

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▶ SOURCES AND VERIFICATION · CHECKED AUG 18, 2026 · PATCH 3.1.3

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▶ CHAPTER II The Codex of Power and Legendary Aspects THE HEART OF THE LOOP · OPEN

CODEX OF SANCTUARY

The name of this website — the field manual you are reading.

CODEX OF POWER

A system inside Diablo IV — the in-game library of Legendary Aspects this chapter explains. Same word, different codex.

SHORT ANSWER

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THE COMPLETE WALKTHROUGH — DROP TO EQUIPPED

▼

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WHAT SALVAGING PAYS, RARITY BY RARITY

YOU SALVAGE…

YOU RECEIVE

CODEX OF POWER

WORTH KNOWING

WHAT CAN GO WRONG · {{t}}

EVERY QUESTION THE CODEX RAISES

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▼ ADVANCED · {{x.advT}}

ONE COMPLETE EXAMPLE, DROP TO EQUIPPED

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▶ SOURCES AND VERIFICATION · CHECKED AUG 18, 2026 · PATCH 3.1.3

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▶ CHAPTER III The Occultist IMPRINT · ENCHANT · SIGILS

SHORT ANSWER

{{m.k}} · {{m.v}}

SERVICE

INPUT

OUTPUT

RANDOM?

REVERSIBLE?

IMPRINTING — THE RULES AT A GLANCE

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ENCHANTING — READ BEFORE PAYING

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▶ SOURCES AND VERIFICATION · CHECKED AUG 18, 2026 · PATCH 3.1.3

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▶ CHAPTER IV Building and Improving Equipment THE CRAFTING PIPELINE, IN ORDER

SHORT ANSWER

▼

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SYSTEM

WHAT IT CHANGES

WHERE

RANDOM?

CAN UNDO?

WHILE LEVELING?

TEMPERING, PLAINLY

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▼ ADVANCED · {{x.advT}}

MASTERWORKING, PLAINLY

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▼ ADVANCED · {{x.advT}}

DO I NEED THIS YET? · {{gearNeed}}

HOW IT CONNECTS · {{gearConnects}}

▶ SOURCES AND VERIFICATION · CHECKED AUG 18, 2026 · PATCH 3.1.3

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▶ CHAPTER V The Horadric Cube EXPANSION ONLY

SHORT ANSWER

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THE RECIPES THAT MATTER

RANDOMNESS · {{r.rand}}

MYTHIC FINE PRINT · {{cubeMythic}}

▶ SOURCES AND VERIFICATION · CHECKED AUG 18, 2026 · PATCH 3.1.3

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▶ CHAPTER VI Gems, Sockets, Runes & Runewords THE FORGIVING SYSTEMS

SHORT ANSWER

{{m.k}} · {{m.v}}

{{x.q}} {{x.a}}

EXACTLY HOW DO I USE IT

SIMPLE EXAMPLE

▶ SOURCES AND VERIFICATION · CHECKED AUG 18, 2026 · PATCH 3.1.3

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▶ CHAPTER VII Class Mechanics EIGHT CLASSES, EIGHT SYSTEMS

SHORT ANSWER

{{r.c}} — {{r.m}}

UNLOCKS · {{r.when}}

FULL DETAIL IN THE {{r.cU}} CODEX ➤

HOW IT CONNECTS · {{cmConnects}}

▶ SOURCES AND VERIFICATION · CHECKED AUG 18, 2026 · PATCH 3.1.3

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▶ CHAPTER VIII Paragon and Glyphs POWER AFTER THE CAP

SHORT ANSWER

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▼ ADVANCED · {{x.advT}}

HOW IT CONNECTS

▼

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▶ SOURCES AND VERIFICATION · CHECKED AUG 18, 2026 · PATCH 3.1.3

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▶ CHAPTER IX Difficulties, Capstones & Progression Gates NORMAL → PENITENT → TORMENT 1–12

SHORT ANSWER

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UNLOCK · {{dt.unlock}}

TORMENT

HOW IT UNLOCKS

XP / GOLD

NEW ON THIS TIER

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AM I READY FOR THE NEXT DIFFICULTY?

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▶ SOURCES AND VERIFICATION · CHECKED AUG 18, 2026 · PATCH 3.1.3

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▶ CHAPTER X Season Rank, Renown & Account Progression WHAT OUTLIVES THE CHARACTER

SHORT ANSWER

{{m.k}} · {{m.v}}

{{x.q}} {{x.a}}

WHO OWNS WHAT — AND WHAT RESETS

PROGRESS SYSTEM

CHARACTER

REALM-WIDE

ACCOUNT

RESETS?

▶ SOURCES AND VERIFICATION · CHECKED AUG 18, 2026 · PATCH 3.1.3

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▶ CHAPTER XI Endgame Activities — Why Run This Instead of That? 15 DOORS, SAME QUESTIONS

Every activity answers the same questions — including which system its reward feeds — and carries its gate label up front: BASE GAME, VESSEL OF HATRED, LORD OF HATRED or SEASONAL. Base-game players never need to hunt a door they do not own.

▶ {{a.name}} {{a.gate}}

HOW DO I UNLOCK IT? · {{a.unlock}}

HOW DO I START IT? · {{a.enter}}

KEY OR RESOURCE · {{a.key}}

WHAT DO I ACTUALLY DO? · {{a.inside}}

WHAT IT REWARDS · {{a.reward}}

WHICH SYSTEM USES THAT · {{a.feeds}}

WHY RUN IT · {{a.why}}

WHEN TO START · {{a.when}}

CAN I IGNORE IT? · {{a.skip}}

I NEED… — THE ACTIVITY-TO-REWARD MAP

I NEED…

RUN THIS

WHY

▶ SOURCES AND VERIFICATION · CHECKED AUG 18, 2026 · PATCH 3.1.3

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▶ CHAPTER XII Currencies & Materials, by Purpose BY SYSTEM, NOT ALPHABET

Nobody memorizes the materials tab, and you should not try. Every material belongs to a SYSTEM — learn the systems (they each have a chapter above) and every icon becomes guessable. The header search finds any specific name.

MATERIAL

WHERE IT COMES FROM

COMMON OR SCARCE?

SAVE OR SPEND?

LATER ON

▶ SOURCES AND VERIFICATION · CHECKED AUG 18, 2026 · PATCH 3.1.3

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▶ CHAPTER XIII Seasonal, Eternal, Expansions & Game Modes REALMS · HARDCORE · SSF

SHORT ANSWER

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▶ SOURCES AND VERIFICATION · CHECKED AUG 18, 2026 · PATCH 3.1.3

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▶ CHAPTER XIV What Should I Do Next? GOAL RECIPES · OPEN

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▶ APPENDIX Research Ledger & Changelog WHAT'S VERIFIED, WHAT ISN'T

SEASON

PATCH

LAST VERIFIED

SOURCE INDEX

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{{s.date}} · Used for: {{s.used}} · Checked Aug 18, 2026 · Patch 3.1.3

UNRESOLVED — MARKED, NOT GUESSED

◆ {{t}}

MOST LIKELY TO CHANGE NEXT

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CHANGELOG

{{c.d}} — {{c.t}}

{{tipName}} · GLOSSARY

WHY IT MATTERS · {{tipWhy}}

ADVANCED · {{tipAdv}}

SYSTEMS OF SANCTUARY

THE ONE MAP THAT EXPLAINS THE GAME

THE LAYERS OF CHARACTER POWER

THE FIVE THINGS TO LEARN FIRST

THE COMPLETE WALKTHROUGH — DROP TO EQUIPPED

WHAT SALVAGING PAYS, RARITY BY RARITY

EVERY QUESTION THE CODEX RAISES

ONE COMPLETE EXAMPLE, DROP TO EQUIPPED

IMPRINTING — THE RULES AT A GLANCE

ENCHANTING — READ BEFORE PAYING

TEMPERING, PLAINLY

MASTERWORKING, PLAINLY

THE RECIPES THAT MATTER

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EXACTLY HOW DO I USE IT

SIMPLE EXAMPLE

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HOW IT CONNECTS

WHO OWNS WHAT — AND WHAT RESETS

I NEED… — THE ACTIVITY-TO-REWARD MAP

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SOURCE INDEX