Diablo 4 Season 9 Checklist – What to Do First in Sins of the Horadrim

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Diablo 4 Season 9 is finally here, and Sins of the Horadrim brings a wave of new systems, loot, and seasonal twists. Whether you’re a returning adventurer or a fresh seasonal player, knowing what to do first can make or break your early-game momentum.

This guide walks you through the ultimate Season 9 checklist—from unlocking Horadric Spellcraft to farming Strongrooms and preparing for Escalating Nightmares. Let’s jump in! 

🧭 Pre-Season Prep (Optional But Powerful)

Before creating your new seasonal character, make sure to:

  • ✅ Complete the Campaign once on any character.

  • ✅ Unlock your Mount for faster travel across Sanctuary.

  • ✅ Discover Altars of Lilith and explore the map to carry over Renown and bonuses.

  • ✅ Skip the Campaign on your new seasonal hero to jump right into the action.

💡 Pro Tip: Prepping your Eternal Realm character boosts your entire account’s efficiency in Season 9.

🎮 Step 1: Create Your Seasonal Character

Once the season begins:

  • Choose your class carefully—use our Season 9 Starter Class Tier List to help you decide.

  • Use the “Skip Campaign” option if eligible.

  • Head straight to Cerrigar to begin the new questline: “The Embers Yet Smolder.”

Diablo 4 Season 9 Checklist
🧪 Step 2: Unlock Horadric Spellcraft

Spellcraft is Season 9’s headline system. Here's how it works:

  • Complete the Cerrigar quests to gain access to Catalysts, Infusions, and Arcana.

  • These power-ups enhance your build in creative, modular ways.

  • Combine them via Horadric Jewels and upgrade at the Lapidary.

Spellcraft unlocks within your first 90 minutes—don’t skip it!

🗝️ Step 3: Open Strongrooms & Earn Horadric Knowledge

  • Strongrooms are new timed mini-dungeons.

  • You’ll loot Horadric Tomes, Jewels, and gold chests—a major early-game boost.

  • Strongroom completions increase your Horadric Rank, unlocking permanent bonuses.

🔓 The Lapidary system for crafting Jewels unlocks after completing several Strongrooms.

📈 Step 4: Level Efficiently (1–30+)

  • 🔥 Helltides: Great for XP, Aberrant Cinders, and early loot.

  • 🌲 Tree of Whispers: Farm Grim Favors for caches + Sigils.

  • 💀 Nightmare Dungeons: Start these by Level 30 using Tier 1+ Sigils.

  • 🧪 Don’t forget: Horadric Catalysts can dramatically improve clear speed!

🎯 Goal: Reach Level 50 and unlock World Tier 3 (Sacred) as early as possible.

⛓️ Step 5: Run Escalating Nightmares

This is your path to endgame:

  • Complete 3-tier Nightmare Dungeon chains.

  • Fight Astaroth at the end of each run.

  • High chance to earn powerful loot, Glyph XP, and crafting materials.

💡 Escalations drop Tomes needed to upgrade Horadric Spells.

💰 Step 6: Plan Your Gold & XP Grind

  • Farm Kurast Undercity and Nightmare Dungeons for XP + gold.

  • Run Strongholds early—they grant huge XP and permanent map control.

  • Craft Elixirs (Precision or Goldskin) for +5% XP or more gold per run.

Check out our full guide: Best Gold & XP Farming Methods in Season 9

🧱 Step 7: Start Collecting Horadric Jewels

  • Drop from Strongrooms, Escalating Nightmares, and certain bosses.

  • Use them to augment Spellcraft—stacking DPS, defense, or cooldown perks.

  • Craft them with Arcana via the Lapidary once unlocked.

🔮 Tip: Try different Jewel combos based on your Catalyst + Infusion synergy.

🏁 Ongoing Weekly Goals

To stay ahead of the curve:

  • 🧭 Complete your Season Journey chapters to earn Smoldering Ashes.

  • 📘 Salvage Legendaries to upgrade your Codex of Power.

  • 🎟️ Track Battle Pass Reliquaries for cosmetics, mounts, and Platinum.

🛡️ Optional (But Recommended)

  • 🔍 Use Maxroll.gg for planning your Spellcraft builds.

  • 💬 Join Icy Veins’ Discord for team farming and boss rotations.

  • ⚙️ Enable DLSS or FSR for smooth framerates during Escalations and Strongrooms (especially on PC).

✅ Final Checklist Summary

Task                                            Why It Matters
🎮 Create Seasonal CharacterAccess all Season 9 features
🔓 Unlock SpellcraftCore power system this season
🧭 Open StrongroomsLoot + Horadric Rank boost
⚔️ Level to 50+Access Nightmare Dungeons
🐍 Run EscalationsFight Astaroth + earn Glyph XP
💰 Farm Gold/XPFund rerolls and crafting
💎 Collect JewelsBuild optimization via Lapidary
📘 Complete Season JourneyBonus XP, cosmetics, boosts

🧠 Related Reads

📣 What’s Your First Move in Season 9?

Let us know in the comments or tag us with your early builds, Strongroom clears, or best Spellcraft rolls!

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