Dark Citadel Raid Overview - Diablo 4

Welcome to our guide on the Dark Citadel, Adventurer! Here you can find all the information necessary to learn everything about the first raid in Diablo 4, considered the pinnacle content added in the Vessel of Hatred.

Introduction

We will start with the most basic information about this newest addition to the Diablo 4 content arsenal and compare it to the existing systems. We will also present when and where this content will be available, how to access it, and how to breeze through the wings of the Citadel on any difficulty.

By the end of this guide, all the mechanics will be explained, including how to maximize the rewards obtained through this game mode, providing excellent tips, tricks, and builds that will help along this journey. Are you ready?

Here is a little breakdown of our Diablo IV Dark Citadel Guide:

Dark Citadel particularities
How to access & requirements
Difficulty and comparison with other activities
Dark Citadel raid mechanics
Dark Citadel and Weekly Rewards
Best builds for the raid
Tips & tricks

What is the Dark Citadel in Diablo 4?

An immense structure located deep in the heart of Nahantu, the Dark Citadel is a token to the First Khazra. This ultimate co-op raid is an entirely new type of endgame dungeon, requiring players to team up to compete in the three individual wings, solve challenges, and face incredible foes until they reach the final boss.

The new mechanics added will require at least two players to team up and work together, since purely slaying enemies as fast as possible will not be the only requirement here in order to complete each of the Dark Citadel's wings.

Why should you compete in the Dark Citadel Raid?

Being the pinnacle of the endgame content, the Dark Citadel will test your build, focus, and patience to the maximum. On the flip side, it will provide tremendous and never-seen rewards compared to the other content found in the game.

Also, the Dark Citadel's cooperative side will strengthen the friendship and communication between you and the friends you choose to play this raid with, or it will surely help you make new friends, like in the good old times.

Who can access the Dark Citadel?

The Dark Citadel has no restriction on who can access it, aside from the fact that you cannot join solo, starting at the maximum level available at the moment, level 60, as long as you own the Vessel of Hatred expansion. Even though only the level dictates the power needed for this activity, we are sure it will not be enough.

Having a great build and a high level of paragon will indeed be needed, but not required to compete in any of the wings on the highest world tier - torment 4.

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Is the Dark Citadel available on seasonal and eternal realms?

As long as you own the Vessel of Hatred expansion, the Dark Citadel will be available in both seasonal and eternal realms. Being a general piece of content and, furthermore, a great addition to the endgame, it will not be restricted to the seasonal realm.

How do you unlock and access the Dark Citadel raid?

Once the player has reached the endgame, presumably the max level of 60, an introductory quest will be presented to begin the journey. This quest only needs to be completed once on the account, and the content will be available for all the current and future characters.

Dark Citadel entrance requirements

Aside from the level requirement and the quest that needs to be completed for the Dark Citadel, there is no information about a key-type item or anything like it that is required to be able to join the raid dungeon.

Where can you find the Dark Citadel?

The Dark Citadel Raid can be found in the new zone added in the Vessel of Hatred expansion called Nahantu, but not before completing the prerequisites for the entrance.

Once unlocked, the Dark Citadel will also be available directly through the map and the newly added group finder.

Is the Dark Citadel only available for co-op?

The Dark Citadel is only available for groups of players, from two to four, without the possibility of competing alone. The recommended number of players is four, considering the challenging foes and puzzles, but also because of the separate paths the players will need to take in order to complete each wing of this raid.

There has been speculation that a single-player version will be available at some point, using the active mercenary as a second player. However, this is not likely to happen since controlling the mercenary to complete puzzles is not possible.

Party Finder

Apart from the new dungeon raid and many other additions, a long-awaited party finder has been added to the game. This will surely be useful for activities where having a group can benefit all players, such as farming tormented boss rotations, or for content like the Dark Citadel, which requires a group of at least two players.

Party finder can be accessed in multiple ways, with quick access via the Map, in-game menu, or through the emote wheel. It can be used for a large variety of activities found in the Sanctuary, such as completing nightmare dungeons, competing in select wings of the Dark Citadel, finding other players to do tormented boss rotations, and even farming legendary aspects for your Codex of Power.

Mercenaries in the Dark Citadel raid

Aside from the forces brought by the group members, the mercenaries will be able to help out in two main ways:

For the group leader - His mercenaries will be able to play an active role, as a summoned mercenary aiding in battle, but also in reinforcement role, as a support to the players' stats and skills.
For the other group members - The mercenaries will only be able to support the players in the reinforcement role, providing support under specific circumstances called opportunities.

Towards the endgame side of this raid, in torment 4 difficulty, using the mercenary's support to the fullest will be required, alongside a perfected build containing best-in-slot items and min-maxed paragon boards.

Dark Citadel Difficulty

While being difficult itself, the Dark Citadel will also scale with the world tier difficulty, starting from Tormented 1. The difficulty of the raid will also depend on the wing chosen, and each of them will become more challenging compared to the one before. Alongside the difficulty, the rewards will improve with this scaling, earning even more Citadel Coins.

Comparison between Dark Citadel and other activities

As a general comparison with the other pieces of content that are reliant on a key-type item, like a Nightmare Sigil, Infernal Compass, or Artificer's Stone, the Dark Citadel does not require anything for the entrance.

While the other dungeon-type content's difficulty is generally dictated by or directly related to the world tier, like The Pit's tiers, the Dark Citadel's difficulty is related to the wings of this raid while also scaling with the world tier.

Compared to everything else in the game, the Dark Citadel raid is the first activity that won't be quickly completed by only forcing through, each wing being composed of powerful packs of enemies, elites, and bosses, but also puzzles and challenging mechanics that must be completed as a group, such as boss projectiles that must be reflected or interaction with the environment.

Dark Citadel Wings

The Dark Citadel raid is divided into three different areas, accessed through the Ancient Nexus, called wings:

Enclave of Strife
Labrinth of Souls
Dominion of Zagraal

Each of the wings can be completed separately, and once completed, the progress of each wing is saved for each player in the group, meaning the wings can be completed at different times without any restriction. They also feature different bosses, puzzles, and rewards for each different wing.

Dark Citadel Raid Bosses

From the limited information we have so far, we found 4 of the First Khazra bosses in a preview, as follows:

Shredder
Pulverizer
Breathtaker
Trampler

We have also found the names of the Raid Bosses that can be found at the end of each Wing, as follows:

Gorschak, the First Ascendant
Faeroch, the Incinerator
Vorshok
Hurstt

These bosses seem to be the initial and final versions of the Dark Citadel final bosses. While we do not have more information, be sure to come back and check this section of the guide, as we are updating our guides with each new piece of information available.

Dark Citadel Boss Mechanics

As we have mentioned, the old method of gaining as much power as possible to kill the bosses as quickly as you can will not be enough. Cooperation with the group members will be essential in each segment of the Dark Citadel wings, each boss having different, new mechanics. Throughout the raid, players will have to take separate paths, fight different foes, and interact with the environment to complete complex puzzles and challenges.

One of the boss mechanics presented so far is the projectile reflection. One of the party members will be required to collect an item that allows you to reflect the projectile thrown by the boss back at it, momentarily getting staggered, giving an opening for an all-out attack.

Dark Citadel Rewards

Aside from the normal loot the players will receive from killing the large packs of mobs and elites, completing the wing will reward the player with exclusive items and currencies.

One of the great rewards included in this raid is the Scroll of Restoration, also known as the Retempering Scroll, offering the player one last chance to create the best item possible, from a bricked item to a bis item. Note that this scroll can only be used once per item, making it fully bricked if the tempering rerolls are finished once again.

Also, while competing in the Dark Citadel, you can obtain a Weekly Cache that contains exclusive items, such as cosmetics and materials. Remember to claim it each week!

Citadel Coins

A new type of currency, only obtainable in the Dark Citadel, the Citadel Coins are the centerpiece of the raid's loot, offering the player new exclusive items that can be bought from the Citadel Vendor.

How to obtain Citadel Coins?

The Citadel Coins can be obtained from virtually any enemy inside the raid, just like other materials and currencies in the game. They are a non-tradeable type of currency that is stored inside the "Stats and Materials" tab.

What can you spend the Citadel Coins on?

This very sought-after currency can be spent for a plethora of rewards at the Citadel Vendor. The rewards include:

Crafting Cache, Gem Cache, and Gear Cache
Cosmetic items
Various Scrolls
Exclusive Elixirs & Incenses

Most of the items found at the Citadel Vendor can only be obtained inside the Dark Citadel at this NPC, so playing this new endgame content will be a must.

Exclusive Scrolls & Elixirs

You can obtain these exclusive scrolls, elixirs, and incense that will surely help you through the raid by purchasing them from the Dark Citadel vendor. Here we have a list of their names and effects:

Consumable	Effect
Elixir of Aggression	• Increases Damage Reduction by 10%. • After killing 20 enemies, your next Core Skill Taunts Nearby enemies. • Experience gained is increased by 8%.
Elixir of Swift Revival	• Increases Healing by 10% and Revive speed by 25%. • After Reviving a player, gain +10% Move Speed for 5 seconds. • Experience gained is increased by 8%.
Elixir of Tailwind	• Increase Move Speed by +5%. • You leave behind a trail that grants players +5% Move Speed for 5 seconds. • Experience gained is increased by 8%.
Elixir of Sacrifice	• Every 10 seconds, your next Core Skill heals you and Nearby allies for 5% of their max Health. • Restore an additional 5% max Health for each Nearby ally, up to 20%. • Experience gained is increased by 8%.
Incense of Khazra Power	• Increases All Stats by +30 for all nearby players. • After killing an enemy, gain +2 to All Stats for 5 seconds. • Increases Experience by 5%.
Incense of Rushing Wind	• Increases Move Speed by +3% for all nearby players. • For each Nearby player with this buff, gain +5% Move Speed, up to +15%. • Increases Experience by 5%.
Incense of Fortitude	• Increases Damage by +5% for all Nearby players. • For each Nearby dead player, gain +5% Damage, up to +15%. • Increases Experience by 5%.
Incense of Capacity	• Increases Potion Capacity by +3 and Healing by +5% for all Nearby players. • Increases Experience by 5%.
Scroll of Grave Oil	• Use to prevent Durability loss on your next two deaths.
Scroll of Contained Goblins	• Use while in a dungeon to summon a Treasure Goblin from another realm.
Scroll of Forging	• Use to summon an Anvil that can be used by four players to repair their gear.
Scroll of Abundance	• Use to restore 30% Health and drop Health Potions for Nearby teammates.
Scroll of Generosity	• Use to revive up to 3 Nearby players.
Scroll of Restoration	• Use to restore 4 Tempering Charges on an item.

Weekly Rewards

Aside from the normal loot the players will receive from killing the large packs of mobs and elites, completing the wing will reward the player with exclusive items and currencies.

Cosmetics

Two types of cosmetics can be obtained from the Dark Citadel:

Vendor Cosmetics - As the name implies, these cosmetic items can be bought from the Citadel Vendor using Citadel Coins.
Weekly Cache Cosmetics - These cosmetic items can only be obtained from the cache in a specific week, unknowingly if they will ever return to the reward pool.

Knowing this information, be sure to obtain all cosmetics before they disappear, maybe forever.

Best builds for the Dark Citadel raid

Before we showcase the best builds for the new raid added in the Vessel of Hatred expansion called the Dark Citadel, we will provide general opinions about the perfect build for this activity.

To compete in the Dark Citadel raid on the highest difficulty - Tormented 4, the build you use must be incredibly powerful, having an immense amount of single-target damage for the First Khazra boss at the end of each wing, but also great AoE damage for the heaps of enemies that will come from every direction, ready to kill you.

On the flip side, having a lot of life with maxed-out resistances is mandatory. You may also use Tyrael's Might, other unique items, or incense to raise the maximum resistance percentage, helping you mitigate even more damage.

The best builds for the Dark Citadel dungeon raid are:

Lightning Spear Sorcerer - The best build of Season 5 by far, it makes a comeback in Season 6 and will melt any enemy.
Spin2Win Barbarian - Also known as the Whirlwind Twister barbarian, this build has incredible AoE capabilities while dealing great single-target damage. Perfect for clearing the heaps of enemies inside the Dark Citadel.
Dance of Knives Rogue - A very powerful build with many variants, it fits perfectly for easily and quickly slaying the monsters found in the raid while also uncovering the map for the allies with incredible speed.
Lightning Storm Landslide Druid - Another great choice with many variants, the AoE has a crazy range while also dealing incredible damage to quickly staggered bosses.
Blood Wave Necromancer - The best necromancer build for any activity, it deals insane bursts of damage that can melt even the most powerful bosses.
Most Spiritborn Builds - As the Spiritborn is a very overpowered class at the current moment, most of the builds can easily breeze through the Dark Citadel raid.

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Tips & Tricks

As always, we have prepared a series of tips and tricks so you will be completely ready to jump straight into the middle of the fight!

Always be prepared for what's to come. There's no time for relaxing, as the enemies inside can ambush you at all times, or a trap is ready to slay you.
Be sure you have all the elixirs, incenses, and scrolls you may or may not need. Better to be over-prepared than under-prepared. You never know when you will need that Scroll of Generosity that you thought you'd never use.
Have an S or A-tier endgame build. Aside from the build itself, try masterworking and perfecting the item stats before trying one of the most challenging contents in the game.
Have a good team or teammate. Having good synergy with your group is very important since you will have to go on separate paths at times and solve complex puzzles but also slay the boss while understanding its mechanics.

F.A.Q.

1. What is the Dark Citadel in Diablo 4?
The Dark Citadel is the first raid added to the Diablo 4 endgame, bringing a fresh, difficult challenge to the game.

2. What is needed to access the Dark Citadel in D4?
To compete in the Dark Citadel raid, you will only need to meet the prerequisites: level, world tier, and the completion of the introductory quest.

3. What rewards can you obtain from the Dark Citadel in Diablo IV?
The Dark Citadel has incredible rewards never seen before in an endgame activity, such as exclusive weekly cosmetics, vendor cosmetics, and much more!

4. How hard is the Dark Citadel raid?
The Dark Citadel is considered to be the pinnacle of the endgame activities in Diablo 4.

5. Is Dark Citadel only for groups, or can it be played solo?
Only groups of two to four people can participate in the Dark Citadel raid, being completely unavailable for solo players.

6. What is the best build for the Dark Citadel raid?
The best build for this raid is one that can deal incredible AoE damage while being able to kill bosses with great single-target damage, but also have a great amount of Health with maxed-out resistances, so you can stay alive.

Related Guides

Now that you have learned about the new Infernal Hordes game mode, how about you check out our guides about Best Classes, Builds & Currency Farming?

We update our articles with each and every update in the game, so keep an eye out on our guides.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, Diablo 4's endgame systems constantly evolve, with many new content added in the Vessel of Hatred expansion. Using our guide, you'll be ready to face the newest endgame content called the Dark Citadel and easily clear all three wings.

If this looks time-consuming or too hard, why not check our Diablo 4 boosting services and let professional boosters prepare your character for the Dark Citadel raid quickly and efficiently?

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