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Diablo 4 is more accessible than its predecessors thanks to the way it approaches level scaling. There are three things that make the game scale enemies differently in Diablo 4: region, multiplayer, and special events that force enemies to be at a higher level than normal. No matter how high a level players get in Diablo 4, the game will always scale content and enemies to their level.
Some fans have issues with this new system as it inhibits a true feeling of progression – when a player gets stronger, so do enemies, thus some players don't feel like they are getting more powerful. Whether you dislike it or not, this is how level scaling works in Diablo 4, and why it's important to understand to maximize your efficiency.
Level Scaling by Region in Diablo 4
In Diablo 4, regions scale to players in different ways, and late-game zones aren't accessible until a little bit further in. The Fractured Peaks scales from the beginning of the game, Scosglen and the Dry Steppes begin scaling at level 10 and 15 respectively, then Kehjistan and Hawezar begin scaling at Level 35. Sub-zones within each of these zones can have higher level requirements, too, going up to Level 45 for certain areas of Hawezar.
After reaching Level 45, though, every zone in Diablo 4 will scale to players' level. There are also World Tiers that can be unlocked, which introduce a base level for all enemies when enabled. At World Tier 3, all enemies will be at least level 50 to 70, and scale past 70 at World Tier 4.
How Multiplayer Level Scaling Works In Diablo 4
Multiplayer is a heavily emphasized part of Diablo 4 and players are encouraged to form groups when taking on dungeons, world events, and XP farming. It doesn't actually matter all members in a group are the same level, though. Hailed by many fans as a highlight of Diablo 4's cooperative play, enemies will almost always scale down to players' levels individually.
For example, say a Level 20 player joins a group with a Level 60. Both players will see enemies scale to their own level, so the Level 20 player will never be obliterated by a Level 60 dungeon boss, and the Level 60 player won't one-shot Level 20 bosses. Instead, both players take on a version of the enemy with stats appropriate for their characters. This helps a lot with catching friends up without feeling left behind, because rewards also drop individually, and a Level 60 can still find unique Legendaries while farming dungeons with a Level 20 player.
Strongholds, Nightmare Dungeons, and Endgame Events
Throughout the majority of the game after level 45 ish, content will scale 1:1 to players' levels. However, certain unique events will over-level enemies for an additional challenge. Included in this are Strongholds, Helltides, Capstone Dungeons, and Nightmare Dungeons.
Strongholds will always feature enemies two levels above the player's level. Because of this, it's a great idea to save Strongholds until higher World Tiers have been unlocked, as they provide great XP thanks to the buff players get when taking on enemies above their level, and an easy way to get a chunk of Renown.
Helltides are only accessible once players have unlocked World Tier 3, and will always have enemies that are two levels above a player's, just like Strongholds. However, Helltides are repeatable on a bi-hourly basis in new locations.
Capstone Dungeons will always be scaled for Level 50 and 70, for World Tier 3 and 4 respectively. Nightmare Dungeons, on the other hand, will scale based on its own level plus 54. So, a level 20 Nightmare Dungeon on World Tier 3 will feature enemies at level 74. Nightmare Dungeons in World Tier 4 can only be completed at Nightmare Tier 21 or above, which means enemies will always be at least Level 75.
Diablo 4 is available for PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox One and Series X|S