Diablo IV has eight levels of difficulty, but the highest four are locked when you begin the game. If you are jumping into Diablo because of Vessel Of Hatred, and wondering how youâres supposed to access this higher tier, here is how you unlock Torment difficulty, where the endgame begins.
What Is Diablo 4âs Torment Difficulty?

While every difficulty level below Torment increases the power of enemies and the experience gained from defeating them, Torment adds unique aspects not found at simpler tiers.
Starting in Torment 1, Ancestral items (even more powerful than Legendary items) can be obtained. New activities and items become available, and the drop rate of Legendary, Unique, and Mythic Unique items is increased. All these elements increase as you push the difficulty further to Torment 2, 3, and 4. Torment 4 is the highest difficulty currently available for the open world.

Starting at Torment 1, your Armor and Resistances are reduced. This also increases in the run up to Torment 4, which reduce your Armor and Resistances all the way down to 0. Given how difficult it can be to stay alive even in lower difficulties, this difficulty level is meant for those who want to demonstrate their mastery of Diablo IVâs systems, mechanics and their character class.
Difficulty levels can be changed before starting the game, and while you are in-game, by visiting the statues found in Cerrigar (Scosglen), Kyovashad (Fractured Peaks), Kurast Bazaar (Nahantu), and others.
How Do I Unlock Torment Difficulty?

The highest difficulty available before unlocking these Torment levels is âPenitent.â If that isnât enough for you, youâll need to do the following to unlock Torment 1 difficulty:
Reach Level 60
Travel to Cerrigar (Scosglen) and complete The Pit of the Artificer (Tier 20)

The Pit of the Artificer is a repeatable, timed dungeon located in Cerrigar (Scosglen). Youâll find the Artificerâs Obelisk (Portal Activator) just northwest of the Cerrigar Waypoint.
If Penitent is legitimately too easy for you, you can certainly cut to the chase and do Tier 20 as your first run. If youâd prefer to start at easier tiers, youâll still gain rewards that will help you push your power further, and youâll be able to tackle Tier 20 in no time.

The three Artificerâs Stones youâll need to activate The Pit of the Artificer can be obtained by completing the following activities, so youâll need to gather them first:
Opening Tortured Gifts in Helltide
Cache Rewards from The Tree of Whispers
Legion Event
World Boss
Nightmare Dungeons
Infernal Hordes
Undercity of Kurast
Now that you have all the information you need to unlock Torment difficulty, get out there and get those Ancestral items. Happy hunting!