The Dark Citadel is a new cooperative dungeon in the Vessel of Hatred expansion. Players have a chance to team up and face the threat of the First Khazra together. Deep in the heart of Nahantu, this ominous crater was born from the aftermath of the Mage Wars. The First Khazra now exploit the powers within this Citadel to conduct dark experiments.
How to Unlock the Dark Citadel
To access the Dark Citadel, players must first reach the endgame at Level 60. After reaching max level (60), you will receive a quest to talk to Priestess Cualli in Kurast city. This quest only needs to be done once per account, allowing all your characters to access the Citadel once completed.
You will be able to access the Dark Citadel from the Rise of Khazra waypoint in the middle of Nahantu.
While the Dark Citadel can be tackled with a minimum of 2 players, it is strongly recommended to gather a party of 4 before starting this activity, as the difficulty level does not scale in function of the number of players in the dungeon. Many mechanics within the Citadel will test the coordination and teamwork of all four players.
To find a group, use the Party Finder feature, which connects you with other players looking to do the Citadel together.
The Dark Citadel Mechanics
The mechanics of the Dark Citadel are based on cooperation and strategic planning. You will encounter intense combat and unique challenges that require precise timing and coordination with your party members. Each player holds responsibility for their actions and their timing.
The Citadel consists of 3 individual wings, each presenting its own set of challenges and two boss encounters.
- Labrinth of Souls
- Enclave of Strife
- Dominion of Zagraal
Players must work together and prepare for the battle against the final boss. Each wing can be tackled as a group and will serve as an introduction to the game mechanics of the bosses. If necessary, you can take breaks to return to Town in order to adjust or change your builds.
After completing each wing of the Citadel, you will receive a reward. This keeps the loot consistent throughout the dungeon and provides an incentive to push through the various challenges of each wing.
Throughout the Dark Citadel, you will notice a Treasury Bar that can be filled by killing Elite enemies. These elites appear as skull icons on your minimap. By clearing them out, you increase the bar’s progress, which determines your reward tier. Prioritize elites to make sure you are getting the best loot at the end of the run.
Always keep an eye on the objectives panel located on the right side of your screen. It will guide you through the Citadel, providing key objectives that must be completed to progress. This can involve defeating specific enemies, solving puzzles, or activating platforms and items. Here are some mechanics to look for:
- Soul Siphons: Stand in Soul Siphon circles and kill enemies to charge them; fully charged siphons may be a way to advance further in the wing.
- Interactable Items: Use pressure plates, and glowing objects scattered throughout the dungeon to unlock doors and progress.
- Gateways: Charge Gateways by collecting surrounding realm shard before using them to teleport. Some may transport part of or the entire group.
- Debuff Cleansing: Enter bubbles to cleanse dangerous debuffs. Follow the souls trail to the next bubble and avoid lethal effects, as the debuff can kill you if left unchecked.
- Boss Aggro Lines: Watch for visible lines showing which player has aggro. That player should kite the boss to avoid taking heavy damage.
- Critical Boss Mechanics: Pay attention to boss mechanics, as failing to follow them can be fatal. For instance, with Faeroch, the Incinerator, you must activate a protective bubble before his deadly 3-wave attack to survive.
- Impending Doom: If a boss’s Impending Doom meter fills up, the boss will enrage, ending the battle.
Therefore, we advise you to organize good communication with your party members and use the new Marker System to indicate your next moves.
Dark Citadel Rewards
Upon completing the Dark Citadel for the first time each week, you will receive a Weekly Rewards Cache, which contains exclusive items to this game mode. In addition, players can earn Citadel Coins by running through the dungeon.
Some of the rewards include rare incenses, elixirs, and scrolls, such as the Scroll of Restoration, which allows you to restore all Tempering charges on an item. The items listed below can be extremely valuable and useful for your next Dark Citadel run, as you can combine their effects.
This table will be updated to include all rewards once Vessel of Hatred is released.
| Reward Type | Reward | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Incense | Incense of Khazra Power | For the next 20 minutes: – 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 | Incense of Fortitude | For the next 20 minutes: – Increases Damage by 5% for all Nearby players. – For each Nearby dead player, gain 5% Damage up to 15%. – Increases Experience by 5%. |
| Elixir | Elixir of Swift Revival | For the next 30 minutes: – Increases Healing by 15% and Revive speed by 25%. – After Reviving a player, gain +10% Movement Speed for 5 seconds. – Experience gained is increased by 8%. |
| Elixir | Elixir of Sacrifice | For the next 30 minutes: – Every 10 seconds, your next Core Skill heals you and Nearby allies for 10% of their max Health. – Restore an additional 5% max Health for each Nearby ally, up to 25%. – Experience gained is increased by 8%. |
| Scroll | Scroll of Generosity | Use to revive up to 3 Nearby players. |
| Scroll | Scroll of Restoration | Use to restore all Tempering Charges on an item. |
| Scroll | Scroll of Abundance | Use to restore 30% Health and drop Health Potions for Nearby players. |
In the Dark Citadel, you can also loot the Khazra Horn material, which you will need to transmute Boss Summoning items at the Alchemist.
Dark Citadel Cosmetics
The vendor available within the Dark Citadel, also allows you to purchase custom cosmetics, and a mount unique to this game mode. The designs of the bosses within the Citadel have inspired new class armor sets, giving you a chance to obtain their distinctive armor. However, these cosmetics are only available when completing the Dark Citadel on Torment 4 difficulty.
This new cooperative dungeon provides a chance to explore additional multiplayer activities within Sanctuary. Not only does the Dark Citadel feature some interesting lore and well-thought-out gameplay, but the dungeon will also reward you with unique items and cosmetics. All in all, a worthwhile challenge!
