The Pit Is Now Free in Diablo 4 Season 11
Blizzard has officially confirmed a massive quality-of-life update coming in Diablo 4 Season 11: Season of Divine Intervention: The Pit will now be completely free to enter. This is one of the most impactful endgame changes the ARPG has seen since the introduction of Tempering and Masterworking in Season 4, and it's already reshaping how players plan their grind for Glyphs, XP, and top-tier gear.
Below is a full breakdown of everything changing with The Pit in Season 11 and why this update matters more than many players realize.
The Pit Is Now Free To Enter in Diablo 4 Season 11
Since its debut in Season 4, The Pit of Artificers has been the cornerstone of Diablo 4's endgame. The activity combines speedrunning, intense monster density, and a boss fight to deliver players the game's most valuable reward: Glyph XP.
However, the requirement to spend Runeshards limited how often players could farm The Pit, forcing many to alternate between Pit runs and regular dungeon or overworld farming simply to restock their currency. In Season 11, that barrier is completely gone.
As confirmed in Blizzard's Season 11 patch notes:
·Entering The Pit now costs zero Runeshards.
·Players can spam Pit runs back-to-back without resource farming.
This is massive for both casual and hardcore players. Faster access to high-tier Pit farming means:
·Way quicker Paragon Glyph leveling
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·Faster seasonal progression
·More efficient build testing
·Less time wasted on tedious Runeshard farming loops
In short, The Pit is now a pure progression tool instead of a gated activity.
You Can Now Enter The Pit Before Level 60
The second major change coming to The Pit in Season 11 is also a surprising one:
Players can now enter The Pit before hitting level 60.
Previously, The Pit was strictly endgame-only content. You needed a level 60+ character and Tier 1 Torment difficulty unlocked.
Season 11 removes that limitation entirely.
Why This Matters
This will let players:
·Test the strength and speed of leveling builds earlier
·Practice Pit mechanics before hitting the true endgame
·Identify weak points in their build before Torment
·Level Glyphs earlier than ever before
This also means newer players will feel stronger, faster. And for veterans, early-Pit access lets you tighten your build path while gearing up-especially useful if you're optimizing around rare Diablo 4 Items or prepping gear early by deciding to buy Diablo IV Items.
The Pit Now Starts at Tier 10 in Season 11
Another meaningful tweak is that the lowest available Pit tier is now Tier 10.
This used to be locked behind Torment 1 difficulty, meaning you had to fully enter the endgame ecosystem before accessing it. Season 11 shifts Tier 10 to the new starting point.
What Tier 10 Starting Means
·Earlier difficulty scalings
·Slightly more challenging runs from the start
·Faster access to high-tier Glyph XP
·Better loot relative to time spent
This aligns with Blizzard's Season 11 emphasis on speed, efficiency, and faster power progression.
Why Blizzard Likely Made These Pit Changes
Blizzard hasn't given a detailed explanation for the overhaul, but the motivations are fairly clear from the Season 11 design philosophy:
1. Reduce Friction in the Endgame Grind
Removing Runeshards removes downtime and makes your character progression feel smoother.
2. Make Glyph Leveling Faster
Glyph XP is essential to maximizing endgame builds, and long bottlenecks feel punishing.
3. Streamline Seasonal Replayability
The more accessible The Pit is, the more satisfying each new season's grind becomes.
4. Expand Build Testing Opportunities
Letting players enter The Pit earlier means more experimentation, earlier optimization, and more fun.
If these changes wildly impact balance, Blizzard could revert them later-but for now, these updates mark the most player-friendly version of The Pit yet.
What Else Is Coming in Diablo 4 Season 11
The Pit update arrives alongside a huge slate of Season 11 changes. Highlights include:
New Seasonal Mechanics
·Divine Gifts
·Sanctification
These replace Season 10's Chaos Armor and introduce new ways to amplify builds with conditional power boosts.
Major Crafting Updates
Overhauls to Tempering
·Further refinements to Masterworking
These changes should make item progression more intuitive and less punishing for players who don't no-life the game.
Rumored Announcements at The Game Awards
Speculation is swirling that Blizzard may reveal:
·The Paladin class
·Diablo 4's second expansion arriving in 2026
However, none of this is confirmed, so temper expectations until official announcements arrive.
Final Thoughts: Season 11 Makes The Pit Better Than Ever
Removing the Runeshard cost from The Pit is one of the most impactful quality-of-life improvements Diablo 4 has seen all year. Combined with early access before level 60 and the new Tier 10 starting point, The Pit is poised to become a staple activity from early to late game.