Season 11 introduces a substantial shakeup to Diablo 4, featuring the return of capstone dungeons. These dungeons present a fixed difficulty setting that must be overcome to unlock specific features. Previously, capstone dungeons were required to progress to higher world tiers. Now, they have returned as fixed monster level challenges, even after the removal of monster levels with the Vessel of Hatred launch. This provides a unique scenario where monster levels are set independently of player level, specifically for these dungeons.

Unlike before, there are now five capstone dungeons instead of two. While the later dungeons are more optional, they offer permanent upgrades for the season. The seasonal journey, now called Season Rank, incorporates these dungeons as chapter objectives. The first five chapters each require completion of a capstone dungeon, rewarding specific bonuses such as skill points.

The leveling journey now feels more interesting and streamlined. Skill points are unlocked by completing objectives, such as running Undercity, participating in Helltide, or finishing a capstone dungeon. This approach makes progression more dynamic, as players acquire skill points and other rewards naturally as they advance through the season.

Once a capstone dungeon is completed, it is unlocked for alternative characters, enabling faster leveling for alts. Capstone dungeons serve as a way to track build progress and compare performance under fixed difficulty settings.

The second capstone dungeon, set at level 50 and Penitent difficulty, now unlocks access to the Pit before reaching level 60. Players with strong builds or twinked characters can proceed directly to the Pit, expediting the leveling journey. The Pit offers a set level 60 challenge with high experience returns, ideal for rapid progression of alternate characters.

The later capstone dungeons provide additional objectives and grant paragon points, encouraging continued engagement with seasonal content.

Capstone dungeons should not be underestimated. The recommended levels are accurate, as entering underleveled can result in inadequate damage and defense. Even with offensive aspects, early entry can lead to being defeated quickly. For example, entering the second capstone dungeon at level 46 (against level 50 monsters) was challenging, and entering even earlier increased the difficulty substantially.

These dungeons are designed to be a realistic test of character strength, providing a benchmark for both new and experienced players.

The second capstone dungeon features returning bosses such as Elias and the Curator, but with new objectives, monsters, and adjusted layouts. Three new capstone dungeons have been added for torment difficulties, each visible on the map with golden dungeon door icons. These dungeons can be accessed directly via teleportation, similar to night dungeons.

Each dungeon includes a mix of mandatory and bonus objectives. While bonus objectives such as destroying piles of supplies may yield loot, the primary goal is to complete the dungeon. New mechanics and layouts, like solo citadel runs and swirling damage buffs from Season 10 chaos enemies, add variety and fun throughout the experience.

Capstone dungeons can take between 10 to 15 minutes to complete, with some offering shortcuts for speedrunners. The last two capstones are shorter and can be rushed directly to the boss. Earlier capstones include additional steps, such as facing mini-bosses or unlocking doors. The rewards for later capstones primarily consist of paragon points, while the earlier dungeons grant skill points and Pit unlocks, making them more worthwhile to complete early.

Toughness is now recognized as a key pseudo-stat, combining maximum life and damage reduction. The required toughness increases with each capstone dungeon. Elemental resistances can be optimized for specific boss fights, such as focusing on cold resistance for the first capstone, fire or shadow for the second, and lightning for the fourth.

The jump in required toughness between capstones can be double or quadruple each time, demanding careful preparation.

The return of capstone dungeons enriches the leveling journey and extends meaningful progression past level 60. With rewards such as season rank unlocks, paragon points, and skill points, the system adds depth to each playthrough. There is potential for even higher difficulty capstones in the future, possibly with unique rewards.

Capstone dungeons also exceed the base difficulty of their respective torment settings, providing a greater challenge. The system supports both competitive speedrunning and casual progression, allowing players to attempt capstones when they feel ready.