Skovos is the new region at the center of Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred, and it stands as the largest area added to the game since launch. Spread across seven distinct islands in the Twin Seas, the archipelago moves from volcanic coastlines in the west to dense jungle forests in the east, with sunken ruins and marble-pillared cities filling the middle ground.
1. How to Access Skovos
Skovos
The Skovos region is exclusive to the Lord of Hatred expansion and requires a separate purchase. The region does not open through the base game or Vessel of Hatred progression alone. Players who own the expansion reach the Skovos Isles by advancing through the opening chapter of the new campaign.
To enter Skovos for the first time, complete these steps:
- Purchase and install the Lord of Hatred expansion.
- Load an existing character or create a new one, then select the Lord of Hatred campaign via the Change Campaign State option.
- Progress through the opening questline until Hatred’s Wake becomes the active main quest.
- Complete Hatred’s Wake to trigger the sea voyage to the Skovos Isles.
- Fight through coastal enemies during the Crown of the Twin Seas quest to reach the capital city of Temis.
Finishing Vessel of Hatred before starting Lord of Hatred is strongly recommended. The Lord of Hatred story is a direct continuation of Vessel of Hatred and delivers the conclusion to the full Mephisto storyline arc. The campaign’s key moments carry significantly more weight with that prior context in place.
2. All Skovos Zones
The Skovos Isles
Skovos covers seven explorable territories: Temis, Philios, Lycander, Skartara, Celestia, Atonos, and Athulua. Each island has a distinct biome and its own set of available activities. Most areas remain locked until specific campaign milestones are reached, and the map opens gradually as the main story advances.
- West (Skartara): Volcanic terrain, black lava flows, obsidian ruins, and smoking vents.
- East (Lycander, Philios): Storm-lashed jungles and dense forested coastlines.
- Center (Atonos, Athulua, Celestia): Sunken ruins, half-flooded temples, and waterlogged expanses.
2.1. Temis
Temis
The city of Temis is the main hub city of the expansion, home to the Amazon Queen Adreona and her court. The city is built in a Greek-inspired architectural style, with marble colonnades, tiered plazas, and oversized statues. Skovos society is matriarchal and structured around two distinct castes:
- The Amazons: The warrior caste, fighters of exceptional skill rooted in the Askari martial tradition.
- The Oracles: Mystic guardians charged with protecting the Sightless Eye relic, an artifact of tremendous power now threatened by Mephisto’s corruption.
Both the Oracle and the Amazon Queen are central NPCs throughout the campaign. On the activity side, Temis contains one dungeon, Aegoye, located at the bottom right of the hub near the road leading toward Athulua. Post-campaign, Temis expands into the expansion’s primary endgame hub.
2.2. Philios
Philios
Philios is one of the first zones visited in Skovos after completing the Lord of Hatred campaign introduction. The area sits in the coastal eastern portion of the archipelago and introduces several of the region’s core enemy types, including Tide Flesh Harvesters along the shoreline.
It also hosts the NPC Shi Yugong on a nearby dock, who initiates the fishing mechanic quest. Philios at a glance:
- Dungeon: Seer’s Reach (follow the road north from Temis)
- Chronicles of Creation: 5
- Notes: Most Chronicles are found naturally along the main quest route, making Philios one of the easier islands to complete for Renown.
2.3. Lycander
Lycander
Lycander is one of the largest zones in Skovos, covering a broad stretch of storm-lashed jungle on the eastern side of the archipelago. The main campaign routes players through the full length of the island at least once, making both dungeons easy to encounter without backtracking.
- Dungeons: Dark Refuge (south), Tormented Forest (center, follow the road west)
- Chronicles of Creation: 5
- Notes: Dense forested terrain with a distinct visual contrast to the volcanic western islands. Enemy types lean toward forest creatures and corrupted Askari.
2.4. Athulua
Athulua
Athulua sits at the center of the archipelago and functions as a transitional island between the forested east and the hostile interior zones. The island contains no dungeons, but contributes to Renown through side quests and world events.
- Dungeons: None
- Chronicles of Creation: 3
- Notes: Fewer Chronicles than any other island in the chain. Do not expect full Chronicle coverage here.
2.5. Atanos
Atanos
Atanos represents the campaign’s push into the more hostile central zones of the archipelago. The island leans into the sunken ruin aesthetic, with half-flooded temples and waterlogged architecture defining its visual identity.
- Dungeons: The Hinterland (Athulua border edge), Submerged Ruins (northwest)
- Chronicles of Creation: 5
- Notes: Both dungeons are encountered naturally during the middle campaign chapters. Completing Renown activities here while in the zone saves significant backtracking later.
2.6. Celestia
Celestia
Celestia sits on the late portion of the campaign path and acts as a transitional zone before the final push toward Skartara. The island shares Temis’s marble ruin aesthetic but shows far more visible signs of corruption and environmental decay as the story progresses.
- Dungeons: None
- Chronicles of Creation: 5
- Notes: Side quests and world events remain available as Renown contributors. Do not bypass the island entirely during the campaign.
2.7. Skartara
Sktartara
Skartara is the volcanic western island and the location of the campaign’s final major push. The terrain here is the most visually distinct in the region, and it is the only island where lava pools function as active fishing locations.
- Dungeon: Scorched Tunnels (east of the Skartara Waypoint)
- Chronicles of Creation: 5
- Fishing: Lava pools across Skartara are the highest-value fishing locations in the region
- Notes: One of the three story-locked Strongholds is located here, culminating in the fight against Griggstosh, the Fathomless One.
3. Temis as the Endgame Hub
Once the Lord of Hatred campaign is complete, Temis becomes a fully realized endgame hub that houses every major post-campaign system in one place. Multiple activities and services are accessible exclusively through Temis, making it the practical home base for all endgame progression.
Services and activities available in Temis post-campaign:
- War Plans command table: Endgame activity playlist system
- Sightless Eye (northeast): Entry point for the Echoing Hatred challenge
- Artificer’s Obelisk: Direct access to The Tower and The Pit
- War Chest: Reward collection point after completing a War Plan
- Stash: Full item storage
- Blacksmith, Occultist, and standard vendors: All artisan services
3.1. War Plans
War Plans Command Table
The War Plans are the major endgame overhaul introduced with Lord of Hatred. After finishing the campaign, players access the command table in Temis to build a structured sequence of activities rather than manually free-roaming between systems.
War Plans can include activities across:
- Nightmare Dungeons
- Whispers of the Dead
- Helltide
- Infernal Hordes
- The Pit
- The Undercity
- Lair Bosses
Each activity inside a War Plan has its own skill tree and progression system that modifies the run, from summoning bosses mid-dungeon to selecting preferred loot types.
Whisper progress also carries over into selected War Plan activities, allowing reward farming to overlap with the planned endgame loop. Setting up a War Plan consistently outperforms free-form endgame farming in rewards per hour.
3.2. Echoing Hatred
Echoing Hatred
Echoing Hatred is an optional, pinnacle-tier endgame challenge that sits above the Pit in difficulty. It is triggered exclusively by finding a Trace of Echoes item, which drops from any source in the game at an extremely low rate.
Larger loot sources, such as Lair Bosses, have a higher chance of dropping one, but it should be treated as a passive bonus rather than an actively farmable resource.
To enter the Echoing Hatred, do the following steps:
- Acquire a Trace of Echoes item from any source.
- Travel to Temis and locate the Sightless Eye to the northeast of the city.
- Interact with the Sightless Eye to be teleported into your character’s mindscape.
- Fight waves of enemies across the arena until overwhelmed.
- Use the run’s result to benchmark current build damage, defenses, and sustain.
Echoing Hatred is tuned for fully optimized builds and is not designed for early post-campaign play. Complete at least one full War Plan cycle, address resistance, and build gaps before attempting it.
4. All Dungeons in Skovos
Seer’s Reach Dungeon
Skovos contains a total of 10 dungeons spread across the campaign zones. Several are locked behind campaign progression and only open as the story advances. Each dungeon contributes to Renown and feeds into endgame systems, including Pit runs and seasonal ladder progression.
Once a dungeon is found, it stays permanently marked on the map. The fastest way to re-access any dungeon later is through its nearest Waypoint. Most dungeons sit on or near the main campaign path, so the majority are encountered naturally without intentional exploration detours.
- Temis: Aegoye (bottom right of hub, near the Athulua road)
- Philios: Seer’s Reach (north of Temis, near the fishing quest dock)
- Lycander: Dark Refuge (south), Tormented Forest (center)
- Atonos: The Hinterland (Athulua border edge), Submerged Ruins (northwest)
- Skartara: Scorched Tunnels (east of the Skartara Waypoint)
- Athulua: No dungeons
- Celestia: No dungeons
Dungeon bosses across Skovos emphasize mobility and environmental hazards. Flooding arenas and destructible siege equipment appear across multiple encounters. Temper manuals and ancestral blue items drop inside Skovos dungeons.
With the Horadric Cube active in Lord of Hatred, lower-rarity dungeon loot is worth picking up throughout the campaign.
5. Strongholds in Skovos
Saltwind Stronghold
Skovos contains three Strongholds, all story-locked. None are accessible until specific campaign milestones are cleared.
Each one follows the standard Stronghold loop: clear the area, defeat the boss, and convert the location into a functional settlement. Once cleansed, each Stronghold becomes a permanent outpost with the following services:
- Blacksmith
- Stash
- Standard vendors
The most notable Stronghold boss in Skovos is Griggstosh, the Fathomless One, a large kraken-type creature located in Skartara. The encounter takes place in an aquatic arena and features:
- Tentacle mechanics that restrict movement across the arena
- Tidal wave attacks during phase transitions
- Multiple phases tied to Griggstosh’s health thresholds
Clearing all three Strongholds is a Season 13 challenge objective and a prerequisite for full Skovos Renown completion. In terms of leveling efficiency, Strongholds do not match Helltides for raw experience gain, but each one must be completed at least once for full map progression.
6. Renown and Chronicles of Creation
Chronicles of Creation
Skovos uses the same Renown system found across all Diablo IV regions. Reaching Renown thresholds in Skovos rewards gold, increased XP, and bonus Skill Points. The Skill Points in particular compound over the course of a season, making the Renown track worth completing during the campaign.
6.1. Renown Activities in Skovos
All Skovos Renown activities become available as the campaign progresses through Chapter 1. The most efficient approach is to complete dungeons and Strongholds while already in the zone for main quests. Backtracking across the archipelago after the campaign ends wastes significant travel time.
Renown-contributing activities and their totals:
- Waypoints: 6 (unlocked gradually through campaign progress)
- Dungeons: 10
- Strongholds: 3
- Side Quests: Variable
- Chronicles of Creation: 30
6.2. Chronicles of Creation
The Chronicles of Creation are the Skovos equivalent of Altars of Lilith from the base game. They are a reliable source of fast Renown and unlock bonus Skill Points and Paragon Points through the reward track.
Unlike Altars, Chronicles require a short puzzle to activate. To trigger a Chronicle of Creation:
- Locate a Weathered Shrine in the open world.
- Find a nearby statue of Lilith and statue of Inarius in the surrounding area.
- Rotate each statue to face the Weathered Shrine.
- The Chronicle activates when both statues are correctly aligned.
There are 30 Chronicles of Creation across the Skovos Isles. Distribution by island:
- Philios: 5
- Lycander: 5
- Athulua: 3
- Atonos: 5
- Celestia: 5
- Skartara: 5
Athulua is the only island with fewer than five, so full completion across the other five islands is required to reach the total 30.
7. Fishing in Skovos
Fishing
The Fishing mechanic is Diablo IV’s first non-combat activity, introduced alongside Skovos in Lord of Hatred. Players can cast a line into bodies of water and lava across Sanctuary and the Skovos Isles.
The mechanic has its own loot table, a fish collection system, and a progression path tied to titles, cosmetics, and player trading.
7.1. How to Unlock Fishing
To start fishing in Skovos, the related fishing quest triggers automatically during Chapter 1 of the Lord of Hatred campaign, at around level 13.
- Progress through Chapter 1 of the Lord of Hatred campaign until the fishing quest appears in the priority quest list.
- Travel to NPC Shi Yugong, located on a dock in the Philios area of Skovos, near Seer’s Reach.
- Interact with Shi Yugong to receive a fishing rod.
- Cast the line into the body of water next to the dock.
- Open the inventory, navigate to the Consumables tab, and right-click the caught fish to register it to the collection.
Completing the fishing quest also unlocks the Proficient Title Prefix.
7.2. How to Fish
Any body of water anywhere in Sanctuary or Skovos is a valid fishing location. Rivers, lakes, shallow streams, coastal shores, and lava pools in Skartara all function as fishing spots.
- Open the action wheel (default key: E on PC).
- Select Cast Fishing Line from the wheel.
- Wait for the splashing sound effect or the blue fish icon to appear above the character.
- Press any skill hotkey to reel in when the signal triggers.
- Pick up the loot that drops at the character’s feet.
After approximately 40 to 50 seconds, the bite icon appears. Missing the timing window displays a “Fish got away” message. Timing the reel-in precisely rewards a bonus item alongside the standard catch. During the fishing animation, nearby enemies are unable to connect their attacks.
7.3. Fishing Rewards and Loot
Fishing Challenges
Loot quality varies by fishing spot. Lava pools in Skartara are the highest-value fishing locations in the region, with a chance at Legendary and Unique items. Standard water produces materials and fish for trading.
- Standard water: Fish, crafting materials, gold
- Lava pools (Skartara): Legendary items, Unique items, high-tier crafting components
- Cosmetics: Cosmetic rods and rare mounts or pets from higher-tier catches
- Title reward: The Fisherman Suffix title is earned by catching a fish in all seven Diablo IV regions, including Skovos
Fish caught anywhere in Sanctuary can be traded with other players or handed to Fisher NPCs for gold, gems, and Horadric Cube crafting materials.
8. Enemies Found in Skovos
Paladin gameplay
Skovos introduces new enemy families built around its island setting, Askari culture, and Mephisto’s corruption. Enemy types shift noticeably between zones.
Coastal creatures dominate the early islands, while hatred-warped cultists and corruption-themed monsters increase in density as the campaign advances deeper into the archipelago.
The primary enemies encountered during the Crown of the Twin Seas quest, the first open-world stretch of Skovos, are:
- Merfolk: Aquatic humanoid enemies with melee and ranged attacks.
- Water Aberrations: Mutated sea creatures tied to the flooded coastal terrain.
- Hand of Akarat cultists: Human cultists operating throughout the early zones.
- Tide Flesh Harvesters: Crab-like creatures found along all coastal areas.
Additional enemy types encountered deeper into the region:
- Tiderunners: Faster, lighter coastal variants of Tide Flesh Harvesters.
- Rat Kings: Return from Diablo II, summoning packs of smaller rats during combat.
- Hell Flyers: Appear in corrupted inland zones as Mephisto’s influence spreads.
- Bow Maidens: Ranged enemies found in fortified areas and Stronghold zones.
- Ballistae: Destructible environmental siege weapons that function as combat hazards in certain encounters.
Resistance to cold, fire, and shadow damage is the most important defensive priority in Skovos. These three damage types appear consistently from the first coastal zone to the final volcanic island, driven by the mix of aquatic, cultist, and corruption-themed enemies throughout the region.
9. Skovos Exploration Tips
Skovos rewards players who take time to explore between main quests. Several systems, including Renown, Chronicles of Creation, and the fishing unlock, run parallel to the main story and are most efficiently completed while already in the correct zones.
- Activate Waypoints immediately. Skovos has six story-gated Waypoints that unlock as the campaign advances. Every Waypoint activated during a main quest saves travel time later when endgame activities spread across the full archipelago.
- Clear dungeons while in the zone. Each sub-region has distinct enemy types and unique dungeon encounters. Clearing them during the campaign pass-through is significantly faster than returning to complete missed dungeons after the credits roll.
- Equip the Talisman the moment it drops. The Talisman is received during the Last of the Horadrim quest. Even a basic Seal and Charm combination provides noticeable stat improvements that compound throughout the rest of the campaign.
- Fish in Skartara lava pools for the best drops. Standard water fishing produces crafting materials and tradeable fish. Skartara lava pools are the only fishing spots with a realistic chance at Legendary and Unique item drops.
- Build Renown before transitioning to endgame. Bonus Skill Points from the Skovos Renown track affect build power throughout the season. Completing the track during the campaign avoids backtracking and leaves the endgame loop uninterrupted.
- Save Echoing Hatred for a completed build. A Trace of Echoes drop is rare. The content is tuned for optimized builds, and attempting it with under-prepared gear wastes the item. Complete the first War Plan cycle first.
- Track Chronicles of Creation as each island opens. With 30 spread across seven islands, these are easy to miss. Note any Weathered Shrines and nearby statues during first-time zone exploration rather than hunting for them after the fact.
