Diablo 4: How to get aspects and apply powerful passive abilities

In Diablo 4, aspects are passives that can be added onto your equipment to provide your character with upgraded abilities or extra utility. Currently, there are more a hundred aspects in Diablo 4. Some are class-specific — with passives that only augment, say, your Rogue, Sorcerer, or Barbarian abilities — while others can be used by any class. Aspects are necessary for tackling harder content, as they elevate your build to the next level. Keep reading to find out how to get aspects and how to equip them.

What are Aspects in Diablo 4?

Aspects are essentially what makes your gear unique in Diablo 4. They can be added to your gear to give it a passive that will upgrade an ability, increase your defensive capability, improve your damage output, or provide you with extra mobility. Each aspect can be placed into one of the following categories: defensive, offensive, resource, utility, or mobility. A majority of the aspects are catered to certain classes, but a few of them can be used by any class.

To unlock aspects, you’ll need to either reach level 25 or acquire the Codex of Power, which can be gained by completing a dungeon. Find which aspects you own by opening the “Collections” tab or by pressing “Y” on PC. Selecting the Codex of Power will show you every available aspect in Diablo 4 while highlighting the ones you own.

How do you get more Aspects in Diablo 4?

You can unlock aspects through two methods:

• Completing a dungeon.
• Extracting the aspect from gear.

Completing a dungeon will add the apsect to your Codex of Power. Extracting will add the aspect to your current character’s inventory. Be aware that extracting an aspect from a piece of equipment will destroy that piece of equipment. Make sure you have a replacement for your gear — otherwise, you’ll be left without anything in its place.

Aspects added to your Codex of Power are available to use by every character on that realm, so it doesn’t matter which class you complete a dungeon with because every character you own will have access to the reward.

How to imprint and extract Aspects in Diablo 4

Image: Blizzard Entertainment via Polygon

Travel to the Occultist, indicated by an icon of three linked circles on the map, in any major town. In Kyovashad, the primary city during Diablo 4’s beta, the Occultist is located in the top left section of the town. Interact with the Occultist to open two menus: the aspect menu and your inventory.

Imprinting aspects onto your gear

Image: Blizzard Entertainment via Polygon

1. Select the gear from your inventory that you wish to add an aspect to.
2. Choose an aspect from your Codex of Power or your inventory to use.
3. Press the “Imprint Aspect” button at the bottom of the menu to receive your new piece of equipment.

It will cost veiled crystals, salvaged from rare weapons and armor, and gold to imprint an aspect.

Extracting aspects from your gear

Image: Blizzard Entertainment via Polygon

1. Select the second tab on the left hand menu.
2. Choose the legendary item from your inventory with the aspect that you wish to extract.
3. Preview the new item to ensure you’re receiving the desired aspect.
4. Click the “Extract Aspect” button at the bottom of the menu.

Extracting an aspect from an item will destroy it in the process, so make sure you have a replacement item ready before extracting. Unlike imprinting, it will only cost gold to extract an aspect.