How to Unlock Torment 1 in Diablo 4 – Pit Tier 20 Guide

If you’re reaching level 60 and wondering how to unlock Torment 1 in Diablo 4, you’re in the right place. Unlocking Torment 1 is your entrance into full endgame progression—ancestral drops, layer bosses, Glyph XP, mythic gear. And if you need gear or consumables to push through Pit runs, many players use PVPBank to buy Diablo 4 items quickly and safely without steamrolling or grind fatigue.

Here’s how to go from level 60 through The Pit and into Torment 1, step by step.

Level 60 and Beyond: Unlocking Elite and Penitent

Before you can even access Torment difficulties, you need to complete the main campaign and Vessel of Hatred expansion storyline. That unlocks Elite and Penitent modes. Elite opens once the storyline ends, and then Penitent becomes available before Torment. These modes prepare you for higher difficulty scaling and help build Paragon and skill progression.

Step One: Enter The Pit and Reach Tier 20

At level 60, head to The Pit in Ked Bardu—you’ll need Artificer Stones gained from Whisper caches or Nightmare dungeon completions to enter. These stones unlock tiered runs within The Pit itself. To unlock Torment 1, you must clear Pit Tier 20.

Pit Tier 20 is where the game starts scaling dramatically. Don’t overthink it—just have a sturdy build, decent gear and focus on survivability. Once you clear Tier 20, Torment 1 becomes selectable in your difficulty menu or at any difficulty statue like the one in Cerrigar.

Why Torment 1 Matters

Torment 1 is the first Torment tier, and it unlocks access to:

Ancestral items, which outclass everything from prior tiers
Boss summoning materials for layer bosses that drop mythic uniques
Better rewards from The Pit including glyph upgrades and legendary materials
Improved vendor and Purveyor of Curiosities rolls with higher rarity loot

Put simply, you don’t progress your character properly until you’re on Torment 1. Even if it’s challenging at first, it’s worth the early discomfort.

Getting Ready: Preparing for Pit Tier 20

You need a solid base before jumping in. Here’s how I prepared:

Build up a decent Paragon board—at least 50–100 early nodes for defense and resistance
Run some Helltides, Nightmare Dungeons, or Infernal Hordes for gear and Artificer Stones
Craft or purchase decent gear via marketboard—or use PVPBank to buy Diablo 4 items if you’re short on loot
Use whisper caches and sigils to build up your stash of stones and experience
Choose a build that’s tanky or has lifesteal and crowd control

Once you feel solid on defense, push up the Pit progressively: start low, then hit tiers 10, 15, and grind onward to Tier 20.

Step Two: Complete Pit Tier 20 Run

When you’re ready, queue up your Pit run. Tier 20 is the checkpoint—clearing it unlocks Torment 1. Note: even if you're playing on Penitent difficulty, entering Pit Tier 20 applies the Torment 1 penalty (armor and resist reduction) once inside the obelisk gate.

Expect:

Heavily resistant bosses
Enemy debuffs that strip defense
Rampant elite affixes on spawn mobs

But once it’s down, Torment 1 lighting switches on.

Step Three: Switch to Torment 1

After completing Tier 20, open your difficulty menu or approach a statue. Torment 1 will now be selectable. Switching to that difficulty applies the Torment mechanic globally, meaning all zones, dungeons, events, Pit, Helltides, etc. now scale to Torment 1 difficulty.

From here on, gear drops scale better, gold and XP multipliers increase, and your access to layer bosses and mythic uniques begins.

Next Torments: Tier 35 and Beyond

From Reddit and veteran insights:

Torment 2 unlocks after completing Pit Tier 35
Torment 3 unlocks after Tier 50
Torment 4 unlocks after Tier 65

Keep pushing your Pit Tier to unlock each higher difficulty. Each unlock increases loot quality, mythic chances, and tiered challenge. Make sure your Paragon board, gear quality, glyph levels, and resist thresholds evolve accordingly.

Tips for a Smooth Torment 1 Unlock

Stack appropriate resistances—Torment 1 applies –250 armor and –25% all resist
Use scrolls or items like elixirs or glints to boost your defenses pre-run
Keep your build flexible. Switch to defense-heavy nodes if Tier 20 proves too punishing
Join or queue with friends. Shared support buffs or group healing helps a lot
If you struggle with drops or gear, consider using PVPBank to buy Diablo 4 items to fill gaps so you can push Tier 20 faster

Why Unlocking Torment 1 Is Worth It

This difficulty is the true beginning of endgame in Diablo 4. It’s where:

Better legendary (ancient) gear starts dropping
Obol gambling at Purveyor can pull ancestral items
Boss summoning becomes possible, leading to mythic gear
Glyph progression speeds up, fueling your Paragon boards
Layer bosses begin dropping mythic uniques

If your goal is power growth or participating in seasonal ladder races, Torment 1 is your gateway.

When to Hold Back

If Pit Tier 20 feels unkillable, pause and build up:

Run more Helltides or other collapse events to level gear
Farm nightmare dungeons or safe zone Whisper caches
Improve glyph levels to unlock passives that buff resist or healing
Re-evaluate your character’s aspect and skill synergy

You don’t need to force Torment 1 on Day 1 of level 60. Build up gradually and make it manageable.

Final Thoughts: Reaching Torment 1 in Diablo 4

Unlocking Torment 1 is a hallmark moment in Diablo 4's season cycle. It’s the point where the game stops feeling trivial and starts letting you chase ancestral power, mythic uniqueness, and unfair gold returns. Clear Pit Tier 20, switch on Torment 1, and open the door to high-end farming, layer bosses, and legendary climb.

And if you ever feel stuck from gear gaps, remember options like using PVPBank to buy Diablo 4 items can help keep momentum without the frustration of stale RNG or fatigue.

TL;DR – Unlocking Torment 1 Quick Summary

• Finish campaign to unlock Elite and Penitent
• Reach level 60, gather Artificer Stones from caches
• Enter Pit in Ked Bardu, clear Tier 20
• Torment 1 unlocks after Pit Tier 20 completion
• Switch difficulty at loading screen or statue
• Torment 1 ramps up rewards, ancestral drops, mythic access
• Push further Pit tiers to unlock Torment 2 (Tier 35), Torment 3 (50), Torment 4 (65)