The main focus of the new features, as promised D2R ladder items, consisted of Loot 2. 0. Although the loot game in the original release had overloaded players with a lot of junk loot after patch, post-patch players saw themselves getting significantly less loot, and what they did find was much higher quality.

Loot could have additional bonuses and unique properties, and the properties would be tailored to a player's individual build. Legendary items could provide skill modifiers or other game-changing properties more frequently.

With a firmer foundation, Reaper of Souls was ready to reintroduce lapsed players and also entice new players who had skipped the initial experience, and expand players' base by bringing console players in to the game for the very first time. The expansion was not only built on a vastly improved player experience, but it also added more features to an already awe-inspiring game. It included a new defensive class, the Crusader and a fifth story Act.

A new Adventure mode offered the game unprecedented longevity, providing an option for players to continue to complete missions and bounties indefinitely without simply repeating campaign content. This was crucial since Diablo was, in contrast to its predecessors.

Allowed players to freely alter your character, leaving little reason to make alternate characters of the same class buy d2r items. The cap on the level of your character was increased from 60 to 70. The game gave players an additional chances to improve their character for challenges at the end of the game.