Your choice of inscription on the Holy Cedar Tablet can shape how others see your path through Sanctuary – but what should you carve into this sacred wood, and does it truly matter to your fate in Diablo 4?
Does your choice matter? Which one should you choose? Let’s talk about it in this Diablo 4 guide.
Completing the ‘Rite of Passage’ quest
To complete the “Rite of Passage” quest, interact with the Holy Cedar Tablet found in the chapel at Nevesk. You’ll be asked to inscribe a word that represents your character’s spirit. The choice you make-such as “Faith,” “Valor,” or “Annihilation”-does not affect gameplay or rewards, but it sets the tone for your character’s journey. After making your inscription, speak with the priest to finalize the ritual and proceed with the main storyline.
During this quest, Lorath plays the role of grumpy old man and grumbles enough that he gets through without atoning. You, on the other hand, will need to at least pretend to show penitence in order to progress the story.
Follow the quest marker over to the box by the fire and interact with it. The game will give you a prompt to select one of the following options:
- Inscribe “Fear” into the wood
- Inscribe “Anger” into the wood
- Inscribe “Pride” into the wood
- Inscribe “Greed” into the wood
- Inscribe nothing but scribbles into the wood
If you want to keep playing Diablo 4, you must select one of these options and burn your sin (or your nothing).
Does the inscription on the Holy Cedar Tablet matter in Diablo 4?
The inscription you choose for the Holy Cedar Tablet in Diablo 4 has no impact on gameplay, character progression, or story outcomes. It’s a symbolic choice tied to the game’s thematic focus on faith and reflection rather than a mechanical decision. Players can inscribe any phrase or name they prefer, as the act itself serves as a role-playing moment that personalizes their connection to the world and its lore.
Your Holy Cedar Tablet choice doesn’t matter – as far as we’ve been able to tell – and is just some flavor to show the zealous nature of the Cathedral of Light. It’s always possible Blizzard could do something with the choice later (since everyone has to do it at some point) but it’s unlikely as you can skip the campaign on subsequent playthroughs, and therefore the Holy Cedar Tablet ceremony.
Choose whichever option you’d like. Maybe choose the sin you identify with most, or roleplay the one that your character suffers from. Or give a big middle finger to the Cathedral of Light and scribble nothing. The choice is yours and it’s meaningless to everyone but you. This is a rare moment in life – a consequence free decision – so savor it. Or don’t!
Which inscription gives unique dialogue or loot later in the story
No Holy Cedar Tablet inscription in Diablo 4 provides unique dialogue or loot later in the story. All five options (Fear, Anger, Pride, Greed, or scribbles) yield identical rewards-300 Gold and 880 XP-and advance the Rite of Passage quest the same way.
Only Flavor Dialogue
Lorath later guesses your choice correctly in a brief conversation, regardless of selection (e.g., he recognizes scribbles as “nothing”). This adds minor roleplay flavor but has no impact on progression, companions, or future events.
Confirmed Across Sources
Guides from 2023-2024, including updates post-Season 5, verify no long-term consequences exist. You can even experiment with extra tablets nearby without changing outcomes.
Which inscriptions unlock companion-specific scenes later
No Holy Cedar Tablet inscription in Diablo 4 unlocks companion-specific scenes later. All choices-Fear, Anger, Pride, Greed, or scribbles-lead to the same outcomes, with no impact on companions, story branches, or scenes.
Lorath Dialogue Only
The sole later effect remains Lorath’s brief, accurate guess of your inscription during dialogue, adding minor flavor without companion involvement or unique scenes.
No Loot or Progression Changes
Sources confirm identical rewards (300 Gold, 880 XP) and progression across all options, even through Season 5 updates. Extra tablets allow experimentation, but nothing unlocks for companions.
