It was during the live devcamp that the developers of Diablo 4 had the opportunity to tell us about the big news to come; and it is with impatience that the community of the aRPG system of
Blizzard (as the developers wish to define it) awaits improvements. So as season 4 is fast approaching, the opportunity is perfect to present the work of the American company.
Plethora of changes for Diablo 4
First of all, it is important to clarify that these changes are linked to the game as a whole and not just for season 4. This information therefore concerns the long-term game and not season themes. Blizzard has to date revealed almost no information on season 4. The new features are therefore divided into three distinct parts, itemization, game and class balance as well as endgame content. These new features can be put to the test during the PTR announced from April 2 to April 9. However, it will only be accessible to PC Battlenet players. In order to have time to work on player feedback, Diablo 4 season 3 is delayed until May 14. Departure date also for season 4.
Itemization
Quality before quantity. This is what the developers want to focus on. Their wish is simple, to ensure that players spend less time calculating in their inventory and more time farming demons. This is why several changes will be made when season 4 goes live on May 14. Here are the ones we find important:
- Reduced the affix pool on items to make them more relevant.
- On a rare item, there will now only be 2 affixes (previously 4) and on legendary items, there will be 3 (previously 4). In endgame, we will mainly focus our attention on the legendaries.
- In Tier 3 you will only see sacred objects fall. In Tier 4, only ancestral ones.
- Legendary drops on level 95+ monsters will necessarily be level 925.
- A new type of object will be able to fall to the ground when killing monsters. These will be legendary and will have the particularity of having two affixes with maximum statistics. (A feeling of déjà vu for Diablo 3 players with the primordial objects).
- A gem overhaul for a simpler system.
- A boost in dropping unique pieces in Tier 1 and Tier 2. All unique pieces can now drop in Tier 3.
- Unique ubers dropped on monsters of level 55 and above will necessarily be level 925.
The Power Codex gets a makeover
In addition to these changes which make life easier for players, the power codex in turn gets an update. Finished the Aspects tab in your inventory, now each legendary recycled at the blacksmith will level up the associated aspect in your codex. For example, if you loot a legendary with the expedited aspect, the attack speed of basic skills is increased by 30% [15 – 30] %. You’re lucky because you just dropped the perfect stat. Simply recycle this item at the blacksmith and the aspect will remain with these stats forever (or throughout the season) in your codex.
Tempering, a new crafting system
The removal of affixes on objects hides a new crafting system, tempering (English name). This is a way to add up to two affixes to your objects. Some of these affixes are ones that have been removed from the pool. Others are new and could completely change a build.
These new affixes are dropping in the form of manuals. These can be obtained in any type of content. They each contain several affixes, but only one will be chosen at random to be applied to your item. You will then have to reroll your object in order to obtain the statistic you want. (Normally you can reroll up to four times with a manual).
Masterworking, the art of improving your best objects
More crafting? We can say it but this one is reserved for Endgame. The developers’ intention is to create a story for each object. From then on, it will be possible to level up your items in order to improve their statistics. Twelve levels in total and a buff to a random stat every four levels. At level twelve, it will then be possible to have buffed your three statistics, or once, three times.
It is by completing The Pits (in English, new endgame content) that you will be able to obtain the components necessary for this new piece of equipment upgrade model. If once level 12 is reached, the boosted statistics are not what you wanted, then it will be possible to start again at level 0 and try your luck again (you will, however, have to return to farm the necessary components).
New Endgame content
The developers have highlighted that XP will be increased in order to reach level 100 more quickly. This means more players will be able to enjoy endgame content more quickly. In addition to Masterworking which is an important addition to the end of the game, another surprise awaits players.
The Pits, the return of the GR?
Although the developers take the time to introduce us to The Pits, the new Endgame content. Players quickly recognize the GR system of Diablo 3. It is a dungeon, built in a completely random manner with a timer to beat, the objective is to decimate enough monsters to increase a gauge and when this reaches 100% , we can go confront the boss. This one drops comps to improve its items at Masterworking. Then it will be possible to increase the difficulty level infinitely in order to obtain better rewards.
To access the Pits, you will have to complete a level 45 nightmare dungeon and complete a secondary quest which will give us a component to access it. For now, no leaderboard like the Diablo 3 GRs but who knows what the future of Diablo 4 has in store for us.
Andariel, a new Uber Boss
Known to the biggest fans among us, Andariel will be a new Uber boss. This will have the same loot table as
Duriel. The components needed to summon it can be found on the Lord Zir and on the Beast in the Ice.
Towards class balancing?
Before starting, we prefer to warn that with the arrival of the PTR, many things are likely to change between now and the release of season 4. This is why we have decided not to mention everything that has been stated during the devcamp on March 20. Nevertheless, here are the important points that we retained:
- A wish to evolve the meta of the game (The tuning of the classes will be modified but may change during the PTR).
- Some classes are reviewed, their design and the way they work.
- The minions are revised, the wish is really to make the servants of the necromancers more viable.
- The Necromancer Book of the Dead has been reworked.
- New unique ones coming soon.
- The statistics of certain aspects will now be linked to the power of your weapon.
What future for Diablo 4?
This devcamp was really interesting and unlike the previous ones, this one was rich in information as well as new features. This news is promising and we really hope to see more and more new features like this arriving in the future.
However, we must not forget that certain wishes of the community have not yet been fulfilled. Some are impatiently awaiting a locker room system like that of Diablo 3 which allows you to have several builds and switch from one to the other with a single click. Especially with the arrival of various endgame content. What about an offline mode? And what is the future of the Gauntlet? Many questions will certainly be answered in the future.