Diablo 4 is back, I write into the void for at least the third time since release. But wait! This time, it’s more true than ever. A new PTR went live today (a Public Test Realm, for those who don’t know), which allows players to jump into a live game environment where the developers can gather feedback, test for bugs, and better prepare for the real deal. These changes, coming as part of Season 4, are wide, sweeping, and quite popular.
The core of these changes are big modifications to itemization, which means that items you’ll find in game will be lower in quantity, higher in quality, and much more customizable via a few new crafting systems. If you’re one of the many players who thought Legendary affixes proved underwhelming, or who went cross-eyed trying to sort through heaps and heaps of rare items, this one’s for you. A few quick points:
- All Legendary Aspects can now be found in the Codex of Power. They can be upgraded from level 1 to 16 by dismantling items that include them
- Fewer Affixes will appear on items (two on Rares and three on Legendaries) with the option to Enchant them and add more via the new Tempering mechanic
- You’ll be given less loot overall, but many Affixes have been trimmed, meaning those left are high-quality and impactful
- ‘Enhanced’ Affixes can appear on items, at 150% the highest possible value
So these itemization changes are great, even on their own. Playing “read the Affixes on 20 Rare items” back in town after a single Nightmare Dungeon was, well, a nightmare in itself. But these are far from the only changes coming with what’s being shown in the PTR.
Helltides, for example, received a major overhaul, now with escalating mob density, new events, many more material drops, and increased variety. The Pit, a new endgame activity resembling Diablo 3’s Greater Rifts, tasks you with mowing down enemies in randomized tilesets and rewards the materials needed for the new Masterworking system, which takes your endgame gear to even greater heights. And this is all without mentioning the countless class changes and balancing passes that are occurring as part of the test. Oh! You can also finally zoom the camera out more. How could I forget?
Several of Diablo 4’s more persistent content creators, such as DarthMicrotransaction and Raxxanterax have posted early impressions that are, on the whole, quite positive. Many creators have been critical of Diablo 4, not because they hate the game, but because they want to see it made better. “Out of beta” is a common phrase I’m seeing associated with these changes, and that’s completely excluding whatever Season 4 has in store for us on top of things. I haven’t been this excited about Diablo 4 since before I got my hands on it, and if all this holds true, we may be seeing a nearly unrecognizable game in just a few short weeks.
