Diablo 4's Season of Blood is is going to bring us an array of game-changing updates. The developers shared some information during their 'Campfire Chat' on some important changes affecting character builds for the upcoming season. We can anticipate modifications in our character defense mechanics, adjustments in our Unique items and skill sets, and a revamped strategy for equipment farming and leveling.
Resist the Blood!
In the Season of Blood, resistance is going to play a more crucial role. Gear-based resistances will now be additive. So, when you stack up a 20% Poison Resistance with another 20%, it would simply add up to a total of 40% (capping at a total of 70%) - this system is much more straightforward as compared to the previously confusing '20% + 20% = 36%' thing we were faced with. While the math behind the former system completely eludes me (they said it was reverse multiplicative, whatever that means) the new additive system is a lot more approachable and understandable to me. After all, we're playing an action RPG game, and not doing math homework, amirite?
Physical damage will also solely rely on armor, while elemental damages will rely on resistance. I find this system to be better as it makes our defense-building process more intuitive and streamlined.
The developers envision building resistances as a puzzle of sorts where players can work with their Equipment, Paragon, and Elixirs to achieve the highest resistance they need to survive Diablo 4's end game. I think this overhaul will finally allow us to use our Elemental Resist Elixirs more often, and experience actually resisting elemental damages in higher tier Nightmare Dungeons.
Overhauled Uniques
Uniques are also receiving a comprehensive revamp. Their stats and affixes have been tweaked to better complement our respective class builds. The general idea is that Uniques are going to feel a lot stronger and more useful to our builds.
Brand New Uniques
And there are also a bunch of new Uniques coming to us in the Season of Blood.
Tassets of the Dawning Sky (Generic Unique Pants): When you take damage from a Non-Physical damage type, you gain +6-10% Maximum Resistance to that damage type for 6 seconds. This effect can only apply to one damage type at a time.
Tuskhelm of Joritz the Mighty (Barbarian Unique Helm): When you gain Berserking while already Berserk, you have a 40-60% chance to become more enraged granting 15% (multiplicative damage) [x] increased damage, 2 Fury per second, and 10% Cooldown Reduction.
Dolmen Stone (Druid Unique Amulet): Casting Boulder while Hurricane is active will cause your boulders to rotate around you.
Scoundrel's Leathers (Rogue Unique Chest): While you have unlimited Energy from Inner Sight, your Core Skills have a 60-80% chance to spawn Caltrops, Poison Trap, or Death Trap.
Blood Moon Breeches (Necromancer Unique Pants): Your Minions have a 3-7% chance to curse enemies. Enemies affected by at least 1 of your curses take 70% [x] (multiplicative damage) increased Overpower damage from you.
Blue Rose (Sorcerer Unique Ring): Lucky Hit: Damaging an enemy has up to a 30% chance of forming an exploding Ice Spike, dealing 0.25-0.35 Cold damage. Triple this chance if the enemy is Frozen.
Godslayer Crown (Generic Unique Helm): When you Stun, Freeze, or Immobilize an Elite enemy, or damage a Boss, it pulls in nearby enemies. You deal 30-60% [x] increased damage to them for 3 seconds. This effect can only occur once every 12 seconds.
Flickerstep (Generic Unique Boots): Each enemy you Evade through reduces your active Ultimate Cooldown by 2-4 seconds, up to 10 seconds.
Tibault's Will (Generic Unique Pants): You deal 20-40% [x] increased damage while Unstoppable and for 4 seconds after. When you become Unstoppable, gain 50 of your Primary Resource.
X'Fal's Corroded Signet (Generic Unique Ring): Lucky Hit: Your damage over time effects have up to a 50% chance to erupt, dealing 5.0-6.0 damage of the same type to Nearby enemies.
Soulbrand (Unique Generic Chest): Your Healing Potion no longer Heals instantly, instead it grants a Barrier for 200% of the healing for 4 seconds. While you have a Barrier, you gain 10-20% Damage Reduction.
Banished Lord's Talisman (Unique Generic Amulet): After you spend 300 of your Primary Resource, your next Core Skill is guaranteed to Overpower. Your Critical Strikes that Overpower deal 80-120% [x] increased damage.
Boss Hunting this Bloody Season
While Uniques can spawn anywhere in the game, we can now hunt bosses that will have a higher possibility to drop specific Uniques.
It seems to be that Duriel is the favourite sibling here as he seems to be the only boss here that has a higher Uber Unique drop. I think that most players are going to want to look at the normal Uniques that drop from Duriel and build for that, since we might get an Uber Unique as well.
New Paragon Glyphs for Everyone!
Every class will experience modifications via their paragon board and their Legendary Aspects. Plus, two new Paragon Glyphs for each class, which will directly influence Legendary Effects.
Barbarian
Twister
For every 5 Strength purchased within range, your Dust Devils deal 13.2-39.6% [+] increased damage.
Additional Bonus: You deal 13% [x] increased damage for 4 seconds after creating a Dust Devil.
Rumble
For every 5 Strength purchased within range, your Earthquakes deal 13.2-39.6% [+] increased damage.
Additional Bonus: You deal 10% [x] increased damage to Crowd Controlled enemies and Bosses for each active Earthquake.
Druid
Electrocution
For every 5 Willpower purchased within range, your Lightning Bolts and Dancing Bolts deal 13.2-39.6% [+] increased damage.
Additional Bonus: Enemies damaged by your Lightning Bolts or Dancing Bolts take 20%[x] increased damage from you for 5 seconds.
Tectonic
For every 5 Dexterity purchased within range, your Earth Skills gains 3.0-14.9%[+] Critical Strike Damage.
Additional Bonus: You gain 15% [+] Lucky Hit Chance.
Necromancer
Exhumation
For every 5 Intelligence purchased within range, your Corpse skills deal 3.3-13.9%[+] increased damage.
Additional Bonus: Consuming a Corpse Fortifies you for 4% of your Maximum Life and grants 4% Damage Reduction for 4 seconds.
Desecration
For every 5 Willpower purchased within range, your Desecrated Ground deals 19.8-59.4% [+] increased damage.
Additional Bonus: While standing in your Desecrated Ground, you deal 15%[x] increased Shadow Damage.
Rogue
Explosive
For every 5 Dexterity purchased within range, your Stun Grenades deal 13.2-39.6% [+] increased damage.
Additional Bonus: Dropping a Stun Grenade grants you 10% Damage Reduction for 2 seconds.
Nightstalker
For every 5 Intelligence purchased within range, your deal 2.0-9.9% [+] increased Shadow damage.
Additional Bonus: Entering Stealth reduces the active cooldown of Shadow Imbuement by 4 seconds.
Sorcerer
Stalagmite
For every 5 Intelligence purchased within range, your Ice Spikes deal 2.0-9.9% [+] increased damage.
Additional Bonus: Your Ice Spikes gain 10% [+] Critical Strike Chance.
Invocation
For every 5 Dexterity purchased within range, your Conjuration Skills gain 7.9-27.7% [+] Critical Strike Damage.
Additional Bonus: Enemies damaged by your Conjuration Skills deal 1% reduced damage to you for 6 seconds, stacking up to 12%.
Getting Ready to hunt some Vampires
During their Campfire Chat, the developers said they want to balance things by making some things stronger and some things weaker while still focusing more on making things stronger to keep the classes exciting and fun.
The three damage altering attributes that we have will also be adjusted. Critical Damage, Vulnerable, and Overpower will undergo recalibrations to ensure equality. Overpower, in particular, is going to be better, so I expect our builds like the Blood Necromancers to be more viable in high level Nightmare Dungeons now.
From what I am seeing, the forthcoming Season of Blood holds immense promise. Personally, the prospect of boss farming in Diablo 4's new season has me quite excited and I can't wait to start a new character in Season Of Blood. Let's hope we actually stumble upon some Uber Uniques this time around.
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