Diablo IV Season 1 is now live, and many new features are being introduced in this update. The Season of Malignant will also introduce changes to all existing classes, including nerfs. Some players found these rebalancing disappointing as they failed to address core issues since launch. What should we expect from classes this season?
Why is Blizzard Nerfing Classes?
Several key factors drove the decision to nerf classes in Diablo IV Season 1, all aimed at improving game balance and fostering a diverse and engaging gameplay experience. Here's why the developers implemented these changes:
- Balancing the Game - The primary goal was to ensure that all classes were equally viable and that no single class dominated the others. By adjusting the strength of specific jobs through nerfs, the developers aimed to create a level playing field where players could choose their favorite class without feeling disadvantaged.
- Preventing Power Creep - Power creep, where new content becomes significantly more powerful than existing content, can disrupt game balance and progression. By applying nerfs, the developers aimed to maintain a consistent power level across different ranges, ensuring that older content remains relevant and challenging even as new updates are introduced.
- Encouraging Build Diversity - The nerfs targeted overpowered builds, enabling players to explore various options. With these adjustments, players are prompted to be more creative and strategic in their approach, finding new and inventive ways to succeed in the game.
All Diablo IV Balancing Changes
Every class in Diablo IV Season 1 is getting some changes during this period. Various buffs and nerfs are coming, but some people are not happy with these changes due to their irrelevance to current issues. Here are the changes for each Diablo 1 Class:
Barbarian Nerfs and Changes in Diablo IV Season 1
The Barbarian was one of the most vigorous classes in the game, with high damage output and survivability. However, they were also one of the more difficult classes to play, as they required careful positioning and timing to avoid taking damage. The upcoming changes aim to increase the survivability of this class while also vamping some of his burst damage.
Skills
- Violent Double Swing - Vulnerable duration increased from 1 to 2 seconds.
- Furious Upheaval - Damage bonus per stack increased from 3% to 5%.
- Power Charge - Cooldown reduction capped to 3 targets, maximum 9 seconds of Cooldown reduction.
- Tactical Ground Stomp - Fury gain increased from 25 to 40.
- Enhanced Death Blow - Damage bonus to Bosses increased from 100% to 150%.
- Enhanced Steel Grasp - Vulnerable duration increased from 2.5 to 3 seconds.
- Enhanced Rupture - Damage increased from 30% to 45%.
- Warrior's Rupture - Attack Speed bonus increased from 20% to 30%. Duration increased from 4 to 5 seconds.
- Fighter's Rupture - Healing increased from 15% to 18% Maximum Life.
Passives
- Hamstring - Now only Slows Healthy enemies. The slow amount increased from 10/20/30% to 20/40/60%.
- Cut to the Bone - Bleeding damage bonus to Vulnerable reduced from 6/12/18% to 5/10/15%.
Paragon
- Wrath Glyph - Bonus now affects all damage instead of just Core Skills.
Aspects
- Relentless Berserker's Aspect - Berserking duration increased from 1 to 2 seconds.
- Battle-Mad Aspect - Berserking duration increased from 1-2.5 to 2-3.5 seconds.
- Brawler's Aspect - Damage increased from 1-1.3 to 1.5-1.8.
- Aspect of Burning Rage - Damage increased from 0.08-0.14 to 0.22-0.28.
- Aspect of the Iron Warrior - Damage Reduction increased from 15-25% to 18-28%.
- Slaking Aspect - Lucky Hit Chance increased from 30-50% to 40-60%.
- Aspect of Ancestral Echoes - Lucky Hit Chance increased from 40-50% to 50-60%.
- Weapon Master's Aspect - Lucky Hit Chance increased from 32-50% to 37%-55%.
Items
- Gohr's Devastating Grips - Now explodes every 2 seconds or after it ends, hit cap removed.
- Fields of Crimson - Bleeding damage bonus increased from 10% to 15%.
Rogue Nerfs and Changes in Diablo IV Season 1
The Rogue was a fast-paced class with a focus on single-target damage. They were very mobile and agile, but they were also quite squishy. While most of the changes to the Rogue have improved their overall damage, some nerfs were still introduced for this season.
Skills
- Advanced Rapid Fire - Duration increased from 3 to 5 seconds.
- Caltrops - Cast speed increased by 15%.
- Enhanced Cold Imbue - Lucky Hit Chance increased from 30% to 40%.
- Enhanced Smoke Grenade - Damage bonus increased from 15% to 20%.
- Methodical Dash - Maximum Cooldown increased from 3 to 4 seconds.
- Concealment - Stealth duration increased from 4 to 5 seconds.
- Enhanced Dark Shroud - The chance of not being consumed increased from 10% to 14%.
- Supreme Death Trap - Cooldown increased from 10 to 12 seconds.
Passives
- Victimize - Lucky Hit Chance increased from 30% to 35%.
- Siphoning Strikes - Now also requires a Lucky Hit chance of 75%.
- Rugged - Damage Reduction against Damage over Time effects increased from 5/10/15 to 6/12/18.
- Mending Obscurity - Healing per second while Stealthed increased from 3/6/9% to 4/8/12%.
- Aftermath - Energy restored increased from 25/50/75 to 30/60/90.
Paragon
- Combat Glyph - Bonus now affects all damage instead of just Core Skills.
- Eldritch Bounty Legendary Node - Duration increased from 6 to 9 seconds.
Specialization
- Preparation's Ultimate Cooldown increased from 4 to 5 seconds.
Legendary Aspects
- Aspect of Volatile Shadows - Damage increased from 0.1075-0.193 to 0.2-0.27.
- Icy Alchemist's Aspect - Chill increased from 15% to 25%.
- Shadowslicer Aspect - Damage increased from 25-35% to 80-100%.
- Toxic Alchemist's Aspect - Damage increased from 0.080-0.13 to 0.11-0.16.
- Vengeful Aspect - Lucky Hit Chance increased from 30-50% to 40-60%.
- Aspect of Imitated Imbuements - Duration increased from 5 to 9 seconds.
- Aspect of Stolen Vigor - Healing increased from 0.02-0.06 to 0.04-0.08.
- Aspect of Lethal Dusk Life of Kill - Duration increased from 4 to 6 seconds.
- Aspect of Noxious Ice - Bonus damage increased from 10-25% to 14-29%.
- Aspect of Elusive Menace - Dodge chance increased from 1-5% to 3-7%.
Items
- Skyhunter's Energy gain increased from 15-25 to 20-30.
- Grasp of Shadow - Lucky Hit Chance increased from 20-30% to 24-34%.
Sorcerer Nerfs and Changes in Diablo IV Season 1
The Sorcerer was a powerful ranged class with a focus on elemental damage. They were less mobile than some of the other classes but had a very high damage output. This class will get some buffs to some of their burst damage, but they will still get some Nerf, which negatively affects their overall DPS.
Skills
- Enhanced Charged Bolts - Damage increased from 24% to 30%, benefits from Skill Ranks.
- Destructive Charged Bolts - Damage Reduction increased from 20% to 25%.
- Destructive Incinerate - Damage Reduction increased from 20% to 25%.
- Ice Blades - Cast clean-up tightened, allowing faster player actions after its cast.
- Firebolt - Initial damage increased from 10% to 18%.
- Wizard’s Firewall - Maximum increased Mana Regeneration increased from 25% to 35%.
- Wizard’s Blizzard - Core Skill Mana cost reduction increased from 10% to 20%.
- Supreme Deep Freeze - Cooldown increased from 50% to 100%.
Passives
- Elemental Dominance - Now affects Mastery Skills instead of just Core Skills.
- Potent Warding - Duration increased from 3 to 9 seconds.
- Protection Barrier - Duration increased from 2 to 3 seconds.
- Align the Elements - Damage Reduction per second increased from 1/2/3 to 3/6/9.
- Mana Shield - Damage Reduction increased from 5/10/15% to 7/14/21%.
- Devouring Blaze - Bonus Critical Strike damage reduced from 10/20/30% to 7/14/21%.
- Devouring Blaze - Bonus Critical Strike damage to Immobilized reduced from 25/50/75% to 10/20/30%.
- Fiery Surge - Mana Regeneration increased from 10/20/30% to 15/30/45%.
Paragon
- Destruction Glyph - Now affects all damage instead of just Core Skills.
Enchantments
- Spark Enchantment - The chance to form Crackling Energy increased from 10% to 14%.
- Frozen Orb Enchantment - The chance to be cast increased from 20% to 30%.
- Incinerate Enchantment - Cooldown reduced from 18 to 14 seconds.
- Hydra Enchantment - Mana threshold reduced from 300 to 200.
Legendary Aspects
- Aspect of Efficiency - Mana cost reduction increased from 10-20% to 15-25%, now affecting Mastery Skills.
- Aspect of Armageddon - Damage increased from 0.205-0.25 to 0.35-0.4.
- Aspect of Shattered Stars - Damage increased from 0.15-0.2 to 0.2-0.25.
- Serpentine Aspect - Hydra duration reduction reduced from 30-20% to 20-10%.
- Glacial Aspect - Ice Spikes bonus damage to Frozen reduced from 25% to 15%, damage increased from 0.2-0.3 to 0.25-0.35.
- Aspect of the Frozen Tundra - Ice Spikes damage increased from 0.25-0.35 to 0.3-0.4.
- Aspect of the Frozen Wake - Ice Spikes damage increased from 0.2-0.3 to 0.25-0.35, Chill increased from 10% to 15%.
- Aspect of Biting Cold - Chance to apply Vulnerable to Frozen enemies increased from 25-35% to 30-40%.
- Encased Aspect - Life and Mana restore per second increased from 10-20% to 20-30%.
- Stable Aspect - The chance for a free cast increased from 5-10% to 7-12%.
- Aspect of Splintering Energy - The chance to spawn an additional Lightning Spear increased from 11-20% to 41-50%.
- Aspect of the Unbroken Tether - Chance for additional Chain Lightning chains increased from 25-35% to 30-40%.
Items
- Gloves of the Illuminator - Fireball damage reduction reduced from 65-75% to 55%-65%.
- Esu’s Heirloom - Critical Strike Chance from Movespeed increased from 15-25% to 20-30%.
- Esadora’s Overflowing Cameo - The chance to release a lightning nova increased from 10% to 15%.
Necromancer Nerfs and Changes in Diablo IV Season 1
The Necromancer was a powerful class focusing on summoning and crowd control. They were less mobile than some other jobs but were very effective at dealing with damage and keeping enemies at bay. Necros will see an increase in their sustainability and crowd control, but they will also be hit with several nerfs.
Skills
- Initiate's Decompose - Slow increased from 30% to 50%.
- Paranormal Sever - Casts required for Vulnerable reduced from 4 to 3.
- Enhanced Blood Surge - Healing increased from 2.5% to 3% of Maximum Life.
- Enhanced Blood Lance - Damage reduction for piercing reduced from 15% to 10%.
- Bone Prison - Initial Essence gained increased from 15 to 25.
- Abhorrent Iron Maiden - Healing increased from 5% to 7% of Maximum Life.
- Golems - Move faster and unhindered through enemies when their Cooldown is activated.
- Supreme Blood Wave - Leaves behind Blood Orbs earlier in its path.
- Raise Skeleton, Corpse Explosion, and Corpse Tendrils - Range for auto-targeting Corpses on the mouse and keyboard increased by 50%.
- Raise Skeleton Skeletal Priest - Bonus damage increased from 20% to 30%, and healing increased from 10% to 15%.
Passives
- Evulsion - Bonus damage to Vulnerable reduced from 6/12/18% to 5/10/15%.
- Transfusion - Minion healing increased from 15/30/45% to 20/40/60%.
- Drain Vitality - Lucky Hit Chance increased from 25% to 30%.
- Amplify - Damage increased from 3/6/9% to 4/8/12%.
Book of the Dead
- Necromancer's minions will automatically re-summon after respawning during a World Boss fight.
- Skeleton Warrior Defenders Upgrade - Thorns inherited increased from 40% to 50%.
- Shadow Skeleton Mage Upgrade - Attacks required for an additional shadow bolt are reduced from 5 to 4.
- Bone Skeleton Mage Upgrade - Fortify increased from 11% to 20%.
- Iron Golems Upgrade - Attacks required for Slam attack decreased from 5 to 4.
Paragon
- Essence Glyph - Bonus now affects all damage instead of just Core Skills.
Aspects
- Splintering Aspect - Bone Shard damage bonus reduced from 50-100% to 30-60%.
- Aspect of Plunging Darkness - Bonus damage increased from 50-100% to 75-125%.
- Coldbringer's Aspect - Blizzard cooldown reduced from 10 to 8 seconds.
- Aspect of Hungry Blood - The chance to fire a Blood Lance increased from 10-20% to 13-23%.
- Blood-soaked Aspect - Damage increased from 0.15-0.2 to 0.24-0.31.
- Aspect of Ultimate Shadow - Damage increased from 0.16-0.22 to 0.43-0.48.
- Aspect of Grasping Veins - Critical Strike Damage bonus reduced from 30-60% to 20-40%.
- Osseous Gale Aspect - Bonus Bone Storm duration increased from 4-8 to 5-10 seconds.
- Aspect of the Damned - Damage bonus increased from 30-40% to 40-50%.
- Blood-bathed Aspect - Echo damage reduction reduced from 70-60% to 60-50%.
- Aspect of Reanimation Skeletons - Damage bonus increased from 20-30% to 30-40%.
Items
- Bloodless Scream - Essence gained increased from 2-5 to 7-10.
- Deathless Visage - Damage increased from 0.25-0.35 to 0.28-0.38.
Druid Nerfs and Changes in Diablo IV Season 1
The Druid was a versatile class with a variety of build options. They were not as strong as the Barbarians but were more forgiving to play. The Druids have been in a slump for a while, and these changes might not bring them out of the bottom tier.
Skills
- Enhanced Claw - Attack Speed bonus increased from 10% to 15%.
- Stormstrike - Damage Reduction reduced from 25% to 15%.
- Boulder - Damage increased from 33% to 46%.
- Savage Trample - Spirit gain increased from 20 to 40.
- Prime Lacerate - Healing increased from 3% to 5%.
- Cataclysm - Lightning damage increased from 64% to 77%, Tornado damage from 19% to 23%.
- Supreme Cataclysm - Vulnerable duration increased from 2 to 3 seconds.
- Prime Cataclysm - Duration increased from 2 to 4 seconds.
- Prime Grizzly Rage - Now grants Unstoppable for 6 seconds instead of while active.
Passives
- Provocation - The threshold required for guaranteed Overpower was reduced from 35/30/25 to 24/20/16 seconds.
- Spirit Boon -
- Masochistic - Now also requires a Lucky Hit chance of 75%.
- Prickleskin - Thorns increased from 0.1 to 0.15.
- Iron Feather - Maximum Life increased from 10% to 14%.
- Bolster Fortify - Increased from 10% to 15% of Maximum Life.
- Overload - Damage increased from 0.2 to 0.25.
Paragon
- Spirit Glyph - Bonus now affects all damage instead of just Core Skills.
Aspects
- Aspect of the Calm Breeze - Lucky Hit chance increased from 5-10% to 7-12%.
- Balanced Aspect - Maximum Spirit increased from 30-50 to 60-80.
- Aspect of the Tempest - Damage bonus increased from 7-15% to 10-18%.
- Skinwalker's Aspect - Healing increased from 0.05-0.1 to 0.07-0.12.
- Symbiotic Aspect - Cooldown reduced from 4-8 to 3-5.
- Aspect of the Stampede - Damage bonus increased from 10-20 to 16-26%.
- Shepherd's Aspect - Damage bonus increased from 6-8% to 6-10%.
Items
- Insatiable Fury - Werebear Skill Ranks increased from 2 to 3.
- Mad Wolf's Glee - Werewolf Skill Ranks increased from 2 to 3.
These are all the current changes being implemented after the recent update. There may be additional tweaks later, especially since many players are unhappy with the current version. Gamers will have to wait for future announcements from devs regarding any upcoming changes.
