Stay up-to-date with all the latest news, updates, and rumors surrounding Ashes of Creation right here on our dedicated news section.

Ashes of Creation

Barbarian

Druid

Necromancer

Rogue

Sorcerer

Spiritborn


<p>Blizzard have found an issue with NVIDIA Graphics cards and recommend players upgrade to the latest drivers to resolve them as they work on a fix. </p>



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            <a class="source-link" target="_blank" href="https://us.forums.blizzard.com/en/d4/t/nvidia-driver-crashes/216963"><span class="white">(</span> Source URL <span class="white">)</span> </a>
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        <p>We’ve identified an issue that’s been causing Crashes for players using NVIDIA Graphics cards. While we work on a fix, we recommend anyone with NVIDIA graphics hardware update to driver version 572.60 or later. Thanks for your patience.</p>
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NVIDIA Card Crashes Due to Drivers and Workaround


<p>It seems players on the PlayStation 4 have been having performance issues. Blizzard have found the reason and fixed it, but are now waiting on verification from the platform to deploy the patch. It should be coming tomorrow or on Monday. </p>



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            <a class="source-link" target="_blank" href="https://us.forums.blizzard.com/en/d4/t/performance-issues-on-ps4/217058"><span class="white">(</span> Source URL <span class="white">)</span> </a>
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<p>Hello all &#8211;</p>
<p>We have been monitoring the issues that players have been experiencing particularly with PS4 users. We have a patch currently submitted over for verification and are awaiting approval on this.</p>
<p>We anticipate this to happen either tomorrow or at the very latest on Monday. We apologize for the extra performance issues players are experiencing with this and will provide an update once we hear back.</p>
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PlayStation 4 Performance Issue Patch Coming Soon


<p>There&#8217;s a lot of great stuff coming with season 8, and we have a preview for some of the new items arriving. Blizzard revealed one Unique and one legendary Aspect for each class, with some Vampiric Curse action, massive Poison Trap benefits, and more.</p>



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        <h2>Barbarian</h2>
<p><strong>Bane of Ahjed-Den (Unique Gloves)</strong>:</p>
<p>Affixes</p>
<p>+4-6 Ranks of Mighty Throw<br />
+114-150% Critical Strike Damage<br />
+7-10 Fury Per Second<br />
+8-12.5% Cooldown Reduction</p>
<p>Unique Power</p>
<p>Every 12 seconds, your next Mighty Throw detonates its pulses instantly as Fire Damage and deals 400-600% increased damage.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Aspect of Delayed Extinction (Offensive Aspect)</strong>: Mighty Throw and Steel Grasp now gain multiplicative damage instead of cooldown from Cooldown Reduction and their damage is increased by another 125-250%[x].</p>
<h2>
Druid</h2>
<p><strong>Gathlen’s Birthright (Unique Helm)</strong>:</p>
<p>Affixes</p>
<p>Inherent: Anima of the Forest Grants 15% Attack Speed<br />
+10.5-15% Willpower<br />
+224-296 Armor<br />
+2-3 Ranks of Humanity<br />
+17.5-23% Movement Speed While in Human Form</p>
<p>Unique Power</p>
<p>While in Human form, Critical Striking enemies with Nature Magic 400-200 times grants you Anima of the Forest for 10 seconds.<br />
While infused with Anima of the Forest you gain the Perfect Storm and Earthen Might Key Passives.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Aspect of Impending Deluge (Offensive Aspect)</strong>: Storm Strike’s damage is increased by 50%[x] and increases the damage the target takes from your other Skills by 20-40%[x] for 6 seconds.</p>
<h2>
Necromancer</h2>
<p><strong>Sanquivor, Blade of Zir (Unique Two-Hand Sword)</strong>:</p>
<p>Affixes</p>
<p>Inherent: +60% Skeleton Mage and Golem Damage<br />
+32-50% Chance for Army of the Dead to Deal Double Damage<br />
+160-188 Intelligence<br />
+1,060-1,142 Maximum Life<br />
+2 Ranks of Skeleton Warrior Mastery, Skeleton Mage Mastery, and Golem Mastery</p>
<p>Unique Power</p>
<p>Your Summons’ damage afflict enemies with Vampiric Curse. Consuming a Corpse also contributes a soul to Vampiric Curse, which can now stack up to 20 souls.<br />
Army of the Dead can now unleash the souls from Vampiric Curse, causing both Army of the Dead and the souls to deal 5-10% increased damage per soul unleashed.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Aspect of Service and Sacrifice (Offensive Aspect)</strong>: Skeleton Warriors explode on death, dealing (100-200%) Physical damage to surrounding enemies. They lose 25% Health per second while in combat. Skeleton Mages take 90% reduced damage and deal 50-100%[x] increased damage.</p>
<h2>
Rogue</h2>
<p><strong>Band of Ichorous Rose (Unique Gloves)</strong>:</p>
<p>Affixes</p>
<p>Inherent: +4 Maximum Poison Traps<br />
+10.5-15% Attack Speed<br />
+3-5% Maximum Poison Resistance<br />
+41.5-55% Poison Resistance<br />
18.5-27.5% Chance for Poison Trap to Cast Twice</p>
<p>Unique Power</p>
<p>Poison Trap always deals its full damage over 3 seconds and it benefits from all its upgrades, which are increased by 50-100%[x]. Poison Trap also:<br />
Benefits from Combo Points<br />
Has no Cooldown during Inner Sight<br />
Cooldown is reduced by Preparation</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Aspect of Contamination (Offensive Aspect)</strong>: Poison Trap bursts for 150-250% Poison damage when it triggers. If this burst Critically Strikes, you deal 20-40%[x] increased Poison damage for 5 seconds.</p>
<h2>
Sorcerer</h2>
<p><strong>Hail of Verglas (Unique Helm)</strong>:</p>
<p>Affixes</p>
<p>Inherent 1: 7.5% Maximum Cold Resist<br />
Inherent 2: 50% Cold Resistance<br />
+10.5-15% Intelligence<br />
13-17.5% Maximum Life<br />
+10.5-15% Attack Speed<br />
+4-6 Ranks in Ice Shards</p>
<p>Unique Power</p>
<p>Ice Shards now spreads out with 2 additional shards. You deal 1-1.5%[x] increased damage for each time Ice Shards damages an enemy for 5 seconds, up to 50-75%[x].</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Shivering Aspect (Offensive Aspect)</strong>: Enemies take up to 25-40%[x] increased damage based on how much they are Chilled or Staggering. You apply 15% more Chill.</p>
<h2>
Spiritborn</h2>
<p><strong>Sunbird’s Gorget (Unique Amulet)</strong>:</p>
<p>Affixes</p>
<p>Inherent: +30% Resistance to All Elements<br />
+16-25% Movement Speed<br />
+2-3 Ranks of Potent<br />
+2-3 Ranks of Furnace<br />
+2-3 Ranks of Acceleration</p>
<p>Unique Power</p>
<p>Picking up a Storm Feather forms a firestorm around you for 8 seconds dealing 150-300% Fire damage every 0.5 seconds.<br />
Every 5 additional Storm Feathers you pick up intensifies the firestorm, increasing its damage by 100%[x] but not refreshing its duration. The firestorm is considered to be an Eagle, Jaguar, and Storm Feather Skill.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Rip and Tear Aspect (Offensive Aspect</strong>): Rushing Claw deals 10-30%[x] increased damage and is empowered based on how many Charges it has when you Cast it:</p>
<p>1: Heals for 15% of your Maximum Life<br />
2: Guaranteed to Overpower<br />
3: Guaranteed to Critically Strike<br />
4+: Strikes an additional time</p>
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All Revealed Season 8 Legendary and Unique Items


<p>One of the major announcements in today&#8217;s Season 8 PTR Campfire Chat was that Blizzard are changing how summoning materials work for endgame bosses! Let&#8217;s take a look at the new system. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Summoning Materials as Lair Keys</h2>



<p>First off, you can now freely summon all endgame bosses. When defeated, they will drop a much smaller amount of loot and a locked chest with the majority of the rewards inside. To open that chest you&#8217;ll need a key, and that key is one of the current summoning materials. So, you fight Grigoire, he drops a Hoard chest similar to the Helltide ones, and you need Living Steel to open it. </p>



<p>Another big difference is that <strong>each player in the party</strong> will need to pay to open their chest individually. So everyone has to use their own keys every run to get loot. However, there is a larger chance at an extra Unique the more players are in a party. </p>



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<p>Those are the basics, and here is the full info:</p>



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        <h2>Lair Boss Rework</h2>
<ul>
<li>Bosses formerly known as Endgame or Ladder Bosses have been broken out into 3 tiers: Initiate, Greater, and Exalted Lair Bosses to convey their varying difficulty and rewards.
<ul>
<li>Initiate Lair Bosses: Beast in the Ice, Grigoire, Lord Zir, Varshan, and Urivar (available for Vessel of Hatred owners only).</li>
<li>Greater Lair Bosses: Andariel, Duriel, and Harbringer of Hatred (available for Vessel of Hatred owners only).</li>
<li>Exalted Lair Bosses: Belial, Lord of Lies.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>You must be on Torment Difficulty I or higher to fight any Lair Boss.</li>
<li>Lair Boss Loot
<ul>
<li>Lair Bosses no longer require boss materials to summon and provide a vastly reduced reward upon death. Instead, when a Lair boss dies, a chest called a Hoard will spawn containing its loot. Each player must individually spend boss materials to open their Hoard.</li>
<li>The first Unique item dropped by a Lair Boss will be from their unique pool. Further Unique Items will have a 50% chance to be from the general Unique pool.</li>
<li>When playing in a party, Lair Bosses have a 33% chance per additional party member to drop an extra Unique Item from their unique pool.</li>
<li>Lair Bosses now drop 5 Unique Items in Torment IV, instead of 6.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Lair Boss Keys
<ul>
<li>Each boss requires a Lair Boss Key to unlock their Hoard. This is one specific item for each boss, such as: Malignant Heart (Varshan), Living Steel (Grigorie), Distilled Fear (Beast in the Ice), Exquisite Blood (Lord Zir), Judicator’s Mask (Urivar), Shard of Agony (Duriel), Pin-Cushioned Doll (Andariel), Hatred Hearts (Harbringer of Hatred, Betrayer’s Husk (Belial, Lord of Lies).</li>
<li>All Initiate Lair Bosses have the chance to drop a Stygian Stone, which can be converted into any Greater Lair Boss Key of your choice.</li>
<li>Lair Boss Keys can stack up to 99.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li>Locating Boss Lairs&#8211;the home of Lair Bosses.
<ul>
<li>Boss Lairs have a unique map icon to help distinguish them.</li>
<li>Once discovered, you can now teleport directly to a Boss Lair.</li>
<li>Each Boss Lair description on the map lists the required Hoard Key and if you currently own a sufficient amount.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<blockquote><p><strong>Developer’s Note: </strong><em>We’ve received feedback that players would jump into a party, have a member of their party pay the material cost to summon a boss, kill the boss to earn the rewards, then leave the party. This behavior felt unfair to players who were paying the material cost to summon the boss, so now each player must pay the material cost to reap a boss’ rewards from their Hoard. Additionally, we received feedback that it felt unfair to pay the material cost to summon a boss to test your build against, only to die and not receive any rewards. Now, you can fight any Lair Boss on Torment Difficulty I and higher to determine if you have what it takes to best the boss before sinking materials into them.</em></p></blockquote>
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Endgame Bosses Are Free To Summon but Require Lair Keys for Loot: Big Changes Coming to Diablo 4 in Season 8

Diablo 4 Season 8 Official Preview: Belial Returns, Boss Powers, Endgame Boss Rework, and Much More


<p>The latest Diablo 4 Campfire Chat is dedicated to the Patch 2.2.0 PTR and we&#8217;re live-blogging the highlights!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Highlights</h2>



<p><strong>Mid-Season Patches</strong></p>



<ul>
<li>Blizzard no longer plans on doing mid-season balance updates. Instead, the developers will react to egregious things that pop up early in the season.</li>



<li>They will also be buffing seasonal powers that miss the mark.</li>
</ul>



<p><strong>Pace of the Game</strong></p>



<ul>
<li>The progression in Season 7 is a lot faster than expected. They felt like the 15-17 hours to reach max level was ideal in Season 6.</li>
</ul>



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<ul>
<li>In Season 7, they missed the mark by quite a lot. It took 9 hours on average to reach level 60. Changes will be made to bring the season leveling experience closer to S6.</li>
</ul>



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<p><strong>Itemization: Smoothing Out the Leveling Curve</strong></p>



<ul>
<li>Players were getting a legendary every 3-4 minutes within an hour of playing.</li>



<li>Don&#8217;t like feeling of Legendary item quality being the only quality so early.</li>



<li>They are making the following adjustments:
<ul>
<li>Legendary drops during level-up reduced.</li>



<li>Magic items can have up to 2 affixes.</li>



<li>Rare items can have up to 3.</li>



<li>Legendary is still the best quality at max level.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>



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<p><strong>Torment Progression Changes</strong></p>



<ul>
<li>Overall progression speed and number of players reaching Torment 4 has over doubled.</li>



<li>On average, it only takes 15 hours (from level 60) to hit Torment 4.</li>



<li>50% of players hit Torment 4.</li>



<li>They are adjusting:
<ul>
<li>Torment 1 now starts at Pit Tier 10.</li>



<li>Torment (and Pit scaling) is increased by 20%.</li>



<li>Torment 4 will be equivalent to Season 7 Pit 76.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Season 8 Details</h2>



<p>Season 8 focuses on the lair boss system. They are adding new bosses, new mechanics, quality of life updates, and a revamped materials loop.</p>



<p>The highest challenge will be Belial, who&#8217;s returning as a pinnacle boss.</p>



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<ul>
<li>The Harbinger of Hatred is also joining the likes of Duriel and Andariel.</li>
</ul>



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<ul>
<li>Belial also has a &#8220;baby form&#8221;.</li>
</ul>



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<ul>
<li>Defeating bosses will have a chance to trigger an attack of Belial, which provides double the loot of the boss you&#8217;re fighting.</li>
</ul>



<p><strong>Summoning Material Changes</strong></p>



<ul>
<li>Summoning materials are being repurposed in their role as lair keys, making all bosses free to summon.</li>



<li>Lair keys grant access to their Hoard Loot.</li>



<li>Example: You summon Andariel for free, who now drops lair keys when defeated that grant access to the loot, and when you get a Belial ambush, you will receive double the loot.</li>



<li>Stygian Stones can be crushed into your lair key of your choice.</li>
</ul>



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<p><strong>Quality of Life Changes</strong></p>



<ul>
<li>All the boss icons are now easier to identify.</li>



<li>Tooltips have been updated for clarity with names of bosses living in the dungeon.</li>



<li>There&#8217;s a list of required items in the tooltips.</li>



<li>You can now directly teleport to the bosses. No longer do you need to teleport to the nearest travel point.</li>
</ul>



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<ul>
<li>Existing lair bosses are getting a boost in their performance (buffs) and new abilities to keep things fresh. Duriel will now eat you. Everything can be tested out on the 2.2.0 PTR.</li>



<li>The Belial ambush is the <strong>sole source of keys to access his Supreme Hoard</strong>. The hoard mimics loot of other bosses.</li>



<li>Belial also guarantees once Ancestral Unique per kill and he&#8217;s a great source of Infernal Compasses.</li>
</ul>



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<ul>
<li>All the changes to summoning materials and the UI will be permanent.</li>
</ul>



<p><strong>Season-Specific Stuff</strong></p>



<ul>
<li>Apparition Incursions: Fast-paced boss-rush style event.</li>



<li>10 Apparition Bosses (randomized)</li>



<li>Showdown against Belial.</li>
</ul>



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<p><strong>Seasonal Powers: Collectible Boss Powers</strong></p>



<ul>
<li>In Season 8, players can collect 24 Boss powers that are collected from the first-time kill of targeted bosses.</li>



<li>Each power has 2-sides to activate Main (x1), and Modifier (x3)</li>
</ul>



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<ul>
<li>Here&#8217;s the seasonal power UI, you have 1 main slot and 3 modifier slots. The powers can be upgraded and they proc off your abilities.</li>
</ul>



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<ul>
<li>Duriel’s Burrow alters your Evade, briefly burrowing you underground. While underground, you gain immunity to damage and can move freely until the effect ends.</li>
</ul>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Class Changes</h2>



<p>We&#8217;ve got a ton of class changes for all classes in Season 8.</p>



<p><strong>Character Class Changes (Generic Stuff)</strong></p>



<ul>
<li>Ultimate scaling has been capped.</li>



<li>Incidental crowd control has been toned down.</li>



<li>Damage Over Time effects have been renamed.
<ul>
<li>Shadow -> Corrupting</li>



<li>Lightning -> Shocking</li>



<li>Cold -> Frostbite</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>



<p><strong>Barbarian</strong></p>



<ul>
<li>Barbarian&#8217;s Physicality</li>



<li>Double Swing</li>



<li>Whirlwind</li>



<li>Mighty Throw</li>



<li>A new Unique Gloves and an Aspect are coming in Season 8 to promote Barbarian&#8217;s physical damage abilities.</li>
</ul>



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<p><strong>Druid</strong></p>



<ul>
<li>Address Cataclysm Snapshotting</li>



<li>Focus on Stone Burst</li>



<li>Gathlen&#8217;s Birthright (New Unique Helm)</li>
</ul>



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<p><strong>Necromancer</strong></p>



<ul>
<li>Blood Wave &#8211; they still want these builds to be powerful, but not the only S-Tier build.</li>



<li>Blood Lance &#8211; has been reliable in multi-target, but you run to a boss and it falls flat. They are doing improvements on that front to make it more viable for bosses</li>



<li>Minions &#8211; a new Unique that empowers Minions is being added.</li>
</ul>



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<p><strong>Rogue</strong></p>



<ul>
<li>The focus in S8 is to empower their Trap builds.</li>



<li>Poison Trap vs Death Trap</li>



<li>Scoundrel&#8217;s Leathers has been reworked. Every 10 seconds when you cast a trap, you will get a bonus Death Trap.</li>



<li>Bands of Ichorous Rose are new Unique Gloves, empowering Poison Trap.</li>
</ul>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" src="https://static.icy-veins.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Snimka-obrazovky-2025-03-07-o-21.09.22.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image 60389"/></figure>



<p><strong>Sorceress</strong></p>



<ul>
<li>The goal is to improve some quality of life for the class.</li>



<li>They are happy with the place of the Sorceress in Season 7. They would like all classes to be in the same balance space.</li>



<li>They want builds to feel coherent.</li>



<li>A new Unique Helm for Ice Shards is being added -> Hail of Verglas.</li>
</ul>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" src="https://static.icy-veins.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Snimka-obrazovky-2025-03-07-o-21.14.22.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image 60390"/></figure>



<p><strong>Spiritborn</strong></p>



<ul>
<li>The Spiritborn was in a good place in Season 7. They are looking at making tighter synergies between the builds.</li>



<li>They looked at Rushing Claw and they&#8217;ve updated the two upgrade choices to be transformative, which promotes different builds.</li>



<li>They looked at how Storm Feathers interact with the new Unique item the Sunbird&#8217;s Gorget.</li>
</ul>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" src="https://static.icy-veins.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Snimka-obrazovky-2025-03-07-o-21.17.54.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image 60394"/></figure>



<p><strong>Closing Thoughts</strong></p>



<ul>
<li>Patch notes are coming right after the stream with all the changes.</li>



<li>2.2.0 PTR starts next Tuesday, <strong>March 11</strong>, and will run for one week through <strong>March 18</strong>.</li>



<li>A pre-download will be available for the PTR build one day before it starts, on <strong>March 10</strong>.</li>



<li>The PTR boost won&#8217;t be available immediately on the PTR since the devs are looking for feedback tied to the new leveling curve planned for Season 8.</li>



<li>The Battle Pass will be reworked into &#8220;<strong>The Reliquary</strong>&#8220;. A detailed breakdown of what the Reliquary is will be available before Season 8 starts.</li>



<li>The Diablo 4 roadmap is actively being worked on and <strong>will be out before Season 8</strong>.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Stream Link</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Diablo IV Campfire Chat | 2.2.0 PTR | March 2025" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kgzOVLtAWLI?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>


Patch 2.2.0 Campfire Chat Recap: March 7th


<p>Blizzard is apparently planning on making a big change in how it is approaching <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Diablo 4</a>, by moving away from designing content around players who rush through everything at top speed. Instead, the team wants to make sure casual players can still progress, even if they only have a few hours to play each week.</p>



<p>This was revealed in a recent Game File interview with Stephen Totilo, as reported by Lewis White on <a href="https://www.videogamer.com/news/diablo-4-lead-wants-to-stop-appeasing-blasters-claim-theres-nothing-to-do/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">VideoGamer</a>. In it, Rod Fergusson, head of the Diablo franchise, admitted that the game has been tuned too fast in response to content creators and hardcore players, which are often called &#8220;blasters.&#8221;</p>



<p><strong>&#8220;There is a lot of pressure to feed the blasters,&#8221; Fergusson said. &#8220;The content creator who is an influencer or is a tastemaker will be out there saying, &#8216;There is nothing to do.'&#8221;</strong></p>



<p>Since launch, <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/guides/diablo-4-season-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Diablo 4 seasons</a> have been created with fast-paced players in mind, to make sure that there is a constant flow of content. But this approach has apparently raised concerns that casual players were getting left behind.</p>



<p>This topic is not very new, however, as Fergusson has already acknowledged the challenge of balancing Diablo 4 in the past, for both hardcore speedrunners and more casual players. He wants progression to feel rewarding, even for those who only play a few hours a week. Instead of catering to the fastest players, Diablo 4 is going to aim for a more balanced seasonal structure, giving everyone something to work toward, not just the most dedicated grinders.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full has-custom-border"><img decoding="async" src="https://static.icy-veins.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/S7Witchcraft-edited.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image 60326" style="border-radius:8px"/></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What This Means for Diablo 4&#8217;s Future</h2>



<ul>
<li><strong>Seasons will probably slow down</strong>, giving casual players more time to progress.</li>



<li>Less pressure on Blizzard to rush out new content just to keep up with speedrunners.</li>



<li><strong>More focus on long-term engagement</strong> rather than short bursts of activity.</li>
</ul>



<p>Even though Diablo 4 will not have annual expansions, as we recently learned, Blizzard has multiple expansions in the works and will continue <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/guides/diablo-4-latest-season/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">seasonal updates</a>, just at a pace that works for a wider audience.</p>



<p>The goal? A more balanced <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Diablo 4</a> experience for everyone, not just the fastest blasters.</p>



<p>Do you think this change is good for the game? Let us know on <a href="https://twitter.com/icyveins" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">X/Twitter</a>!</p>


Blizzard Will Not Prioritize Speedrunnrers in Diablo 4 Anymore


<p>Have you checked out <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/guides/march-of-the-goblins-in-diablo-4/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the latest Diablo 4 even</a>t yet? Players are already hard at work figuring out the best farming routes for goblins and reputation gains, with plenty of discussion happening on Reddit, as you can see below.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-reddit wp-block-embed-reddit"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="reddit-embed-bq" style="height:500px" ><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/diablo4/comments/1j3ncbx/heres_the_goblin_farm_route_i_posted_last_time_we/">Here&#39;s the Goblin Farm Route I posted last time we had a Goblin event.</a><br> by<a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/ShittyPlumber/">u/ShittyPlumber</a> in<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/diablo4/">diablo4</a></blockquote><script async src="https://embed.reddit.com/widgets.js" charset="UTF-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<p>This limited-time event comes with reputation to grind and rewards to earn. If you are curious about what these goblins can drop, a <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/diablo4/comments/1j45e6c/so_i_opened_all_the_goblin_rewardsheres_what_they/?share_id=tvSXbpQyWXocSGsnhOdZf&amp;utm_content=1&amp;utm_medium=ios_app&amp;utm_name=ioscss&amp;utm_source=share&amp;utm_term=1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">showcase post on Reddit</a> highlights some of the loot players have found so far.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized has-custom-border"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://static.icy-veins.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Reputation-March-of-the-Goblins.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image 60303" style="border-radius:8px;width:557px;height:806px" width="557" height="806"/></figure>



<p>If you are looking to speed through this rep board, following a dedicated farming route is probably the best way to slay as many goblins as possible in a short time. However, if you prefer a more relaxed approach, <strong>you can still find plenty of goblins by simply running through <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/guides/helltide-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Helltides</a> or <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/guides/headhunts-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Headhunts</a>.</strong> One Reddit comment even demonstrates just how many goblins are spawning in Helltides right now!</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-reddit wp-block-embed-reddit"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="reddit-embed-bq" ><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/diablo4/comments/1j3ncbx/comment/mg2j8ig/">Comment</a><br> by<a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/ShittyPlumber/">u/ShittyPlumber</a> from discussion<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/diablo4/comments/1j3ncbx/heres_the_goblin_farm_route_i_posted_last_time_we/"></a><br> in<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/diablo4/">diablo4</a></blockquote><script async src="https://embed.reddit.com/widgets.js" charset="UTF-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<p>Not sure which goblins drop what? Check out our <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/guides/march-of-the-goblins-in-diablo-4/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dedicated guide</a> to learn about the different types and what they offer.</p>



<p>So, if you were looking for a way to spice things up, make sure to grind the event while you can! It ends in a few days on <strong>Tuesday, March 11 at 10 AM PDT</strong>, so get your farming sessions in before then!</p>


Best Way to Tackle the Diablo 4’s March of the Goblins event


<p>Diablo 4&#8217;s latest <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/news/diablo-4-patch-2-1-3-notes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Patch 2.1.3</a> has brought a big update for Sorcerers, with <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/guides/ball-lightning-sorcerer-build/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ball Lightning</a> builds getting some very interesting buffs. If you have been running this playstyle or were thinking about testing it again, now might be the perfect time. Use the Armory system and revisit Ball Lightning mid-season.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Key Buffs and Changes:</h2>



<ul>
<li><a class="icy-gtnbrg-link" href="#"><span class="icy-gtnbrg-tooltip"><img decoding="async" data-tooltip-name="Ball Lightning" class="icy-gtnbrg-tooltip-img" src="https://static.icy-veins.com/wp/static/d4/latest/images/icons/2DUI_Skills_Sorceress_35.webp" alt="Ball Lightning"><span class="tooltip-spell-name d4-text">Ball Lightning</span></span></a><strong> Damage Boosted</strong>: Base damage has increased from <strong>24% to 30%</strong>, making the skill a little bit stronger.</li>



<li><a class="icy-gtnbrg-link" href="#"><span class="icy-gtnbrg-tooltip"><img decoding="async" data-tooltip-name="Glass Cannon" class="icy-gtnbrg-tooltip-img" src="https://static.icy-veins.com/wp/static/d4/latest/images/icons/2DUI_Talents_Sorceress_21.webp" alt="Glass Cannon"><span class="tooltip-spell-name d4-text">Glass Cannon</span></span></a><strong> Passive Buffed</strong>: Damage bonuses now sit at <strong>8/16/24%</strong> (up from 6/12/18%), rewarding a high-risk, high-reward approach.</li>



<li><a class="icy-gtnbrg-link" href="#"><span class="icy-gtnbrg-tooltip"><img decoding="async" data-tooltip-name="Vyr's Mastery" class="icy-gtnbrg-tooltip-img" src="https://static.icy-veins.com/wp/static/d4/latest/images/icons/2DUI_Talents_Sorceress_30.webp" alt="Vyr's Mastery"><span class="tooltip-spell-name d4-text">Vyr&#8217;s Mastery</span></span></a><strong> Passive Improved</strong>: Shock skills now have a <strong>15% chance</strong> (up from 10%) to arc to additional enemies, improving AoE potential. While our Icy Veins build does not use Vyr&#8217;s Mastery as key passive, it could be an option for a Ball Lightning build. </li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Reworked Unique Items:</h2>



<ul>
<li><a class="icy-gtnbrg-link" href="#"><span class="icy-gtnbrg-tooltip"><img decoding="async" class="icy-gtnbrg-tooltip-img" src="https://static.icy-veins.com/wp/static/d4/latest/images/icons/2DInventory_Offhand_41.webp" alt="Okun's Catalyst"><span class="tooltip-spell-name" data-item-type="Focus" data-item-quality="unique">Okun&#8217;s Catalyst</span></span></a>: The description was reworded for better clarity. However, the item did not receive a buff. 
<ul>
<li>Previous: Ball Lightning orbits you creating a static field that damages all enemies within for 140 – 180%[x] of Ball Lightning&#8217;s damage per active ball. You are Unhindered as long as the field is active.</li>



<li>Now: Casting Ball Lightning instead creates a separate static field around you that damages all enemies within for 140-180% Ball Lightning&#8217;s damage per active ball. You are Unhindered as long as the field is active.</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li><a class="icy-gtnbrg-link" href="#"><span class="icy-gtnbrg-tooltip"><img decoding="async" class="icy-gtnbrg-tooltip-img" src="https://static.icy-veins.com/wp/static/d4/latest/images/icons/2DInventory_Offhand_e001_7.webp" alt="Strike of Stormhorn"><span class="tooltip-spell-name" data-item-type="Focus" data-item-quality="unique">Strike of Stormhorn</span></span></a> – Now scales with <strong>Ball Lightning ranks</strong> and sees an overall <strong>damage increase from 160-200% to 175-225%</strong>. The description was also reworded to be clearer: 
<ul>
<li>Previous: Ball Lightning splashes on impact for 160 – 200%[x] increased damage.</li>



<li>Now: Ball Lightning splashes on impact dealing 175-225% of its total damage instantly.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>



<p>Do not forget that <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/news/diablo-4-patch-2-1-3-notes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">a lot of witchcraft powers have also received strong damage increases</a>. We hope these changes push <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/guides/ball-lightning-sorcerer-build/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ball Lightning Sorcerers</a> back into the spotlight, with increased damage scaling, more AoE potential, and a better overall feel. If you have been missing the power of Ball Lightning, now is the time to put it to the test!</p>


Diablo 4 Patch Buffs Ball Lightning Sorcerers, Time to Test It Again?


<p>We have some fixes to goblin issues in today&#8217;s hotfixes! Reputation gains and Gelatinous multiplications should be working properly now. </p>



<div class="blizzard-blue-post">
    <div class="d-flex align-items-center">
        <div>
            <img decoding="async" class="blizzard-logo" src="https://static.icy-veins.com/wp/static/public/blizzard-icon-small.png" alt="Blizzard Logo" />
        </div>
        <div>
            <a class="source-link" target="_blank" href="https://us.forums.blizzard.com/en/d4/t/hotfix-1-march-6-2025-213/216958"><span class="white">(</span> Source URL <span class="white">)</span> </a>
        </div>
    </div>
    <hr class="blizzard-line" />
    <h3></h3>
    <div class="blizzard-blue-post-content">
        <p><strong>BUG FIXES</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Fixed an issue where Goblin kills did not grant reputation if killed by another player.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where Gelatinous Syrus did not multiply or drop loot when it was killed while frozen.</li>
</ul>
    </div>
</div>


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