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>The Diablo 4 Patch 1.1 that prepares the game for Season 1 will result in 3-hour maintenance this week. The maintenance will start at <strong>10:00 AM PT </strong>and conclude at <strong>1:00 PM PT</strong>.</p>



<p>World of Warcraft services will be offline for 1 hour as usual.</p>



<p>Diablo 4 servers will be offline for 3 hours. After that, players will need to download a client patch.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" src="https://static.icy-veins.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/m.png" alt="" class="wp-image 10125"/></figure>


This Week’s Diablo 4 Maintenance: July 18th


<p>Blizzard has released new hotfixes for Diablo 4 with fixes for <span class="icy-gtnbrg-tooltip"><a class="icy-gtnbrg-link" href="#"><img decoding="async" class="icy-gtnbrg-tooltip-img" src="https://static.icy-veins.com/wp/static/d4/latest/images/icons/2DInventory_Rings_53.webp" alt="Ring of Mendeln"><span class="tooltip-spell-name" data-item-type="Ring" data-item-quality="unique">Ring of Mendeln</span></a></span>, and more. Adam Fletcher confirmed in a <a href="https://us.forums.blizzard.com/en/d4/t/minion-and-mendeln-bugs-persisting-after-patch/215911/158">blue post</a> that tooltip inconsistency will require a client patch.</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=""><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>HOTFIX 1 &#8211; February 20, 2025 &#8211; 2.1.2</strong></p>
<p><strong>BUG FIXES</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Fixed an issue where Blood Golem’s Upgrade would not increase its damage while the Golem was Healthy, which includes the increase from Ring of Mendeln, Shademist Aspect, and Aspect of Fel Gluttony.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where Skirmisher Skeleton Warriors would only deal increased damage from their basic attacks, and not from Ring of Mendeln or Shademist Aspect.
<ul>
<li><em>Developer’s Note</em>: The Tooltip for this effect will be updated in a future patch to correctly indicate that this is a multiplicative <code>[x]</code> damage increase.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where Ring of Mendeln, Shademist Aspect, and Aspect of Fel Gluttony were not increasing their damage from sources of Summoning Skill damage.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where Skeleton Priests were not correctly increasing the damage of Minions.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where Bone Spears spawned from Corpses or from your Minions would not Overpower targets within the Bone Prison when using Bone Duster’s Aspect.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where Bone Spear would occasionally not create the correct number of echoes when using Deathless Visage.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where the echoes from Deathless Visage would not occasionally not Overpower targets within the Bone Prison when using Bone Duster’s Aspect.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where Cold Skeleton Mage’s Upgrades would not function.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where Reaper Skeleton Warrior’s Upgrade would not correctly spawn a Corpse.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where Kalan’s Edict was not increasing the damage of your Minions, including the damage increase from Ring of Mendeln, Shademist Aspect, and Aspect of Fel Gluttony.
<ul>
<li><em>Developer’s Note</em>: Ring of Mendeln, Shademist Aspect, and Aspect of Fel Gluttony are intended to scale with all bonuses that increase your damage output. This includes sources like Aspect of Elements or from Critical Strike Damage, or the damage output of the specific Minion that are triggering them, such as Golem Damage, Kalan’s Edict, or the inherent bonus damage on Skirmishers. These effects are not Skills and are not Cast and thus do not benefit from the increases Locran’s Talisman or other effects that specifically affect Skills or Casts.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p>Additionally, we are aware of the following Known Issues which will be fixed in a future patch:</p>
<ul>
<li>Aspect of Reanimation does not increase the damage of Ring of Mendeln, Shademist Aspect, or Aspect of Fel Gluttony. A fix for this issue will be included in a future patch.</li>
<li>Known Issue: Golem, Warrior, and Mage Paragon Glyphs are not correctly increasing the damage of Ring of Mendeln, Shademist Aspect, or Aspect of Fel Gluttony.</li>
</ul>
    </div>
</div>


Diablo 4 Season 7 Hotfixes: February 20 – Mendeln Finally Fixed


<p>Patch 2.1.2 brought quite a few fixes with it, but probably the most important is the new buff. </p>



<p>The patch comes <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/news/mothers-blessing-returns-to-sanctuary-on-february-18-xp-and-gold-gains-increased/">with an event</a> that sees the Tree of Whispers bounty caches doubled and the Mother&#8217;s Blessing XP buff return. That combination is the key to getting some very fast new characters to try out new classes! </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How Does It Work?</h2>



<p>If you have a character able to do at least Torment 1, you will be able to get some very speedy leveling for a new one. When you complete a Tree of Whispers bounty, you will receive a cache. In that cache you&#8217;ll find many items and materials, but most importantly, the cache will also contain experience. That cache is account-bound, so you can just stick it in your stash and have your newly created character pick it up and open it! </p>



<p>We&#8217;ve already seen players leveling their new chars to max level in under a minute using this technique. However, until February 25th, when you get a bounty cache, you&#8217;ll receive another one inside that original cache for free! That, on top of the 35% bonus experience from the Mother&#8217;s Blessing buff, makes for the fastest solo alt-leveling process we&#8217;ve seen in the game yet! Just complete some bounties, put the cache in the stash, grab it on the new character, open it, open the second one that pops out of that one. Repeat until you&#8217;re all the way to level 60! </p>



<p>Here&#8217;s Rob showcasing the event&#8217;s new cache-ception:</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="NEW GOBLIN PORTAL COMING SOON? NEW DIABLO 4 Patch LIVE" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wVQAA7GP4EY?start=89&#038;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>


The Best Time to Level an Alt Character in Diablo 4 Is This Week!


<p>Necromancers just can&#8217;t catch a break! Well, minion ones anyway, the Blood Wave spamming fellows are doing very well. </p>



<p>Today&#8217;s patch was supposed to fix the <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_Rings_53.webp" alt="Ring of Mendeln"><span class="tooltip-spell-name" data-item-type="Ring" data-item-quality="unique">Ring of Mendeln</span></span></a>, but as players became aware and started reporting, it didn&#8217;t quite do a thorough enough job. There&#8217;s a big list of things that aren&#8217;t interacting with the ring properly over on the <a href="https://us.forums.blizzard.com/en/d4/t/minion-and-mendeln-bugs-persisting-after-patch/215911">official forums</a>. Blizzard are working on the problem and think they&#8217;ll be able to fix the issues via hotfix.</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/minion-and-mendeln-bugs-persisting-after-patch/215911/80"><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">
        <div class="cooked">
<p>Hi all &#8211;</p>
<p>Team is working on addressing the slew of items still with Mendeln. They met this morning and it seems like a smaller scope of fixes were hit but not all of them as detailed out through a bunch of investigation from the community.</p>
<p>We are looking at the rest and based off initial takes, it may be something we can do via hotfix. We will know more once the team dives into it some more. This means we can probably get the fixes out a bit sooner unless we find something that will require a client patch.</p>
<p>Separately, some of these are tied to some tooltip errors which will be addressed in 2.1.3 as tooltips typically require a client patch but we believe after the changes, the actual engine and underpinnings will be working. We will be thorough with the tooltip items to help clarify whether this lands in a hotfix or emergency client patch.</p>
</div>
    </div>
</div>


Ring of Mendeln Still Has Issues, Blizzard Working on Fix


<p>If you are new to Diablo 4 or considering starting soon, there are certain mechanics you will want to understand early on. The Diablo 4 community on <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/diablo4/comments/1isgs8y/noobie_tips_for_noobies_armor_is_maxed_out_at/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Reddit</a> has shared useful tips for new players, covering armor caps, gold farming, and general gameplay tricks. The thread is long, but many players have shared helpful advice, and some points stand out more than others. So, we have put together a list of the most useful tips from the community to help you get started!</p>



<p><strong>Survival and World Difficulty:</strong></p>



<ul>
<li><strong>Armor caps at 1000</strong>, meaning anything above that doesn’t help—except in higher Torment levels, where armor gets weaker by 250 per tier.</li>



<li><strong>Resistances also drop</strong> as Torment difficulty increases, so you’ll need better gear to keep up.</li>



<li><strong>Spiritborns using </strong><a class="icy-gtnbrg-link" href="#"><span class="icy-gtnbrg-tooltip"><img decoding="async" data-tooltip-name="Aspect of Unyielding Hits" class="icy-gtnbrg-tooltip-img" src="https://static.icy-veins.com/wp/static/d4/latest/images/aspects/offensive.webp" alt="Aspect of Unyielding Hits"><span class="tooltip-spell-name d4-codex-text">Aspect of Unyielding Hits</span></span></a> should stack armor past 1000, as it increases their weapon damage.</li>



<li><strong>Sorcerers do not need much armor</strong> thanks to their strong immunity skills.</li>



<li><strong>To be Torment-ready</strong>, soloing <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/guides/the-pit-of-the-artificers-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pit 20+</a> generally means you are prepared for Torment 1.</li>



<li><strong>Torment 4 requires 2000 armor and 185% resistance</strong> for optimal survivability.</li>
</ul>



<p>To find out more about how to best progress through the world difficulties, you can check out our dedicated <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/guides/world-tier-difficulty/#how_to_progress_%E2%80%93_what_to_do_at_max_level?" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">guide</a>. </p>



<p><strong>Damage and Stats That Matter</strong>: </p>



<ul>
<li><strong>Attack Power is misleading</strong> as it does not account for conditional damage like critical hits or vulnerability multipliers.</li>



<li><strong>Crit Chance and Crit Damage are superior</strong> to flat damage % increases due to better scaling and synergies with certain mechanics.</li>
</ul>



<p><strong>Combat Gameplay and Movement</strong>:</p>



<ul>
<li><strong>Movement speed is capped at 200%</strong>, anything beyond that is wasted.</li>



<li><strong>You can set a favorite waypoint</strong> to choose as default teleport spot, making travel faster.</li>



<li><strong>Holding down attack buttons instead of button-smashing</strong> makes combat feel much smoother.</li>
</ul>



<p><strong>Gear and Economy</strong>:</p>



<ul>
<li><strong>Enable &#8220;Advanced Tooltips&#8221;</strong> to compare gear more easily and make better upgrade decisions.</li>



<li><strong>Sell gear instead of dismantling it</strong> once your materials are stacked. Boss runs can generate millions in gold.</li>



<li><strong>Reset <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/guides/masterworking-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">masterworking</a> on your gear piece if needed</strong> to reroll stats for better optimization.</li>
</ul>



<p>For even more useful resources, check out our Diablo 4 <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/guides/diablo-4-launch-checklist/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">checklists for new players</a>, and <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/guides/diablo-4-season-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">season prep</a> on Icy Veins. </p>



<p>If you are an experienced player, drop by the Reddit thread and share your best tricks. You might save new players some hours of trial and error.</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:316px" ><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/diablo4/comments/1isgs8y/noobie_tips_for_noobies_armor_is_maxed_out_at/">Noobie tips for noobies. Armor is maxed out at 1000, any more armor does nothing. Post your noobie tips.</a><br> by<a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/SanJacintoCG56/">u/SanJacintoCG56</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>And last but not least, explore our current guides on Icy Veins, and let us know on <a href="https://discord.gg/arpg-vault" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Discord</a> if there is anything you would like us to cover! </p>


Diablo 4: New Player Tips You Will Want to Know Before You Start


<p>Blizzard just dropped Patch 2.1.2 which introduces a new <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/news/nightmare-dungeon-affix-guarantees-forgotten-altar-spawn/">Nightmare Dungeon Affix</a> that guarantees a Forgotten Altar spawn and a long-awaited fix for <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_Rings_53.webp" alt="Ring of Mendeln"><span class="tooltip-spell-name" data-item-type="Ring" data-item-quality="unique">Ring of Mendeln</span></span></a></p>



<p>At the same time, the <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/news/mothers-blessing-returns-to-sanctuary-on-february-18-xp-and-gold-gains-increased/">Mother&#8217;s Blessing event</a> has returned to Sanctuary, which means 35% increased XP gains and 50% increased Gold gains until <strong>February 25</strong>. You will also receive an additional <span class="icy-gtnbrg-tooltip"><a class="icy-gtnbrg-link" href="#"><img decoding="async" class="icy-gtnbrg-tooltip-img" src="https://static.icy-veins.com/wp/static/d4/latest/images/icons/2DInventory_Caches_0.webp" alt="Gift of the Tree"><span class="tooltip-spell-name" data-item-type="Grand Cache" data-item-quality="legendary">Gift of the Tree</span></a></span> whenever you return your Grim Favors.</p>



<p>You can read the official patch notes below.</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=""><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">
        <h1>VESSEL OF HATRED</h1>
<h2>Bug Fixes</h2>
<ul>
<li>Fixed an issue where the Bloodhorn boss at the end of the Forgotten Remains dungeon could become unkillable when transitioning to the second phase of the encounter.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where Portable Anvils created by a Scroll of Forging could prevent interaction with other interactable objects if placed near one.</li>
</ul>
<h1>BASE GAME</h1>
<h2>Game Updates</h2>
<h3>Season of Witchcraft</h3>
<ul>
<li>A new Nightmare Dungeon Affix has been added to guarantee a Forgotten Altar Spawn. This affix will only be an option on Nightmare Dungeon Sigils for the remainder of Season of Witchcraft.</li>
<li>Dorian the Raven, introduced in Season of the Witchcraft, has welcomed you to his unkindness—you may now pet him.</li>
<li>The tooltip for Decay Augmentation has been adjusted from referencing &#8220;Effects&#8221; to &#8220;Powers&#8221; to clarify that the Decay Augmentation specifically works off Witch Powers and not anything modified by a Witch Power.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Miscellaneous</h3>
<ul>
<li>The change in Patch 2.1.1 that prevented movement while channeling the Druid&#8217;s Lacerate skill has been reverted.</li>
</ul>
<blockquote><p><strong>Developer’s Note: </strong><em>We have heard feedback about how this change limited the desired functionality of Lacerate. The change has been reversed and we’re considering further improvements for Lacerate in the future.</em></p></blockquote>
<h2>Bug Fixes</h2>
<h3>Accessibility</h3>
<ul>
<li>Fixed an issue where the Social filter button was not read by the Screen Reader.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Season of Witchcraft</h3>
<ul>
<li>Update 2/14: Fixed an issue where Twilight Warding could cause players to damage to themselves. This power will be re-enabled when this update goes live.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where the Counter didn’t properly display Harvest Whisper progress.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where Hex of Whispers cleansed active Ritual effects from a Roothold encounter.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where the Unique Coven Crate did not always grant a Unique Item.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where the reward Cache for finishing Chapter IV of the Season Journey incorrectly stated that it would reward a Scroll of Restoration.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where the Season Journey objective for earning 750 Aether in a single Infernal Hordes run would not be achieved if the final amount of Aether earned was through an Infernal Offer.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where the Season Journey objective for defeating Lair Bosses while in a party would reset after defeating a Lair Boss while not in a party.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where Exposed Roots could rarely fail to spawn during Shepard bounties in Headhunt Zones.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where the Headhunt HUD timer would not be removed if the player teleported into Infernal Hordes from a Headhunt Zone.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where monsters could spawn in towns near an active Headhunt Zone in certain circumstances.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Gameplay</h3>
<ul>
<li>Fixed an issue where the Unique Power roll for Fractured Winterglass, Malefic Crescent, and Arreat&#8217;s Bearing did not benefit from Greater Affixes, and could roll lower than expected.</li>
</ul>
<blockquote><p><strong>Developer’s Note: </strong><em>This fix will also retroactively apply to existing instances of these items.</em></p></blockquote>
<ul>
<li>Fixed an issue where the impact warning visual effect for Ashava&#8217;s Slam attack did not display properly.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where the Druid’s Wolves were not applying Fortify with the Ferocious Wolf Pack upgrade.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where the damage from Ring of Mendeln was not properly scaling with all of the bonuses that it should.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where completing a Pit run within a certain time that should count for unlocking additional Pit Tiers did not unlock the expected number of Tiers.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where one Echo attack could immediately follow another in certain scenarios during a Pit boss encounter.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where Echo of Lilith could repeatedly use her Death from Above ability if Staggered immediately after she landed.</li>
</ul>
<h3>User Interface and User Experience</h3>
<ul>
<li>Fixed an issue where the icon on an item denoting it&#8217;s a part of an Armory loadout would persist on items even if they were no longer part of a loadout.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where items could not be marked as Favorite or Junk if they were part of an Armory Loadout.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where Party Finder listings for the Pit or Undercity of Kurast appeared joinable while the activity was in-progress.</li>
</ul>
<blockquote><p><strong>Developer’s Note: </strong><em>These listings will not be automatically delisted when a run is in progress but can’t be joined during an active run.</em></p></blockquote>
<ul>
<li>Fixed an issue where entering a space in the Character Name field could cause the field to malfunction.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where bonuses to Minion Damage did not appear correctly in the Character Stats Window.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where the first input when playing on controller would not function in the Modify Items section of the Wardrobe for Necromancer, Druid, and Sorcerer.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where Gems could appear as unsalvageable in the Salvage menu.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where the Modify Pigment button in the Wardrobe did not function properly in certain scenarios.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where the tooltip for Barbarian&#8217;s Aggressive Resistance did not update as it was upgraded.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Miscellaneous</h3>
<ul>
<li>Fixed an issue where the player would be charged currency twice for opening a portal to the Pit.</li>
<li>Various stability, performance, visual, audio, and UI improvements.</li>
</ul>
    </div>
</div>


Patch 2.1.2 and Mother’s Blessing Now Live


<p>A player has just pulled off an insane achievement: defeating Uber Lilith without dodging or moving. The secret? A <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/guides/rain-of-arrows-rogue-build/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rain of Arrows Rogue build</a> with insanely powerful AoE attacks!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How Does This Even Work?</h2>



<p>This build relies on <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_Items_Boots_Unique_1.webp" alt="Beastfall Boots"><span class="tooltip-spell-name" data-item-type="Boots" data-item-quality="unique">Beastfall Boots</span></span></a> and <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_Amulets_9.webp" alt="Word of Hakan"><span class="tooltip-spell-name" data-item-type="Amulet" data-item-quality="unique">Word of Hakan</span></span></a> Amulet, creating a rotation where <a class="icy-gtnbrg-link" href="#"><span class="icy-gtnbrg-tooltip"><img decoding="async" data-tooltip-name="Rain of Arrows" class="icy-gtnbrg-tooltip-img" src="https://static.icy-veins.com/wp/static/d4/latest/images/icons/2DUI_Skills_Rogue_183.webp" alt="Rain of Arrows"><span class="tooltip-spell-name d4-text">Rain of Arrows</span></span></a> (RoA) is spammed non-stop. Here are some important notes in order to try this out: </p>



<ul>
<li><strong>Infinite Rain of Arrows</strong>: By stacking 75% cooldown reduction (cap) with Beastfall Boots and using the class mechanic Preparation synergy, the player burns through 150 resources instantly, resetting the remaining 10 seconds on RoA&#8217;s cooldown every time.</li>



<li><strong>No Phase 2 Projectile</strong>s: Lilith never even gets a chance to spawn them. The player staggered her so fast that she could not trigger the attack.</li>



<li><strong>Tanking Floor Damage</strong>: RoA Rogue generates a massive barrier multiple times per second, letting the player stand in deadly zones without worry.</li>
</ul>



<p>This build is not just great for Lilith, it is a very efficient build at clearing bosses, Pits, and dungeons, letting you dash through areas while <a class="icy-gtnbrg-link" href="#"><span class="icy-gtnbrg-tooltip"><img decoding="async" data-tooltip-name="Rain of Arrows" class="icy-gtnbrg-tooltip-img" src="https://static.icy-veins.com/wp/static/d4/latest/images/icons/2DUI_Skills_Rogue_183.webp" alt="Rain of Arrows"><span class="tooltip-spell-name d4-text">Rain of Arrows</span></span></a> kills everything around you.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Want to See It in Action?</h2>



<p>The fight was captured in an impressive video, and honestly, it might be time to try this out yourself. Join the discussion and check out the full details here:</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/1ir1lvl/challenge_accepted_fighting_uber_lilith_without/">Challenge accepted: Fighting uber Lilith without moving/dodging</a><br> by<a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/zhubaohi/">u/zhubaohi</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>


Rogue Player Destroys Lilith Without Moving!


<p><a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/guides/diablo-4-latest-season/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Season 7</a> of Diablo 4 is in full swing, but many of us players are finding one aspect of the grind particularly frustrating: the Whispers system tied to Coven reputation. While the process of earning Grim Favors is rather straightforward, the way it is structured is causing unnecessary interruptions and frustration.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Coven Reputation Grind: A Time-Consuming Process</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized has-custom-border"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://static.icy-veins.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/ally-with-the-coven.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image 53304" style="border-radius:8px;width:709px;height:399px" width="709" height="399"/></figure>



<p>A big part of the Season 7 Journey revolves around grinding <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/guides/diablo-4-latest-season/#seasonal_questline:_ally_with_the_coven" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Coven reputation</a> to unlock the seasonal pet reward. The fastest way to earn this reputation is by completing <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/guides/headhunts-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Headhunts</a>, which grant Grim Favors. The issue? Once you reach 10 <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/guides/tree-of-whispers-guide/#completing_whispers_of_the_dead" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Grim Favors</a>, you cannot earn more until you redeem them at the Tree of Whispers, forcing you to take unnecessary detours.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Constant Interruptions Break the Flow of Gameplay</h2>



<p>On paper, this system does not seem too bad. Earning Grim Favors is easy, but having to stop everything just to turn them in? That is where the frustration begins.</p>



<ul>
<li><strong>Frequent Backtracking</strong>: Having to constantly return to the Tree of Whispers, port back to town, or travel to the Raven of the Tree hub, is disrupting whatever you were doing.</li>



<li><strong>Missed Bosses &amp; Rewards</strong>: If you are in the middle of a Headhunt, you could miss the boss fight and valuable loot just because you hit the Grim Favor cap.</li>



<li><strong>Progress Blocks</strong>: Sometimes, another Whisper completes before the one you are actively working on, meaning any further effort stops counting until you make another trip to redeem favors.</li>
</ul>



<p>This stop-and-go design is counterintuitive to an easy gameplay loop, forcing us, the players, to manage our turn-ins instead of focusing on the action.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full has-custom-border"><img decoding="async" src="https://static.icy-veins.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Raven-of-the-Tree.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image 51667" style="border-radius:8px"/></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Managing Your Inventory: Another Layer of Frustration</h2>



<p>To make things worse, Headhunts drop a ton of loot, including Ancestral Legendaries and Uniques. While that is great, it also means that every time you pick up a cache from the Raven, you risk filling up your inventory too quickly. Many players find themselves stuck in a frustrating loop:</p>



<ul>
<li>Grind Headhunts</li>



<li>Go to the Raven to redeem Grim Favors</li>



<li>Pick up cache</li>



<li>Run out of inventory space</li>



<li>Teleport to the Tree of Whispers Hub again to clear stash</li>



<li>Repeat</li>
</ul>



<p>It is an unnecessary cycle that could be solved with a more simplified system.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Community Frustration &amp; Possible Fixes</h2>



<p>This issue has not gone unnoticed. A big portion of the Diablo 4 community has been vocal about the frustration, with many suggesting a quality-of-life update that would allow Grim Favors to function as a currency, letting you redeem them at any time without interrupting gameplay.</p>



<p>Want to share your thoughts? Join the conversation on Reddit and let Blizzard know what you think! You can participate in the discussion here:</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/1iq4aka/this_is_exactly_how_tree_of_whispers_and_claiming/">this is exactly how tree of whispers and claiming boxes should work, take note blizzard</a><br> by<a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/SunloungerSunnytales/">u/SunloungerSunnytales</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>


Diablo 4 Players Are Frustrated With Season 7’s Whispers Grind


<p>Blizzard&#8217;s adding a new Nightmare Dungeon Affix in <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/news/diablo-4-patch-2-1-2-notes/">Patch 2.1.2</a> on February 18. The affix guarantees a Forgotten Altar Spawn, making it easier for players to obtain <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/guides/witchcraft-guide/">Witch Powers</a>.</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=""><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">
        <ul>
<li>A new Nightmare Dungeon Affix has been added to guarantee a Forgotten Altar Spawn. This affix will only be an option on Nightmare Dungeon Sigils for the remainder of Season of Witchcraft.</li>
</ul>
    </div>
</div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What Does It Mean?</h2>



<p>Forgotten Altars unlock specific Witch Powers in the following order.</p>



<ol>
<li><a class="icy-gtnbrg-link" data-tooltip-type="Witch power" href="#"><span class="icy-gtnbrg-tooltip"><img decoding="async" data-tooltip-type="Witch power" class="icy-gtnbrg-tooltip-img" src="https://static.icy-veins.com/wp/static/d4/latest/images/icons/2DInventory_WitchPowers_6.webp" alt="Breath of the Coven"><span class="tooltip-name" data-tooltip-type="Witch power">Breath of the Coven</span></span></a></li>



<li><a class="icy-gtnbrg-link" data-tooltip-type="Witch power" href="#"><span class="icy-gtnbrg-tooltip"><img decoding="async" data-tooltip-type="Witch power" class="icy-gtnbrg-tooltip-img" src="https://static.icy-veins.com/wp/static/d4/latest/images/icons/2DInventory_WitchPowers_25.webp" alt="Hex Specialization"><span class="tooltip-name" data-tooltip-type="Witch power">Hex Specialization</span></span></a></li>



<li><a class="icy-gtnbrg-link" data-tooltip-type="Witch power" href="#"><span class="icy-gtnbrg-tooltip"><img decoding="async" data-tooltip-type="Witch power" class="icy-gtnbrg-tooltip-img" src="https://static.icy-veins.com/wp/static/d4/latest/images/icons/2DInventory_WitchPowers_24.webp" alt="Aura Specialization"><span class="tooltip-name" data-tooltip-type="Witch power">Aura Specialization</span></span></a></li>



<li><a class="icy-gtnbrg-link" data-tooltip-type="Witch power" href="#"><span class="icy-gtnbrg-tooltip"><img decoding="async" data-tooltip-type="Witch power" class="icy-gtnbrg-tooltip-img" src="https://static.icy-veins.com/wp/static/d4/latest/images/icons/2DInventory_WitchPowers_23.webp" alt="Piranhado"><span class="tooltip-name" data-tooltip-type="Witch power">Piranhado</span></span></a></li>
</ol>


New Nightmare Dungeon Affix in Patch 2.1.2 Guarantees Forgotten Altar Spawn


<p>Blizzard has released patch notes for the 2.1.2 update to the game that will go live on February 18.</p>



<p>A notable addition is the new Nightmare Dungeon Affix, which ensures a Forgotten Altar spawn. This affix will be available on Nightmare Dungeon Sigils only for the rest of <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/guides/diablo-4-latest-season/">Season 7</a>.</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=""><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">
        <h1>VESSEL OF HATRED</h1>
<h2>Bug Fixes</h2>
<ul>
<li>Fixed an issue where the Bloodhorn boss at the end of the Forgotten Remains dungeon could become unkillable when transitioning to the second phase of the encounter.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where Portable Anvils created by a Scroll of Forging could prevent interaction with other interactable objects if placed near one.</li>
</ul>
<h1>BASE GAME</h1>
<h2>Game Updates</h2>
<h3>Season of Witchcraft</h3>
<ul>
<li>A new Nightmare Dungeon Affix has been added to guarantee a Forgotten Altar Spawn. This affix will only be an option on Nightmare Dungeon Sigils for the remainder of Season of Witchcraft.</li>
<li>Dorian the Raven, introduced in Season of the Witchcraft, has welcomed you to his unkindness—you may now pet him.</li>
<li>The tooltip for Decay Augmentation has been adjusted from referencing &#8220;Effects&#8221; to &#8220;Powers&#8221; to clarify that the Decay Augmentation specifically works off Witch Powers and not anything modified by a Witch Power.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Miscellaneous</h3>
<ul>
<li>The change in Patch 2.1.1 that prevented movement while channeling the Druid&#8217;s Lacerate skill has been reverted.</li>
</ul>
<blockquote><p><strong>Developer’s Note: </strong><em>We have heard feedback about how this change limited the desired functionality of Lacerate. The change has been reversed and we’re considering further improvements for Lacerate in the future.</em></p></blockquote>
<h2>Bug Fixes</h2>
<h3>Accessibility</h3>
<ul>
<li>Fixed an issue where the Social filter button was not read by the Screen Reader.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Season of Witchcraft</h3>
<ul>
<li>Fixed an issue where the Counter didn’t properly display Harvest Whisper progress.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where Hex of Whispers cleansed active Ritual effects from a Roothold encounter.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where the Unique Coven Crate did not always grant a Unique Item.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where the reward Cache for finishing Chapter IV of the Season Journey incorrectly stated that it would reward a Scroll of Restoration.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where the Season Journey objective for earning 750 Aether in a single Infernal Hordes run would not be achieved if the final amount of Aether earned was through an Infernal Offer.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where the Season Journey objective for defeating Lair Bosses while in a party would reset after defeating a Lair Boss while not in a party.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where Exposed Roots could rarely fail to spawn during Shepard bounties in Headhunt Zones.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where the Headhunt HUD timer would not be removed if the player teleported into Infernal Hordes from a Headhunt Zone.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where monsters could spawn in towns near an active Headhunt Zone in certain circumstances.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Gameplay</h3>
<ul>
<li>Fixed an issue where the Unique Power roll for Fractured Winterglass, Malefic Crescent, and Arreat&#8217;s Bearing did not benefit from Greater Affixes, and could roll lower than expected.</li>
</ul>
<blockquote><p><strong>Developer’s Note: </strong><em>This fix will also retroactively apply to existing instances of these items.</em></p></blockquote>
<ul>
<li>Fixed an issue where the impact warning visual effect for Ashava&#8217;s Slam attack did not display properly.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where the Druid’s Wolves were not applying Fortify with the Ferocious Wolf Pack upgrade.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where the damage from Ring of Mendeln was not properly scaling with all of the bonuses that it should.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where completing a Pit run within a certain time that should count for unlocking additional Pit Tiers did not unlock the expected number of Tiers.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where one Echo attack could immediately follow another in certain scenarios during a Pit boss encounter.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where Echo of Lilith could repeatedly use her Death from Above ability if Staggered immediately after she landed.</li>
</ul>
<h3>User Interface and User Experience</h3>
<ul>
<li>Fixed an issue where the icon on an item denoting it&#8217;s a part of an Armory loadout would persist on items even if they were no longer part of a loadout.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where items could not be marked as Favorite or Junk if they were part of an Armory Loadout.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where Party Finder listings for the Pit or Undercity of Kurast appeared joinable while the activity was in-progress.</li>
</ul>
<blockquote><p><strong>Developer’s Note: </strong><em>These listings will not be automatically delisted when a run is in progress but can’t be joined during an active run.</em></p></blockquote>
<ul>
<li>Fixed an issue where entering a space in the Character Name field could cause the field to malfunction.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where bonuses to Minion Damage did not appear correctly in the Character Stats Window.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where the first input when playing on controller would not function in the Modify Items section of the Wardrobe for Necromancer, Druid, and Sorcerer.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where Gems could appear as unsalvageable in the Salvage menu.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where the Modify Pigment button in the Wardrobe did not function properly in certain scenarios.</li>
<li>Fixed an issue where the tooltip for Barbarian&#8217;s Aggressive Resistance did not update as it was upgraded.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Miscellaneous</h3>
<ul>
<li>Fixed an issue where the player would be charged currency twice for opening a portal to the Pit.</li>
<li>Various stability, performance, visual, audio, and UI improvements.</li>
</ul>
    </div>
</div>


Diablo 4 Patch 2.1.2 Notes


<p>We have another Witchcraft power being temporarily disabled&#8230; again!  <a class="icy-gtnbrg-link" data-tooltip-type="Witch power" href="#"><span class="icy-gtnbrg-tooltip"><img decoding="async" data-tooltip-type="Witch power" class="icy-gtnbrg-tooltip-img" src="https://static.icy-veins.com/wp/static/d4/latest/images/icons/2DInventory_WitchPowers_1.webp" alt="Twilight Warding"><span class="tooltip-name" data-tooltip-type="Witch power">Twilight Warding</span></span></a> is once again causing players to die, but in a much more rare situation this time. There will be a hotfix coming, but for now the power is unavailable. </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/decay-augmentation-twilight-warding-disabled-further-updates-on-some-upcoming-changes/213887/7"><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">
        <div class="cooked">
<p>Update 2/13, we will need to temporarily disable Twilight Warding again. There was an additional niche interaction with boss powers that was unaccounted for, which is still causing some weird interactions that could result in players dying unintentionally.</p>
<p>We are working on a fix internally that we’re looking to include in a future hotfix, thanks for everyone’s patience on this. We’ll update here once it’s been reenabled.</p>
</div>
    </div>
</div>


This Week’s Diablo 4 Maintenance: July 18th

Diablo IV News