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  • Diablo at BlizzCon 2017

    • By brilovely Oct 19, 2017
    • Category IconNews
    • 10

    Diablo at BlizzCon 2017

    The official Diablo blog has been updated with information on BlizzCon 2017.

     

    Originally Posted by Blizzard (Official Blog)

    A cold wind blows through Southern California, and soon it will bring all things Blizzard to the Anaheim Convention Center. Diablo is no exception, and whether you’ll be roaming the convention beside us or tuning in at home, we’ve got some treats in store for our beloved nephalem!

    For Attendees

    While it might not be a “big” year for Diablo this BlizzCon, we’re still excited to see our fellow players and celebrate all things Sanctuary with you!

     

    Heading to the con? You might have noticed we’re setting up a small demo area this year right at the front of the main floor! Swing by and try out our convention-exclusive Diablo III experience! Something strange stirs just inside the gates of New Tristram. . . . Choose your favorite nephalem hero and find out what lies in store in this unique, one-off adventure!

     

    Diablo at BlizzCon

     

    Via Virtual Ticket

    Pick up a Virtual Ticket and get a front-row seat to our exclusive Diablo content, including our two live Diablo panels! All viewers will additionally have access to a couple of unique BlizzCon pre-show videos, including our 2017 Year in Review and Necromancer cosplay content.

     

    Diablo at BlizzCon 

     

    Diablo BlizzCon

     

    This year, we’ll be diving into the specifics behind the VFX of the Necromancer live on stage! Join our developers on the Heroic stage on Friday, November 3 at 2:45 p.m. PT to learn more about the dark magic of visual effects needed to bring the necromancer, mastery of the dead, and curses to un-life and even see some of the techniques we use in action.

     

    On Saturday, November 4 at 2:45 P.M., join Community Manager Brandy Camel as she chats with a few of your favorite community members—C.J. ‘Rhykker’ Miozzi, Lynxaria, Stephen ‘Leviathan’ Stewart, and Anthony ‘BigDaddyDen’ Evans—about their experiences in Sanctuary, as well as what it’s like to create content for the Diablo III community. 

     

    Don’t forget about the Murkromancer! This necrotic and aquatic fellow will excitedly follow you through your adventures in Sanctuary, gathering your gold and mrrglglgrling all the way!

     

    Diablo at BlizzCon

     

    BlizzCon is a celebration of our players as well as our games. We wouldn’t be where we are without you, our community, and we hope you’ll celebrate another great year with us. The future has a lot to hold for the world of Sanctuary, but in the meantime, drop by and hang out with us at BlizzCon!

    Tags BlizzCon Blizzard Blue Post Diablo
    10 latest comment by Lexos87 Jump to Comment
  • PTR Patch Notes 2.6.1 - v2.6.1.47041

    • By brilovely Aug 30, 2017
    • Category IconNews
    • 9

    PTR PATCH 2.6.1 - v2.6.1.47041

    The following changes were made in the latest PTR patch.

     

    Originally Posted by Blizzard (Official Blog)

    CLASSES

     Witch Doctor Passives

    • Creeping Death
      • Increased the duration of Haunt, Locust Swarm, and the damage amplification of Piranhas when this passive is active from 3600 to 14400 seconds
      • Note: There is currently a bug preventing this passive from affecting Piranhas; this will be fixed in an upcoming PTR patch

    Wizard Skills

    • Frozen Orb
      • Increased projectile travel distance from 30 to 45

    Bug Fixes

    • (PTR Only) Fixed an issue with Battle Rage - Bloodshed where the damage from critical hits was not being scaled by the proc coefficient of the power doing damage
    • Fixed an issue where the advanced tooltip for Bone Armor - Dislocation did not correctly state the rune did Poison damage
    • Fixed an issue where Furious Charge would inherit the elemental damage type on your weapon when Vile Ward was equipped, as opposed to the damage type of the rune you chose

    ITEMS

    Legendary Items

    • Barbarian
      • Band of Might
        • After casting Furious Charge, Ground Stomp, or Leap, take 50–60% 60-80% reduced damage for 8 seconds
      • Bracers of the First Men
        • Hammer of the Ancients attacks 50% faster and deals 150–200%300-400% 400-500% increased damage
      • Gavel of Judgement
        • Hammer of the Ancients returns 20–25 Fury if it hits 3 or fewer enemies. The damage of Hammer of the Ancients is increased by 400-500% 600-800% and it returns 25 Fury if it hits 3 or fewer enemies
        • Note: The Legendary power on this item is currently not functioning; this will be fixed in an upcoming patch
    • Crusader
      • Fate of the Fell
        • Heaven's Fury gains two additional rays and has its damage increased by 150-200% 375-500%
      • Golden Flense
        • Sweep Attack restores 6 Wrath for each enemy hit and has its damage increased by 225-300% 
    • Witch Doctor
      • The Short Man’s Finger
        • Note: There is currently a bug which causes the new and old versions of the ring to not work when both are equipped; this will be fixed in an upcoming PTR patch
    • Wizard
      • Halo of Karini
        • You take 45–60% 60-80% less damage for 3 4 seconds after your Storm Armor electrocutes an enemy more than 30 15 yards away

    Set Items

    • Crusader
      • Thorns of the Invoker
        • (2) Set
          • Note: There is currently an issue which causes the actual Thorns increase to be 35% instead of 70%; this will be fixed in an upcoming PTR patch
    • Demon Hunter
      • Embodiment of the Marauder
        • (4) Set
          • Sentries deal 400% 100% increased damage and cast Elemental Arrow, Chakram, Impale, Multishot, and Cluster Arrow when you do
        • (6) Set
          • Your primary skills, Elemental Arrow, Chakram, Impale, Multishot, Cluster Arrow, Companions, and Vengeance deal 1200% 2100% 2400% increased damage for every active Sentry
    • Monk
      • Shenlong's Spirit
        • The damage of your Spirit Generators is increased by 1.5%2% for each point of Spirit you have
        • When reaching maximum Spirit, all damage is increased by 150% 200%, but you no longer passively regenerate Spirit and 65 Spirit is drained every second until you run out of Spirit
    • Necromancer
      • Pestilence Master’s Shroud
        • (4) Set
          • Each enemy you hit with Bone Spear, Corpse Lance or Corpse Explosion reduces your damage taken by 2%, up to a maximum of 50%. Lasts 15 seconds.
    • Witch Doctor
      • Helltooth Harness
        • (6) Set
          • Note: This set bonus is being temporarily disabled to fix an issue with the set. It will be re-enabled in a later PTR patch.
      • Raiment of the Jade Harvester
        • (6) Set
          • Soul Harvest reduces damage taken by 50% for 12 seconds and consumes your damage over time effects on enemies, instantly dealing 300 1200 seconds worth of remaining damage.
    • Wizard
      • Vyr’s Amazing Arcana
        • (6) Set
          • You also gain Archon stacks when you hit with an Archon ability. Archon stacks now also reduce damage taken by 0.15% and have their damage bonus increased to 18%25%
      • Chantodo's Resolve
        • (2) Set
          • Every second while in Archon form you expel a Wave of Destruction, dealing 350% 600% 1000% weapon damage to enemies within 30 yards
    • Bug Fixes
      • (PTR Only) Fixed an issue where the legacy version of the Legendary power on Dayntee's Binding did not upgrade to the new version of this item’s power in Kanai’s Cube
      • (PTR Only) Fixed an issue where you could equip the legacy and new version of the Legendary power on Gavel of Judgement at the same time
      • (PTR Only) Fixed an issue where every rune except for Shattering Throw was not benefitting from the increased damage from Akkhan’s Leniency
      • (PTR Only) Fixed an issue where where Lashing Tail Kicks cast by mimics spawned by Rabid Strike were not having their damage increased by Scarbringer
      • (PTR Only) Fixed an issue where the new version of Fate's Vow was not displaying the correct visuals per rune selected with Army of the Dead
      • (PTR Only) Fixed an issue where Fate's Vow was not providing the maximum bonus to Army of the Dead when used in Kanai’s Cube
      • (PTR Only) Fixed an issue where it was possible to reach zero HP and live when using Haunting Visions and Simulacrum

    ADVENTURE MODE

    Rifts

    • Increased the amount of experience and Rift progress granted by Blazing Constructs
    • Increased the amount of experience and Rift progress granted by Smoldering Constructs
    Tags Blue Post
    9 latest comment by D_O_Aruss Jump to Comment
  • 2.6.0 Hotfixes, Legendary Gem Level Rollback, Double XP Event this Weekend!

    • By Fluxflashor Jul 11, 2017
    • Category IconNews
    • 10

    2.6.0 Hotfixes

    A round of hotfixes that were scheduled to go live last week and were subsequently delayed are now live! Details below.

     

    Originally Posted by Blizzard (Official Forums)

    Items

    • Fixed an issue which caused the six-piece bonus on the Grace of Inarius set to proc the effect of Mirinae and other on-hit effects too frequently
    • Adjusted the Bones of Rathma six-piece set bonus based on player feedsback
      • The six-piece bonus will now grant 625% (up from 250%) damage to your minions and Army of the Dead skill for each active Skeletal Mage with a total cap of 2500%. With this, players will only need to summon four (down from ten) Skeletal Mages to receive the full six-piece set bonus. Additional Skeletal Mages can still be summoned to attack your enemies, but aren’t needed to maintain the bonus. This makes maintaining the bonus less time consuming and allows damage to ramp up more quickly at the start of combat. The total number of Skeletal Mages that can be active at a time is unchanged (ten).
    • Enabled the item Hellcat Waistguard to begin dropping once more
    • Fixed an issue which allowed certain Necromancer Legendary items to be equipped by non-Necromancer classes

    Skills

    • Fixed an issue where Marked for Death with the Grim Reaper rune was incorrectly spreading the damage from the skill Frailty

    Legendary Gem Level Rollback

    Players using a recent exploit to level up their gems will be seeing them brought back to a "level that would have been legitimately achievable prior to the patch going live". Response throughout the community isn't exactly positive.

     

    Originally Posted by Blizzard (Official Forums)

    Hey all,

    I know you've been eagerly awaiting an update, so a few things to share with you:

    First, we extended the post cap on this thread. Let's try to keep discussion and feedback on this topic here as best we can to keep our General forums more organized.

    Secondly, the hotfix has now been deployed. This should be applicable to all regions at this time. Thank you so much for your patience!

    Lastly, we will be rolling back Legendary Gem levels to the maximum gem level that would have been legitimately achievable prior to the patch going live. As with all previous exploits, any additional actions we may take will not be discussed outside of our staff and offending individuals.


    Double XP Event this Weekend!

    Starting on this Friday at 5 PM PT and running until Monday at 10 AM PT, there's going to be a double XP event!

     

    Originally Posted by Blizzard (Official Forums)

    We will be holding a double XP weekend starting Friday, July 14 at 5 p.m. PT and ending Monday, July 17 at 10 a.m. PT as an apology for the delays and our gratitude for your patience as we address this issue. Thank you to all who issued reports and helped us uphold the spirit of Play Nice, Play Fair!

     


    Prime Day Deals

    MMO-Champion has compiled a list of some of the best Prime Day deals. Check them out here.

     

    Prime Day

    Tags Blizzard Blue Post
    10 latest comment by Benegesserit Jump to Comment
  • Season 11: Everything You Need to Know

    • By brilovely Jul 5, 2017
    • Category IconNews
    • 23

    First Look: Season 11

    With Season 11 only a couple of weeks away, Blizzard has updated their Official Blog with everything you need to know about cosmetics, journey rewards, conquests, and Haedrig's Gift.

     

    Originally posted by Blizzard (Official Blog)


    Season 11 - Diablo 3
    Our next Season begins soon! For those among you who enjoy the fresh start a Season brings, we want to give you a glimpse of what to expect before you race out the gate in Season 11. Read on for the details on Seasonal rewards, Conquests, and more.

    The Season of the Necromancer

    All who oppose you, beware…

    For the first Season ever, players will be able to unleash the powers of blood and bone with the Necromancer! If you’ve been looking for an opportunity to experience the game from a fresh perspective, there’s no better way than to dive in and start playing with the Priest of Rathma.  

    Season 11 - Necromancer


    New Cosmetic Rewards

    As with past Seasons, Season 11 continues to introduce new cosmetic rewards, obtainable by progress through the Season Journey.

    Pet collectors will be pleased to see a new arrival in the Emerald Dragon… and, in addition to the Pant and Boot slots of the exclusive Conqueror Set, a brand new series of portraits themed around Treasure Goblins will be available. Finally, a portrait that serves as an homage to loot itself!

    Season 11 - Cosmetic Rewards


    Season Journey Rewards

    If you’ve been playing the past few Seasons diligently and reached Conqueror in the Season Journey each time, you’ve accrued a few extra stash tabs. Players who have not yet earned a total of four Stash tabs via the Season Journey can still unlock an additional Stash tab by completing the following tasks at the Conqueror tier:

    • Complete a Torment XIII Rift in under 5 minutes
    • Complete Greater Rift 60 solo
    • Kill Greed on Torment XIII
    • Kill Siegebreaker on Torment XIII in under 15 seconds
    • Reforge a Legendary or Set item
    • Augment an Ancient item with a Level 50 or greater Legendary Gem
    • Level three Legendary Gems to 55
    • Complete two Conquests

    Seasonal Conquests

    Speaking of Conquests, we’re rotating those too! Do you love collecting lots of gold as fast as possible? You’ll be set with Avarice and Avaritia. Want to go fast while killing things? Speed Demon and Need for Speed will serve your purposes. Want to go fast while killing big things? Boss Mode and Worlds Apart are right up your alley. Divinity and Lionhearted are also making a return, if challenging Greater Rifts are more your style. Finally, if you’re keen to prove your mastery of various Class Sets, Masters of the Universe and Masters of Sets will also be returning.

    Season 11 Conquests


    Haedrig's Gift

    Finally, just as before, you’ll get a shiny new Class Set courtesy of Haedrig’s Gift for completing certain chapters in the Season Journey. We’ve listed the available Sets below. For those new to Seasons, here’s how it works:

    Completing Chapters 2, 3, and 4 of the Season Journey will reward you with three Haedrig’s Gifts—one for each Chapter. Each Gift contains a few pieces from one of your Class Sets. Players can only unlock one Class Set in this manner per Season across Hardcore and Non-Hardcore, so choose wisely!

    In addition, the set you receive will depend on the Class of the character you’re playing when you open each Haedrig’s Gift. To collect a full Class Set, you’ll need to open all three on the same character.

    Here are the sets granted by Haedrig’s Gift in Season 11:

    • Barbarian – Wrath of the Wastes
    • Crusader – Roland’s Legacy
    • Demon Hunter – Unhallowed Essence
    • Monk – Raiment of a Thousand Storms
    • Necromancer – Bones of Rathma
    • Witch Doctor – Helltooth Harness
    • Wizard – Tal Rasha’s Elements

      Season 11 - Haedrig's Gift

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Q: When does Season 11 start?

    A: Season 11 begins Thursday, July 20, at 5:00 p.m. PDT in North America, 5:00 p.m. CEST in Europe, and 5:00 p.m. KST in Asia. For help with time zones, check out this site.

    Note: Season 11 will begin on a Thursday to ensure there is adequate time to respond to potential issues with Seasons before the weekend begins.

    Q: When are the non-Seasonal Leaderboards being wiped?

    A: Non-Seasonal Leaderboards are only available on PC/Mac and are tied to what we call “Eras,” each of which lasts about 6 to 12 months. The most recent Era began on August 5. For more information on Eras, please see this post.

    Q: What will happen to older Seasonal records?

    A: Starting with Season 11, we will remove old personal bests from Season 2. When Season 12 arrives, we will remove old personal bests from Season 3, and so on. In addition, there may be cases where multiple past Seasons of personal bests are removed at the same time. We will also be doing the same for Eras at some point, and we’ll have more details to share once that happens.

    Seasonal Leaderboard records are not being cleared and will remain archived both in game and on our website.

    Tags Blue Post Season 11 Seasonal
    23 latest comment by Saioson Jump to Comment
  • First Look at New Diablo 3 Zones in Patch 2.6

    • By brilovely Jun 22, 2017
    • Category IconNews
    • 11

    First Look at New Diablo 3 Zones in Patch 2.6

    In a recent blog post, Blizzard gives us an in-depth look at the new areas coming in Patch 2.6.0.

     

    Originally posted by Blizzard (Official Blog)

    Diablo - New Zones
    Sanctuary is a big place, and in Patch 2.6.0 it’s about to get bigger! With new areas appearing in Acts II and IV of Adventure Mode, there are more places to explore, more bounties to complete, and more monsters to slay. Join us, nephalem, as we take a first look at these new locations.


    The Shrouded Moors: Remnants of a Lost Civilization

    Fetid swamps stretch beyond your vision, obscured by a dense fog that commands malevolent intent. Ancient structures long since abandoned are scattered across the sunken mire, and the absence of human activity might have something to do with an ongoing eerie sense of being watched. Still, despite the sense that something unnatural looms in the distance, the notion that treasure and glory may await tempts even the most cautious being.

    Welcome to the Shrouded Moors.

    Diablo - Shrouded Moors
    Located in the northeastern reaches of Sanctuary, the Shrouded Moors border a verdant wilderness. This land shows clear signs of the influence of those untamed wilds, as beasts most foul and vicious have become its primary inhabitants. The remaining stone structures—their purpose lost to the passage of time—stand as the only clue to any humanoid settlers that may have once called this forsaken soil home.

    Diablo 3 - Shrouded Moors
    Diablo 3 - Shrouded Moors
    Diablo 3 - Shrouded Moors
    However, Tyrael and his Horadrim have received word that this land may be less deserted than previously thought. Lurking below, a great evil has begun to stir, drawing followers with most unsettling desires...

    The Temple of the Firstborn: Desiccated or Desecrated?

    An ancient monument to the earliest nephalem, the Temple of the Firstborn has long been hidden away deep beneath the surface of Sanctuary. However, a new and dangerous cult has arisen and taken residence within the buried structure. Disappearings on the outskirts of the moors are inciting fear, and the dusty tiles of the temple are streaked with disturbingly fresh blood. There is no doubt that a powerful evil now lurks below.

    Diablo - New Zones
    These cultists have been hard at work, twisting the flesh of mortals and bending creatures to their ill will. Abominations stalk the halls—horrors that should not be, filled with hate and driven by bloodthirst. Who, or what, bids the creation of such terrible creatures?

    Diablo 3 - New Zones
    Diablo 3 - New Zones
    Diablo 3 - New Zones
    Perhaps a brave soul will plumb the depths of this cursed place and put an end to the source of these horrid aberrations…

    Realms of Fate: A Heavenly Consequence

    The High Heavens are still reeling from the events of the Prime Evil’s assault. While the angelic host works to repair the damage from the atrocities that violated their sacred home, the Archangel of Fate, Itherael, has discovered a curious development in the far corners of his sanctified libraries.

    Click here to view GIF.

    The tomes and history stored within his libraries are changing the heavens themselves, transforming into small pockets reflecting the past, present, and potential futures. Though no one can make sense of why this has occurred, it still poses a threat to Sanctuary. Tyrael invites the nephalem to investigate, his faith in their skills, if not their hearts, still strong.

    Bounties, Treasures, and Monsters Await!

    All three of these new areas are coming in Patch 2.6.0, completely free to all players with the Reaper of Souls expansion pack or Ultimate Evil Edition of Diablo III. Will you solve the mysteries lurking below the Shrouded Moors? Or will you wander the Realms of Fate, forever searching for your future?

    The choice is yours, hero, and we look forward to seeing the fruits of your endeavors!

    Tags Blizzard Blue Post 2.6
    11 latest comment by Saucey Jump to Comment
  • Necromancer Release Date and Price Revealed

    • By brilovely Jun 20, 2017
    • Category IconNews
    • 63

    Necromancer Release Date and Price Revealed

     The release date and price for The Rise of the Necromancer Pack have been announced. The pack will be available starting June 27 and will cost $14.99 USD.


    Originally posted by Blizzard (Official Blog)

    Necromancer Release Date and Price Revealed
    Steel your hearts and get ready to maintain the Balance, nephalem. We’re only a week away—The Rise of the Necromancer Pack is arriving June 27 on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One!

    Comprised of controlled, calculating individuals, the Priests of Rathma have long known the true stakes at the heart of the Eternal Conflict. Known to uneducated outsiders as Necromancers, these masters of blood, bone, and the dark arts are often misunderstood. Driven to protect the Balance at all costs, those dedicated to walking this path see neither good nor evil in their actions; simply obedience to the cycle of being.

    The Rise of the Necromancer is a purchasable content pack coming to Diablo III: Reaper of Souls and Diablo III: Ultimate Evil Edition. The pack will be available for purchase starting June 27, 2017 for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, and will cost $14.99 USD.

     

     

    FAQ

    Q. What is the Rise of the Necromancer pack?
    A. The Rise of the Necromancer pack is a purchasable content pack coming to Diablo III: Reaper of Souls and Diablo III: Ultimate Evil Edition.

    Q. What is included in the Rise of the Necromancer pack?
    A. In addition to full access to the Necromancer class in both Campaign and Adventure modes, the Rise of the Necromancer pack includes additional exclusive digital items:

    • Non-combat pet
    • A pair of cosmetic wings
    • New Necromancer-themed Banner Shape, Sigil, and Accent
    • Necromancer Portrait Frame
    • Pennant
    • Two additional character slots
    • Two additional stash tabs*

    *This item not available on console

    Q. What about all the other features coming in Patch 2.6.0?
    A. Challenge Rifts, The Shrouded Moors zone, Temple of the Firstborn zone, and the Realms of Fate are all free content—if you own the Reaper of Souls expansion pack, they are available for play without any additional purchases.

    Q. When will the pack be available for purchase?
    A. The pack will be available for purchase on June 27, 2017, after maintenance has completed in your region.

    Note: For PlayStation 4 in Japan, while the patch will be available on the morning of June 27, the Rise of the Necromancer pack and Eternal Collection will not be available until later that evening. Until the product is available, you may encounter an error reading “Product Not Available” during the first 12-hour window of the patch.

    Q. How much will the pack cost?
    A. The Rise of the Necromancer pack will cost $14.99 USD in North America. For regional pricing, please see your regional Diablo website.

    Q: How do I purchase the Rise of the Necromancer pack?
    A: For PC, you will be able to purchase both directly through a new in-game store front or via the Blizzard Shop. For PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, you’ll want to purchase through the PlayStation™ Store or the Xbox One Store respectively.

    Q: Will there be a box release for the Rise of the Necromancer?
    A: As this is digital content and not an expansion, the Rise of the Necromancer pack will not be available as a physical product.

    Q: What is the Diablo III: Eternal Collection?
    A: Players on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One will have the opportunity to purchase an all-in-one package in the Eternal Collection. This bundle includes both the Diablo III: Ultimate Evil Edition and the Rise of the Necromancer pack, and will be available at a special introductory price of $39.99 USD (reg. $59.99 SRP).

    Q. Will the Rise of the Necromancer pack be available for play at midnight?
    A. No. The Rise of the Necromancer pack requires Patch 2.6.0 to be installed; after maintenance has completed in your region, you’ll be able to purchase and access the Rise of the Necromancer pack.

    Q: When will maintenance begin?
    A:
    PC

    NA/SA/ANZ: 10:00 a.m. PDT
    EU: 11:00 p.m. CEST
    KR/TW: (June 29) 2:00 a.m. KST
    CN: (June 29) 5:00 a.m. CST

    Console
    All except JPN: 8:00 a.m. PDT
    JPN: (June 28) 12:00 p.m. JST

    Q: How long will maintenance last?
    A: Maintenance typically lasts between one to two hours; however, this is a variable that can change on short notice. Keep up to date by following @BlizzardCS for any emergency maintenance messaging.

    Q. Where can I learn more about the Necromancer class?
    A. We’ve released several informational blogs, which are linked below! In addition, keep your eyes on our front page for more news, media, and content as our release date draws nearer.

    • Necromancer Skill Overview
    • The Journey Begins—Necromancer Cinematic Reveal
    • Unearth New Rewards with the Rise of the Necromancer Pack!
    • First Look: Necromancer Set & Legendary Items
    Tags Necromancer Blue Post
    63 latest comment by sikeone83 Jump to Comment
  • Upcoming Developer Q&A, Community Content, Necromancer Item Insight

    • By Solzair May 1, 2017
    • Category IconNews
    • 6

    Necromancer Developer Q&A

     An upcoming Q&A was announced for this Wednesday, May 3.

     

    Originally posted by Blizzard (Official Forums)

    Join us live on Wednesday, May 3, at 4:00 p.m. PDT as we sit down with Senior Game Designer Travis Day and Lead VFX Artist Julian Love for our next live developer Q&A. You can tune in live at:
    • Facebook
    • Twitch
    Got a question? Submit it by posting in this forum thread or tweeting at us using the hashtag #D3QA.

    In order for us to get to as many questions as possible, we ask that you keep your questions short (no longer than 50 words). ((And don't ask for a beta key; we'll be moderating appropriately for spam. You've been warned.))

    Edit: Adding in this information as posted below.

    We're not ready to announce price or date information. Instead, please focus on questions about the Necromancer class, its mechanics, or the development process behind it. We'd love to talk about philosophy and iteration, because there's a lot more we can share in that regard.

    Thanks, and we hope to see you Wednesday, May 3 at 4:00 p.m. PDT!

    Necromancer Fail

    In this clip, Rhykker shows us an unintended skill interaction on his part. As it turns out, the Necromancer sometimes decides he just doesn't want his health anymore.

     

     


    Westmarch Workshop

    On episode 116 of the Westmarch Workshop, hosts Neinball and Leviathan go over many of the new and revamped Necromancer changes!

     

     


    Seasonal GR 117 Clear

    Reddit user Turgor and party cleared a seasonal GR 117 using a support Barbarian and Monk along with an impale Demon Hunter and a firebat Witch Doctor. Congratulations to them! You can check out the Twitch VOD below or see the Reddit thread here.

     

     


    Necromancer Item Insight

    The awesome Nevalistis popped over to Reddit to give a little bit of insight into the Necromancer's potential items.

      

    Originally posted by Blizzard (Diablo Subreddit)

    Are there any plans for an item that increases the raw amount of summons that the Necromancer can possess?

    I can’t say there isn’t; I’ve actually not seen the planned set of Legendary powers myself, as they aren’t fully implemented into the game and we usually see game changes after they’ve been fully committed.

    However, I do know we’re using Witch Doctor summons as a basis for comparison, because we did a ton of testing and optimization around the Witch Doctor to figure out just how many pets run well in Diablo III. That makes it a good baseline to ensure we keep the game in a playable state for both us and for our players (especially when you start looking at games with three other Summon-mancers, or a mix of Witch Doctors and Necros).

     

    Tags Necromancer Blue Post
    6 latest comment by OdinOneEye Jump to Comment
  • Necromancer Beta Test Coming Soon

    • By brilovely Apr 5, 2017
    • Category IconNews
    • 3

    Necromancer Beta Test Coming Soon

    Blizzard has just announced that an upcoming Necromancer beta test is just around the corner.

     

    Originally posted by Blizzard (Official Blog)

    Necromancer Beta Test

     

    Prepare yourselves—the Necromancer beta test is right around the corner, nephalem!

     

    Invitations to our closed beta test will soon be going out worldwide. If you are invited, we'd love to hear all about your adventures on the forums, watch your live streams, and see screenshots and videos of your experiences as you wield the dark powers of the Necromancer. 

     

    Please keep in mind that the Necromancer and other parts of Patch 2.6.0 are still in development. As such, content in the closed beta may change and does not necessarily represent the final version.

     

    For additional information about the closed beta, including how to participate and answers to frequently asked questions, read on below!


    How to Participate

    If you're interested in participating in the Necromancer beta test, you’ll want to make sure you've opted-in for beta testing. To opt in, simply visit your Beta Profile Settings page in Account Management, check the Diablo box under Beta Tests I'm Interested In, and then click Update Preferences. In order to be eligible to participate in the closed beta, you must have an active Diablo III license attached to your Blizzard account in good standing (i.e. not suspended or banned).

     

    Please note that opting in to the Necromancer beta test does not guarantee you access (especially since invites to our closed beta will be extremely limited), but it does at least give you a chance at joining the beta test.


    Necromancer Beta Test FAQ

    How are beta test participants selected from the opt-in pool?

    Beta testers are chosen according to their system specifications, in-game activity, and other factors, including an element of luck.

     

    How will I know if I'm selected to participate in the beta?
    If you are selected to participate in the Necromancer beta test, you will receive an invite via email. This invitation will always be sent to the email address associated with your Blizzard account.

     

    Will there be any other ways to get into the beta besides opting-in?
    In addition to opt-ins, we are also inviting key members of the community on a case-by-case basis. Invites to the Necromancer beta test will be extremely limited, however, and opting in is your best way to get in.

     

    How many players do you plan to invite to the beta test?
    The number of players we invite will be based on our testing needs. If we ultimately determine we need more players to participate after the initial testing, we’ll invite more.

     

    What game content will be available in the beta?
    Players who participate will have access to all of the Necromancer’s skills and abilities, as well as other Patch 2.6.0 content. In addition, new Legendary and Set items unique to the Necromancer will be added in over time. Our upcoming patch notes will have all the details on what’s included.

     

    How long will the beta test last?
    We have not determined an exact date for the end of the beta test. We will notify participants when the beta test is nearing completion.

     

    Will there be an open beta?
    In order to ensure focused feedback and a smooth testing experience for beta players, the Necromancer beta test will be invite-only for the duration of the test.

     

    Is there an NDA?
    There is no non-disclosure agreement (NDA) for the Necromancer beta test. You are welcome to take screenshots, livestream your play sessions, and record feedback videos. Please keep in mind that the game is still a work in progress, though, and we appreciate your understanding when you encounter bugs, graphical errors, or other issues.

     

    Will Mac users be able to participate in the beta test?
    Yes, Mac users will be able to participate in the beta at the same time as Windows users.


    Buy Games on Twitch

    You can now buy games on Twitch while simultaneously earning rewards and supporting your favorite partnered broadcasters. Learn more on the Twitch blog.

     

    Buy games on Twitch

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  • First Look at Patch 2.5.0

    • By brilovely Mar 16, 2017
    • Category IconNews
    • 30

    First Look at Patch 2.5.0

    Earlier today on the official Diablo 3 website, Blizzard posted a first look at Patch 2.5.0.

     

    Originally posted by Blizzard (Official Blog)

    First Look - Patch 2.5.0

     

    Patch 2.5.0 is right around the corner! Read on to learn more about the new features coming in our latest patch, including The Armory, Primal Ancients, and numerous quality of life updates.


    The Armory

    We’re happy to present a long-awaited feature we know you’ve been eager to get your hands on! The Armory enables players to store up to five complete character builds on each character, allowing you to swap seamlessly between set items, skills, runes, and gems with the click of a button.

     

    Any items equipped via the Armory will automatically swap to wherever the exchanged equipment was stored—whether that’s back into your stash or your personal inventory. Gems and Legendary Gems will also swap and, if you ‘ve upgraded or leveled up your gems, the Armory will automatically select the highest quality or level available for that gem type. Lastly, your skill bar will also update to your selected skills, rune, and Kanai’s Cube power preferences, and you’re welcome to name your setups whatever you like!

     

    As a note, the Armory does not store Paragon points, so you’ll need to redistribute those if you have a preference with your build. However, we’ve added a new hotkey to use your points more efficiently. While you can still spend 10 points at a time by holding Shift and clicking, you can now spend them 100 points at a time by holding Ctrl and clicking!

     

    Crafting Materials UI

    Sifting through your crafting materials in your stash is a thing of the past! All crafting materials including Arcane Dust, Veiled Crystals, Reusable Parts, Death’s Breaths, bounty crafting materials, and Hellfire crafting materials are stored in a convenient, separate UI tab. Just click the small anvil located next to your gold total in your inventory screen to view your materials.

     

     

    All crafting materials will be moved automatically into the Crafting Materials tab upon the launch of Patch 2.5.0, so there’s no need to store them somewhere specific before the patch hits. When using your crafting materials at Kanai’s Cube, there is now a convenient new Fill button to automagically transport your items directly into the cube interface for transmuting.

     


    Adventure Mode Updates

    Several additional changes are coming to Adventure Mode, from iterating on Greater Rift changes that were made in Patch 2.4.3 to quality of life updates coming for Bounties and Horadric Caches.

     

    First, the frequency of several different tile sets in Greater Rifts has been adjusted. Many of the more frequent areas, like various caves and Keep Depths, have had their appearance rate reduced. On the flip side, wide open areas that were previously rarer, like Festering Woods or Stinging Winds, have had their appearance rate increased. This should, overall, result in a more varied environmental experience in Greater Rifts.

     

     

     

    In addition, bonus acts in Bounties are being removed. Bonus Caches previously granted by the old system have instead been combined with the base Horadric Cache to form Large Horadric Chests. These are granted after completing a full set of five Bounties in any one Act and hold the total amount of materials and loot that previously would have been contained in the two separate caches. Now, you can complete whichever Acts you prefer in any order and at your leisure without feeling like every game session needs to be at least twenty-five Bounties long.


    Primal Ancients

    Players have different goals from Season to Season or game session to game session, and for some of our more dedicated players, there wasn’t a clear progression track beyond augmenting your Ancient Legendary items or completing the Season Journey. Enter Primal Ancients, a new tier of very rare Ancient items that allow you to aim for that perfect set of gear.

     

    Primal Ancients are Ancient items with perfectly rolled affixes. This means every affix including Primary, Secondary, and Legendary are at their ideal value, whether that means the maximum or minimum value. While the items don’t try to guess what kind of affixes are perfect for your build, you can be certain that they will roll with a couple specific rules. First, they will always drop with the appropriate main stat for your class (Strength for Barbarian/Crusader, Dexterity for Demon Hunter/Monk, and Intelligence for Witch Doctor/Wizard). Second, they will always have the ideal number of sockets for that item. For pants, chest, and jewelry, this means the maximum number of sockets. Since ideally you will want to use a Ramaladni's Gift on your weapon, Primal weapons will roll with no sockets.

     

     

    Primal Ancients can drop from any source of Legendary item in the game, including Horadric Caches, Kadala, and Kanai’s Cube, but only after you have completed at least a level 70 Greater Rift. This requirement need only be completed once per game mode (Hardcore vs. Non-Hardcore, or Seasonal vs. Non-Seasonal), which means it will reset with every Season. However, once that requirement has been met, all characters in that game mode will benefit from it. Happy hunting!


    Patch 2.5.0 is almost here! Which new feature are you looking forward to the most? What’s the first build you’re going to store in the Armory? Which Primal Ancient are you dying to get your hands on? Let us know in the comment section below, or ask questions you might have about what’s in store!

    Tags Blue Post Patch 2.5.0
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  • New Necromancer Information from Blizzard, BlizzCon Dates Announced

    • By brilovely Mar 14, 2017
    • Category IconNews
    • 12

      Read about the new information on Mass Effect: Andromeda's Combat System on Gamepedia

    New Necromancer Information from Blizzard

    Earlier today, Blizzard gave an update on the highly anticipated Necromancer, which included details on skills, models, and the PTR.

     

    Originally posted by Blizzard (Official Blog)

    Necromancer Update: The Meleemancer

     

    The balance of Sanctuary has been threatened, and the Priests of Rathma have sent an acolyte to help restore it. Wielding the visceral powers of blood and bone (along with a cadre of curses), the Necromancer will soon be joining the battle to protect Sanctuary from the Burning Hells. While we’ve been hard at work putting the various bits and pieces of what makes up a Diablo III class together for the Necromancer, we wanted to pop our heads out of the crypt and share a glimpse of what we’ve been working on.

     

    Necromancer - Scythe

    Skill: Grim Scythe

    Grim Scythe summons a huge scythe in a wide arc, dealing damage and restoring Essence. As a generator ability, this will be your bread and butter ability for building up to your more powerful damage dealing spells.

     

     

    Necromancer - Death Nova

    Skill Rune: Death Nova (Blood Nova)

    Blood Nova is one of the five skill runes for the base Death Nova skill. Blood Nova does impressive damage, but this comes at a cost—using this rune requires spending both Essence and some of your Health.

     

    Necromancer

    Skill Rune: Devour (Cannibalize) 

    Devour is a resource-regeneration skill, allowing you to regain Essence by consuming the corpses of your slain foes. As one of the runes for Devour, Cannibalize also allows you to regain Health, which is handy for fueling costly spells like Blood Nova!

     

     

    Raise Golem

     

    Skill Rune: Raise Golem (Blood Golem)

    We showed a sneak peek of the Blood Golem at BlizzCon, but now he’s outfitted with animations, skills, and clever tricks! The Blood Golem is a burly companion who can sacrifice himself to heal you. Don’t worry—he’ll reconstruct himself right away, and deal sizeable amounts of damage to surrounding foes in the process!

     

     

    Necromancer Leech

    Skill: Leech

    Joining Decrepify in the Necromancer’s repertoire of curses, Leech is a dastardly spell that allows you to transfer some of the health of attacked enemies to yourself and your allies. It’s great not only for keeping yourself healthy, but offering support to your party members as well!

     

     

    Necromancer Model

    Our Party Grows Stronger – Female Necromancer Model

    The concept art from BlizzCon comes alive—we’ve completed the female Necromancer model in all her macabre glory.

    What’s Next for the Necromancer?

    We know you’ve been dying (pun completely intended) to know when you’ll be able to get your hands on the Necromancer. There are a lot of unanswered questions floating around out there, so we’re going to tackle a few of them. If you don’t see your question here, remember we answered quite a few in our original Necromancer overview and more in our Necro Q&A.

    Will there be a PTR for the Necromancer?

    Yes! The PTR for the Necromancer will be a little different from other PTRs—stay tuned for more information.

    Is the Necromancer part of an expansion pack?

    No, the Necromancer is part of a content pack which includes the class, an in-game pet, cosmetic wings, two additional character slots, two additional stash tabs (on PC), a portrait frame, pennant, banner, and a banner sigil.

    It will, however, launch alongside a free major content patch that includes two new zones, Challenge Rifts, and more. These additional features will be available for all players with Diablo III: Reaper of Souls or the Ultimate Evil Edition.

    How much will the pack cost?

    We’re not ready to announce a price yet—we know you’re eager to find out, but we have a few more i’s to dot and t’s to cross before we can share.

    When is the Necromancer coming to Diablo III?

    We are currently aiming for the second half of 2017; when we have an official release date, we’ll certainly share it!

     


     BlizzCon Dates Announced

     Blizzard announced that BlizzCon 2017 will take on November 3 and 4 this year.

     

    Originally posted by Blizzard (Official Blog)

    Blizzard Entertainment’s two-day gaming convention and community celebration returns to the Anaheim Convention Center on November 3 and 4—but it’s not too early to begin preparations for a weekend full of hands-on gaming, in-depth developer panels, incredible esports competition, and more.

     

    BlizzCon 2017 Tickets

    Tickets to the 11th BlizzCon will go on sale in two batches:

    • Wednesday, April 5 at 7:00 p.m. PDT
    • Saturday, April 8 at 10:00 a.m. PDT

    This year, ticket sales will be hosted by Universe, and tickets are priced at $199 each (plus applicable taxes and fees). Check out the BlizzCon Ticket webpage and Badge Information page for all the details.

    Tags Necromancer Blue Post
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  • PTR Patch 2.5.0.44247, Reddit Blue Post, Li-Ming Cosplay

    • By brilovely Mar 13, 2017
    • Category IconNews
    • 1

    PTR Patch 2.5.0.44247 

    There was a small PTR patch on Friday that fixed an issue with base armor for Primal Ancient items.

    Originally posted by Blizzard (Official Blog)

    Primal Ancients
         (PTR Only) Fixed an issue which caused the base armor of Primal Ancient items to incorrectly roll with different values

     


    Reddit Blue Post 

    Recently on Reddit, Blizzard posted a response to the lack of visible changes on the latest PTR patches.

    Originally posted by Blizzard (Diablo Subreddit)

    Hey, I've seen questions popping up about why the past few patches have had so few visible changes, and wanted to jump in right quick to clarify.

    Most of the changes in the past two PTR patches have been for bug fixes and improvements to some of our backend systems. Since these aren't player-facing changes, they aren't the kind of thing we typically include in the notes.

    If you were wondering what changed and weren't sure why a patch was going out, that's why. Sorry for the confusion!

     


    Li-Ming Cosplay

    Love Li-Ming? View this incredible cosplay from @sigmanas. You can view more photos here. Photo credit: La-Clover.

     

    La-Ming Blizzard Cosplay

    Tags Blue Post Patch Notes
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  • PTR Patch 2.5.0.43876: Item Functionality Changes and Bug Fixes

    • By brilovely Feb 22, 2017
    • Category IconNews
    • 6

    PTR Patch 2.5.0.43876: Item Functionality Changes and Bug Fixes

    A new PTR patch went live today, February 22. The patch includes item functionality changes and bug fixes.

    Originally posted by Blizzard (Official Forums)

    Class Specific Items

    Item Functionality

    • Manald Heal
      • The number of procs generated by channeled skills while using this item has been reduced by 25%
    • Illusory Boots
      • Now allow the player to pass through enemies and the Waller affix when using Furious Charge, Whirlwind, Strafe and Tempest Rush

    Enemies

    Bug Fixes

    • Fixed an issue causing Elite enemies with the Juggernaut affix to incorrectly take normal damage from Slow Time when combined with Deslere’s Magnum Opus
    Tags Blue Post PTR Patch
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  • XP Buff on the PTR, Windows XP and Vista Support Ending, Rakanishu Fan Art

    • By brilovely Feb 17, 2017
    • Category IconNews
    • 5

    500% XP Buff on the PTR

    To help test Primal Ancient items, Blizzard has enabled an XP boost on the PTR.

     

    Originally posted by Blizzard (Official Forums)

    In an effort to help ramp up testing for Primal Ancient items, we will be enabling a 500% Experience boost on the PTR. This should help everyone level and gear up more quickly without affecting our testing for drop rates.


    This buff is now live.

    Thanks, everyone, and happy testing!

     


    Ending Support for Windows XP and Vista

    Blizzard recently announced that they will begin the process of ending support for Windows XP and Vista across many of their titles.

     

    Originally posted by Blizzard (Official Forums)

    Starting later this year, we will begin the process of ending support for Windows XP and Windows Vista in World of Warcraft, StarCraft II, Diablo III, Hearthstone, and Heroes of the Storm. Microsoft ceased mainstream support for these versions of Windows in 2009 and 2012, respectively, but since a decent portion of our audience was still using them at the time, we continued supporting them. However, there have been three major Windows releases since Vista, and at this point, the vast majority of our audience has upgraded to one of the newer versions. After these older operating systems are no longer supported, the games will not run on them, so we encourage any players who are still using one of the older OSes to upgrade to a newer version. We’ll be rolling out this change on a staggered schedule, and will post further notices as we get closer to making the change for each game.

     


    Rakanishu Clay Sculpture from Reddit user cyclopeanDepths

    This phenomenal, fan-created Rakanishu (Diablo 2) sculpture comes from Redditor cyclopeanDepths, who works as a professional cg modeler. You can view the full imgur album here and see more of the artist's work here.

     

    Rakanishu Scupture

    Tags Blue Post Fan Art Diablo 2
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  • PTR Patch 2.5.0.43508: Primal Ancient, Greater Rift Changes

    • By brilovely Feb 14, 2017
    • Category IconNews
    • 17

    PTR Patch 2.5.0.43508: Primal Ancient, Greater Rift Changes

    A new PTR patch went live today, February 14. The patch includes changes to Primal Ancient items, Greater Rifts, and a variety of bug fixes.

    Originally posted by Blizzard (Official Forums)

    Classes

    Bug Fixes

    • Demon Hunter
      • Impale - Ricochet
        • Fixed a bug where the second bounce granted by this rune would sometimes fail if enemies were packed tightly together.

    Adventure Mode

    Primal Ancient Items

    • Legendary and Set items will now have a chance to roll as Primal Ancient
    • These items are much more rare than Ancient items and have perfect Ancient-level stats on all affixes, including the item’s Legendary Power
      • Note: Primal Ancients will only begin dropping after a character on the player’s account has reached Greater Rift 70 Solo
        • There are separate unlocks for normal and Hardcore characters, as well as Seasonal and non-Seasonal characters
      • The stats on these items will be tailored to the character class you are playing when the item first drops
    • Primal Ancient items salvage into 15 Forgotten Souls
    Ancient Items
    • Now salvage into 3 Forgotten Souls
    Class Specific Items
      • Note: Existing items will not be affected by the following changes. Only new versions of the items will roll with the added Legendary power
        • Demon Hunter
          • Holy Point Shot
            • Impale throws two additional knives
              • Note: Each enemy can only be hit once per skill use
                • Note: This change is still being tested and evaluated
      • Bug Fixes
        • The Legacy of Raekor
          • Fixed a bug where the 6 piece bonus of this set would not buff Earthquake damage
    Greater Rifts
      • Additionally, several quality of life changes have been made
        • The frequency of several tilesets in Greater Rifts has been adjusted
          • Caves, Keep Depths and Zoltun Kulle’s Archives will appear less often
          • Stinging Winds, Festering Woods, Pandemonium, Tristram Cathedreal, Arreat Crater and Realm of the Banished will appear more often
        • The Flooded Causeway and Westmarch locations will no longer appear on the first floor of Greater Rifts
        • The number of Spear Throwing Goatmen and Skeleton Archers that appear in Greater Rifts has been reduced in certain enemy populations
        • Bug Fixes
          • Fixed an issue that caused a specific enemy population of Triune Cultists in Greater Rifts to spawn the wrong ratio of minions
    Tags Blue Post PTR Patch Notes
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  • Blizzard Confirms Changes to Primal Ancients Design

    • By brilovely Feb 14, 2017
    • Category IconNews
    • 23

    Blizzard Confirms Changes to Primal Ancients Design

    Community Manager Tyvalir discussed changes coming to the Primal Ancients design on the Blizzard forums.

     

    Originally posted by Blizzard (Official Forums)

    Hey all, 

    As we mentioned previously, getting your feedback on Primal Ancients has been super helpful. We’ve heard some really good points, and along with this, we’ll be making some changes to how these items work in an upcoming PTR patch.

    Rather than increase the power they give you beyond Ancient items, Primal Ancients will now instead roll perfect Ancient-level stats tailored to the character class you’re playing when the item first drops. Rerolling any of these at the Mystic will also yield only perfect rolls.

    Along with this, these items will be even more rare than they currently are, and will only begin dropping after a character on your account has completed Greater Rift 70 solo (with separate unlocks for Hardcore and normal characters).

    Finally, we hear you on wanting Ancient and Primal Ancient items to salvage into something more valuable. With the upcoming PTR patch, Ancient items will salvage into 3 Forgotten Souls, and Primal Ancients will salvage into 15 Forgotten Souls (yay reforging \o/).

    We’re looking forward to hearing your feedback once you’ve had a chance to test these changes. Thanks again, and happy hunting.
    What are your thoughts on the new direction for the Primal Ancients system?
    Tags Blue Post Primal Ancients
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  • Greater Rift Design Philosophy, Careers at Curse

    • By brilovely Feb 9, 2017
    • Category IconNews
    • 10

    Greater Rift Design Philosophy

    In a recent post, Joe Shely discusses his design philosophy for Greater Rifts.

     

    Originally posted by Blizzard (Official Forums)

    Great Rifts

     

    Hi all, Joe Shely here. I’d like to talk about our philosophy for the design changes we make that affect Greater Rifts and how we think about Rift “fishing.” When you are pushing Greater Rifts (either to improve your highest Greater Rift rank or to increase your maximum Legendary Gem rank), you start to encounter situations where you’re selecting a Rift that you may not be able to complete. Whether you can complete that Rift or not depends on three factors:

    • Your character’s overall power, including how much main stat you have, your Critical Strike chance, etc. This is the largest factor and comes primarily from your gear.
    • How well you execute your character’s build. For example, maximizing Focus and Restraint uptime, getting the most value out of each Convention of the Elements cycle, and so on.
    • How well you adapt to the various challenges the dungeon throws at you. These include things like dungeon layout, number of branching paths, room size, enemy population type, and which Rift boss you encounter.

    In other words, Greater Rifts require some combination of three things: Power, Execution, and Adaptability.

     

    Greater Rifts Diablo 3

     

    If we wanted to, we could make every Rift roll the same tile-set, layout, population, and boss. That would put all of the focus on execution. This can be fun in short bursts, and in fact Challenge Rifts do exactly this at a fixed power level. Each time a new Challenge Rift is introduced you’ll be presented with a new character and build to try. We plan to introduce new Challenge Rifts frequently to keep the experience fresh. Greater Rifts are a different beast. You spend a lot of time with the same character. That character’s power level doesn’t change very fast, especially in the late game when you’re running with a complete set of well-rolled items. And your execution—the buttons you’re pressing—doesn’t change very often. You improve over time and might try a new build, but overall this value is fairly static…so we need to look elsewhere to keep Greater Rifts fun to play again and again. This is where adaptability comes in. We design monsters, Rift Guardians, affixes, and dungeon layouts that throw a wide variety of challenges at you—within reason. Your experience should vary from one Rift to the next, but if it varies too much, it feels like whether you can complete a Rift is entirely out of your control. Our target with Rift changes has been to reduce that variation while keeping the play experience different from Rift to Rift.

     

    Greater Rifts Diablo 3

     

    If you step into a Rift and see that the first floor is a cave, or the first population has a lot of Writhing Deceivers and you instantly know that Rift will be impossible to complete, then the cave tile-set or the monster probably needs tweaking. Along these lines, we reduced the average size of a Rift floor in Patch 2.4.3 to increase the number of floors you see in a given Rift, placing less emphasis on the tile-set or population of a given floor. We also made improvements where a specific monster or tile-set was out of line, like fixing big empty areas in the Heaven tile-set or making Writhing Deceivers emerge more quickly from hiding. Now, when you’re pushing the absolute limit of your character’s power and execution, there will inevitably come a point where you can only succeed if you get that perfect Rift. That’s a reality we aren’t trying to circumvent. But by setting the right balance between character power, execution, and adaptability in Greater Rifts, we can broadly improve the experience and raise the threshold at which everything has to go perfectly.


     
    Curse Careers

    Curse Careers

    Want to work with the team behind Diablo Fans? Curse has several open positions for passionate, talented gamers. You can learn more about Curse, view open positions, and apply here.

    Tags Blue Post
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  • Primal Ancients Design Changes, Top 5 Wizard Builds for Season 9

    • By Frequ Feb 6, 2017
    • Category IconNews
    • 9

    Primal Ancients Design Changes

    In a recent forum post discussing the controversial introduction of Primal Ancients, Blizzard revealed that "significant design changes" would be applied to the upcoming feature. 

    Originally posted by Blizzard (Official Forums)

    Loving the amount of thoughtful and constructive discourse on this topic. We knew introducing Primal Ancients would be somewhat controversial, because they are meant to be very rare, and we appreciate the time and effort you all have taken to testing them thus far. We're reading as many threads, watching as many videos, and listening to as many streams as possible to gather your thoughts and reflect on them.

    There are definitely some good and valid concerns, and we are going to be making some significant design changes with Primal Ancients. These changes aren't set in stone and have some technical hurdles behind them, so they won't be making the next PTR patch, but a future one instead.

    Communication is key this early on in PTR. Are you checking all the primal related threads in the PTR feedback, or just this one?

    We're definitely looking at multiple threads, it's just much easier for us to pick a centralized location to converse.

    On a related note, it's easier on us if there's more of a centralized discussion, so while other threads likely won't go unnoticed, it's much easier for us to parse one thread on a topic than fifty.

    Top 5 Wizard Builds for Season 9

    We started with the Barbarian and followed with the Demon Hunter, but now it’s time to release the top builds for my favorite class, the Wizard. The Wizard received some changes in 2.4.3, with the most notable being Manald Heal receiving an affix. While Delsere's Magnum Opus (DMO) did receive a buff, it was not enough to make it a competitive set for DPSing. The Manald Heal, however, gave the Wizard a new build to top the leaderboards with and a chance to replace the gen Monk in the current 4 man meta (although the gen Monk still keeps its place as the best single target DPS).

     

    1. [2.4.2a] (S8) - FireBird Archon Solo 90+ (Video)

    These builds are ranked in no particular order, but I like to start with something familiar. With that, starting the list is Firebird Archon (FB Wiz). Topping the leaderboards in both Season 7 and Season 8, the FB Wiz received no changes in 2.4.3, but still remains a strong pick for pushing the solo leaderboards. While it is now outclassed by the Manald Heal Wizard (MH Wiz), the FB Wiz will still be able to compete for top leaderboard spots and can also be used for groups in a 1 DPS 3 zDPS comp.

     

    [2.4.2a] (S8) - FireBird Archon Solo 90+ (Video)

    • by FrankLucasLps
    • Spectral Blade Flame Blades
    • Magic Weapon Force Weapon
    • Ice Armor Crystallize
    • Frost Nova Bone Chill
    • Teleport Safe Passage
    • Archon Combustion
    • Audacity
    • Evocation
    • Unstable Anomaly
    • Illusionist


    2. <S9> GR 102+ Ranged Manald Heal Wiz

    One of my favorite builds for Wizard (coming only second to S6 ET Archon) is the Manald Heal Wizard (MH Wiz). MH Wiz is currently topping the solo leaderboards for Wizard, and it also finds itself in the 4 man leaderboards with a GR 110 clear. MH Wiz is a breath of fresh air for many Wizard players since it's a ranged build. For previous seasons, Wizards (and all the other classes) have been stuck with melee builds being the only option for pushing, but, with Manald Heal, Wizards now have a ranged build to play with. It's also just really fun!

     

    <S9> GR 102+ Ranged Manald Heal Wiz

    • by Frequ
    • Arcane Torrent Static Discharge
    • Archon Combustion
    • Black Hole Spellsteal
    • Magic Weapon Deflection
    • Energy Armor Force Armor
    • Energy Twister Mistral Breeze
    • Evocation
    • Power Hungry
    • Unstable Anomaly
    • Paralysis


    3. [2.4.3] (GR94+) Tal AT:SD Manald Heal + Aquila + Deathwish

    Sticking with our new toy, another variant using Manald Heal is the Arcane Torrent Static Discharge Manald Heal Wizard (ATSD MH Wiz). The ATSD MH Wiz, while being melee, is a non-archon build, which many Wizard players have been longing for. While it may not be as strong as its archon variant, ATSD MH Wiz still has the potential to obtain a high leaderboard ranking for those that wish to stray from archon.

     

    [2.4.3] (GR94+) Tal AT:SD Manald Heal + Aquila + Deathwish

    • by Cratic
    • Teleport Calamity
    • Arcane Torrent Static Discharge
    • Magic Weapon Conduit
    • Blizzard Snowbound
    • Ice Armor Crystallize
    • Explosive Blast Chain Reaction
    • Audacity
    • Paralysis
    • Illusionist
    • Unstable Anomaly


    4. [S9] [2.4.3] Paralysis Vyr'Rasha T13 Speed Rifts/Bounties

    With Manald Heal, the Wizard now overthrows the Demon Hunter as the king (or queen) of speeds. With our shiny new ring, we can blast through rifts like no other. Speed MH Wiz isn’t just limited to rifts either; it can efficiently farm T13 bounties without too much paragon or augments. If you ever need keys or mats, just quickly swap over to this build and zap your way through rifts and bounties.

     

    [S9] [2.4.3] Paralysis Vyr'Rasha T13 Speed Rifts/Bounties

    • by user-25336028
    • Arcane Torrent Static Discharge
    • Magic Weapon Deflection
    • Frost Nova Frozen Mist
    • Archon Combustion
    • Teleport Calamity
    • Energy Armor Force Armor
    • Power Hungry
    • Paralysis
    • Unstable Anomaly
    • Evocation


    5. Best SupWiz Build (endless teleport, very tough!)

    Another one of my personal favorites is the Support Wizard (zWiz). A key part of the FB Wiz + 3 zDPS group, the zWiz is a great choice for those wanting to push or speed high GRs without gearing for FB Wiz, allowing the player to gain paragon and gem levels for his or her MH Wiz (or whatever build you opt for). It’s a very relaxing and fun build to play.

     

    Best SupWiz Build (endless teleport, very tough!)

    • by horrax1
    • Ray of Frost Sleet Storm
    • Frost Nova Bone Chill
    • Black Hole Event Horizon
    • Slow Time
    • Teleport Wormhole
    • Energy Twister Gale Force
    • Astral Presence
    • Conflagration
    • Cold Blooded
    • Evocation


    Personally, it was very hard to come up with this list; there’s so many builds to choose from this season, and I could only list 5. I highly recommend browsing the rest of the Wizard builds, as there are many good builds out there submitted by your fellow users. If you have any questions, feedback, or wish to discuss one of these builds, then feel free to leave a comment! 

    Tags Season 9 Blue Post Top Builds
    9 latest comment by user-24637762 Jump to Comment

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