As expected, Diablo 4 Season 1 nerfs bring many unpopular changes to the game. The Season of the Malignant patch drastically reduces Vulnerability, Critical, and Cooldown Item Affixes, making it much harder to dish out damage. Many players will find their favorite build is now less powerful or broken entirely, and Sorcerers, in particular, will find the new changes frustrating.
Diablo 4 Season 1 General Nerfs
The biggest nerfs coming with the Diablo 4 Season 1 patch affect Item Affixes. In particular, affixes that give bonuses to vulnerability, critical hits, and cooldown have seen double-digit reductions across the board.
Aspects
- Aspect of Disobedience maximum stacks reduced from 100 to 60, reducing maximum Bonus Armor % from 25%-50% to 15%-30%.
- Aspect of Retribution bonus damage to Stunned reduced from 20-40% to 10-20%.
- Exploiter’s Aspect bonus damage to Unstoppable reduced from 20-50% to 20-40%.
Items
- Removed a 20% chance to drop an extra equipment item from Elite monsters outside of Nightmare Dungeons and Helltide.
Item Affixes
- Strength: 50% Stronger when on Weapons -> 25% Stronger when on Weapons.
- Dexterity: 50% Stronger when on Weapons -> 25% Stronger when on Weapons.
- Intelligence: 50% Stronger when on Weapons -> 25% Stronger when on Weapons.
- Willpower: 50% Stronger when on Weapons -> 25% Stronger when on Weapons.
- Cooldown Reduction: Reduced by ~30%.
- Imbuement Skill Cooldown Reduction: Reduced by ~30%.
- Trap Skill Cooldown Reduction: Reduced by ~30%.
- Critical Strike Damage: Reduced by ~17%.
- Lightning Critical Strike Damage: Reduced by ~17%.
- Critical Strike Damage with Bone, Earth, Imbued, and Werewolf Skills: Reduced by ~17%.
- Vulnerable Damage: Reduced by ~40%
- Cooldown Reduction (Inherent on Offhands): Reduced by ~35%.
- Critical Strike Damage (Inherent on Swords): Reduced by ~50%.
- Vulnerable Damage (Inherent on Crossbows): Reduced by ~65%.
- Damage to Crowd Controlled Enemies: Decreased by ~30%.
- Total Armor: Reduced by ~30%.
- Total Armor while in Werebear Form: Reduced by ~25%.
- Total Armor while in Werewolf Form: Reduced by ~25%.
- Damage Reduction from Close Enemies: Reduced by ~20%.
- Damage Reduction from Distant Enemies: Reduced by ~20%.
- Damage Reduction from Enemies that are Bleeding: Reduced by ~25%.
- Damage Reduction from Enemies that are Burning: Reduced by ~25%.
- Damage Reduction from Enemies that are Poisoned: Reduced by ~25%.
- Damage Reduction from Enemies that are affected by Shadow Over Time: Reduced by ~25%.
- Damage Reduction while Fortified: Reduced by ~25%.
World Tier/XP
- Adjusted bonus experience rewards for killing monsters that are a higher Level than the player.
- Pre-Season of the Malignant bonuses:
- 1 Level higher: +15%.
- 2 Levels higher: +20%.
- 3+ Levels higher: +25%.
- Post-Season of the Malignant:
- 1.5% bonus per Level up to 10 Levels.
- Ex:
- +1 level: +1.5%.
- +2 levels: +3%.
- +10 levels: +15%.
- Ex:
- 1.5% bonus per Level up to 10 Levels.
- Pre-Season of the Malignant bonuses:
- Adjusted experience rewards for monster Level offsets for higher World Tiers.
- Current World Tier Level offsets
- World Tier II: Up to +3.
- World Tier III: Up to +10.
- World Tier IV: Up to +100.
- Changed this to
- World Tier II: Up to +3 (Unchanged).
- World Tier III: Up to +6.
- World Tier IV: Up to +10.
- Current World Tier Level offsets
Diablo 4 Season 1 Update Barbarian Nerfs
The bug fixes affect the Barbarian more than the nerfs it’s received. Those who crafted their builds around these bugs will have to go back to the drawing board for the Season of the Malignant.
Bugfixes:
- Fixed an issue where Iron Maelstrom could be cast more than 3 times rapidly casting War Cry.
- Fixed an issue where stacking the Berserk Ripping, Skullbreaker, and Anemia aspects would allow the player to deal extreme amounts of damage.
- Fixed an issue where the outer edge of the quakes granted to Hammer of the Ancients via The Aspect of Ancestral Echoes was dealing far more damage than intended.
Passives:
- Hamstring now only Slows Healthy enemies.
- Cut to the Bone Bleeding damage bonus to Vulnerable reduced from 6/12/18% to 5/10/15%.
Diablo 4 Season 1 Update Druid Nerfs
There were only a couple of Druid-specific nerfs in the Diablo 4 Season 1 patch.
Skills:
- Stormstrike Damage Reduction reduced from 25% to 15%.
- Prime Grizzly Rage now grants Unstoppable for 6 seconds instead of while active.
Diablo 4 Season 1 Update Necromancer Nerfs
Necromancers see some minor nerfs but nothing earth-shattering. Those who use this class will likely be more affected by the general nerfs.
Bugfixes:
- Fixed an issue where cancelling Blood Mist when it’s already off Cooldown would immediately recast it.
Skills:
- Enhanced Blood Lance damage reduction for piercing reduced from 15% to 10%.
Passives:
- Evulsion bonus damage to Vulnerable reduced from 6/12/18% to 5/10/15%.
Aspects:
- Splintering Aspect Bone Shard damage bonus reduced from 50-100% to 30-60%.
- Aspect of Grasping Veins Critical Strike Damage bonus reduced from 30-60% to 20-40%.
- Blood-bathed Aspect Echo damage reduction reduced from 70-60% to 60-50%.
Diablo 4 Season 1 Update Rogue Nerfs
The Rogue has a minor nerf that will affect some builds:
- Siphoning Strikes now requires a Lucky Hit chance of 75%.
Diablo 4 Season 1 Update Sorcerer Nerfs
The Item Aspect decrease for vulnerable and crits has affected the popular Ice Shard Sorcerer build. Unfortunately, not much has been done to offset this. However, the class-specific nerfs aren’t too impactful.
Bugfixes:
- Fixed an issue where Aspect of Control was applying its damage bonus 3 times for Staggered bosses.
Passives:
- Devouring Blaze bonus Critical Strike damage reduced from 10/20/30% to 7/14/21%.
- Devouring Blaze bonus Critical Strike damage to Immobilized reduced from 25/50/75% to 10/20/30%.
Legendary Aspects:
- Glacial Aspect Ice Spikes bonus damage to Frozen reduced from 25% to 15%.
Items:
- Gloves of the Illuminator Fireball damage reduction reduced from 65-75% to 55%-65%.
You can check out the full patch notes here.
