Update 122 Debuts for Diablo 4

Article Key Points

Diablo 4's Patch 1.2.2 introduces balance changes and 5 new class-specific Uniques, providing more content for players in Season of Blood.

In response to player complaints regarding the insufficient content in Season of the Malignant, Blizzard has taken action by introducing new endgame bosses, an exciting new storyline, and additional abilities in Season 2.

Furthermore, the mid-season update showcases Blizzard's dedication to addressing player concerns through bug fixes, quest alterations, and enhancements based on valuable feedback received from the community.

Diablo 4's Patch 1.2.2 has been released on all platforms, bringing balance adjustments and introducing 5 new class-specific Uniques. This update, known as the mid-season update for Diablo 4 Season of Blood, was unveiled at BlizzCon 2023, where Blizzard also outlined their future plans for the game.

After a problematic launch of Season 1, Blizzard faced a challenging situation as the popularity of Diablo 4 significantly declined. Many members of the community expressed their dissatisfaction with the limited content, resulting in a decline in player numbers. PvP areas became easily farmable as there were very few players actively participating in the game. To address this issue, Blizzard made sure to provide a wealth of content for Season of Blood and implemented changes based on community feedback. As a result, Season 2 received a positive response, offering players 5 new endgame bosses, a fresh storyline, and new abilities. Now, a mid-season update has brought further changes to enhance the game.

Diablo 4 update adds 5 class-specific Uniques with Malignant Powers

Blizzard’s official blog recently outlined the enhancements and advancements made to Season of Blood. Notably, the post divulged information pertaining to five new class-specific Unique Malignant rings: Ring of Red Furor, Tal Rasha's Iridescent Loop, Airidah's Inexorable Will, Writhing Band of Trickery, and Ring of the Sacrilegious Soul. These rings encompass the powers derived from Diablo 4 Season of the Malignant, a strategic move by Blizzard to repurpose "popular Seasonal content that resonated with players" and introduce it in a way that extends beyond the Season and into the Eternal realm. Additionally, the update addressed numerous gameplay concerns and resolved various bugs exclusive to Season of Blood.

Since its launch, the list of community-requested changes for Diablo 4 has been growing, much like any live-service game. Blizzard has been proactive in responding to these requests but it takes time to implement them. Mike Ybarra from Blizzard has acknowledged that players are eager for new content, but developing and maintaining the game's overall quality with each update is a challenging task for the developers.

GAMEPLAY UPDATES

- Blizzard recently announced a teaser for the highly anticipated expansion of Diablo 4, called Vessel of Hatred. Set to release in late 2024, this expansion will introduce Mephisto as a formidable antagonist and will also introduce a fresh character class to the game.

BUG FIXES

Malignant Rings

Five new Unique Rings have been introduced to the game, with one specifically designed for each class. These rings draw inspiration from the popular Malignant Powers found in the Season of the Malignant and can now be obtained in both the Seasonal and Eternal realms.

Introducing the Ring of Red Furor, a Barbarian Unique Ring. By expending 100 Fury within a span of 3 seconds, your subsequent use of Hammer of the Ancients, Upheaval, or Death Blow is guaranteed to result in a Critical Strike. Additionally, this attack inflicts an extra 10—30% (multiplicative damage) [x] in Critical Strike Damage.

New version:

Tal Rasha's Shimmering Band (Unique Ring for Sorcerers)

Gain 10—15%[x] increased damage for 4 seconds for each type of Elemental damage you inflict. All bonuses are refreshed upon dealing Elemental damage.

Airidah's Unyielding Determination (Unique Ring for Druids)

When casting an Ultimate Skill and again 5 seconds later, draw in enemies from a distance and inflict 0.5-1.0 Physical damage upon them. This damage is increased by 1%[x] for every point of Willpower you possess.

Writhing Band of Trickery (Unique Rogue Ring): When a Subterfuge Skill is cast, it generates a Decoy Trap that persistently Taunts and entices enemies. After 3 seconds, the Decoy Trap detonates, causing 2.0-3.0 Shadow damage. This ability can be used again every 12 seconds.

Ring of the Sacrilegious Soul (Unique Necromancer Ring): Equipped Skills are automatically triggered on nearby Corpses. Raise Skeleton is activated every 1-2 seconds.

Corpse Explosion every 1-2 seconds.

Corpse Tendrils every 8-16 seconds.

Season of Blood

The following adjustments have been made for the Sanguine Battery Event.

Pillar health has been increased from 75% to 85%.

Pillar repair time has been decreased from 3 seconds to 1 second.

{{h1_placeholder_3}}

Season of Blood

The issue with the additional enemies in the Lord Zir boss fight not being stunned when Lord Zir gets staggered has been resolved.

The problem with Metamorphosis not activating temporary movement speed bonuses has been fixed.

The Cooldown Reduction for Ultimate abilities when in town is now correctly displayed with the Anticipation Vampiric Power issue resolved.

The cooldown reduction of skills with charges has been fixed for the Hectic Vampiric Power.

Resolved a problem that allowed players to complete the seasonal quests "Battle of Fear" and "Faith" without completing Chapter 3 of the Season Journey.

Resolved an issue where players could interact with the upgrade button for Vampiric Powers even when there were no new powers available, resulting in the wastage of 25 Potent Blood.

Fixed an issue where Lord Zir could not respawn if the player re-entered the boss arena too quickly after respawning.

Fixed an issue where Evade and non-damaging Skills could trigger Hemomancy.

Dungeons and Events

Fixed an issue where progression would be blocked when an enemy spawned behind the locked door in the Luban's Rest dungeon.

Fixed an issue where monsters could spawn from a Nightmare Portal location after the portal had teleported or been destroyed.

Quests

Improved quest marker disappearance when leaving the area during multiple quests has been addressed.

Progression issues encountered by Prava and her knights during the Scouring of Caldeum due to the distance-killing of certain Elites during the "Kill Demons Attacking from Above" quest have been resolved.

Gameplay

Fixed an issue where Lilith could still launch area-of-effect attacks after she is defeated following the first phase in the Echo of Lilith.

Fixed an issue where Angelbreath or Potions could randomly spawn when The Beast in the Ice spawned.

Fixed an issue where followers could get stuck when going back and forth over a traversal.

Fixed an issue where Inner Sight didn't trigger properly against Training Dummies.

Fixed an issue where Necromancer Minions and Druid Companions wouldn't attack Training Dummies.

Accessibility

Fixed an issue where the Screen Reader wouldn't properly read life totals above 999.

Fixed an issue where the Screen Reader on PS4 didn't read all the text in Vendor and Crafting displays.

Miscellaneous

Fixed an issue where achievements related to the Hatred's Chosen buff could not trigger appropriately.

Various visual, performance, and stability improvements.

Diablo 4, developed by Blizzard Entertainment, is an action RPG that marks the fourth installment in the beloved franchise. This immersive game offers players the opportunity to choose from five unique playable classes. As they embark on their journey through the vast open world of Sanctuary, players must confront the formidable antagonist, Lilith. Along the way, they can engage in diverse quests, level up their characters, and acquire increasingly powerful loot.

Franchise DiabloPlatform(s) PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series SReleased June 6, 2023Developer(s) BlizzardPublisher(s) BlizzardGenre(s) Action RPG, Hack and Slash

Editor's P/S

As a long-time fan of the Diablo series, I am thrilled about the recent update 122 for Diablo 4. Blizzard has listened to player feedback and addressed many of the concerns that were raised during Season 1. The new content, including the 5 class-specific Uniques, is a welcome addition and will provide players with more variety and depth in their builds.

The mid-season update also includes a number of bug fixes and gameplay improvements, which will help to make the game more stable and enjoyable. Overall, I am very happy with the direction that Blizzard is taking with Diablo 4, and I am excited to see what the future holds for the game.