Diablo 4 Patch 1.4 Gear and Itemization Changes - Season 4

Key Changes in Gear and Itemization

1. Legendary Aspects and the Codex of Power

• Streamlined Management: Legendary Aspects, crucial for defining build synergies, have been revamped. Previously, managing these Aspects involved tedious inventory and stash management. With Season 4, Legendary Aspects salvaged from gear no longer occupy inventory space. Instead, they now upgrade a slot in the Codex of Power at the Blacksmith. This change aims to alleviate inventory clutter and streamline gear management.
• Codex of Power Enhancements: The Codex of Power now allows players to imprint Legendary Aspects on multiple pieces of gear. This eliminates the need to save high-roll Aspects for the perfect gear drop. Players can apply Aspects as many times as they wish, with the only limit being the required currency or materials.

2. New Legendary Aspects

Season 4 introduces several new Legendary Aspects tailored to each class:

• Barbarian: Aspect of Fierce Winds
• Druid: Aspect of Fevered Mauling
• Necromancer: Aphotic Aspect
• Rogue: High Velocity Aspect
• Sorcerer: Aspect of Tenuous Destruction, Flamethrower’s Aspect

These new Aspects add fresh opportunities for build customization and refinement, enhancing the depth and diversity of each class’s gameplay.

3. Quality of Life Improvements

• Inventory Space: By removing Legendary Aspects from inventory, players can focus more on gameplay rather than constantly managing their loot.
• Efficient Build Crafting: The ability to imprint Aspects on multiple items reduces the grind of searching for perfect gear and allows players to optimize their builds more efficiently.

New Systems: Tempering and Masterworking

In addition to the improvements in Legendary Aspects and the Codex of Power, Patch 1.4.0 introduces new systems for further customization:

• Tempering: This system allows players to modify the attributes of their gear. By using resources obtained in-game, players can temper their items to better fit their desired build or playstyle.
• Masterworking: This feature provides an additional layer of customization, enabling players to enhance the intrinsic properties of their armor, weapons, and jewelry. Masterworking can significantly impact gear performance, offering more granular control over item stats and effects.

Impact on Gameplay

The changes in Patch 1.4.0 are designed to:

• Reduce Tedium: By simplifying inventory management and gear upgrading processes, players can spend more time engaging with content rather than managing items.
• Enhance Flexibility: With the ability to imprint Aspects across multiple items and utilize new customization systems, players have greater freedom to experiment with and refine their builds.
• Accelerate Progression: Faster optimization of gear and builds allows players to increase their damage output and survivability more effectively, both while leveling and during endgame content.

Overall, these updates represent a significant shift towards a more user-friendly and flexible itemization system in Diablo 4, addressing many of the concerns raised by players and enhancing the overall enjoyment of the game.

General Uniques

1. Tyrael's Might (Uber Unique Chest)
• Effect: While at full Life, your Skills unleash a divine barrage that deals damage.
• Notes: This Uber Unique provides a powerful damage boost while maintaining high survivability, adding a divine layer to your skill usage.
2. Yen's Blessing (Unique Boots)
• Effect: Casting a Skill has a 40-60% chance to cast a Non-Mobility, Non-Ultimate Skill that is currently on Cooldown. This effect can only occur once every 8 seconds.
• Notes: This unique offers a chance to recast a skill that’s on cooldown, enhancing skill rotation and overall effectiveness.

Barbarian Uniques

1. Arreat's Bearing (Unique Pants)
• Effect: Ancients you summon are empowered. Each Ancient has a unique effect:
• Korlic: Creates an Earthquake dealing Physical damage over 4 seconds.
• Talic: Leaves behind Dust Devils that deal damage while he whirlwinds.
• Mawdac: Ignites the ground, burning enemies for additional damage over 4 seconds.
• Notes: Enhances the utility and damage output of your Ancients, making Barbarian summons more impactful.
2. Twin Strikes (Unique Gloves)
• Effect: After casting Double Swing 4 times, your next Double Swing hits 2 additional times, each dealing 10-25% increased damage.
• Notes: Provides a powerful damage boost for repeated use of Double Swing, ideal for builds focusing on this ability.

Druid Uniques

1. Earthbreaker (Unique Ring)
• Effect: Landslide causes the ground to erupt in tectonic spikes, dealing damage over 2 seconds. Has a 20-30% chance to cause additional Landslide pillars to spawn.
• Notes: Adds additional damage and effects to Landslide, enhancing the Druid’s area-of-effect capabilities.
2. Wildheart Hunger (Unique Boots)
• Effect: When Shapeshifting into a Werewolf or Werebear, you gain Wildheart for 5 seconds, increasing damage with Shapeshifting Skills by 1%-1.5% every 2 seconds, stacking up to 20 times.
• Notes: Increases damage output while in Shapeshift form, making it a great option for shapeshifting builds.

Necromancer Uniques

1. Ebonpiercer (Unique Amulet)
• Effect: Blight shoots 4 smaller projectiles that pierce enemies and deal Shadow damage over 3 seconds.
• Notes: Adds an extra layer of damage and utility to Blight, enhancing its effectiveness in dealing with groups of enemies.
2. Cruor's Embrace (Unique Gloves)
• Effect: Blood Surge consumes Corpses to create mini novas that deal damage. Damage is increased by 10% per target drained, up to 50%, and by 20% for each Corpse consumed.
• Notes: Significantly boosts the damage output of Blood Surge, especially in corpse-heavy scenarios.

Rogue Uniques

1. Scoundrel's Kiss (Unique Ring)
• Effect: Rapid Fire now lobs exploding arrows that deal 15%-25% increased damage.
• Notes: Enhances the damage and functionality of Rapid Fire, making it more effective for ranged combat.
2. Saboteur's Signet (Unique Ring)
• Effect: Casting Flurry has a 15-30% chance to release Stun Grenades that deal Physical damage and stun enemies for 1 second. Grenade Skills have a 5% Lucky Hit Chance.
• Notes: Adds crowd control and extra damage to Flurry, enhancing its utility and effectiveness in combat.

Sorcerer Uniques

1. Fractured Winterglass (Unique Amulet)
• Effect: Casting Frozen Orb has a 35-50% chance to spawn a random Conjuration upon explosion. Conjurations have up to a 50-70% chance to launch a Frozen Orb at nearby enemies.
• Notes: Provides additional damage and synergy with Frozen Orb, creating a cascading effect of damage.
2. Flameweaver (Unique Gloves)
• Effect: Casting Fire Bolt through Firewall causes it to split into 3 bolts, each dealing 30-70% more damage.
• Notes: Significantly increases the damage output of Fire Bolt when used in conjunction with Firewall.

Update Summary

• Tibault's Will and Banished Lord's Talisman have seen damage reduction adjustments from their Season 3 values.
• Tyrael's Might and Yen's Blessing are notable for their new effects and bonuses, adding unique mechanics to the game.
• Class-specific Uniques offer enhanced utility and damage for each class, aligning with their specialized skills and playstyles.

Greater Affixes

• Definition: Greater Affixes are enhanced versions of standard Gear Affixes, offering higher maximum rolls—up to 1.5 times greater than their standard counterparts.
• Availability: Greater Affixes can only be found on Ancestral Legendaries and Uniques.
• Visibility: When an item with a Greater Affix drops, the indicator for this affix is more prominent, making it easier to spot these powerful modifiers.

Tempered Affixes

• Tempering Overview: Tempering allows players to add both new and familiar Affixes to their gear, replacing the old Enchanting system. Unlike Enchanting, which swaps one affix for another, Tempering lets players add new affixes to their items.
• Mechanics: Players can use Tempering Manuals at the Blacksmith to add Tempered Affixes. These affixes are categorized based on the gear slot (armor, weapons, jewelry) and are exclusive to Tempering.
• Affix Availability: Some Affixes that were previously removed from drops can now be found exclusively through Tempering, providing a way to customize gear further.

Changes in Gear Affix Quantities

• Legendary Items: Now have three Gear Affixes (down from four). This reduction aims to simplify gear management and make optimal gear more attainable.
• Rare Items: Reduced to two Gear Affixes (down from three). This change makes Rare items less potent compared to Legendaries, as Rare items are significantly weaker without the potential for Greater Affixes.
• Potency: The potency of Gear Affixes has been increased to compensate for the reduction in the number of affixes. This change aims to keep the impact of each affix significant.

Removed Gear Affixes

• Rationale: Some overly specific or undesirable Gear Affixes have been removed to address the issue of oversaturation and improve the overall gearing experience.
• New Availability: Some of the removed affixes have been transitioned to Tempered Affixes, while others have been reallocated to different gear slots through the new Affix Slot Diversity changes.

Affix Slot Diversity

• Expanded Slots: Previously limited Affixes, such as Elemental Resistances, can now be found or added to a broader range of gear slots. For example, Elemental Resistance Affixes, which were once limited to Helms, Chests, Legs, and Boots, can now also be found on Gloves.
• Impact: This change allows for more flexibility and reduces the need to rely on specific gear slots for certain affixes, leading to more diverse and customizable gear setups.

Summary of Changes

1. Greater Affixes: Introduce more powerful versions of existing affixes, available on high-tier items (Ancestral Legendaries and Uniques).
2. Tempered Affixes: Replace the old Enchanting system, allowing players to add new affixes to gear using Tempering Manuals.
3. Affix Quantity Reduction: Legendary items now have three affixes (down from four), and Rare items have two (down from three), with increased potency for each affix.
4. Removed Affixes: Some specific affixes have been removed or reallocated to Tempered Affixes to improve gear optimization.
5. Affix Slot Diversity: More gear slots can now accommodate previously limited affixes, offering greater customization options.

These changes aim to streamline the gear management process, enhance customization options, and make it easier for players to find and optimize their gear in Diablo 4.

Tempering in Diablo 4: An In-Depth Look

Tempering is a new system introduced in Season 4 that allows players to further customize their gear by adding specialized affixes. This system offers a fresh layer of depth to gear optimization, enabling players to fine-tune their builds with specific enhancements. Here’s a comprehensive overview of how Tempering works:

How Tempering Works

1. Tempering Affixes
• Definition: Tempering Affixes are special modifiers that can be added to gear. They range from practical enhancements like Movement Speed to more specialized improvements, such as increasing the area of effect for certain abilities.
• Categories: Affixes are categorized into:
• Weapons: Affixes that enhance weapon performance.
• Offensive: Affixes that boost damage or related abilities.
• Defensive: Affixes that improve survivability or resistance.
• Utility: Affixes that provide general benefits or enhancements.
• Mobility: Affixes that improve movement or escape capabilities.
• Resource: Affixes that aid in resource management or generation.
2. Tempering Manuals

• Purpose: Tempering Manuals are required to unlock and apply Tempering Affixes to gear.
• Acquisition: Manuals can drop from most in-game content, meaning they aren’t restricted to specific targets, providing a broad and accessible way to obtain them.
• Function: Each manual teaches a group of four Affixes within a category. Players can apply one Affix from each of two different categories to an item. For instance, a weapon can receive one Affix from the Weapons category and another from the Offensive category.

1. Tempering Durability

• Definition: Each item has a predetermined number of rerolls available, known as its Tempering Durability. This indicates how many times players can reroll an Affix on the item before it becomes fixed.
• Strategic Use: It's advisable to secure two solid Affixes before focusing on rerolling one for higher values. Exceeding the Tempering Durability without successfully adding a useful Affix can lead to a situation where the item may become suboptimal or "bricked."

Tempering Mechanics

1. Affix Application
• Gear Slots: Affixes are specific to certain gear slots. For example:
• Weapons: Can receive Affixes from Weapons and Offensive categories.
• Amulets: Can receive one Affix each from any two categories other than Weapons.
• Dual Affix Limit: Each item can be Tempered with up to two Affixes, but these must come from different categories.
2. Affix Rerolling
• Process: Players can reroll the Affixes on their gear within the limits of the item's Tempering Durability.
• Strategic Considerations: Prioritize getting two beneficial Affixes before investing heavily in rerolling one for maximum value. This approach reduces the risk of ending up with less useful gear.

Impact on Gear Progression

1. Removal of Gear Upgrades
• Change: The feature that allowed gear upgrades at the Blacksmith has been removed. This trade-off is balanced by the introduction of Tempering Affixes, which provide stronger enhancements than the previous 25 additional Item Power Levels.
• Benefit: The enhanced customization options provided by Tempering Affixes are seen as a significant improvement over the old gear upgrade system.
2. Customization and Build Diversity
• Flexibility: Tempering allows for extensive customization, enabling players to adapt their gear to fit their specific build needs and playstyle.
• Build Optimization: With the ability to add specialized Affixes, players can more precisely tune their gear to support their chosen build, whether that involves enhancing mobility, offensive capabilities, or defensive strengths.

Summary

• Tempering introduces a new dimension of gear customization, allowing players to apply and reroll specialized Affixes on their gear.
• Tempering Manuals are necessary for accessing these Affixes and can be obtained from various in-game content.
• Tempering Durability limits the number of rerolls, requiring strategic planning to avoid bricking items.
• Affix Slot Diversity means that Affixes can now be applied to more gear slots, offering greater flexibility in build crafting.
• Removal of Gear Upgrades is balanced by the more potent and customizable options available through Tempering.

Overall, the introduction of Tempering adds significant depth to gear customization and build optimization in Diablo 4, offering players new ways to enhance their characters and adapt to various challenges.

Masterworking in Diablo 4: A Comprehensive Guide

Masterworking is a new and powerful system introduced in Season 4 to replace the previous gear Upgrading feature at the Blacksmith. Here’s a detailed look at how Masterworking works and how it can be utilized to enhance your gear effectively.

How Masterworking Works

1. Requirements
• Prerequisites: To access Masterworking, Ancestral Legendaries must have two Tempered Affixes. This means you need to first apply two Tempering Affixes to an item before it becomes eligible for Masterworking.
• Uniques: Masterworking can also be applied to Unique items, offering a way to enhance high-tier gear further.
2. Upgrade Ranks
• Ranks: Masterworking features 12 upgrade ranks. Almost all of these ranks increase every Affix on an item by 5%. This provides a consistent boost to all aspects of the gear.
• Special Ranks:
• Ranks 4/12, 8/12, and 12/12: These specific ranks increase one random Affix by an additional 25%. The additional boost can significantly impact your gear’s effectiveness, but the increased value is assigned randomly.
3. Resetting Masterwork Ranks
• Reset Option: If the random 25% bonus goes to an Affix that is not useful for your build, you have the option to reset the Masterwork Ranks. This allows you to reattempt the process to try for better outcomes.
• Cost Consideration: Resetting can be costly, so it is crucial to weigh the benefits before opting for a reset.

Material Costs

1. Materials Required
• From The Pit:
• Obducite
• Ingolith
• Neathiron
• Additional Materials:
• Rawhide
• Veiled Crystals
• Forgotten Souls (used for high-tier upgrades)
2. Material Rarity and Cost
• Acquisition: The materials required for Masterworking can be acquired from various in-game sources, including specific activities and content drops.
• Cost: Masterworking is resource-intensive, making it essential to prioritize high-value items (BiS - Best in Slot) before investing in this process.

Strategy and Best Practices

1. Prioritize High-Value Items
• Best in Slot (BiS): Due to the high cost of Masterworking, it’s advisable to only apply it to items that are already close to your ideal setup. Avoid spending resources on gear that isn’t crucial or may be replaced soon.
2. Optimize Tempering First
• Two Tempered Affixes: Ensure you have the best possible Tempered Affixes on an item before proceeding to Masterworking. This ensures that the item is already optimized to some extent, increasing the value of the Masterworking process.
3. Evaluate Resetting
• Cost vs. Benefit: Resetting Masterwork Ranks can be expensive. Consider whether the potential benefits outweigh the costs before deciding to reset.
4. Plan Material Use
• Efficient Use: Given the high costs associated with Masterworking, plan your material usage carefully. Focus on items that offer the greatest impact on your build and playstyle.

Summary

• Masterworking provides a robust enhancement system that significantly boosts gear effectiveness by increasing all Affixes and offering a chance for additional bonuses.
• Prerequisites include having two Tempered Affixes on Ancestral Legendaries and the ability to apply Masterworking to Uniques.
• Upgrade Ranks offer incremental improvements, with special ranks providing random 25% bonuses to one Affix.
• Material Costs are high, involving materials from The Pit and other sources. Prioritize high-value gear and manage resources carefully.
• Reset Option allows reattempting Masterworking but comes with a cost, making it important to evaluate before deciding to reset.

Masterworking adds a significant layer of customization and power to gear, aligning with the new features introduced in Season 4. By understanding and strategically using Masterworking, players can enhance their gear to its highest potential.

Gems and Enchanting in Diablo 4: Season 4 Changes

Season 4 brings significant updates to both Gems and Enchanting, enhancing how players can optimize their gear and improve their builds. Here’s an overview of the changes and their implications:

Gems Overview

Gems play a crucial role in enhancing gear by providing additional bonuses. Season 4 introduces notable changes to the effectiveness and functionality of different Gem types, making them more impactful and versatile.

Season 3 vs. Season 4 Changes

Here’s a breakdown of how each Gem type has been adjusted from Season 3 to Season 4:

1. Amethyst
• Weapon Slot:
• Season 3: Damage Over Time
• Season 4: Increased Damage Over Time
• Armor Slot:
• Season 3: Damage Taken Over Time
• Season 4: Strength
• Jewelry Slot:
• Season 3: Shadow Resistance
• Season 4: Increased Shadow Resistance
2. Diamond
• Weapon Slot:
• Season 3: Ultimate Skill Damage
• Season 4: Increased Ultimate Skill Damage
• Armor Slot:
• Season 3: Barrier Generation
• Season 4: Increased Barrier Generation
• Jewelry Slot:
• Season 3: Resistance to All Elements
• Season 4: Increased Resistance to All Elements
3. Emerald
• Weapon Slot:
• Season 3: Critical Strike Damage to Vulnerable Enemies
• Season 4: Increased Vulnerable Damage
• Armor Slot:
• Season 3: Thorns
• Season 4: Dexterity
• Jewelry Slot:
• Season 3: Poison Resistance
• Season 4: Increased Poison Resistance
4. Ruby
• Weapon Slot:
• Season 3: Overpower Damage
• Season 4: Increased Overpower Damage
• Armor Slot:
• Season 3: Maximum Life
• Season 4: Increased Maximum Life
• Jewelry Slot:
• Season 3: Fire Resistance
• Season 4: Increased Fire Resistance
5. Sapphire
• Weapon Slot:
• Season 3: Critical Strike Damage to Crowd Controlled Enemies
• Season 4: Increased Critical Strike Damage
• Armor Slot:
• Season 3: Damage Reduction While Fortified
• Season 4: Willpower
• Jewelry Slot:
• Season 3: Cold Resistance
• Season 4: Increased Cold Resistance
6. Skull
• Weapon Slot:
• Season 3: Life on Kill
• Season 4: Increased Life on Kill
• Armor Slot:
• Season 3: Healing Received
• Season 4: Increased Healing Received
• Jewelry Slot:
• Season 3: Armor
• Season 4: Increased Armor
7. Topaz
• Weapon Slot:
• Season 3: Basic Skill Damage
• Season 4: Increased Basic Skill Damage
• Armor Slot:
• Season 3: Damage Reduction While Control Impaired
• Season 4: Intelligence
• Jewelry Slot:
• Season 3: Lightning Resistance
• Season 4: Increased Lightning Resistance

Impact of the Changes

1. Increased Potency:
• The effectiveness of all Gem bonuses has been increased, allowing players to gain more significant benefits from socketing Gems into their gear.
2. Enhanced Versatility:
• Gems now offer more versatile benefits and can be more specifically tailored to suit different builds. For example, Armor Gems now offer primary stats like Strength or Dexterity, helping players meet the Additional Bonus requirements for Paragon Nodes more easily.
3. Balanced Class Benefits:
• Changes have been made to balance how each class benefits from Gem bonuses. This ensures a more equitable distribution of Gem benefits across different classes and playstyles.

Enchanting at the Occultist

Enchanting at the Occultist also received updates aimed at reducing the cost of modifying Gear Affixes:

1. Reduced Costs:
• The cost of swapping out undesirable Affixes for more desirable ones has been lowered. This makes it more feasible for players to optimize their gear without breaking the bank.
2. Enhanced Customization:
• With more affordable Enchanting, players can more easily experiment with different Affixes to find the optimal setup for their builds. This promotes greater experimentation and customization.

Summary

• Gems: Season 4 brings increased potency and more versatile benefits across all Gem types. Changes improve the effectiveness of Gem bonuses and provide more options for tailoring gear to specific needs.
• Enchanting: The reduced cost of Enchanting makes it easier to adjust Affixes and optimize gear, enhancing player customization and build optimization.

These updates in Season 4 aim to enhance the depth and flexibility of gearing in Diablo 4, making it easier for players to fine-tune their characters and adapt to various challenges.

Enchanting Changes in Diablo 4: Season 4 Overview

Enchanting at the Occultist is a critical part of optimizing gear in Diablo 4. Season 4 brings several significant changes to this system, designed to alleviate the frustrations players have experienced in previous seasons. Here's a detailed look at what’s new and how these changes will impact your gear customization:

Key Changes to Enchanting

1. Affix Quantity Reduction
• Fewer Affixes: The number of Gear Affixes on items has been reduced. Legendary items now have three Gear Affixes instead of four, and Rare items have two instead of three. This reduction simplifies the Affix pool, making it easier to find items with the desired Affixes.
• Easier Optimization: With fewer total Affixes to choose from, it is more likely that an item will have at least two of the preferred Affixes, reducing the number of attempts needed to get the perfect roll.
2. Removal of Specific Affixes
• Affix Pool Reduction: Several overly specific or suboptimal Gear Affixes have been removed from the game. This change further narrows the pool of possible Affixes that can roll, making it less likely to encounter irrelevant or undesirable Affixes.
3. Cost Cap for Enchanting
• Cost Cap Implementation: Season 4 introduces a cap to Enchanting costs. This means that no matter how many times you attempt to reroll an Affix, the cost of each attempt will not increase beyond a certain threshold.
• Financial Protection: This cap is designed to protect players from excessively high costs when trying to get the perfect Affix. For example, your 25th attempt at Enchanting will cost no more than your 15th attempt, mitigating the risk of spending exorbitant amounts of Gold.

Impact on Gameplay

1. Reduced Frustration
• Less Gold Sink: The new cost cap will reduce the financial strain of Enchanting, making it less punishing to experiment with different Affix combinations.
• Increased Accessibility: With the changes to Affix quantity and removal of specific Affixes, players will find it easier to achieve their desired gear outcomes without excessive frustration.
2. Improved Efficiency
• Streamlined Process: The reduced number of Affixes and the cost cap will streamline the process of optimizing gear. Players can expect to spend less time and Gold in pursuit of the perfect Affix setup.
3. Enhanced Customization
• Better Customization Options: With fewer Affixes and a more controlled cost, players can more effectively customize their gear to suit their build and playstyle.

Summary

Season 4’s Enchanting Changes introduce several improvements aimed at making the gear optimization process more player-friendly:

• Affix Quantity Reduction: Fewer Affixes per item and the removal of specific Affixes simplify the Enchanting process.
• Cost Cap: Implementing a cost cap for Enchanting attempts helps prevent excessive spending and reduces financial pain.
• Overall Efficiency: These changes make it easier and less costly to achieve optimal gear, enhancing the overall player experience.

With these updates, Diablo 4 aims to provide a more balanced and enjoyable experience for players looking to fine-tune their gear without the previous level of frustration and expense.