Blizzard has pulled back the curtain on what we can expect from Diablo 4’s upcoming season, launching on January 21. Season 7, although still unnamed, will begin with the 2.1 patch hitting the Public Test Realm (PTR) much sooner.
For PC players on BattleNet, the PTR will be accessible from Tuesday, December 3. This time around, we’re seeing a shakeup as the PTR will feature seasonal content alongside core gameplay adjustments – a first for the Diablo series.
This season takes a deep dive into witchcraft, blending it into combat much like Season 2’s Vampiric powers. Players can gain special abilities that are only usable until the season ends. What adds a twist is that some of these powers need to be discovered out in the world by finding and activating altars hidden in dungeons.
The Headrotten will be the standout adversaries this season. Upon defeating them, they’ll drop a unique item, Restless Rot, which you’ll need to acquire new powers for your characters. With witchcraft powers now easier to enhance, you can kit your character with five normal powers and one special one.
Occult Gems make a return, offering time-limited, unique enhancements for your jewelry. Working alongside the coven’s reputation leads you right into Whispers, creating a clear path for your season’s grind. Headrotten foes can also be found in Headhunt zones, reminiscent of Helltide, tying into your Whispers journey.
Blizzard hasn’t stopped there; they’ve listened to player feedback and polished the Whispers grind. The town near the Tree of Whispers now boasts more services and a friendlier layout. Plus, the new Raven of the Tree feature means you can turn in Whispers directly in the Headhunt zones without trekking back to the Tree itself.
A significant gameplay update in version 2.1 is the enhancement of Ultimate skills. At rank 5, these skills will pack more punch with improved damage scaling. You can further ramp them up by strategically choosing skills in your skill tree and selecting specific nodes in the Paragon board.
Overall, many of Diablo 4’s classes are getting a power-up. Some of these upgrades result from passives being reworked. Although technically not a nerf, the Spiritborn will see a decrease in power, as issues that made it overpowered in Season 6 are corrected.
Another exciting feature is the Armory, allowing players to save and switch between multiple character loadouts without using Gold. It accommodates varying Paragon boards and is conveniently located across multiple areas: Sanctuary towns, the Tree of Whispers, training zones, and inside the Citadel.
As is tradition with new seasons, the loot pool will welcome new Uniques and adjust existing ones for better balance. Fresh Legendary Aspects will debut, with some set to amplify Ultimate abilities.
Want a deeper dive? Check out the embedded link to the livestream in this article. However, keep your eyes peeled for the patch notes arriving on Wednesday, November 27.
