It’s only been a few days since Diablo IV was launched and we are already seeing some updates made to the game. My guess is that after seeing some of the ‘hardcore’ players, they’ve deduced that some skills were too strong. The patch notes read,

“While we want players to both feel and be truly powerful, some Class builds and synergies are outside of our bounds for what is reasonable for the health of the game, so we are reducing their effectiveness. As an example, we generally want to avoid creating situations where players can survive unreasonably high amounts of damage for long periods of time because it too greatly warps our vision for how combat should be in Diablo 4.”

Some classes received some well deserved nerfs and some received some buffs. So let’s take a look at what changes were made.

BARBARIAN

Whirlwind Barbs took a big hit.

Skill Changes

Challenging Shout

• Damage Reduction gained from Skill Ranks reduced from 4% to 2%

Legendary Aspect Changes

Bold Chieftain’s Aspect

• Cooldown reduction per Nearby enemy reduced from 2.7-5.4 seconds to 1.0-1.9 seconds.
• Maximum Cooldown reduction from 12 to 6 seconds.

Aspect of the Dire Whirlwind

• Increased Critical Strike Chance per second reduced from 5-10% to 3-8%.
• Maximum Critical Strike Chance bonus reduced from 20-40% to 9-24%.

Item Changes

Gohr’s Devastating Grips

• Explosion damage gained from Whirlwind reduced from 50-70% to 16-26%.
• Damage against wreckable objects no longer increases explosion damage.
• Explosion damage is only increased by the first 100 hits of Whirlwind.

DRUID

Druid has a mixture of buffs and nerfs. Lightning-based builds in particular were touched.

Skill Changes

Pulverize 

• Lucky Hit Chance reduced from 33% to 25%.

Lightning Storm 

• Damage increased from 32% to 40%.

Grizzly Rage

• Maximum extended duration from kills reduced from 10 to 5 seconds.

Class Specialization

Obsidian Slam

• Kills required for bonus increased from 10 to 20.

Calm Before the Storm

• Lucky Hit Chance reduced from 15% to 10%.

Passive Changes

Electric Shock

• Damage bonus increased from 5/10/15% to 6/12/18%.

Legendary Aspect Changes

Shockwave Aspect 

• Damage reduced from 90-130% to 60-100%.

Crashstone Aspect

• Critical Strike Damage reduced from 40-50% to 30-40%.

Lightning Dancer’s Aspect

• Flat damage increased from .5-.6 to .7-.8.

NECROMANCER

Necromancer gamers will be glad to know that they have received some well deserved love this update. Most of these buffs are focused on minion buffs including damage buffs to both skeletons and Golems.

Skill Changes

Blood Lance

• Damage increased from 67.5% to 80%.

Army of the Dead

• Damage increased from 30% to 45%.
• Cooldown reduced from 90 to 70 seconds.

Blood Wave

• Damage increased from 90% to 120%.

Passive Changes

Shadowblight

• Damage increased from 20% to 22%.

Grim Harvest

• Essence gained reduced from 3/6/9 to 2/4/6.

Serration

• Critical Strike Chance reduced from .5/1/1.5% to .3/.6/.9%.

Death’s Defense

• Maximum Minion Life lost in a single damage instance reduced from 75/60/45% to 60/45/30%.

Class Specialization

Raise Skeleton

• Skeleton Warrior attack damage increased by 10%.

Golem

• Golem attack damage increased by 10%.

Blood Golem

• Blood Golem Life drain damage increased from 40% to 90%.
• Blood Golem Life drain healing from enemies hit increased from 4% to 5%.

Iron Golem

• Iron Golem slam damage increased from 25% to 175%.
• Iron Golem shockwave damage increased from 30% to 40%.

Necromancer Paragon Board Changes

Hulking Monstrosity 

• Golem Life and damage bonus increased from 30% to 40% Life.

Cult Leader

• Damage bonus increased from 10% to 15%.

ROGUE

Twisting Blades, the most popular build, which was emerging as a strong favorite took a big hit. It looked like it was a bit too strong for Blizzard’s taste.

Skill Changes

Twisting Blades 

• Advanced Twisting Blades Cooldown reduction per enemy hit reduced from .25 to .1 seconds.
• Advanced Twisting Blades maximum Cooldown reduction reduced from 3 to 2 seconds.

Rapid Fire 

• Damage increased from 24% to 30%.

Dark Shroud 

• Damage Reduction per shadow gained from Skill Ranks reduced from .8% to .4%.

Dash 

• Enhanced Dash Critical Strike Damage bonus from 20% to 15%.

Caltrops

• Damage increased from 30% to 40%.

Passive Changes

Concussive 

• Critical Strike Chance reduced from 5/10/15% to 4/8/12%.

Legendary Affix Changes

Repeating

• Maximum Minion Life lost in a single damage instance reduced from 75/60/45% to 60/45/30%.

SORCERER

Sorcerer was barely touched since it seems to be the most balanced class at the moment.

Skill Changes

Arc Lash

• Lucky Hit Chance reduced from 30% to 14%.
• Glinting Arc Lash Cooldown reduction reduced from .25 to .15 seconds.

Teleport

• Shimmering Teleport’s Damage Reduction duration reduced from 5 to 3 seconds.

Legendary Affix Changes

Aspect of Control

• Bonus damage reduced from 30-40% to 25-35%.

General

Miscellaneous Class Changes

Druid Companions and Necromancer Minions

• Maximum damage over time taken per damage instance reduced from 2% to 1% of maximum Life.

Paragon Board Changes

Rare Nodes

• Player Attack Speed nodes reduced by 50%.

Glyphs

• All Glyph Bonus scaling has been reduced by ~34%, except for the following:
• Critical Strike Damage Glyphs’ Bonus reduced by ~66%.
• Vulnerable Glyphs’ Bonus reduced by ~66%.
• Glyphs’ Bonus to Rare nodes reduced by ~50%.
• Glyphs’ Bonus to Magic nodes reduced by ~40%.
• Glyphs’ Bonus to Cold/Fire/Lightning/Non-Physical/Physical nodes reduced by ~62.5%.

Monster Changes 

• Significantly reduced the spawn rate of Treasure Goblins within PvP zones.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed the name for the Light Bearer Mount.  
• The Go to Shop button from the Wardrobe will now properly open the shop.
• Fixed an issue where if a Sorcerer uses Deep Freeze and is affected by another effect that would freeze them, it caused them to be permanently stunned.
• Miscellaneous stability and crash fixes.